tutoo2much

Both Royal Ballet School and Elmhurst choose candidates based on photos. You need to be in year 5 to apply, and at Elmhurst about year 9. I think quite a lot of the British students are associates but not all and of course a large number are from abroad.

Sorry CeliB That came out wrong. I wrote that slightly tongue in cheek, thinking about how I may have to tell the teacher she is leaving or quitting to elicit a more enthusiastic response around my child's potential. It's exciting and wonderful that your son is having this opportunity to develop his talents, but even better news that he is enjoying the process so much. I am happy with my daughter's potentail with a little 'p' , as she is enjoying the training and having all sorts of different experiences because of it. Anyway I suspect even if I was told my daughter did have amazing potential, I would struggle to believe it!

So to summarise, there are children who show amazing potential (ie body musicality, brains), which teachers can recognise. However, this is no guarantee that they will go on the be world class ballet dancers as there are so many other factors involved. Teachers,for a variety of reasons do not put this label on individual children or burden parents with it. No way of knowing whether or not a child has potential with a capital P or a little p. Unless of course you are in CeliB's position and put teachers 'on the spot' By the way Anjuli- I loved your description of Jeff. I could almost feel the quiver of excitement when he first arrived at the studio.

In a way it is reassuring that everyone else is getting the p word too! However, I find it hard to believe that all potential is equal. My DD bless her, does not have the potential to be a world class dancer. She may have the potential to get a 6th form place at ballet school and a job as a dancer. Now that I think about it, a friend whose dd started at WL a few years ago was told that the staff had been very excited by her arrival, as they only got a child like that once every few years.

That is a very good point amber21. It would actually increase the pressure and make it harder to change your mind. Veryskint- I know how you feel, the word potential is a vague bit of faint praise, which on reflection means very little, but could be seen as a compliment and a reason to keep going.

I know I have read on this board that a parents has been told that there son was extremely talented, with the potential, with the right training to become a world class principal dancer. No-one has actually said anything like this about my child. In fact, although she has had success in auditions and exams, any comments have been low key. ie "Not one of the best in the class" "She works very hard". Nothing really negative ruling a career out though. I had always assumed that this was just how ballet and ballet teachers were, very understated. I thought they didn't really know who had this potential in the end. Reading this board, lots of posts emphasise the mystery and randomness of how children are selected. However I am now wondering if there are ballet teachers at vocational and local ballet schools telling parents how amazing their offspring are. I suppose I have looked on it as no news is good news! editted for clarity

As everyone says- enjoy the moment, and these years. There are so many variables and so many things can change as they grow. Sometimes it seems nobody really knows. You may not be any wiser as to her chances in 10 years time!

I didn't really mean vocational students returning to their old dance teachers for the odd lesson, catch-up, or opportunity to work on a specific problem. Rather students seeking out renowned teachers for a almost paralell training as Gingerbread described. So is it common for pupils to audition at other schools in case they are assessed out or wait until they are? I suppose the other thing is that an audition can be an enjoyable experience in itself and a useful skill even if you are not planning to change schools. Seems a big gap betweeen auditioning at 11 and then again at 16!

Rowan- What do you mean by a gilded cage? I thought a vocational school was where a parent sent a child so they did not have to stress or worry about the child's dance training. They would get the right amount of lessons from inspirational teachers, who would know them well enough to help them work on any issues they had. They would be able to reach their potential, whatever that was. Parents would still be left with other things to worry about, homesickness, funding etc

It does clash with a lot of summer schools. Do they realise this??

I think that as schools reserve the right to say they can no longer offer training to a child, then they should not be too sensitve about children auditioning elsewhere. Maybe it would be better for children to have auditioned elsewhere before they find out they have to leave anyway. Somehow I would prefer to be going to a funding audition after having done the first round, rather than ringing around asking to be allowed to attend final auditions! And of course children who are assessed out have missed the chance to audition for some associate schemes.

Probably harder odds than rbs ja's! well done

I was really suprised to read children at voactional schools have private lessons. Would be interested to hear if this is common practice and whether it is to make up for deficiencies in the teaching or the child? Who decides this is necessary?

London and Birmingham JA's get the best oppotunities to perform with BRB, RBS and visiting companies!

Very depressing figures JulieW! Even more depressing MumofBalletmaddaughters audition experiences. Would it be legal in this country for companies to advertise and invite people to audition for jobs that didn't even exist.

Contact all them all and explain your dilemma. Maybe one of them can be a bit flexible.

Has anyone ever had to 'prove' the grade they claim to have got in an exam? I am sure that if you perform on the day of an audition, no-one will care whether you you got a merit instaed of a distinction. Likewise if you are in ADV 1 because there was no other class available on the day you could attend, I am sure it will be obvious at the audition. Maybe for summer schools they ask simply to get an idea of which level to put you in. Do they ask for this information on RBS summer school forms?

Ballet Cymru are holding a course 5-8th June from 1-4pm in Abergavenny. There are two groups, 7-11 and 12 and up. The price includes a ticket to see Ballet Cymru perform Little Red Riding Hood. And most amazing of all the cost- £40. Sounds amazing- might see you there! More details from amydoughty@welshballet.co.uk

I really don't think this forum is the place for discussion and speculation about people that are so easy to identify the people involved. It makes me feel very uncomfortable to think that something that a child does at a ballet school or in an audition is up for public consumption and gossip in such a public arena. It reminds me why I hate sitting in the lobby of a dance studio.

Pointytoes22, Give it a go, they really are looking for potential. There is an open day at Exeter on 27th May I think. That will include demonstration by current students, information about the course and funding, and a dance class. It's free, so you have nothing to lose. Then you can decide whether or not to audition on June 10th. Information from their web-site http://youthdanceacademy.yolasite.com/ You need to scroll down a bit.

I did darn a pair successfully but the stitching frayed very quickly. I used three strands of embroidery thread. Is there something a bit stronger. What is in those bunheads sewing kits?

The Royal Ballet school states that you have no opportunity to appeal. http://www.royal-bal...ions_Policy.pdf http://tringpark.com...ations/policies So do Tring (Click on Admissions Policy) On the Hammond web-site it states PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL HAMMOND SCHOOL POLICIES ARE AVAILABLE TO READ UPON REQUEST It looks as if you stand the best chance if the school in question is Elmhurst. However if your appeal is upheld then you get the opportunity to audition again rather than get offered a place.

I am sure this topic has been discussed before but I couldn't find a link to it. I don't think anyone knew of anyone that had been successful in an appeal. Someone said they had appealed on the grounds that the child had been ill on the day of the audition but had simply been told to try the following year. I am sure the schools have a policy detailing grounds to appeal. Maybe if there was something unfair about their selection procedure or one of the panel had accepted a bribe or had a niece auditioning? Other than that you just have to assume they saw more potential in the children that they offered places to. Perhaps ring the school and ask if they have a written policy? This is a link to Elmhurst's policy. http://www.elmhurstdance.co.uk/policies/AuditionAppealsPolicy.pdf editted to add link

I can't answer your question exactly, but I remembering reading on the old ballet.co.uk board about children who have had unfunded places at Hammond and Tring going on to audition and get funded places for Elmhurst. So that seems to indicate that they had had good training. But perhaps they hadn't auditioned at Elmhurst in the first place.

Elliepops, What a wonderful surprise. Had your daughter been before? I am just wondering how they chose her! 222