JoJo

It's my DD's blog, the quays - well-spotted - she will have a light lunch usually just before or after ballet class along with a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack

An insight into the daily training regime at the Academy for those that might be interested in seeing what it's like from a current student's perspective: http://talaleeturton.wordpress.com/2014/11/30/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-bolshoi-ballet-academy-student/ For information and also might be interesting to hear what daily training looks like at post-16 vocational schools in the UK and elsewhere and how it compares to the Russian approach in terms of academic/ vocational mix, dance styles taught, extent of performance opportunities etc?

Here is the link for Bristol Russian Ballet School: http://www.bristolrussianballetschool.com/ l'd highly recommend the training at Bristol Russian Ballet School - they know how to nurture and support their students - and they are very happy to provide advice to parents too!

For those looking for a different European destination and Russian training, my daughter attended the Vaganova Ballet Academy Masterclass in Finland, run by the Vaganova Ballet Academy from St Petersburg as part of the Dance Open Festival, summer before last. It was a great experience culminating in a final performance for the students and a gala with professionals from top European ballet companies. Here is the link to the 2015 Masterclass: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vaganova-Ballet-Academy-Master-Class-in-Mikkeli/387729417916570?sk=timeline My DD reviewed it in her blog (see link below, along with the Royal Ballet summer school of the same year). Bristol Russian Ballet School also feature in the post and run an excellent, Vaganova method summer school in Bristol each year: http://talaleeturton.wordpress.com/2013/08/30/looking-ahead-after-my-summer-break/

I think it's really difficult, particularly if, like me, you are not a dancer and have no experience of the dance world! My DD showed an early talent for classical, winning lots of competitions, then went to vocational school, then studied privately with a Russian school in the UK and is now at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow. My learning curve has been as steep as my DD! And I'm still learning - looking back on the experience so far, my advice would be - find the right school and teachers. A young dancer needs the right kind of support and nurture. And don't be afraid to train with a range of teachers - through summer schools and additional training, for example. Support your DS through all the hard work and sacrifices - and if he is still smiling, feeling rewarded, and showing progress, then it may be worth it. My approach has always been that my DD can take academic qualifications/ train for practically any profession at any point in her life, however, she can only really train to be a professional ballet dancer while she is young. So I've chosen to support her and we'll continue to see where it takes us.

I couldn't agree more with the above statement and your list Anjuli_Bai. My DD looked long and hard to find the right teacher/s and enjoys learning from a range of teachers (through summer schools and additional training) to build on the value she gains from her core classes. I think a helpful part of the resilience kit/ coaching would be indicators that help students recognise whether they are a good fit with their teacher/s, and vice versa, and also to help them recognise their training options, both at home and internationally. Also, coping with injury - my DD has learned to recognise different injuries over the years and uses a common sense approach to working through them and/ or getting support - some are just niggles that go away with limited action and downtime and others need expert attention. I think support on how you might work through and cope with injury would be helpful. I also think that the being away from home thing is also very stressful - mixed with lots of other talented individuals, all striving for the same goal. It's competitive in some ways but mutually supportive in others. This can cause tensions aswell as establishing the basis for bonds and brilliant friendships! I'd recommend coping with the tensions and the ups and downs as a key part of the resilience toolkit.

Here's a review of Prague 2014: http://talaleeturton.wordpress.com/2014/08/30/review-of-prague-international-ballet-masterclasses/ My daughter thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it wholeheartedly to 16+ year olds.

Try these - my DD does this set of exercises twice a day and they have improved her flexibility no end! http://talaleeturton.wordpress.com/2013/11/30/my-pre-class-warm-up/

Hello MAB - I have always only paid in rubles - the equivalent of £40 per ticket for the Lady of the Camellias performance (with great seats) but have had cheaper. My daughter pays as little as 100 rubles for a student ticket but she is then expected to sit up with the gods!

You can buy cheap tickets on the streets outside the Bolshoi before any performance - it's better if you speak Russian though or have someone with you that speaks Russian! You can often get good seats as well if you haggle for a while! I went to see Lady of the Camelias with my daughter on such a ticket with Svetlana premiering the lead role. Students can also get very cheap tickets. http://talaleeturton.wordpress.com/2014/03/30/springtime-celebrations-in-moscow-and-lady-of-the-camellias/

If you do get chance to go to Moscow (though it is a bit of a trek from St Petersburg so will depend on how long you are there), here is a dancer's perspective on what is good to see while you are there: http://talaleeturton.wordpress.com/2014/02/28/14-of-my-favourite-places-in-moscow/ Also Margaret Willis has written an article in this month's Dancing Times called A Tale of Two Cities which focuses on ballet in both St Peterburg and Moscow: http://www.dancing-times.co.uk/news/item/1598-september_2014_dancing_times You cant actually access the article through the link or on line but there is a summary and the full version in the magazine itself, of course!

