Tulip

She was in the advanced ballet class. She really enjoyed it. You may have recognised her as young 19 slim and I think she had plaited pinned into a bun.

My daughter danced at KNT tonight, totally enjoyed the class, she was there yesterday too. I will ask her if she will be interested in the advanced workshop.

Central School of Ballet, clue in the title is also predominantly ballet. The curriculum is heavily ballet, pas de deux and point work everyday. However the school is excellent for teaching contemporary and Neoclassical.

Three pairs a month ????

No there are older students 18 plus who can audition for first year.

I know in the past MDSs were removed at Tring as the result of assessments. The student was allowed to stay on the course, just not with the MDS. In effect if you can't afford to pay then you have to leave. I know the MDS can be removed at other times and the students are told of this.

Around 25 I think, but very well organised.

Northern Ballet Associates in Leeds is one to look up. Centre point in Manchester have JA Royal ballet associates

My daughter never darned the tips on her points, simply because they only ever lasted 3-4 weeks tops. Having undarned shoes has never been a problem.

In all fairness professional dancers are 19 and above. My daughter started sewing her own ribbons when she was about 12.

Whilst being on a graduate programme my daughter performed in Nutcracker with the company, they are now rehearsing swans for swanlake. Some of the graduates are performing in the tortoise and the Hare. All good experiences to put on a CV.

A lot of companies are asking for two years experience post graduation. It depends how far they are prepared to travel, also can they afford to travel abroad for auditions?

This year there are only two boys and 10 girls, so partner work can be limited. I view this year not as an extra year for training as they are already fully trained dancers. This year is about staying on top form with fantastic teachers. I wish this sort of thing was available for dancers when they are in between jobs.

For my daughter, we viewed it as fantastic classes whilst she is still auditioning. It works out cheaper than living in London and attending open classes. At Northern there are only 12 student allowed on the course. The students are kept at the top of their game whilst still auditioning. Even when securing a job, contracts can be very short with very low pay.

Are junior companies similar to professional programmes, do the students get paid?

Thank you Ellie.

A lot of schools do film the auditions. It would be good if Tring did this too. This would then allow the director time to observe each student whilst they were dancing, and then reflect back with her colleague later whilst watching the film. I'm sure these students have spent a lot of time and hard work preparing these solos. Even professional dancers glance up at the audition panel whilst auditioning, they want to know if the panel are interested in them.

Thank you Anna.

Rambert is a massive achievement, well done to your daughter

Oops posted my comment on the wrong thread, should have been under 'lucky'.

My daughter was 11, and started at vocational school. All the first years did. My daughter is a summer birth, so she had only just turned 11.

There is a Facebook page called starboard performers, which I have never seen advertised anywhere. It just happened to come up on my daughter little dance school private page. So there you go, some opportunities don't get seen on all these other websites. Starboard seems to be an agent for mostly cruise ships, I haven't heard of them before.

They do at Central.

A lot of companies are asking for dancers with three years experience after graduation. It is difficult out there. My daughter got to dance in the Nutcracker at Northern company and now the graduates are learning swans for swan lake, which can all be added to a CV.

Hi Tabitha, my daughter is with Northern Ballet professional programme, which she is really enjoying. She was offered a place at a small ballet company, but the pay was so small, that you couldn't afford to live in London and pay rent. The training is very high standard and excellent for keeping her at her best whilst auditioning. Auditions start again soon. Graduates are listed on Centralschoolofballet website saying where students have gone, however graduate lists change as student gain employment after the list has been printed and like wise contracts end, leaving students unemployed again.