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HappyGirl

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  1. HappyGirl
    Thanks to all those who shared their JA insights with me on this thread. After much deliberation we have decided to take dd to the London audition. Photos have now been taken and form is all ready to send off. Dd is very excited about the whole thing but has a realistic approach to it too - the deciding point for me was when we were discussing it and she said "I'll never know what might have happened unless I try". So true. Who knows what will happen but for now we're going to enjoy the experience of the audition.
  2. HappyGirl
    You're so right balletmum20 - it's got to be about a balance between practicalities and what dd wants - it's her life after all. If it was down to me I wouldn't do it (and certainly wouldn't have wanted to when I was 8!) but it's not about me. I have yet to read about a bad experience with the audition process and the fact that your daughter wants to try again shows that it must be an enjoyable experience. I'm starting to think we have nothing to lose at this stage.
  3. HappyGirl
    Dh is more sports focused - if it was a sporting academy trial he might view it differently! Although since watching dd's ballet class at the end of last term he has more respect for it! I think he thought they just pranced around pretending to be fairies! He's also more practical and sees the huge commitment it would entail - and the cost too of course. That's men for you I guess. Think I will need to polish up on my diplomacy skills if we're going to go ahead and audition!
  4. HappyGirl
    I couldn't agree more Lin re. having a passion that doesn't relate ok any way to career. In fact I think it's important to have an outlet that enriches your life but doesn't necessarily earn you a living. Amazing if you can combine the two of course but that must be a rare thing. Dd and I had a chat about the whole JA thing yesterday. She's being very sensible about it and says she would really like to go to TG audition for the experience and just to see what it's like and because she'd always wonder if she could've got in if she doesn't. She's got reservations about the lessons though - she hates long journies and loves family time at weekend. I think if she goes to audition she'd have a better idea if whether it's something she'd enjoy though. Plus, I emphasised that it was something to take one step at a time. Now to discuss with dh who is less keen on the concept - another factor in all this!
  5. HappyGirl
    Thanks again for all the really helpful thoughts. Lin I agree with a lot of what you say. She is still very young and it is healthy for her to have a balance of intetests. It's all about exploring and finding out what's out there at this age - much of it will be about life enrichment rather having any influence on future careers too - and that's the way it should be in my opinion. My comments about dd not wanting to be a ballerina were more about how she views her ballet right now, rather than actually thinking ahead to the future. But, I totally see your point Lin in that she is too young to really got a 'bug' for one thing yet - and JAs would be a good way of testing out whether or not ballet is her thing. Unfortunately Eastliegh only offer weekly sessions so kind of thinking that fortnightly in London might be better option if it were to come to that. I don't think dd would cope well with weekly just yet, even if it was closer. Tricky one. All pie in the sky at the moment I know but need to weigh it up.
  6. HappyGirl
    I totally agree Julie. I'm sure the JA experience has loads to offer and all sorts of other benefits even if they don't end up pursuing ballet any further and I can see that it's a wonderful opportunity whatever happens eventually. I guess I'm concerned that it could become the main focus when it's not perhaps what dd would chose to focus on if she were to actually sit down and decide - hence my feeling that we need to have a serious talk. I guess the audition itself would be a test of how keen she really is though?
  7. HappyGirl
    We haven't actually sat down and talked it all through properly. It has been an ongoing conversation made up of little thoughts on it here and there as we have all come to terms with a proposition tact has come completely out of the blue. She only knows the basics around the JA opportunity and isn't fully aware of what it might entail and where it might lead - or not as the case may be. I am piecing a lot of it together from these snatched conversations which is why I think we need to talk it through properly. I'm well aware that this forum is full of very knowledgeable dance orientated people and I probably seem like a tight flippertyjibbet to a lot of you. Apologies for that. I am just trying to arm myself with as much information as possible to help our decision making process in an area I literally know nothing at all about. You've all been very helpful.
  8. HappyGirl
    Apologies for all the typos - I'm on my phone!!
  9. HappyGirl
    Thanks bestfootforward - your words rang SO true with me! Part of my concern about the whole thing is whether dd really - I mean really, wants to do it. As you say, we need to sit down and talk it through and try to work out it it's what she wants. As I've said before, she loves her ballet but at the same time openly says she doesn't want to be a ballerina so I'm just not sure how she views it. It's very young to know so she'll need some guidance but I want her to have some day in it and don't want her to feel pushed into it. Interesting what you say about there being more spaces available in y5 that y4 too - I'm starting to wonder whether it might be better to carry on as we are for now and see how she's feeling about it all next year.
