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Ruby Foo

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  1. Ruby Foo
    There is a Travelodge on York Road, Battersea just round the corner from RAD..
  2. Ruby Foo
    I totally agree with you Pas de Quatre. I don’t know the history of the Polka but I think there’s a lovely one in ‘ Meet me in St Louis’ or ‘ Little Women’ and it a lovely, natural, happy movement that flows along quite chirpy. The ISTD version stops very suddenly after the spring/ jete which indeed stops the flow of movement. But I don’t know how all these versions came to be.... sure there’s good reason.
  3. Ruby Foo
    Don’t panic or let your Dd worry about this before her audition. If your Dd is feeling confident she will do well and something like this won’t phase a vocational school who will look in to it in more detail if they are interested in her. There is a whole number of reasons why this might happen from holding the barre incorrectly with too much tension, heavy school bags, something going on with her spine or something else entirely. As Anna C says, a good physio will take a history and over time be able to ascertain what the issue is and correct it. For now, remind your Dd to relax and breathe and love every moment so that her top half is effortless and ‘open’ and combined with a lovely use of eyes and facial expression it should do the trick.
  4. Ruby Foo
    As usual, it’s a balance of all things. A student with a lovely physique who maybe is not quite down on one splits will not matter. I think box splits is quite important but again, if you’re not down fully it won’t matter if you have the physical attributes. I know there are students in yr 7 White Lodge with varying degrees of flexibility but obviously you would want to show as much flexibility as possible!
  5. Ruby Foo
    It’s pretty much a yes to all of the above. At Royal, there is a lot of standing front, side, back to see physical stuff. Some stretching just as you’ve described above and they take shoes off I believe. A simple ballet class with barre, port de bras, center work, simple pirouette, allegro and corner allegro. Then some improvisation to music. It’s the same for Elmhurst although not so much ‘ looking ‘ at the beginning. I’m not sure if there’s any impro at Emhurst either.
  6. Ruby Foo
    Yes, this video is NOT how it is done in ISTD Gr1. It is a little more technical. It was always done with a petit developpe when I was teaching but I didn’t want to confuse poor Isabella.
  7. Ruby Foo
    Capezio used to make some thick cotton leotards with bra lining. Much more supportive than the thin Lycra and more flattering without any shine.
  8. Ruby Foo
    Sorry, just to add, the step is supposed to look natural and gallopy so the rhythm is probably just as important as the technical aspects.
  9. Ruby Foo
    To try and simplify - The basic step is -hop step, together ( join feet 5th), and jete ( swish jump).There are 3 main features which would to need to look turned out. The first is a hop with the other leg straight out in front ( turned out and toes pointed) and step forward ( turned out) Second, the back leg pulls in to the front leg in 5th ( Demi pointe and obviously turned out) Third is a ‘jete ordinaire en avant ’which the front leg swishes along the floor, jump on to it and land with back leg in a turned out plie up behind in coup de pied ( turned out). It can also be done to second ( travelling side to side). It is a very tricky and complex step for grade 1 and I’m sure this can’t help you at all! If you google jete ordinaire derrière and en avant you might find something . Have fun!
  10. Ruby Foo
    Thanks for all your really knowledgable posts. I’ve truly found them interesting and helpful. Also, strangely calming. Good Luck to you and your Dd
  11. Ruby Foo
    Yes! Absolutely. It’s perfect for taking photos over and over and then going home to mull over which ones are best.... hopefully with a glass of wine! Because doing the photos really is a test of patience. Although I would let your teacher have the last say in which ones get sent. At least it sounds like you have managed to avoid choosing schools that require a video!
  12. Ruby Foo
    The only teacher I can highly recommend is Sarah Toner in NE London. She is ex Birmingham Royal Ballet, has her own reputable school and specialises in private tuition in preparation for vocational training/ auditions / company auditions. She is also lovely and nurturing but truthful. The nearest train line is Drayton Park and walkable. Or Arsenal tube. Probably too far unless you can combine with other fun stuff.
  13. Ruby Foo
    Can you be specific with the area? NE England? East anglia?
