gottokeepworking

Polish National Ballet (not all the company as they cannot afford to take 80+ dancers) will be performing a triple bill in New York and Washington over the next couple of weeks.

New York, Joyce Theatre - 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 June

Washington, Kennedy Centre - 23, 24 June

I know there are balletcoforum in the USA and if any are in the NY or Washington you might be interested in going to see them.

This is an international cast with 2 members having trained at the RB upper school!

This appeared in today's You magazine

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-3078536/Spotlight-Soloist-Francesca-Hayward-raising-barre-cutting-edge-new-ballet.html

So proud of this local girl and friend of DS.

Admin - hope is it okay to post this.

Agree with Fiz and Harwel regarding the 'Billy Elliott' tag, it drives my DS mad. Especially as he started dancing before the film was released.

Yes JulieW he did win the contemporary prize. It was wonderful being able to watch him live via the internet. DS went to that school from 11-16 so he was doubly proud.

It is a shame that not more UK students enter this and other international competitions. However, I do understand why schools are reluctant as the amount of personal tuition is enormous.

So what does RBS have in its timetable that none of these other schools around the world has, I wonder.

It is most probably because they will be preparing for the Graduate tour which usually takes place around March time. However, Central do an extensive UK tour!

A few years ago my DS friend, from another vocational school, entered Prix and made to the finals and won a prize. The results were that he was offered a couple of summer schools and an apprenticeship. He took the apprenticeship and is now a full company member. However, it was the company is was going to anyway so he only went a year earlier and missed 6/3.

Ps edited to say it's the Het pre professional programme DS is going to but they were fairly clear that this would lead to junior co...

Many congratulations CeliB on your DS offers. Het pre professional will be fabulous training (and easier for visits!).

Have you any other form of identity which has your photo on it such as a ID security pass for work?

Regarding getting a passport quickly, it use to be the case of turning up at the London (or other) passport office and waiting that day. My DS had to do this about 3 years ago. Appointment at 8.15, passport by 3.30 but it was for a renewal (1st adult passport).

Regarding the paper driving licence. I still have mine and I have official confirmation that it remains valid. You don't have to have a photo version unless you move home or reach the age of 70. It's free when you reach this good age so no moving for us for a few years!

My husband "are you coming to bed this side of midnight."

Me "I'm just reading something on my iPad"

Husband "Surely you are not on Facebook again?"

Me "No, on Ballercoforum if you must know"

Husband "I think you are on that site more than Facebook".

Well, I think he is right - for once!

Note about mobile phones. My DS tells me that they can also be seen in use from the stage and it is most off putting for the dancers.

Good luck to your DD today in company class and any other auditions. Keep smiling!

Thankyou GTKW. It's brilliant to get advice from mums who have kids who are now in professional companies. DD is really getting as much experience from auditions as she can. Learning the ropes so to speak. Are the rules when invited to company class, eg where to stand at the Barr, centre work, when to take your turn etc.

I am lead to believe that in company class the Barre is the tricky one as everyone has their own special place and woe betide anyone who takes it (even other company members) so it is best to wait and slot in. Obviously you want to be seen so positioning yourself at the back in centre work isn't a good idea. Wait until a couple of groups have gone, just so you know what to do and if in doubt do it and go again. I will ask DS if he has any additional advise and get back to you via a PM.

Tulip, what a wonderful posting and I am so pleased that your daughter has had wonderful experiences.

Word of warning about American auditions free, paid, open or by invitation. Unless you have the right to work there then it is extremely difficult to get a visa. You have to prove that you are world class by loads of press cuttings, winning international competitions etc. A particular well known American company came to london a few years ago, many RBS students applied and were invited but after the first hour were sent away unless they had a visa!

Ribbons - he did get a contract. He had plenty of motivation to prove to himself that he wasn't as worthless as he was led to believe. He now dances in a large European national company where the director recognises and values his training and artistic qualities.

It would be a HUGE achievement to secure a place at WL. Not many would turn a place down from there. It seems like doom and gloom because we are discussing the negatives. If we where to discuss all the good points, biews would change dramatically.

