Klaris

Thank you everyone for your support - much appreciated and well done to your dd Dragonlady, my dd will look forward to seeing her again on 24th March, or at the open day. Really feeling for those who didn't get a yes letter this time - we know what it's like...

Well, the postie has just been this morning - bringing dd's Central audition letter. After being stuck in the corner and feeling that she wasn't looked at by any of the teachers we were very surprised to find out she has got through to the final audition in March - it just goes to show how difficult it is to judge what the panel are thinking when you are doing an audition Hope other DCs get good news soon. Klaris x

Oh that made me smile Ecarte! x

We know of two girls local to us who got into the Royal for Year 9 - both were Associates though.

Hi everyone, dd was in the morning audition and was number 1 - no surprises as she is tinier than tiny! She also said she was in the corner and the piano was in front of her... Dragonlady - she said that the girl who was no. 2 next to her was really nice!! She knows she has not have got through to the final audition as none of the panel seemed to give her a second glance, and she was aware who they were focussing on - her feeling is that her height and low arches were the 'problem'. She did enjoy the class though and is realistic enough to accept that this is not going to be the school for her.

Hi Chasse, I'm sorry you didn't get through to the final - like you say, they have a lot of criteria to match when selecting students - and they'll be auditioning again next year I believe. Glad you had a good time - it does sound as though it was a great day for all the dancers taking part. Thanks Kitschqueen - everyone on dd's audition day did the creative class too (about 25-30 dancers), so I think it will depend on numbers. I'm sure they will want to see the maximum from everyone if they can, as some will excel in the creative but not necessarily so much in the technique class (and vice versa!)

Hi, My dd is a CAT student and auditioned for this at the end of November. All styles of dancers are being encouraged to try for this, not just CAT ones. All CAT students of the right age on my dd's scheme were encouraged to do the audition (sorry, 'Experience Day'!) despite the fact that rehearsal periods and performances would clash directly with CAT intensives at Easter and Summer. I guess that if any on my dd's CAT did get into the company, then they would just have to fit around the dates - which in reality means missing intensives and probably not taking part in performances. And whether you are in Y11, 12 or 13, there are going to be exams and so many other commitments to contend with! My dd is not 16 until January, but this wasn't a problem. Some of her CAT friends who will be 16 in the summer term didn't audition because of their age, but there might be a bit of leeway so it's well worth phoning the NYDC contact number to ask. DD absolutely loved the day - Kerry Nichols taught the class. DD hadn't done her style of contemporary before but said it was the best class she'd ever done - really challenging but fab. In the afternoon there was a creative session - quite tough as the dancers were paired up at random with a number of different dancers, some of whom were easier to work with than others. The company will be made up of 30 diverse young dancers - and it will be an integrated company, meaning some dancers will have disabilities. The Jasmin Vardimon style is very contemporary, physical and theatrical. DD got through to the finals at Sadlers Wells I think about 5 or 6 dancers are picked from each experience day and around 70 will attend the finals. So it is going to be hard to get into the company, especially if you are a girl (there were only 2 boys at dd's audition!) We were told it was not necessarily about technique or experience, and that there will be an element of 'casting' too. Best of luck to everyone trying out...

Hi Katymac, My 15 year old dd is on the CAT scheme for the East of England and they are absolutely brilliant with advice and practical help regarding auditions. This is part of their remit. They regularly have a variety of vocational school teachers and students in to do workshops and give audition advice, some of these schools take at 16 and some at both 16 and 18. Some of the CAT students do go off at 16 - or earlier - but as CAT is contemporary based their emphasis is going to be more towards applying for places at 18. However, students approaching 16 do get loads of input and preparation, and those in Y13 recently spent a few days at both London and Northern Contemporary Schools of Dance, seeing all the facilities, talking to students and tutors, and doing relevant workshops. My dd and her friends have received loads of help and advice - but it's my impression that they also try to encourage the students to do a lot of the research for themselves to foster an independent and self-sustaining approach towards the process.

Thank you everyone for your helpful replies - much appreciated!

I also find it difficult to tolerate perfumes and was happy with using one of Tescos own liquid brands - but recently they have also added scent. The smell makes me feel really ill so I've now had to change to their non-Bio powder which is just about bearable - but I do find the powder can leave white marks on clothes and is generally so much messier!

Hi everyone, With the sixth form audition season now beginning I just wondered if anyone has any advice/experience about accepting an early offer of a sixth form place when other auditions at different schools are still to be attended - perhaps months later. Is an offer binding when accepted, and what about any deposit to be paid? What might happen if the offer was accepted but the place later declined? Any info would be really helpful! Feel free to pm if that's preferred.