I have a black, Grishko practice tutu, worn less than half a dozen times if you are looking for second hand?

It is a tough language but if your daughter has a good understanding of other languages already i.e., French, then that will help. Also most of the teachers and admin staff speak only Russian so you have no choice but to learn very quickly - it's a great way to learn a language! My daughter was pretty fluent at the end of year 1 and now can converse freely on pretty much any subject you care to mention!

The Bolshoi offer a 1 year traineeship which includes ballet, character, historical dance, modern and acting alongside Russian language. This is so non-Russian students can then go on to a three year diploma which includes academic classes alongside the dance training in a three year diploma - see my earlier link for the list of academics taught. They are not as tough as A levels but many of the international students top this up with on-line study packages too. My daughter is now fluent in Russian after two years at the Bolshoi and enjoys the mix of academic and vocational - it's hard work and being so far from home, with only two trips back each year, is tough but she feels it's worth it for the progress she's made and the experience!

Here's a link to help you with information on the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow. You can send audition tapes at any point in the year - there is no deadline date: http://talaleeturton.wordpress.com/2014/03/08/top-tips-for-international-students-thinking-about-training-at-the-bolshoi-ballet-academy/

At the Bolshoi Ballet Academy, gymnastic classes are part of the weekly timetable. The classes have helped with my daughter's flexibility and core strength and have made a big and valuable difference to her as a dancer!

For those seeking clarity re the Bolshoi - here is a link to my daughter's blog - she is currently completing her second of four years of training there: http://talaleeturton.wordpress.com/2014/03/08/top-tips-for-international-students-thinking-about-training-at-the-bolshoi-ballet-academy/ The fees are currently 17,000 euros per year - the exchange rate impacts on how much that equates to in sterling depending on when you pay. My daughter started there aged 16 but the Bolshoi do take international students younger. The training is of a very high standard and my daughter is enjoying the whole Russian experience which she writes about regularly in her blog.

I was lucky enough as a Northerner to see this in Stockport. All credit to Chika and Yury for putting on a great performance - they really do know how to nurture those with a love and talent for dance (my daughter is proof of this) and to do it all for such a wonderful cause! Hope you enjoy the show again in WSM with the amazing Elena Glurdjidze and Arionel Vargas!

Thank you 2dancersmum - the post is intended to give an insight into Russian training with a particular perspective from the Bolshoi.

There is quite a high turnover of international students generally - you'd have to ask the individuals themselves for their actual reasons but at 16, there's quite a lot to adapt to. It's a really major step going to live and train in another country at that age - particularly as there are only two holiday periods where you can travel back home - three weeks at Christmas and two months in the Summer. Very few of the teachers, academic staff or admin staff speak English - so you have to learn Russian very, very quickly. Tala had some lessons before she went out there but she had to rely a lot on other English speaking international students to help her out in the first instance - particularly with things like setting up comms back home - so getting a mobile and wifi contract set up. Frunzenskaya, where the Academy is based, is just outside the heart of Moscow but is not touristy - so you will be lucky to find English speakers in any of the shops and supermarkets where you will need to go for a whole range of provisions. Moscow is very different culturally - so it may be that the culture just doesn't suit some people. And then of course there's the training - which is very intense. This has been to Tala's benefit and advantage and she cannot imagine getting this kind of support anywhere else - but it might not suit everyone!

That's great news - Tala has two more years before she starts the audition trail for jobs! Your daughter has done very well - it's a competitive world - I'm sure she's looking forward to becoming a professional dancer!

Ah wow - that's such a long time ago and lovely memories! Tala so enjoyed her four years at NBT! Is your daughter still dancing?

Thank you very much for the welcome and the kind words! Yes my daughter is thriving in Moscow and is benefitting greatly from the training! It's been a great learning experience (for us both) and is paying off in her improvement and confidence!

I'm a relative newcomer to this forum and this is my first post! My daughter is currently in her second year of training at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy and is getting immense value from the training and Moscow life in general! She writes a blog on her experiences and recently posted some tips for international sudents considering training at the Academy, with the aim of providing helpful information and a feel for what it is actually like. There is very little formal information available (as we found when she initially applied). As a result of the post she has been inundated with questions from far and wide and it has been re-posted on a couple of international blog sites. I thought it might, therefore, be interesting for forum members - not just if you or your son/ daughter is considering the Bolshoi but also because it gives an insight into the Russian style and approach - which is working very effectively for my daughter. Here is a link to the post: http://talaleeturton.wordpress.com/2014/03/08/top-tips-for-international-students-thinking-about-training-at-the-bolshoi-ballet-academy/ I hope you find it interesting and informative.