Balletsister

I too have been checking my emails far too frequently this week! It's my daughters birthday tomorrow so if it's a no I will keep it to myself until the weekend.

Thankyou for replies. I have sent an email to confirm now too.

Fingers crossed for those still waiting. They have all done so well to make it to the recall. For those that have heard can I ask if you have replied to the email to confirm attendance on the 15th? I can't see anywhere on it that we need to but just having a minor panic in case I've missed it. Thanks.

Re read this and realised it sounds like we don't know if she's got finals. We had the email yesterday to say she has a place at finals next sunday.

At last I am able to post a 'yes' for my daughter on this forum!!!!! I was in two minds whether to post as I don't want to tempt fate but decided to as if she doesn't get a place at finals the two yess she's had from LCB so far are much to celebrate in our house!

Don't want to jump the gun and tempt fate but does anyone have date for casting if successful?

My DD also auditioning for the first time tomorrow. It says on email that all auditionees will be contacted with results so does that mean if you don't get a recall for second part of audition tomorrow then that it's a definate no?

Re dates for RBS. A lot of independant schools in the UK will have two weeks off for October half term and break up for summer holidays end of June/early July so RBS appear to be more in line with this.

Does anyone know when the dates for next years auditions and performances may be available? There are currently only two on the website. Thanks

My dd did LCB Junior summer school last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. She made friends quickly and everyone was very friendly. She was one of the youngest and I don't think she was stretched much (not literally!) but had a great time.

My 10 year old dd has danced with EYB twice and absolutely loved it both times. She is tallish for her age so has had parts in groups with older girls but that has not been a problem and the entire environment is supportive and encouraging. It is an amazing opportunity.

The last two years my daughter has been asked to do box splits and froggies on tummy for JA audition.

This reminds me to savour all the lovely things about dance. The years whizz by so quickly and at times I want to put the brakes on and take time to enjoy it. They won't need us forever so we must make the most of it from open classes to stage performances and all that goes on in between on a daily basis.

I realise having read the recent threads about various auditions and school places that I should be relieved that my dd is good but not that good. What a harsh system they face if you go down this route. Childhood is so short and to have it punctuated by that amount of pressure and stress surely can't be a good thing. I do believe that difficulties in life can shape us for the better but I for one would not invite these difficulties by placing them in a system that at times appears barbaric. They may end up on the stage somewhere as adults but at what cost?

My one tip would be to keep it all in perspective. There are soooo few places which is not represented on this forum. This is through no fault it's just that most posters on here have positive JA tales to tell but the vast majority of us don't! The first year my dd auditioned and I found this forum I had convinced myself she had a reasonable chance. BIG MISTAKE! Read the statistics for yourself on the RBS report and you will be much more realistic of chances.

We were at awards on Saturday and went back on Sunday for the gala which was fabulous. A super selection of dances and an appreciative audience. Perfect!

Thankyou all for taking time to reply, your comments have been really helpful. My dd is resilient and after the initial disappointment wants to steam ahead with awards and next festival. Happy days!

Nerves used to get the better of me and I would watch from the wings when she was little but I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed watching her dance today (in the audience with my fingers and legs crossed!) and I know she danced her socks off. That memory will be with me always and I will treasure it.

Thankyou jazzpaws. I think it is the solo element that is much more tricky as there's no one to share the highs and lows with. She has qualified for regional finals with a quartet which she has had fun with. The experiences she has had with EYB and similar are what memories are made of so let's hope for more opportunites like that in the future.

My dd has been doing festivals for a few years and always enjoyed them. I realise that losing with good grace is a life skill but what to do when your dd doesn't place anywhere but dances her heart out. She came off stage with the biggest grin and gave me the biggest hug but by adjudication her best effort to smile through it was truely tested. She is still quite young and had success in the past but as the age range goes up the standard seems to have shot up particularly in ballet. She gets high 80's in exams but low 80's at festivals this week despite lots of preparation and hard work.

Bestfootforward can I ask if your daughter is still doing assiciates? I Know that the number of MAs is a lot less than JAs and was wondering what your experience was post JAs. My dd might audition for JAs this year (again!) but not sure if can face it all with only one year of JAs (as currently year 5) even if by some miracle she gets a place. I feel it might be a bit cruel to set her up for further disappointment only one year later. Apologies this is a bit off thread!

My dd dances five times a week and does festivals, summer schools etc. I have two other children who don't dance. As has been mentioned the cost would definately be prohibitive for a lot of people. Plus the time spent transporting dd to and from classes. Therefore I would agree that it is mostly a middle class demographic. I am frequently asked (by non dancing friends) if my dd will make a career from dance. I have no idea what the future holds and my reply is that she has gained soooo much from dancing over the last 6 years that even if she gave up tomorrow it will all have been worth it. The opportunites she has had and the friends she has made will last a lifetime. And she is still only 10 years old!

My dd has auditioned twice for RBS JAs and enjoyed it both times. However, recently we have decided to step off the audition rollercoaster and just enjoy classes, exams, summer schools and festivals. It is soooo easy to get caught up in all the hype surrounding JAs and similar schemes. I feel quite liberated by our decision! This forum is excellent but I do think that it is not representative of the majority who will not make it to the top levels within dance. As a lay person reading alot of the posts you can easily get carried away with unrealistic expectations. To be told your dd is 'very good and has potential' at a young age is a double edged sword. For us I wouldn't change a thing but going forward I think a realistic head on my shoulders tells me to savour what my daughter was blessed with and not always be wanting more.

My daughter has just finished the London Childrens Ballet Summer School and she absolutely loved it. I used this forum to get information re summer schools earlier this year and it was following recommendation from members that I signed my daughter up for it. She had a ball! Many many thanks.

Had a super evening tonight at EYB audition. My daughter got a place and after disappointment of not getting RBS associates it has really helped to give her a boost. She has done EYB before and it was an amazing experience for her. Can't wait for it all to start.