My DS was a JA, turned down WL and went to Elmhurst. He spent 5 very happy years there (Camberley/Birmingham) before auditioning for 6th form. Initially he wanted to go the musical theatre route but decided on ballet. He was offered RBS upper school and this time he didn't turn the place down. I identify with all that has been said about sucking the confidence out of the UK trained students, pushing forward the foreign students who usually came into the school via winning international competitions etc. The RBS years were a emotional rollercoaster. We thought he was the only one who was so unhappy, wanted to give up and leave. It was only at the graduation ceremony when we were expressing our relief that he and we had survived that we found out that this was epidemic in his year.

Throughout the three years they all had to have motivation to continue to attend school, bounce back when they were constantly being compared to non UK trained students, overlooked for performance opportunities, given no help with auditioning. The list could go on. There was plenty of motivation and resilience. As a 'graduate' all had jobs on leaving although most were in Europe.

Good points - the training they received is still regarded as world class by European companies.

Thank you CeliB for researching. The Guardian article was published is 2002 so 12 years on the starting salary in the Royal Ballet must now be over the £25,000 I mentioned in my previous posting.

I believe that the starting salary for the Royal Ballet corps is around £25,000 pa. Might be more but I am sure that someone on this Forum will have the exact figures. It is London so even this doesn't go far if they want to live within an easy commute to the ROH.

My DS is with a national ballet in a Eastern European country. His basic take home pay each month is just over £400. Even those who are from that country say that the amount he earns gross isn't enough to live on in a capital city. There is an extremely complicated system for earning extra per month and this usually works out to anything from £25 to £100 net. No free accommodation so his rent, travel and living experiences far outstrip his income. He wouldn't be able to work there without our financial support. He has absolutely no chance of saving, even going out socially is a treat. This does get him down and he is fairly desperate about his financial future and the fact that he still has to rely on us. If he wasn't doing something he loves he would give up.

My son dances with an European company where male as well as female dancers regularity receive flowers at the curtain call. These are usually in the form of a small bouquet/posy or a single flower. These are not just for principal roles but any member of the company who have flower delivered for them at the stage door.

Sending you a PM.

I can recommend Laine's. My DS went to several of the summer schools and enjoyed every one. They use to run 2 programme, dance and musical theatre with a show at the end of the week which was filmed.

You can buy a one day travel card when you buy your rail ticket and this usually works out cheaper. if you don't want to go to the expense of buying and topping up an Oyster card then you can buy a one day travel card from any Transporr of London ticket offices. They will be one at the station/underground/self service machines. The Oyster card does cost, I think it is £3, and then you load money onto it. If you are f a "certain age" and have a free bus pass you can use it in London.

Buses may be rerouted as Saturday is the Lord Mayors Show and it stops around Embankment/Aldwich at about 1pm. Check out the website for the actual route.

Do Central offer a audition to all that apply? As they only have 2 dates for London. X

It's a few years since my DS auditioned but it was certainly the case of you pay your money, you get an audition. Therefore everyone would be offered an audition. Dont think things have changed.

Gottokeepworking, I'm intreagued. Is the 'by invitation only' audition common practice? How does ones child find themselves in that situation?! Thanks.

By 'invitation only' is normally reserved for graduates/professional dancers auditioning for jobs.

Auditioning for schools is business for them. Providing you put in your application before the closing date then it is a case of you pay your audition fee, you get an audition. My son's ballet teacher gave him a good piece of advice - the audition starts the second you step through the door of the school.

The other time you must be careful about producing the correct photos is when applying for summer school because they do look at the photo's when deciding who gets a place because there isn't an audition.

I wouldn't worry but phone if this gives you piece of mind. If they insist that you produce a new set of photo's you can take them to the first audition.

Over the years I have had to take photos of my DS for summer schools, associate programmes, lower and upper schools. The only time you need to worry is if the audition is be 'invitation only' and then they will definitely be looking at the photo initially. All other times they use them just as a reference until after the first audition.

When schools leave a space on the application form for a 'passport photo' or 'passport sized photo' does this mean a headshot in a passport size or an actually photo you would put in your passport? very confused and cant seem to work it out

I always put a headshot in a passport size.

I live in Worthing and find that when there is working on the West Coast/Brighton line it is best to drive to Arundel and pick up the Arun Valley line -Littlehampton and Victoria.