meadowblythe

Can't answer directly but .. at 16 my DS had a few options but ultimately chose to attend Vocational School. His first company had a number of dancers with the same lower school name as his on their CVs. His current company has a dancer who was a former room mate! I don't think having a "known" ballet school does any harm. For boys as well, it's not that easy to get good quality male teaching, from males, privately. But .. one company got his ballet school confused with another - offered him a job after a summer school but when he questioned why they hadn't been interested before (no audition offered for a vacancy) they admitted they were basing their opinion on his school - but had got the school wrong! I think it depends how confident you are about getting an apprenticeship, whether you would miss the class/group dynamic - working on your own is very different -and how your "plan B" is affected by your decision.

I'm really glad to hear thoughts are still relevant. I sometimes worry it's a little to far away to be relevant. I am, however, expert on the new regulations for Brits residing in Europe ..

agree with what has been said - a couple of other considerations regarding DSs. Many girls dream of being ballet dancers before even taking a class. Suspect not the same is true of boys, so although the field may be slightly smaller, those who are there are probably of a standard to have a realistic chance of success. You wouldn't put up with the "help" from your schoolmates otherwise. I also think, based on my DS's experiences at vocational school and beyond, more boys who apply have families who work in dance (we didn't, not a clue!) so may come to auditions better prepared. This is not a blanket statement just my observations.

I don't know how old your daughter is but don't forget ... if she doesn't get to dance in the Nutcracker as a child, it doesn't mean that she won't when she is older - I suspect there is no strong correlation between those in productions as children (even JAs and the like) and those who dance it as adults in professional or semi-professional companies.

Just seen Waterstones is offering signed copies of Into the Spotlight https://www.waterstones.com/book/into-the-spotlight/carrie-hope-fletcher/9780241503829

How fantastic! Please do post, and I'll try and add them to our library.

Winnie the Pooh is the font of all knowledge. Incidentally, I'd recommend Wink to anyone looking for a stocking filler for their Y6/7 DC https://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/book/16925/Wink-by-Rob-Harrell.html

Research shows that reading for pleasure is one of the best things you can do for your mental health - but it's about reading for pleasure. I've had to curb my innate desire to move students on from Wimpy Kid. The most significant factor was about the student being equipped to choose a book and having the freedom to choose for themselves - not parents, teachers or even librarians! I won't get started on why we should have more independent book shops. but modern books are a glorious thing. I'm attaching a picture of a pile of books I'm about to put out (colour of stickers indicates borrowing age, 20 just tells me the year it was put on the shelf) - and they are a visual treat - even before you start reading.

Misty Copeland has a "gritty" (ie age 13+ in my library!) opening. But as a school librarian I have to err on the side of caution. lovereading4kids, btw, rates hope in a ballet shoe as 13+ - and the younger version as 11+. This is one of my go-to sites for books by age.

I've attached a list recently compiled by a group of school librarians. Variety of reading ages, genre and print availability. Hope it may help someone ..Ballet and dance titles.xlsx

Just added to my list for my school library .. it's a tough one, good readers want the full version but, for example, I have limited Misty Copeland's autobiography to older readers. Not a biography, and not particularly challenging but the Peril en Pointe books are great fun - a new one has just been published.

One tip I learnt when my children were changing educational schools was to watch the children leaving - obviously not in any weird way! From a previous bad experience I was watching for how the parents reacted to each other, and where they waited. How the staff interacted with the parents. How the children interacted with parents and staff. Smiles tell you a lot about the social side. The school they moved to was the one where, going in to see the head, I asked one of the parents where the office was. Unmprompted, she asked if I was thinking of moving to the area, said what a lovely school it was, and, as I had my then-toddler with me, invited me to the local parents and baby group. That's the sort of environment I wanted both for myself and my children.

for what it's worth, we experienced years of favouritism etc pre vocational. My regret is that I didn't move DS. Another student was allowed to by-pass all the requirements of the school (must be in troupes for 1+ year before solos, strictly rationed private lessons) The high, or low, point came when my son was told to hand over his ballet shoes because the other student liked them more than their own. These were his own shoes, bought by us, not school property. Fortunately older students stepped in at this point. We had no dance background and knew no better. We were made to feel bad because although DS had multiple MDS offers he "failed" to get a place at White Lodge after reaching finals. Don't grow a thick skin, but a good pair of conspicuous headphones to be worn (whether you are listening to anything or not) may help. And if you aren't happy, you are a customer and entitled to go elsewhere.

Hi As mentioned before I feel being an Associate can be a disadvantage ... however, I suspect that the establishments are probably looking for the same physical characteristics in their associates as in their full time students. My August son certainly struggled with being away, and moving from a rural to very urban environment. We now laugh at the edict that football could only be played with an inflatable beach ball so that the noise and damage were limited. At the time it was probably the last straw ... Certainly two of his peers dancing in very "prestigious" (your definition may vary) companies joined the school in Year 9 and Year 10. Musical DD daughter was able to join a school that just "clicked" with her because, as a year 10 student, she could cope with living 6 hours from home. I'm not sure that would have been the case in year 7 and also the exeats, although exhausting for all, were much less of an issue over the shorter time period. As @MrsMoo2 says, many ways to crack an egg, and many eggs to crack.

