invisiblecircus

It depends where you live!

Absolutely true. I got back in touch with one of my friends from ballet school 10 years after we had both left, and she told me she still had nightmares about her time there and was still somewhat traumatised by her experience (she gave up ballet immediately after leaving.) I on the other hand think it was the best time of my life and has had a positive impact on everything I've done since whether dance related or not. Royal Ballet school is the most obvious, then there's English National Ballet School and Elmhurst. As others have said, most who graduate from Rambert go into contemporary. Regarding Russia, it's useful to read blogs of other foreign students who've studied there, to see the pictures of dorms and think about how she'd feel living in dorms like that. Is she naturally good at or interested in languages? I think that 16 year old vocational ballet students in the UK have a lot more freedom and independance than students of the same age in Russia, which may be a good or a bad thing depending on the student! From your post I'm not sure where you're based, but is there a reason you're not looking at countries other than the UK and Russia? I'm asking first of all because there are some very good schools outside of those countries and secondly because some of those schools might not dedicate as many hours to dance styles other than ballet as UK schools do.

After reading that, I googled it too and didn't find any sources that said it could be spelled either way, but hilariously, there is a whole website dedicated to the topic! http://dilemna.info/index.php If she's withdrawn her son from school, I don't think she can expect any further contact from them as in the UK, everyone has the legal right to educate their children from home and they don't have to follow any set syllabus. I agree with this, as tempting as it may be to say something. It sounds as if she hasn't made her mind up about what to do about secondary school yet. I think that if she brings that topic up with you, you could definitely say something along the lines of "You could always send him and see how he gets on" without being offensive. I've just read your OP again and this alleged incident with the toilet happened when he was 6 years old?! And the 6 year old insisted on not going back to school? What kind of evidence were they expecting to find? I certainly wouldn't dismiss the incident based on lack of evidence. What would worry me in all of this is not the mother's capability to give her son an adequate home education but whether that child got some sort of counseling or therapy following what happened. This would also help ease him into back in to a different school. Unfortunately, it's probably too late for you to suggest this two years later, but if she ever mentions the incident again to you, you could enquire whether he ever got any counseling at the time.

It's "dilemma," not "dilemna." Sorry, couldn't resist I think it's really nice o you to care so much, but as frustrating as it may be to keep quiet, I would deinitely mind my own business on this and not give any unsolicited advice. Her son will most likely be being exposed to material other than that created by his mum, so he will have the opportunity to pick up on correct grammar from other sources and will hopefully even be given some specific exercises on it from a text book. If he does end up going to a secondary school and is behind, the school should be able to provide the necessary support to get him up to speed.

Lucym, are you in the UK or outside of it? Your reference to "level 2" makes me think you're not in the UK and perhaps in a place where there is generally more flexibility in year groups, which would make repeating a year less of a big deal. In the UK where students in a particular year group have to reach a certain age between 1st September of one calendar year and 31st August of the next, it is pretty rare for anyone to repeat a year between the ages of 11 and 16, so doing so might be more difficult for a student to cope with. As another poster said, you need to weigh up all the options available to you. If she doesn't repeat the year, what then? Is she allowed to go into level 2 anyway or would she have to leave the school? Could she move schools? What does your daughter want to do? Also, the issue of bullying needs to be adressed urgently so I'm glad you've taken the first steps towards that. I don't know anyone personally who has repeated a year in a lower school (vocational school) but those I know who have done so in a regular academic school have all thrived and all have said it was the best thing they did, so it can be a very positive thing.

I can't say I've ever had that problem! I always struggled with piroutettes but didn't have a problem with other turns. My breakthrough came when we did an exercise with pirouettes from second. Suddenly something clicked and my pirouettes improved immeasurably. Really interesting point about heels, balletchick. I've never thought about that beore but it makes sense. I've always had problems wearing and walking in heels (never mind dancing in them) as I've always disliked being tall so I've avoided them as much as possible!

