Peanut68

I seem to recall reading that Rambert have launched some sort of syllabus with exams for contemporary training.... a name well recognised all around the World!

Just a bit of fact finding... I seem to recall being told that US SI’s often join together to hold joint audition sessions so one class (or trip/day/weekend?) might mean you could be seen & assessed for several at same time in same city.... Can anyone shed any light on this please? Does this happen just in USA or also overseas in U.K./Europe too a) for US SI’s or b) other SI’s?

There’s also BBO....they offer various genres... https://bbo.dance/

So well put Viv! Too often it’s focus on technique for classes with performance almost as an afterthought with perhaps some teachers in run up to exam saying ‘now perform it’ etc.... The journey should be mutually travelled with performance a key element....I loved your method for finding the mood/the motivation....and hasn’t heard the EPIC acronym before....well worth knowing! Thank you

Glissade you are quite correct - my post should’ve read as ‘we don’t have just one classical company’ as indeed I was acknowledging the several Jan listed & also a fair point Jan about the different ‘space’ New Adventures sits in.... Sissonne, you are right to pull me up on my comments & please accept my apologies if I came across as somehow being critical of or discriminatory against the ‘ballet’ physique. That was not my intention; instead I intended to express a personal wish for more inclusiveness & acknowledgement that accomplished dancers can come in all shapes & sizes - & yes, that does indeed include the ‘perfect’ Bolshoi Ballerina! I am 100% against any form of body shaming (trust me, in my youth I was often picked on for being too skinny with accusations of having an eating disorder which was humiliating & degrading). So thank you for rightly pointing out that perhaps my comments may have been seen as though I was merely championing one end of the spectrum....& we will all have our own idea of what is perfect casting for a role & yes, sometimes that may include physical traits.... But much of that is rooted in tradition.... And let’s face it, at the time of writing R&J, Shakespeare probably had met very few 14 year old Italian young ladies.... & in the first ever performances the role of Juliet would’ve been interpreted by young men! Isn’t it refreshing to see how over the centuries we’ve seen R&J in so many exciting forms spanning all ranges multiculturally, multiracially & represented in different demographics, age ranges & in such a huge variety of stagings & genres; from the original stageplay through to artworks, ballet, many other styles of dance, films, opera, musicals & even pop songs! Diversity is IMHO the lifeblood of any artform!

I’d so love to set up a ballet company specifically employing talented young dancers who just happen to look ‘normal’!! Lottery win dream? Or should these young folk band together, find funders (crowd funding? Arts grants?) & set up a company to show real bodies doing real ballet to real audiences? And whilst at it, look at the old classics & maybe reimagine some of the outdated imagery (that Beazie so succinctly lists in earlier post!). Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures Company I know is ‘in this space’ so I guess we have faith that dance is moving on! And his shoes are commercially popular & I assume financially viable (?) so surely that’s the model to look to emulate? After all, we do f have just one classical company so let’s see bravery in the ballet world with the establishment of more dance companies! Easier said then done I know.... but a film quote is springing to mind... “If you build it, they will come” Uh oh, I just googled that quote & it’s from the (dreadful flop) Field of Dreams... but hey, give the audience what they want & they will indeed come & become loyal regular ticket buyers! I think we audiences need to demand better & it maybe needs to start at base level; stop glorifying freak shows on instagram, stop glorifying tricksters & stop pandering to whims of outmoded past their date practoctijbers be they teachers/schools/companies!! There’s my Rant of Xmas!!! Hope all have a happy & healthy Christmas & can enjoy the Festive Season as much as is safely possible! xx

Taxi - That’s an accurate analysis of much (not all) of the high level dance training in this country IMHO.... How many of the ‘broken’ & how many of those who simply lost the joy could’ve had careers in dance - enriching their & audiences lives? I even think that there could & should be far more dance with far more audience appeal thus creating more jobs in the industry...if only training & the whole imagery became more inclusive & up to date!!

DD has one Bullet pointe leotard (plus s couple of the skirts).... it was pricey but perhaps her first very mature style leotard appropriate once over 16....washes fine (cold or 30 degree hand wash setting on machine) don’t tumble dry....not sure I’d have bought without her trying on in shop first though.....ordering birthday present yumikos was a bit hit & miss - they come up small imho (and also legline tends to be lower than generally we’re used to...lovely to be able to customise of course so makes for special present!

