Peanut68

Might just be - thanks!!

True Jan. It certainly feels like it is reflected in the dancer biogs in most UK dance companies

I’m sure many of the overseas dancers have done much of their training in the top UK schools - that was kind of my point…. How many are UK born not just trained…. We all see how companies & schools alike seem to have a very high intake of overseas employees/students when UK dancers struggle to secure places/funding/jobs. And I know it is about suitability etc but in all honesty, I do think we should be championing our home dancers more than we do. And the visa situation that once a student here you can then work is not helpful to UK graduate dancers allowing overseas grads of UK programmes equal chance to get UK jobs…. Wonder if it’s reciprocated in their homelands for UK dancers? Probably not as the reason they conduct here is because they do not have the training or even professional dance companies…. Why not? If there are so many ambitious dancers then there must surely be a massive ‘gap in the cultural market’ . Couldn’t the hugely inflated fees they pay to train here & then things like the huge sums from overseas donors & overseas corporate sponsorship many schools & company’s receive be instead invested to create companyies & training of more in their own countries? I think of such things as the recently announced deal between RBS & a Japanese Corporation to assist the training of Japanese students at RBS - why??? Japan clearly has an appetite for ballet…. I’d surely congratulate the corporates & patrons who spent their money to create The Japanese Imperial Ballet Company - they have their own Royalty - why not set up their own Royal Company & School??? That would be a global win win!

When I sadly had to recently cancel seeing Sketches at NB the box office at their theatre very kindly refunded ticket (I think in full)

Any homegrown (not just trained here) talent joining?

Just discovered this is closer to me than I realised (had assumed it was Hatch End which is London/Herts/Essex area I thought!) But it’s near Salisbury!! Sadly I’m not due a birthday present but….🤞🏻

I appreciate the good news stories & congratulations to your DS's Tutu & Lifeafter! I do see there are possibly at present more audition opportunities for male dancers as clearly they are in shorter supply than female...I do wonder if therefore they attract a premium & thus might be higher salaried? Less likely to be expected to self-fund also in pre-pro training possibly? All just questions not at all intended to be confrontational... Again - one hopes that a countries employment & discrimination laws do ensure things are equal....but....

That is just terrible & shocking & frankly abuse! Isn’t Portugal part of the EU? Surely they have to operate by codes of conduct? Why oh why does this beautiful art continuously allow itself to be tainted by the activities of a few individuals? Afterall, a dance company or school wether purely commercial or operating as not for profit/charity surely has governors/share holders/unions/charity bodies etc overseeing them or who they at least can be held accountable by? Trouble is - just as in the vocational & possibly even in regular - dance schools, there’s still that fear of not speaking out for fear of being cast aside…. Or rather NOT cast…. Can’t tell you how many times we heard the phrase ‘I can make you’ from people in positions of power…. But I started to gradually dread hearing that this phrase had been said to my DC or to any of their peers…. As the subliminal subtext I think was far louder….we’re they really saying ‘I can break you’…??? And I feel they certainly do the latter to many more than they ‘make’. There is too, let’s face it, parental collusion in some of this…. As long as your kid is not being challenged then better just stick head in sand… also there’s the body shaming from parent to student dancer offspring I have sadly witnessed….then there’s the ‘island of one’ - avoid the trouble maker kid/family and as long as ‘you’re alright Jack’ turn a blind eye & a deaf ear to witnessing the clear acts of abuse be they of power/physical/sexual. The ‘Me too’ movement (and this is across all gender or non gender identifying groups) seems to have completely passed the ballet world by, as has gender equality (ok, I get it that more girls than boys train but surely in this day & age free class opportunities etc should be gender neutral?) I could rant on….

Frankly it’s appalling…. Didn’t things like paying for internships get outlawed in other industries (like law?) Why isn’t this being highlighted as gross employment law misconduct? And wouid audiences really be happy paying to watch if they knew that dancers were actually not paid but indeed were actually paying through the nose for the opportunity to perform? I just so would love to see if there could be a model that would work actually as a commercially viable entity…with open transparency about costs & salaries & ticket prices…. It might need to be small, it might need to tour small venues (& I think that’s where you will find audiences…) Skill in programming (give audiences what they want) skill in marketing & sales very much would be key to break-even (dare I even imagine profit?) success…. But surely it can be done….. I’m thinking along lines of the touring days of Pavlova, the Ballet Russia, Diagalev…though I guess back then no employment or health & safety or safeguarding laws so who knows of dancers were paid fairly than too (suspect sone were sone weren’t…) Pure pipe dream? Maybe….

