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Flora

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Everything posted by Flora

  1. Flora
    Hi My DD was delighted to get a place at the POB too- she is 15 this year and in the "superieur" group. If anyone knows what the standard is like and how much PDD they do I'd be grateful to hear.
  2. Flora
    That's true Rowan although I believe I'm right in saying YDA has always had results above the national average despite being completely non-selective academically. 2015 was amazing at nearly 40 percentage points above the average but I think 2014 was also at least 20 points above. I do agree though league tables only show so much and they don't show the most important thing - whether or not the children are happy.
  3. Flora
    Yes - there are some places for those who cannot commute in the same street as the school.
  4. Flora
    For parents with children auditioning for secondary schools this year who are not necessarily yet "in the know" I thought I would mention YDA in London whose 2015 academic results have been published by the Local Authority. YDA is a small private vocational day school but it has some scholarship and boarding places. 89% of last year's Yr 11s attained 5+ GCSEs at A-C compared with an authority average of 62.6% and a national average of 53.8%. YDA was also rated as outstanding in its last Ofsted and it has a strong and growing reputation for its training and great vocational results. Last year's leavers went to a range of top upper schools including ENB and Elmhurst. I should just say I have no interest in plugging the school other than my child attends and is happy there....
  5. Flora
    Elfin My DD has been MA and SA at RBS London. She finds the schemes are good and they are prestigious but the truth is they are really only a small complement to whatever other training the child is getting. I appreciate it may be different for JAs in terms of a platform for WL.... For what it is worth, we've found all the RBS associate teachers are strong but they do also teach elsewhere - so often you could benefit from exactly the same teacher but in a less prestigious place. If your DD wants to train seriously personally/for what it is worth I would aim for where you want her to apply for the bulk of her training - whether Elmhurst or elsewhere. Depending on where you choose or end up post 11 it may be possible to tack RBS associates onto that. If Elmhurst is top of your list though I can see the value in staying put given that she has a chance of being noticed at Elmhurst with a view to entry to the school
  6. Flora
    Thanks very helpful explanation. Makes complete sense
  7. Flora
    It's interesting as the ability to be incredibly selective at 16 doesn't seem to translate into the UK then turning out principal after principal- I guess that's another debate!
  8. Flora
    Thanks- that's really helpful. Especially on the feet. DD has a tiny frame and strong feet but aesthetically they are not stunning in terms of the arch. There is no way she would get into an upper school requiring banana feet as an absolute prerequisite.
  9. Flora
    I couldn't agree more. She is in a league of her own. How the Royal ever managed to get themselves in the position of losing her to ENB is totally beyond me.
  10. Flora
    I have a question for people who have been through the audition process for Upper School. How important is having the right body in the assessment for US and how much is it about technical standard/musicality/artistry or is it too subjective to say? If you don't have beautiful banana feet and a long line but have nice artistry, are you ruled out for one of the more competitive schools? My impression at LS level is that the body is everything and that quite a weak and unattractive dancer to the lay person - perhaps rather gangly and uncoordinated and not much sense of musicality- could still be snapped up by a top school. Thanks
  11. Flora
    I meant to say I am not sure where the accommodation is, if you get a place. Someone else may be able to confirm.
  12. Flora
    My DD is a Covent Garden SA and in my experience they tend to travel together and are very safe generally speaking around Floral Street. I wouldn't worry too much about the safety aspects. The main thing is to watch for pick-pocketing. Ease of getting in I am not so sure on. We were offered a place for the 2 week WL summer school last year but only from the waiting list. I am not sure if CG is harder to get in. I've always assumed it is but I don't know for sure.
  13. Flora
    I was amazed at the physique of some of the gymnasts in Glasgow. I'm probably a bit old school but I much prefer the light svelte look. Perhaps it shouldn't matter at all but I do find it inelegant too I must admit especially for the floor/tumbles. What does he mean by blockier- shorter, chunkier/muscle legs? I've noticed some of the female principals now have much more of a look of being regularly in the gym, especially the upper body. I'm afraid I find that gets in the way for some ballets esp when acting scenes showing emotional vulnerability. Again probably wrong of me to see it that way and very subjective.
  14. Flora
    Our current record in pointe shoes is Freeds which lasted DD basically one pointe lesson before they became too soft/dead. Apparently they were the strongest Freeds make. They looked stunning- much nicer for her feet than Bloch I have to say. I don't understand why DD feet seem to destroy them but it's very nasty on the wallet that's for sure.
  15. Flora
    Am I missing the point or isn't the irony of this thread that sometimes very stiff competition for the best US places at 16 comes from privately trained, academically home schooled dancers from other countries i.e. apparently non-vocational school students. Given the international competition for jobs it doesn't seem that surprising to me that you ideally need to be doing a vocational number of hours and quality of training by 14 but the voc schools like any other school must surely have their ups and downs and may not at any particular time have the UK's very best teachers.
  16. Flora
    Thank you Loulabelle
  17. Flora
    Does anyone know the likely dates for ENB senior summer school 2016? It doesn't seem to be online yet. Thanks
  18. Flora
    I can really relate to this too. I worry about all my children including my grown up children but when you have a dancer for a child I think it's particularly bad. There is so much totally beyond your control- will they grow too tall? will they be too short/have legs which are too short? will they fill out too much or get injured? If they lose confidence the spark and musicality can go in their dancing too and the older they get at vocational school the more there seems to be to worry about. I have to check myself as I think it would be easy to get a rather unhealthy attitude to it all as a parent. I try to remind myself it is ultimately her life to get on with. I have my own. I do also find some reassurance from the school from time to time is very helpful- and not just when it is given to the child. I understand no ballet teacher can promise a glittering career at the RB but parents need to know too they have not made a terrible mistake putting the academic education in second place as you inevitably have to do, to a greater or lesser extent.
  19. Flora
    The last time Anna came up in our house my DD announced totally unsolicited "I adore that woman- she made me". Says it all really...
  20. Flora