Just to clarify; reader they liked her ... Despite us looking for sixth form (I assured her there was no chance of a year 10 place as we were looking early May of year 9) an MDS was "found" in early July (I had double assured her no chance now, as the school term had finished.) Experience of an elder brother at ballet vocational school, and knowing she had a thorough grounding from her local state grammar before leaving for year 10, made the decision easier. Whereas year 7 was the right decision for him, she was vehemently against going at that age.

I suspect the teachers can spot artistry, and whatever else they are looking for, in ways we non dance parents don't know. When I took musical DD for a look around a school and an "informal instrumental session," the teacher came back and said that by the third note he knew what he needed to know. Associates can be a double edged sword - DS' JA teacher, after seeing his first round audition, commented she regretted some of her earlier feedback to RBS - she had seen a different side to him when he took class with someone else.

This was a face to face class (remember those?) - my point is that although nothing was learnt from a technical point, it was still worth taking. But he was already post-training by then, so although any corrections were useful, the opportunity to dance with an idol, and watch how he performed close up, was the primary gain. Perhaps he wasn't a good teacher but he certainly was an inspirational dancer.

I bought DS a lesson with a particular hero for a birthday present once. He said he didn't learn much, teacher was on such a different level the class was basically impossible. But as an opportunity to see what the human body could do, what the elite of his profession could produce, it was unforgettable and worth every penny.

To all the SWLs/not yets I can still feel, reading this thread, the mixed emotions of a SWL offer for a year 4 place for DS. Especially when the only other boy in his school got a place. My tiny August born son is now rehearsing Rothbart and the Rat King - he may not get to dance Rothbart as he is only(!) 6 foot tall, about the same height as the ballerina dancing Odette. But my point is, you are at the beginning of a long and exciting journey. At times you may not be tall enough, or too tall, or too flexible (he was!) or not flexible enough (he is now!). Ballet is a harsh task master. Be kind to yourself and your children. Cherish good health and good memories made along the way.

My DS has come back from injury twice - each time he has said starting again from basics has improved his technique. Things he didn't "get" during training suddenly made sense. Things he couldn't be bothered with (he was always a turns and tricks boy) take on new importance when your career depends on them! Musical DD found the same - when you aren't worried about umpteen rehearsals, you have time, emotionally as well as physically(?) to really look at your technique. I'm sure your DD will find the barre work pays dividends when the whole studio opens up to her again.

My DS is an August birthday. More than once, I said desparaingly that I wished he was that few days younger. His response was that it made him a fighter and that he wouldn't be the same person if he'd been born in September. And you didn't necessarily know which genius was in the year below!

I do not have school age children, but if I were still at the stage where they were auditioning for vocational school, I suspect I might try my utmost to afford a place on this course as a way of getting my child seen - and this is why it sits uncomfortably with me, particularly where it says the AD will be watching classes. I'm sure this says more about me than the course. And presumably, seeing this is aimed specifically at Vocational Students, they will have to get their current school's permission to attend (assuming exeats line up.) Incidentally, in no state school that I have worked in have members of staff been allowed to tutor students in that school for payment.

I discussed this recently with my son who is a professional ballet dancer. Not at Mr Macrae's level but .. He also posts a selection of ballet pictures and other action/exercise based shot to his Instagram. He gets up to 3 times as many views for ballet shots as others. We always joke that we never see him with his clothes on. But for him it's the difference between being able to survive and beginning to live and feed himself well. One company who now employ him to run their social media account. Nutritional supplements, shoes, clothing are offered and he has only a comparatively few followers . The other point he made was that many dancers will change body shape as they get older - the roles they are given, the injuries they receive and how they modify their dancing to accommodate these weaknesses and skills learnt during recovery will affect their body shape. The analogy he made was with footballers, who may move from playing wide to playing centre as they get older. Back to ballet dancing, they may loose some of their raw power or height of jump, but PDD work, for example, may be much improved. No-one should be made to feel uncomfortable because of the shape of their bodies, as a plus size woman I am very aware of this. I just wanted to present the views of someone who uses social media in a professional ballet context. My son was always the tiny, skinny one who was assessed out for lack of core stability. I think there is a genuine pride in having developed, through sheer hard work, to the point where he is actively chosen as a strong dancer who is not ashamed to say "this is me."

It would be pretty brutal if you got a "no" the same day ... although I did hear of a musician who got his rejection by text on the way out of a UK conservatoire audition!

while I don't have an almighty amount of faith in Mr Dowden .. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/coronavirus-government-advert-ballet-dancer-retrain-it-cyber-oliver-dowden-b987403.html