Balletmum55

Staffordshire Youth Ballet are fabulous. Currently booking monthly so she could try it out and see what she thinks - they’re on fb, have a look. If you’re not Drop me a pm and I’ll send you the teachers email address. Auditions for the associate scheme are in June for a sept start. The teacher is one of those rare creatures, a previous professional dancer who went through White Lodge and the Upper School, and then becoming a professional dancer with ENB, but she has a real skill for teaching and bringing out the best in the kids. She travels from London to Stoke once a month for classes and is looking at doing more with the group. My dd started SYB when she was 9 (now 12) and the lessons definitely helped her become a RBS JA. (Btw, I no links with SYB other than a happy customer!) xxx

MA assessments for us aren’t until May (I understand for centres other than London they coincide with JA audition dates) so I don’t think they will delay the results x

Wow congratulations to you and your dd Cotes du Rhône! Huge achievement and all the very best for the finals x

Good advice thanks snowflake xxx I’d ask your dd to teach mine at the easter intensive but I’m not sure she’d appreciate me sharing her irrational fear of breaking her neck 😆

She definitely won’t need it for any type of classical ballet associate class Xxx My dd is an MA and has never been asked to show any type of gymnastic skill. She can cartwheel incidentally but has a real mental block with a forwards roll 🙈, luckily it’s not something she’s ever been asked to do. Tell her not to worry and put it out of your mind x

Is it 5 WL girls that made US or just 5 WL students, so boys and girls included? Brilliant news for the 5 but hopefully all the other dancers will be snapped up too x

Congratulations!! a waiting list place is a huge achievement for white lodge and as I understand it very few go on the list and last year certainly a year 7 girl was accepted off the wait list xx

My dd did OPES for the first time last year and absolutely loved it. She was 11 and she made so many friends from around the country and abroad, all of whom she has stayed in touch with (the brilliant side to social media!) She loved every one of the teachers who all gave something different and said they learnt such a lot, which was reflected by the showing of work at the end of the week being exceptional for the short time they had been there. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend xxx She also did the Elmhurst summer school and she thought Opes was better in terms of the amount of dancing they did, the social side in the evenings and fun they had in the dorms. I would agree looking purely at the showing of work, which was better at Opes, but this is of course our experience only. I hope your dd has a great time wherever she goes, once she does one summer school she’ll be hooked however and want to go every year so think long and hard 🙈🤣!

Im sure I remember wondering the same last year and being surprised that we didn’t have to send any money until we heard about a place x

They generally come out together (yeses and no’s and waiting lists I understand) so hopefully still be good news for you. some come over a couple of days too xxxx

A place for my dd too, week 4 WL! Gobsmacked as she’s going to the spring intensive so didn’t expect both, even though I put the summer school as my preference. Now to decide how to tackle the topic of doubles fees with her dad 🤔 Congratulations to the yeses, my dd went in year 5 and had the best week of her life bless her xxxxx

Thanks for letting me know. Pleased in a way as my non-serious dd tried it on and fell in love with it so she’s wanting to wear it now xx 😊

Hi, apologies for the delay. The suit length, so from shoulder to ankle, is 42” and the inside leg measurement is 20” xxx Just tried it on my youngest dd and it fits her perfectly length wise. Her height is 136cm x

Wow brilliant!!! Wish we lived near to London!!!!!

Looks like they’re waiting till after white lodge finals again to decide/send offers x

Will do living2dance. Currently away from home for half term But back at the weekend so will send you the measurements then x

Boys were first last year. Year 7 girls separate for their 2 days. Not sure about the others. And yes, we got the results before elmhurst finals last year x good luck! Oh and book your hotels as they book up fast!!

Last year at Royal finals they told us they had approx 1000 applicants (including international applicants) which was a record number, which is why they did the audition over 2 days for the first time, as I believe they took approx 60 to finals (and they’d normally only take about 40 I was led to believe) Elmhurst finals there was about 40 invited to finals I believe but perhaps about 35 there on the day as some had already accepted a place at Royal x

Absolutely gorgeous Degas warm up suit with wide black elastic waist band to really show off waist. It is a lovely warm deep red in such soft fabric. Age 10 - fit my daughter when age 11 but she is little, now it’s just a little short in the leg. Had from the wonderful Just Ballet and saved for best (auditions etc) as was expensive so in excellent condition as hardly worn. Paid c.£55 so would like £30 (inc standard postage) ideally to put to a new one!

Ahh thank you too, and you’re so right - a shared love of dance is fabulous for that xxxxx

Your story made me cry dizzyballetmum 💞 thanks so much for sharing. Your dd is certainly one to watch, I have no doubt she has a wonderful career ahead of her, as she is simply beautiful, and she couldn’t have done it without you xxx

I was advised against it last year. If you’ve put it on the form, they’ll know what associate scheme she is with. Plus it’s not the most flattering leotard. However a couple of girls did for Elmhurst last year, but the vast majority of JAs didn’t, they wore something they felt most comfortable in and what flattered them best xx good luck to your dd x x

I think photos also help the panel, in advance, to highlight those that they feel might have a particular body type that they like and the facility for Ballet. You will note that many photos that are requested are done so as to show the legline and turnout of the child, which may help the panel with a large group auditioning to double check their preconceptions. However I don’t doubt that they can spot who they want in the room as soon as the children start dancing, so I’m sure they’re also needed for memory purposes too. Plus there is often a dancer without their perceived look may have something else, a special something maybe, that draws their eye more than the desired swayback knees and flat turnout etc. There was certainly a couple of those special ones in my dd’s associate classes xx

So sad to read your post and that your dds dance journey has not been a happy one. It’s sounds to me that your dd has been pushed a little too quickly (my dd is almost 12 so not that much younger) and is a royal MA, and is studying G4 Ballet (about to take her exam), plus inter foundation and grade 6 as her stretch class. Im not saying that’s standard, as every dance school is different, and I don’t s doubt there are girls at higher levels in her associate class, but my dd teacher says grade levels and exams really aren’t massively important, it’s what you learn as you progress through them at a steady pace and getting the basics correct is what is important. And I do tend to agree. I do believe that taking 3 RAD grades within 12 months is hugely ambitious for anyone, especially the incredibly hard grade 5 which is apparently a bigger leap than grade 6. She cannot possibly have done anywhere near the recommended hours to perfect all of the steps and technique and I can imagine it’s been extremely stressful for her and you to race through them, and must’ve taken some of the enjoyment away. (Never mind the other exams she has Been taking and preparing for at the same time!) I would agree that she might be best placed to take a small step back from the number of hours she’s doing for a while and if changing dance schools is an option I’d defintley look at it. Good luck with building her confidence. She is clearly a talented dancer but just needs some gentle guidance to fulfil her potential xxxxx

If anyone is still to book a hotel for the night before the spring intensive at WL, just a heads up that you may want to do it soon. Loads of the hotels nearby are either full if you want a family room, or have very few rooms left, prob with more organised parents than myself and also the coinciding with easter hols!