  10. HappyGirl
    Goodness vonrothbart that is a lot of travel for your granddaughter. Worth it if she loves it though I guess. You're right, travel, or rather the cost and time involved is a big factor for us. It's not that i wouldn't want to do it for her I just have to factor it into other priorities in life - like the fact dd gets horrendously tired anyway, my son who loves our family Saturdays and a host of other things. I'm well aware some might think I'm being a bit selfish. I will definitely be looking into the centre nearer to us and speaking to dd's ballet teacher. I've just looked on RBS website and deadline/audition is sooner for that one too so might not be a bad thing! Has anyone got any experience of Eastleigh? Do you think dd's teacher is favouring London because of the Covent garden factor and proximity to WL and opportunities to be part of RBS productions etc or are there likely to be other reasons? I'm really not sure. Less than an hour in the car over 2 on a train is quite a big difference whatever.
  11. HappyGirl
    Thanks hfbrew - very wise words. I'm not surprised others echo what you said! I might ask dd's teacher about the other centre again. She was very set on London or nothing when I spoke to her about it initially but I guess doing it elsewhere would have to be better than not doing it at all if it came to it? I totally see the draw of Covent Garden but the other centre is probably an hours drive away over a 2 hour train ride so quite a big difference. Can they choose to offer you a place at any centre even if you don't tick it on the form then? I guess the big thing for us is that had dd's teacher not mentioned it we would in no way be thinking along these lines so it feels a tiny bit like we're being pushed into it. I don't mean in a bad way but it is completely outside of anything we were thinking or planning and dd has not even talked about doing more than one ballet class a week. She is loving her ballet but she also equally loves her other clubs so it's not what I would call a real passion. I'm sure it could become one though - don't get me wrong! Thank you all so much for your thoughts. They really are helping the decision-making process. It's very much appreciated.
  12. HappyGirl
    Hi. Thanks again for the replies. It's nice to feel welcome . I guess the 'getting swept' along thing that a few of you have mentioned is part of my hesitancy about the whole thing. When talking it through Dd is very open about the fact that she doesn't really want to be a ballerina and that there are lots of other things she wants to do/try. If she were to get a place then I can just imagine everything revolving around the ballet and 8 just seems incredibly young to be choosing one particular path. So tricky! Is it easier to get a place in yr 4 than other years. Dd's teacher suggested it was but I have read things that contradict that on here. I think I would ideally like to wait a year and see if she's still keen or even keener to try then but I don't know whether that would be a silly idea? As for weekly v fortnightly - it's more about the travelling than the actual class to be honest. A 2 hr train ride there and back every Saturday would be pretty full on and tiring for dd but fortnightly might be ok. Does anyone know how they decide what they offer you if it's not just based on what you put on the form? Thanks again.
  13. HappyGirl
    Thanks so much for the welcome and the advice. I've spent a long time reading relevant threads on here already so good to actually participate! It's particularly useful to know that the yr 4/5 JA class at Covent starts at midday as that would be achievable - assuming it still does of course. There is a centre a bit nearer to us but dd's teacher is advising London over that one - she's ex RBS herself so knows what she's talking about. Someone mentioned applying for fortnightly and getting offered weekly - does that happen a lot? I'm thinking weekly would be way too much. It's good to know the audition alone is such a positive experience. I just feel like my head is going to explode weighing it all up. As I said before, this was never even vaguely on the agenda!! Thanks again.
  14. HappyGirl
    Hello. I'm very new to all this - both this forum and the whole dance world in general, so please bear with me! My 8 year yr old daughter's ballet teacher has suggested that she auditions for RBS JAs. I'm hugely proud of her for this accolade alone but am also completely taken aback and a little scared by the whole thing! I didn't even know JAs existed until she mentioned it and nothing like this was ever on the agenda until now. Dd loves her ballet but it has always seen it very much as a fun hobby. She is excited by the prospect of auditioning and visiting Covent garden but realistic about the commitment involved if she were to be lucky enough to be offered a place. I've been doing lots of research and have read some really useful threads on here which have helped a lot but I'm still in two minds about the whole thing. It sounds like an amazing opportunity but also a huge commitment - both financially and time wise. We live a fair distance from London so it would involve a lot of travelling. Does anyone know what time the Covent garden lessons start as this would be a major factor for us? Also, does anyone know anything about bursaries and is there likely to be any consideration of travel costs? I know this all seems like I'm hugely jumping the gun but just need to be realistic. I'm thinking we might take her to the audition for the experience as that would be an experience in itself and we will always wonder if we don't but I still have so many questions. Thanks for reading and any insight anyone can give will be much appreciated!
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