Just wanting to send big hugs to you and your dd - and we understand how very real and difficult the dietary issues are. I hope the school at least tried to get this right for her xxx

Hi Swe, I would just like to add that truly I don't think not going away to vocational school at 16 means any dancer has 'missed the boat.' My dd is the same age as yours and it is very easy to feel pressure about getting them onto the next stage. Every young person is different: some will be ready to go off at sixth form age, others will not - for a variety of reasons. We know many talented young dancers who are doing one or both of their A level years before auditioning - and at 17/18 they intend to audition for schools such as Rambert, Central, London Studio Centre, Northern etc. Perhaps if your dd's aim was to go to Royal or Elmhurst or Tring, that might be different... Living independently in a big city is a huge undertaking, even at 18 - but when you factor in the huge commitment, physical effort, discipline and organisational skills involved in full-time dance training then it becomes an even bigger challenge!

It's so nice to hear how well your dds are doing and that they are at schools that suit them - lovely news!

We find the Royal Ballet (and other companies) productions that are screened live at our local independent cinema are fantastic to watch - my dd says that watching so close up is amazing. She says she learns so much from it. The ticket prices are very reasonable and there is no travel involved - yet every time we have gone the cinema has been half full at best (and she has been the youngest, at 15, by some considerable distance.)

Wow, Taxi4 ballet - on her third pair already! You're right, it was the shanks - and the wood hardener did nothing for them. Yes, we went to the shop in Amersham Spanner, and they had a reasonable choice and did the fitting well although it was a make and style dd had never had before (Bloch Suprima.) She was very pleased with them in rehearsals though and felt they really suited her feet, thank goodness! It's lucky you're up in London on Tuesday...

Dd came out of rehearsals yesterday saying her pointe shoes had softened so much they were like soft blocks - they were new prior to EYB and she has never worn out a pair before. We ran round Aylesbury in a panic and finally found some wood hardener which we painted on - but still no good. This morning we drove 40 minutes to the nearest dance shop to get there in time for opening. I was relieved of over £100 for two pairs of pointe shoes, ribbons etc (didn't dare risk getting just one pair again) drove like a looney to get to rehearsals on time, sat in the car sewing those lovely ribbons and elastics on - trying not to drip blood on the new shoes as I'd forgotten my thimble - then realised I had no glue to stick the suede patches on (don't even mention darning!) Another trip into Aylesbury - the town that has no glue - but eventually found some adhesive spray in a bookshop! Fought the traffic back to rehearsals and made it just as they were finishing lunch. I think we Mothers deserve a medal

Thank you for all the help - I shall now show your replies to dd, and hope she can sort out what she needs to!

Hi Spanner, my dd has been having similar pressure pain on the big toes too - and has developed a lovely bruised toenail over the two days off! She asked Emma if there was anything she could do but there isn't apparently, it's just how it is! What my dd has been doing though is smothering her toes with both Germolene and Arnica cream in the evenings and letting it sink in - don't know if it's doing any good but at least she feels like she's doing something!

Spanner, do you know if this would work for converting the dvd onto an iPad - which is all my dd currently has. She can watch it on my Mac but would like to use her travel time to study the RAD syllabus work.

My dd says prevention is better than cure! It would probably be a good idea for your daughter to tape her toes with micropore (thinner than plasters) to avoid blisters and rubbing from the shoes, and if there is an area that is sore or takes more pressure in her pointe shoes then pad that bit with some lambswool (that's good because it compresses easily.) There are also small gel tubes for toes that are probably meant for people with corns (most chemists and supermarkets sell them), but these are really useful as they slip on and off and can be reused (within reason!) She will get used to feeling what sort of padding etc suits her - it's probably a question of trying different things to see what suits her feet when she's wearing pointes.

My dd is also having a fantastic time - working very hard but absolutely loving it. She is taping her toes, putting protective tubing round them and padding them with bits of lambswool!! These first first five days have gone very quickly, but it's amazing how much they seem to have got done already. Hope all your DCs are having some relaxing down time today

I seem to remember that the information was given out rather late - you could always email BBO to see what you can find out.

DD's ballet teacher very much prefers shoes to be darned (including soft blocks) so I dutifully spent hours sewing both sets of shoes when she started there (she had Grishkos and they seemed very tough to darn, so there was much cursing ) However, when she danced in them she found the grip very difficult to get used to and slipped during point work. She says she felt very insecure with the darning. I had to unpick it all and we went back to the suede patches - teacher wasn't too impressed!

My dd did this last summer and I can really recommend it. Mary Goodhew took a lot of the classes and was very friendly and approachable. They also had classes with some extremely good guest teachers (Francesca Filpi, James Barton from BRB, Sophia Hurdley from Matthew Bourne are three that spring to mind.) If you were in the Senior group you could do the junior classes too, if space allowed. It was very good value for money and you could pay by the day. Most of the other students were at Vocational Schools, so classes were at a very good standard.