    Advice

    Flora replied to Lilac's topic in Doing Dance

    Hi Lilac, I'm just a parent with a DD at vocational school so don't give an expert opinion- far from it- but from what I have seen exams are not the be all and end all. Nor is pointe work at lower school level from what I see. I agree with the advice of getting on what is basically the dance circuit and starting to apply for things- associate courses, performances (eg LCB, NYB if you can), autumn, spring and summer schools. attending open classes (eg Danceworks or Pineapple in London). If you have access to London that really helps although not getting through to the hardest associate courses first time eg RBS is not a sign in my humble opinion a child cannot succeed later.
  21. Flora
    Thanks for posting these pics- my DD attended too and enjoyed the class
  22. Flora

    Dance forward

    Flora replied to Twiggy's topic in Doing Dance

    Agreed Angel. What suits one doesn't always suit another!
  23. Flora

    Dance forward

    Flora replied to Twiggy's topic in Doing Dance

    Yes DD did these one Easter - very large classes. Per my DD not the right course if looking for one on one attention or to be inspired but that was her subjective opinion only and all she needed was to keep in shape during the Easter hol.. I think she felt the faculty were amazing dancers but not necessarily also all amazing teachers.
  24. Flora
    It's so hard when they set their hearts on RBS not realising it is not the be all and end all and there are so many great courses out there- not easy for the DD but I think we Mums get the real raw deal coaxing them through it. Deep breath along for the ride mum...
  25. Flora
    V true Ellie - you could go one further stop to Green Park on Jubilee instead and then pick up the Piccadilly to Covent Garden. There is a bit of a walk underground at Green Park for the connection. (Sorry to be such a sad case but I walk it every day at the moment...I realise I sound like a bit of a tube fanatic!) Holborn is not quite so close to Floral Street but sometimes a bit more reliable. (CG tube is sometimes closed, often busy with a million tourists and it's lifts so we tend to avoid it).
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