It is almost a bereavement isn’t it... when so much energy, time, focus & finds have been directed towards one sodcifhc goal, letting go is hard for us supporting actors....

This is a particularly chilling & far too familiar element that is very very wrongly an associated issue adding real anxiety to what is clearly a concerning situation....& one far too many of us on here I suspect can identify with in one way or another... I am not sure I can offer any specific advice as really don’t feel qualified & certainly feel a huge guilt as not sure I have handled concerning situations well myself (fear of losing funding?? Fear of exacerbating situations??Fear of child being victimised or in some way disadvantaged??) Sending you hugs & I hope your find the courage & strength to listen & act ok your gut feelings & insticts as a parent x

It was my understanding that they are 2 separate brands.... but happy to be corrected! (I’d heard that R-Class was established by a former maker from Russian Pointe but that may be wrong...???) My DD felt she’d finally found ‘her shoe’ with R-Class. They look lovely & a really nice colour & finish. Supplied by ‘The Dancers Room’, website & a shop in Lichfield in U.K. The owner Becky is very helpful & we get them posted to DD at school. Not ordered for a while (lockdown limited amounts of pointe work done.....ha ha, finally a positive Covid effect; I saved quite s bit of money in probably buying around 6 fewer pairs!!) They have also in the past run a loyalty scheme so check if that’s still on offer....I can’t quite remember what it was....(30% off third or fourth pair rings a bell...???) https://www.thedancersroom.co.uk 01543 415014 Reminds me I was asked to re-order finally!! Good luck!

Can I report myself for terrible typing? Apologies folks for weird wording in my last post on this thread...Bad idea writing late at night without my glasses 😬

If course you might be too in the ball & consudering this right before the school/show director addresses this! When DD was year 7 vocational they got a list of items with suggested brands & colour codes (all reasonably priced) & then had a scheduled name-up lesson a couple of weeks before Show started I seem to recall! Good luck & try steer her away from peer pressure as there’s always one kid who insists they should use MAC or whatever is the expensive brand in vogue with celebs!!! It can get pretty pricey once they say they must have X YZ!! Rimmel & Revlon & Max Factor always been reliable!!

Thank you for sharing your researches opinions....exactly what I suspect many of these things to be....ultimately rip offs feeding on dreams & the ‘what if I just could be seen by x/y/z’ hopes. Plus emotyijg the parent purse with the self justification that ‘We’ve spent X amount so far, maybe we have just gotta throw a bit more at it for investment to pay off?” I do feel I get ever more cynical.... am quite sure this is replicated in very many spheres where years of training is needed to compete against far more qualified potential candidates than there are jobs... But still dancers dream! And I’d never want to totally quash that as sometimes dreams do come true (with the usual quoted ‘blood sweat & tears’ & a kings ransom of cash of course too!)

I struggle to sometimes see exactly what things actually are.... eg. the Company element of this set up; is this a company like say RB where dancers are paid employees on long term contracts? Or like a Wst End show where hired for a specific gig (so short term contract/freelance) or is it - what I worry it is/could be an ever increasing trend - a pay to join ‘opportunity’ so basically yet more ‘training’ under the guise of being a job? With the lost months/years of covid & shrinkage of the Performing Arts I fear more dancers will be desperate to ‘work’ & carry on their trainjng to not lose out on their already years of training, effort & outlay that just another year (or 2) to fund will become ever more the norm.... would love to be proved wrong in the case of this & other ‘conpanies’ offering grad ‘opportunities’.... Any info shared on this & similar would be helpful to many I think!

As prolific a mushroom as ‘Associate’ programmes....many that seem to not really be associated to anything....other than the ‘ballet dream’ & money stream....🤔

Really interesting but in drilling down the info it does almost feel a bit like a competition….? And I fear that element whilst yes, it’s a competitive industry, is exactly the part that needs to NOT be part of this. Will the aligned schools just not select their best & favoured students to enter or encourage to apply? And they’ll support them with coaching on pieces…. But isnt tgat missing the point in those who have already graduated in these troubling times may not have that support/studio use etc etc - precisely the people who have been so disadvantaged that should be benefitted by this may well be yet further on the back foot? The coaching should be in advance of the Regional showcases IMHO. Perhaps several open classes nationwide with then selection of students to coach a few sessions regionally & then showcases….??? It otherwise could risk being kind of another Fonteyn/YGAP… Not clear if it’s international too…ie. students say completed 3 years at PGA/Bolshoi etc etc or is the assumption that it’s for UK grads who do seem to get woeful support from attendance by industry pros with contract opportunities at showcases etc….

