afab

Same here the first year... except she was never called! We had to find something quickly! Second year was easier though as she was picked Fingers crossed!

Very interesting questions I find...

Balletmum, RBS stated in the email I received to confirm they got the forms that it would be sent out by April... I don't know if it means early or late though...

Abfab is quite nice... I didn't think of it!

Welcome dramascientist! I know how you feel as I had to have this conversation with 2 of my DDs last year about not being able to afford to send them to Tring after they got in as we also live abroad and we couldn't find funding... Make sure you check things for DaDa. Since you live abroad, you qualify for the Fees part of the DaDa but not for the maintenance part of it... I'm sorry I might be the bearer of bad news... Good luck!

I agree that quality comes before quantity but it is actually possible to get both at the same time...

Swanprincess, seems like it's the standard here for serious dancers i.e. dancers who want to become professional dancers...

Thanks CeliB

Hi Taxi4ballet, as you know we don't live in the UK but I thought it could be interesting for you to know how much pointe work DD does since I often read about kids having been trained abroad getting places at 16+ in the UK and UK residents wondering why... I often wonder if pointe work could be one of the reasons... DD2 is 13, she started pointe when she was 10. One starts at around 10 or 11 in France when ready. Some kids might start in the class and others will start later. DD1 is 10 and she started in January, she does it once a week for about 15 minutes at the end of the class. Going back to DD2, she does 2 or 3 full classes (1H30 each) on pointe depending on the week, more often 3 than 2. To enter vocational school in France, one has to present a variation on pointe and do part of the audition class also on pointe from the age of 13-14. Hope this helps!

Hi all, DD2 has been accepted at ABT Summer Intensive in Texas and we have a week to send a down payment! Does anyone know anyone having done it or anything that could be useful to make up our mind if she should go or not, keeping in mind she's still waiting for answers from RBS and POB? Thank you

Talking about long distance... DD2 has been accepted at the American Ballet Theatre Summer School! The news is absolutely fantastic as we didn't expect it at all! But, because there is always a but of course, we have to give an answer and pay a deposit by the 3rd of March and she's still waiting for POB results and RBS results won't be out until April!!! And of course, there is the slightly massive problem of funding as she didn't get a scholarship... But for tonight we'll just rejoice at the fact she got accepted at the tender age of 13 and deal with the decisions later! Yippee!!!

I had exactly the same feeling about choosing from pictures... And then DD did RBS SS in WL last year and I was amazed at how similar the girls levels were... For the boys, it was far less homogenous! I'd really like to be a fly on the wall for that selection...

We do it just before or after a lesson and she doesn't ask for any payment.

I'm not sure but it's not my choice...

Tomuchtalent, we saw Matilda last year and it was wonderful really...

Thank you 2dancersmum...

Let's hope the POB one is also good and that your daughter (and mine) get in because taking part in the first ever SS there should also be a cause for celebration... and worth crossing the globe for...

What about the Northern Ballet one in Leeds but for younger dancers? I think it's 12 to 15... Good enough for vocational kids used to dancing a lot? Any opinion would be appreciated... Ta

DD1 has never done Cecchetti either, she doesn't follow a specific syllabus. Mainly French and Russian. Her teacher wrote a letter with specific steps she can do and her general level and it was enough for her to get in.

I'm sorry I sound like I'm terribly fussy but DD1 did the Cecchetti SS for young dancers last year at Tring and, because we come from overseas, we were allowed to see the end of week show. I was very interested by the SS for vocational students as DD1 wanted to do it in 2013 (she wasn't old enough to do it last year)... Maybe it was last year's level but I was very disappointed by the level of the students. So much that DD1 is not going to do it this year. I doubt they were vocational students or else I'm used to another level from vocational students! It was such a shame because the rest of the SS is absolutely wonderful! The atmosphere, the caring for the kids, the organisation, the feeling between kids, everything was just fantastic! But unfortunately, I don't think it's worth crossing the whole world for... That of course is only my opinion and depends on the level of your daughter Pastel. But if she's auditioning for POB and RBS and thinks she has a chance to get in, I would suspect her level is higher than the one I saw...

Yes Pastel, I mean School of American Ballet... DD2 wants to try again next year but this time we will send a DVD as well and skip the audition there...

Hi Pastel, I have my doubts about the level of the École Américaine de Danse de Paris. I belong to a French forum similar to this one but far far less good, anyway... There are lots of discussions about that school, quite negative when it comes to serious dancers... Do you read French, I can give you the link? A friend of DD1's, who was in not such a good vocational school, auditioned there and was admitted only to realise that the level was lower than her previous school!! I have spoken to them a few times, trying to get to come to open days and see the level for myself as DD3 was interested in that school. And I always got a no... It is a vey closed place! Having said that, the SS brings quite a few international dancers and the level might be better but I read once on an American forum that, apart from being in Paris (and you know how wonderful it is to Americans!) the US SS were much better... DD1 & DD2 auditioned in their studio last year for SAB SS and I was gobsmacked to see them allow their students in before the audition to warm up and closing the door in the faces of all the others until it was just before the audition time. The kids had to wait on the pavement for 1/2 hour (in the middle of December in France!) after the arrival time given by SAB... Not much ethics! And that day, none of their students was picked, only a girl from POB! Sorry if I'm the bearer of bad news... And once again, it's only my opinion...

Nana Lily, what I meant was that the future change in leaving school age in the UK worries me because my DD will have finished her A-levels equivalent at 16 and might not be allowed in some courses because she won't be at the age when you're allowed to leave school...

Good luck to you too! DD1 did a summer school in Tring last year and DD2 did one week at RBS in White Lodge. DD2 is trying all 3, it doesn't mean she'll get in all 3 plus we can't afford the 3 so she'll have to do some choosing. Or at least, it would be nice to have a choice rather that not get into anything. She's going to try Northern Ballet Academy in Leeds too... DD1 has changed route slightly. She's become an all-rounded dancer, 20 hours a week of ballet, contemporary, jazz, tap, a bit of singing and theatre on top so she'll try Northern Ballet School as well for the ballet but has to choose a SS that is more musical performance orientated one. DD3 is also trying RBS, she's 10. On top of that, they often do twice a week-long course at their normal dance school, one week early summer and one just before school starts again.

Yes there are 5 locations for ABT which you have to give in your preference order. NY was our last unfortunately because it clashed with O'levels and also with POB summer school and RBS... Texas was her second... Thank you for the support! We'll see... No DD1 is not Balanchine trained but having said that a friend of hers trained in France and not Balanchine, got in and he was eventually offered a yearly place. He's still there actually...