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Peanut68

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    The statement of ‘ballet is the foundation of dance’

    in Doing Dance

    Posted · Edited by Peanut68

    We don’t insist that to be a good writer in English one must first be a good writer in Latin & German & French…. All languages at the ‘foundation’ of the English written word as we know it today (& I’m sure many many other things that are influences too from other languages/countries/

    dialects/cultures & even sounds from nature/engineering etc!

    Embrace the history but don’t be restrained by it!

    Embrace ballet if it works for you but don’t feel contained by it or excluded from it! Just  MHO!

    • Like 2

    Hammond audition dance including parent interview and song

    in Doing Dance

    Posted

    1 hour ago, glowlight said:

    Surely if they are picking people at random for an interview they can't use it in the selection process. That would just be unfair.

     

    Maybe the interview has some other purpose for the school.

    I expect it’s quite likely more an HR/internal box ticking criteria that they (maybe all schools) have to show they are doing to some measure & can I’m sure in no way mark anyone out if they  are selected nor if they are not. Probs just a process with nothing to do with pupil selection 

    Does attending RBS JA hurt chances of attending WL?

    in Doing Dance

    Posted

    The only young dancers I know if who started at RBS White Lodge at year 7 had all been JA’s first. There was a thing whereby parents felt that being a JA in London was ‘better’ than a regional centre & upped their chances to get into WL but I think that was rubbish (though it did perhaps mean more likely to be able to be selected for Nutcracker at ROH if opportunities extended to JA age dancers or to perform at Summer Fair at White Lodge). 
     

    • Thanks 1

    Post-transmission: BBC Panorama documentary/investigation into vocational schools

    in Doing Dance

    Posted

    Interesting read from the link shared above. Honest, brutal but also - I felt - a little one sided. The suggestion was pretty much that those failing to successfully gain a dance career were most likely those who were never going to succeed anyhow & should've much sooner left the training path anyhow. That may well be the reality in lots of cases, & yes, perhaps it is right to shine a light on the number of training places & schools versus the actual number of jobs in the sector.

    But please let's not assume that 'failure' is there from the start for certain pupils. This takes away any accountability to the schools/teachers. Lets face it, some may well 'fail' or leave their path to a potential dance career due to bad teaching not helping them fulfill their talent or could lead to a career limiting injury, eating disorders (we all know that often these are begun in a desire to please a teacher/s by becoming the 'shape' they want) &/or mental health issues.Poor pastoral care (from institutions & also from us parents) can similarly lead to these same problems.

    Yes, many train to high standard in many areas (music/sports/dance/science) all with early dreams of top careers/winning/stardom/discovering a cure for cancer etc etc. And yes, if only ever the very top percentage get an opportunity to progress through training paths many would be saved heartbreak, many families would save £1000's & many would maybe find a happier or more achievable goal sooner. But we'd potentially miss out on those maverick stories where someone succeeds against all the odds! And worse, the current 'norm' would be ever perpetuated in the ballet world. so absolutely Groundhog Day. We cannot protect our offspring from failure, we cannot protect them from harsh realities of selection. Yes, we (both parents & the industry) can be kind & realistic & not just keep on paying/taking the money etc. But we shouldn't see it as all about that money either. We do owe it to young folk to provide opportunities where we can & for those taken up to be safe & offer what is promised & be value for money. 

    Maybe the dialogue should not just be 'reduce the numbers training' to 'increase the number of jobs' & that is down to all of us....how many send their kids to those early weekly dance classes? Yet how many then regularly go (& also take those same kids) to watch live dance performances? It's not about watching those Instagram 'stars' its about sharing the moment as it happens, being moved by the music & artistry of the performers. Feeling the magic & returning! This in turn will grow demand & thus prices can reduce....etc etc etc.... 

    • Like 4

    Royal ballet school new artistic director?

    in Doing Dance

    Posted

    25 minutes ago, Roberta said:

    but I think excellent teachers at both schools should be left to get on with daily teaching of their students

    Hmmm....sometimes I fear that is exactly part of the problem in certain institutions - especially where a year group may have just one teacher for their daily grass roots ballet class. If you do not work well with that teacher, you may well not have the same experience as another. And this could hugely affect futures. And similarly, bad practice by a teacher may be missed if the AD is not a present & approachable person to both pupils & staff.

    • Like 5

    Royal ballet school new artistic director?

    in Doing Dance

    Posted

    Ruby Foo - You absolutely sum up the formula for any good management/leadership - be it of any small or large school, a small family business or a giant global corporation. (And as for those governing countries.....that gave an ironic smile as we can only dream of having wise experienced & empathetic leaders of the worlds nations!)

    Any good leader of any industry needs to be on the 'factory floor' for significant amounts of time so as boardroom decisions can be made from a position of knowledge & understanding as to what will best aid the overall business aim. Perhaps this latter point - the aim - is another element that needs looking at within the wider remit of RBS.

    A time with change of leadership will surely be an ideal time to give the opportunity for a root & branch analysis of the state of the health of this beautiful part of the ecosystem of ballet! And I feel this needs looking beyond just RBS but at that whole global ecosystem. From early years recreational dancing through to vocational training & right to companies & - dare I suggest? - the audiences of dance performances who I feel so often are far removed from the thoughts of decision makers yet they are the ones ultimately paying to fund this artform (along with in UK taxpayers....although I can't but help think, if some decisions began with looking at what audiences wanted, then revenues would increase with less reliance on subsidies required. Possible win win? And before folks say what about diversity or how will anything new ever be allowed to be made - please, give audiences the courtesy of asking them what they want. I think we'd find there was an appetite for new & experimental & diverse dance....just at the right time/place/price point to start off - let it grow organically from there as it surely will if it is what audiences then find they enjoy & will pay for. It is so wrong when people say we'd only ever get endless Swan Lakes  & Sleeping Beauties - though isn't that too much the case already???) I feel we have too much trusted classics with then a huge void passing over & missing out many decades & many styles of dance & many choreographers work to then an over-emphasis on creating very 'cutting edge' 'worthy' new works.....we need a better balance! Sorry to digress away from the topic in hand & - back to what Ruby says, and i quote, "When the heads of institutions remain distant and aloof from reality then trouble sets in"

    I personally feel this is the case currently not just at RBS but at the RB too! all my own personal humble opinion. 

    • Like 5

    English National ballet school autumn intensive

    in Doing Dance

    Posted

    We stayed at Chelsea Hilton Doubletree a couple of times for ENBS courses…. 
    If not already a member, join Hilton Honors (the loyalty programme) & you get cheaper rates & added benefits. They have rooms that specifically sleep 3 (I’ve stayed as one adult & 2 under 16’s before). 
    Rates may be a lot more now as it’s been several years…

    Good luck! 

    • Like 1

    Royal ballet school new artistic director?

    in Doing Dance

    Posted

    1 hour ago, DVDfan said:

    Assuming that the AD is in effect the headteacher of a boarding school, the person chosen will be in loco parentis and their  commitment to this aspect of the role should be a major consideration for the selection board.

    I think that the roles in all vocational dance schools - especially those with boarding - need more clear delineation as to who heads up what. 
    From experience most seem to have a ‘Head’ who is the figure head & certainly takes lead on academics & the ‘business’ side of school but often are not particularly involved (or even understand) the artistic side of schools. 
    Re: RBS I do think that the lower & upper schools should have separate AD’s as they are very different institutions & not in same site. 

    • Like 1
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