Valentina I think sums it all up brilliantly!! I think she has outlined what I fear here’s missed often in syllabus teaching as precious weekly time slots are technique driven (& probably rightly so for achieving highest marks) It’s the extra curricula stuff you can add in yourself (even if it’s just listening to ranges of ballet & other music in the car on the school run or whilst washing up…allowing yourself to get swept up in the emotions of the music may engender emotions or natural reactions like joy/tears/anxiety etc A well known phrase? ‘Think & therefore I am’ Something like that anyway! Further research on syllabus may reveal music used is actual snippets from certain ballets which may help suggest the style/characterisation etc that inspired a specific exercise. I’m pretty sure that RAD inter has some Coppelia…. Well, if that’s an exercise say like a frappe with sharp precise movements, well perhaps it is based on when the real Coppelia is trying to mimic the clockwork doll! So this might a) help explain & give reason for the movements & desired technique but may also put you into a cheeky & coquettish frame of mind… as whilst Coppelia (now I’m questioning my names of characters…??) is trying to appear to be the clockwork inanimate doll to the old man, she is at the same time trying to flirt & be all woman with the younger dude!! A very base level telling of the story there but I’m sure you get my drift!! I’m sure the teacher (or RAD website) can help identify the various sources of the music I’m sure most exam bodies & syllabuses draw on classical ballets/opera/musical theatre & other for their musical inspiration which I’m sure in turn inspired the Choreo of barre/centre work & dances etc. Good luck & enjoy your journey!

I must say I almost think the year commitments should be years 7 & 8, then reaudition for a committed 3 year place for years 8/10/11 as it must be really hard to join with your chosen GCSE subjects but no experience of the teachers or facilities or fellow classmates for those…although also much can change about a young persons ability/desire/physique suitability (hate saying that…) during later stages of year 8, and in years 9/10 & beyond…. It’s a case of presenting opportunities & see what may become possible I guess. Good luck

I’d say anyone teaching Associates would need to have either their own school or many other teaching assignments/jobs to make enough income. But if a full time employee of RBS? I’d expect any additional work would need to be with RBS permissions & presumably non conflicting/non financially benefiting from RBS association (but of course it would help immensely in getting gigs for teaching/coaching/ adjudicating/mentoring etc etc…) Just I guess like I’m any career…. Thinking MP’s….?🤔

Ever get the feeling it’s ‘all our fault’??? 🤔 I do look at the families who had kids doing zero extra curriculum activities & wonder a) how much better off financially they were/are & b) did it negatively or positively impact their kids for future higher education/career prospects/earning potential/life skills/family relationships/ physical & mental health & - most importantly - personal happiness....???

My son added ballet & jazz dance alongside his rugby trading & I'm proud to say - despite some teasing from rugby boys - never hid fact he enjoyed both! Both sadly came to a fairly natural end….maybe hobbies to reignite in the future? One thing I would point out of interest though… just as there are nightmare ‘Dance Moms’ (& Dads) equally the parents & politics at junior rugby can have those familiar types; just as pushy, nasty, bitchy, back biting & subversive to the sport!!! It’s the parents (& especially when they are part of the coaching team etc…)who so often undermine the laudable RFU rugby ‘TREDS’ core values (Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline, Sportsmanship) Ah, how I wish those values felt the norm for kids, parents & teachers/coaches in Ballet & Rugby!! It’s the usual case of a minority spoiling things for the majority….& of course can lead to talent & participants (& thus support including financial) being lost to both.

Although doesn’t it add more grist to the mill of dissatisfaction with the RBS obsession of International recruitment of Iain is taking what looks like a newly created role of International Artistic Manager. Absolutely I’m sure a great career move (& sad loss for YBS) but it does concern me that our National lead ballet school is looking yet more to be overseas & should the UK government funding & philanthropic gifting really be being spent this way when UK talent is increasingly looked over??? Just my thoughts….

IMHO, our DD’s never like the ones we Mums prefer on them....ah, the joy of pre-teen & then the full blown teen years!!

For a narrow foot Chacott (a subsidiary of Freed? Certainly available mail order & in store st Freeds - very helpful on phone ) are great. Have had split sole canvas & they cone with elastics pre-sewn always just right! No idea if they do a full sole however.