More of the tendency to adopt an ‘Emperor’s New Clothes’ approach….applaud themselves too long & too loud whilst we mere bystanders look on & think ‘what the heck?’

Do you need to join the society or anything?

Excellent advice PdQ…. Preparation is always key to everything!

Also, am I right judging from posts that your DC is yet to embark on Upper School? It defo gets more expensive the older they get IMHO…. I forgot to add in the costs that the feeling of sense of guilt that they are away from home gif so long also means you just cough up when maybe you’d not normally? Like saying yes to clothes/money to see friends/money for food/coffees out…. & the fact that they are not likely earning money of their own working in for example cafes at weekends from age 14 or so if at vocational school…. Now thinking a studio flat on outskirts of London could’ve been achieved!!! Ha ha ha!!! Would I change things???? Certain things, yes. Do I resent it? Certain people/places yes. Do I regret it all? No. You only get one life to live & as my dear Pops used to say ‘You’re a long time dead’ !! Just wish we could drag the arts out of this crazy outdated world of philanthropy & government funding & elitist ‘rich family’ self funding norm & actually get to a world where a dancer is as well remunerated as a plumber as seen as an essential part of society!!

Well….even if benefitting from scholarships & MDS funding (which we very fortunately have) I’d say add up all the prior to vocational training/extra holiday courses/masterclasses/exam fees/additional dance kit/pointe shoes & then the travel & hotel costs to get to & from schools/courses….not to mention costs like show tickets, kennel costs for dog tk enable family to get to said shows….. I sometimes do rather envy the ‘family across the road’ who had kids who did no extra activities beyond Sunday swim lessons with mine when aged 5-8!! Well…. Guess I made my bed….!! Also think loss of potential earnings for the hours spent driving said places….. Herein madness lies so I’ll stop now!!

Probs enough for an actual flat in some countries 😂😬

Sadly no - timings didn’t work for me… really hoping a recording can be made available 🤞🏻

Trying hard NOT to tally it up….😳

Interesting point….not a good reputation for recruiting for Elmhurst

As does the company I work for…. Am sure cost is not astronomical…. So surely should be possible for this? Or could they even link up with say the LBC to deliver this to a wider audience? Afterall, it’s all right the hood of ballet!

Would recommend young dancers plan to get a second trade going alongside dancing…. Plumbing/electrics/bricklaying Woeful isn’t it?

Very very limited experience of PBT but what I did feel was that it was of most benefit almost as a ‘cool down’ & perhaps an opportunity to refine/reconnect with body positioning & technique to be like a recap to help instil this in muscle memory (as during a class & particularly towards end with more free variations when technique can ‘loosen’ when being free to dance with expression etc). I’d not want anyone to attempt any PBT without first doing a thorough warm up of the muscles & mobilisation of the joints.

I am guessing you are likely over 16? Very many students who train at local school & then go to vocational schools post 18 will have limited or no pas de deux experience as so many have few older male students & any experience gained at summer schools only. You have been accepted to train so that is now the job of the school - to train you. People will be there will varying levels of experience I am sure. Also, make dancers tend to have limited partner experience if the potentially dangerous lifts until older as strength & maturity required gif this. Any teacher will not want to put any student or partnership at risk of injury so they will likely pair you wisely & will instinctively see (& ask questions) about what experience you & partners do or don’t have & will teach you the basics first & at a pace that works. They will be on your side as will want you to succeed as that shows they are good teachers/good school! Best of luck c

I'm struggling to understand exactly what the www.emergingballet.com propsoition is.... What/where/when/who for/taught by who/how much etc.....

Anyone got recommendations & an idea of cost of travel insurance for a typical 5 week USA Summer Intensive? Our bank cover won't cover if not travelling with a parent (not even if over 18!) so looks like have to buy a separate policy - & seems annual with a longer stay add on may actually be cheaper than single trip policy.....

Black practise tutu from Just Ballet looks as good as new after 6 years of regular use & constant packing & traveling!