Has he ever slept at a friend's house or been away on a residential with school? Was he OK with the idea of staying away from home when you booked the residentials?

I used to work with a youth dance company and on the day of the dress rehearsal/ photo call, all the dancers has been instructed to turn up with their hair in a bun. One girl was dropped off by her dad, who casually said "sorry but I'm not very good at doing hair, my wife usually does it but she's at work." It turned out that he had done her hair using only stationery supplies! Her ponytail was tied with a regular rubber band, then twisted round and held with a bulldog clip and some paper clips!

Is Woodside Dance Retreat associated with Kings International Ballet Academy?

My 6 year old can't do a proper ballet bun but she can do a bun without a net and pins using mini crocodile clips. It's not super neat but maybe would be passable for your ballet teacher! I also never use hairspray or gel on her hair, just plain water in a fine spray bottle from Boots.

I hadn't heard that, that's great news for him! Perceived by who? I'm sure it IS limiting the opportunities for outsiders, but the RB is under no obligation to share the contracts around or make it easier for anyone. With the exception of the first year of the programme, the Aud Jebsen young dancers have exclusively been RBS graduates, and I'm sure many are glad to see the opportunities given to them. How many times do we see people complaining that more contracts are not being given to graduates of a company's own school?

Yes, exactly, that was my point. RB has been a popular choice for a number of years as you say, especially when you consider the number of companies on offer, but winners who have chosen other companies seem to have been a lot more successful at getting a contract with the same company. Last year in particular there were very few contracts available at the RB with several of their own apprentices not getting one.

Your local further education college would be the best place to advise you. If it's specifically receptionist work you're interested in, you could have a look at some recruitment agencies and see what the requirements they ask for jobs that would interest you. Computer literacy and being up to date on the latest version of the Microsoft Office package would be essential and for some office jobs, this alone would be enough to get you a job, then you could build on your skills from there. Don't worry about your age. My mum has taught on courses at a further education college and said there were lots of students in their forties and older, returning to work after raising families. She taught several who had no computer skills at all when they started, and they all went on to get jobs.

The school or company must accept the student for a year but I understand there is some dialogue between the student, the school/ company and the Prix organisers which is why the destinations aren't announced right away. If more than one prize winner chooses the same school or company, that school/ company only has to take the higher placed winner, but can take two or more if they wish. Very surprised that three are headed to the ENB after the company's recent challenges. I think this is the first time in several years that no one has chosen an apprenticeship with the RB. Perhaps they feel that they have a greater chance of a permanent contract with another company, or are indeed offered one at the outset.

What changed for this girl then? Are you suggesting she got the place because she was seen by someone other than those on the panel when she auditioned and would perhaps have got a place if the person who saw her at the YAGP had been on her initial audition panel? I think exposure certainly helps. When you're competing a solo at a competition, you're watched more closely than you would be in an audition when the panel has to watch a whole class. You're also performing familiar work that you've perfected, so you're really showing the best of yourself. It's easier to stand out and spark a director's interest than it is in an audition when you can become lost in a crowd of talented dancers.

UK candidates, as well as other international candidates from countries who do not hold preliminary rounds, travel to one of the countries that does. It's expensive, but worth it if you end up with a scholarship to a top school or a professional contract.