  14. Ruby Foo
    Are you able to ask your Dds current teacher to take them ( or help you take them) after her class one day? Most teachers are happy to help free of charge but you may need to pay extra for the studio hire If you need to stay on late. It would be preferable to have a trained teachers eye just to make sure everything’s perfectly placed. As she is an older student, it is best to use studio facilities rather than take them at home as it will show her off to her best. Unless you have bare walls and loads of space of course. Try to kneel down or sit down when you take the photos as it makes the proportions ( especially legs) look better. Always wear a plain leotard ( no frills or lace or cross over straps) with a nice leg line.
  15. Ruby Foo
    Usually around 9 or 10 but it varies.
  16. Ruby Foo
    This year there are 5 new students at WL year 10. Most years there are 3/4
  17. Ruby Foo
    I don’t believe this view is always shared by overseas ballet students especially in Asian countries (many who have been homeschooled) who have their own ideas about academic education and ‘plan B’, and do not need to be stereotyped into our own version of what’s acceptable.
  18. Ruby Foo
    Although still relatively unusual, there have been several new students in year 11 at RBS. They are mostly from overseas.
  19. Ruby Foo
    Although I’m sure it’s possible for a few, from my daughters experience it’s not at all easy to keep up the high standard necessary to compete for jobs against those who have just left full time training. She works long hours in a bar to supplement her student loan and then her university work too which by 3rd year is a lot. I think it’s different for those who have already had a part career in dance and are combining other things whilst something else ‘comes up’ because they have experience and contacts - 2 important aspects to success, as well as talent and hard graft.
  20. Ruby Foo
    I can’t help you very much on a practical level but I wanted to say that one of my daughters, now in 3rd year at Edinburgh university, very much regrets not at least trying out for a dance training route. She loves her course at university and is doing extremely well but she still mentions dance to me with a very wistful expression. She was a promising contemporary dancer and has a fabulous voice but decided to go down the academic route. Although she dances at a great dance center in Edinburgh some nights, it seems that desire has never left her and possibly never will. It’s made worse by the youngest pursuing a dance career. If your Dd is interested in contemporary then I know Rambert prefer a more mature student 18+ and possibly Laban and London Contemporary. Age is a plus for contemporary based schools.
  21. Ruby Foo
    Vocational schools usually look to take around 4/5 new students in year 10. 4 boys and 4 girls. Assessments in yr 9 ( where pupils are assessed out of the school) may mean that places become available. Or some pupils may voluntarily change schools at this point before GCSE’s. Sometimes the schools just want to increase the year group. This happens at Tring even though nobody is assessed out. From our own experience, the odd new pupil or 2 is being accepted all the way through the year groups even yr 11 and in any term. Maybe they are doing private auditions or come from wait lists or abroad, where they have experienced different education. Paying full fees will increase your chances but a couple of the schools will offer automatic funding for yr 10 anyway.
  22. Ruby Foo
    Yes! I do know of a student with quite flat feet who was a JA. She did, however have great facility in other areas such as turnout, ballon and musicality. I think much depends on who is there on the day. One of the JA/ MA teachers described it like a Rubik’s cube. No- one has all sides completed but you try to get as much as you can. A downside of flattish feet is the ability to achieve the correct position en pointe which is obviously not an issue until MA. Feet can always be worked on and developed both in flexibility and strength.
  23. Ruby Foo
    We were given a tour of the accommodation blocks and met the Housemistress. The current yr 7’s left good luck notes on their beds for anyone they knew ( maybe through JA’s or their old school etc). It was very sweet. Not sure this still happens as it was a few years ago now. It was a lovely but VERY tiring time. I would recommend packing some healthy snacks just in case they are hanging about. While they were waiting for physio etc they were supervised watching a video and got a chance to snack but as I say, this was a few years ago. Good Luck to everyone.
  24. Ruby Foo
    The interview is very informal ( more of a chat) about favourite academic subjects or how they think they would cope with boarding etc. The academic test is just to see if there are any glaring difficulties. It is a formality and doesn’t have any outcome on the end result.
  25. Ruby Foo
    Everyone who dances needs equipment - shoes, leos, tights etc. If the manufacturers could put a catchy, cool slogan on ALL their products which promotes good practice from finding a reputable teacher, to warming up properly and doing safe stretching etc. Not sure what it would be?.. haha but maybe all schools could participate in a worldwide competition to find the best and that way they would be educated at the same time!
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