Regarding the fact that only 2 girls who have been at WL from year 7 have been accepted to US (alongside 2 WL girls who started in Y11 and 2 other WL girls), do we know how many WL girls who started in year 7 are still at the school, and out of those, how many actually wanted an US place? I seem to say the same thing every year when this topic comes up, but the number might not be as bad as it seems, especially since we know a higher number of boys have been given places in US. There is a fairly high rate of attrition throughout the lower school with injuries, assessing out and students simply deciding that dance or the school are not for them, and only a small number of students to begin with. If there were 12 girls who started in Y7, it is almost certainly not the case that the same 12 are vying for US places. Some probably dropped out before and of those remaining, they might not all have wanted an US place. On the subject of the standard of training at UK lower schools in general, the UK does have a bit of a reputation, justifiably so in my opinion, to spend a lot of time on perfecting movements before progressing to more advanced work. Some posters have mentioned the balance between Dance and academic study, suggesting that foreign schools spend more time on dance at the expense of academic preparation. Obviously all schools differ in this but I do feel that a higher standard could be achieved dance-wise in the UK without any change in the amount of time spent in the studio by starting to teach more advanced work at a younger age instead of spending so long perfecting the basics. Lastly, I would like to comment on people's different reports, both positive and negative about their time at vocational school. I attended a vocational school in Europe and a few years after graduating, got back in touch with a girl I had been close friends with during my time there. We lived in the same dorm, had mostly the same friends and all the same teachers (but were in different classes) but our feelings about our time at the school could not be more different. I remember hard times, but have only happy memories and still consider my time at the school to be the best of my life. My friend still felt traumatised by her experience of the school. My point is that two people living through the same thing can experience it differently depending on their personality, so what might bother some, would not bother another. That is not to suggest that there does not need to be a great deal more mental health support in vocational schools. I have no personal experience of UK schools but from others' accounts there does seem to be a huge need for greater support as well as a change in the "beyond reproach" attitude that some of the schools have.

I don't Know anything about Jon Applegate either but if you're interested in his work, why not call or email him and ask for a breakdown of costs for his services? I'm trying to arrange a photoshoot for my baby at the moment and it's proving to be a lot more complicated than I imagined! Like you, I have found photographers who charge a sitting fee but then I need to contact them to find out how much they are charging for prints and whether I'll get digital copies or not. Some photographers are charging a flat fee for sitting plus x number of prints/ digital files, but THEY get to choose the pictures and in some cases want to create the "look" of pictures themselves too. With some of them, it feels as if they just want to use my baby as a subject for their own artistic vision, and I'm not interested in having pics of her in a tiny wheelbarrow full of vegetables with a cabbage leaf on her head! ;-) You really need to clarify exactly when you're getting and what your expectations are before making a booking!

One 15 min video including centre practise (plié, adage, allegro, pirouettes etc, a classical variation and a contemporary variation or sequence. You should show pointe work if relevant. No barre work required. Don't be afraid of calling the school to ask though! :-)

Wow, how fantastic! Great picture too, and I agree about the costume! By the way, I don't think I posted at the time but I did watch the graduating class back when you posted it. My three year old came to sit on my lap and commented "this is magic!" So thrilled for your son after all the ups and downs he's been through. An outstanding acheivement. I'm sure he'll go from strength to strength!

I was a little disappointed when I heard this, but if it's really his dream, I'm glad it's being realised and hope things improve quickly at the ENB! Thanks for posting the lovely interview, Duck Very happy that Minji is heading for Stuttgart!

There are so many different directions she could go with this. Arts/ dance administration/ management Dance Physiotherapist Photographer Stage/ set deisgner Costume designer Costume maker Lighting designer/ lighting technician Stage manager Many of these require a degree, if only to give you the right kind of training and opportunites. I think she needs to narrow down her options. Research training courses in any of the areas that interest her and see which ones are most appealing. Volunteer at a local theatre to gain experience.

I happened to click on the profile page of a couple of posters I'd been PMing with and saw that their gender was listed as male when I know them to be female. I just checked my own profile and saw that the forum has decided that I, too am male! I'm assuming this happened when the forum was updated. I've changed it to female now but maybe some other girls/ ladies are listed as male without their knowledge!

Sorry, it seems I can't edit me post above but just wanted to add that Shale Wagman from Canada (number 407) is an outstanding talent. So exciting and joyful to watch. Watching the younger girls now but missed Audrey.

I would have thought that ballet training would be somewhat less intense than RG training (of which ballet forms a major part of course) so she may be less likely to burn out! I spotted Audrey in the girls' class and thought that she moves like a rhythmic gymnast before I read here that she has trained as one. Really looking forward to selections tomorrow morning!