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dancefanatic

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  1. Elmhurst summer school applications are now open and close on 11th February https://www.elmhurstballetschool.org/en/summer-school-1/#:~:text=The programme culminates with an,in our onsite Studio Theatre.&text=Please note%3A All prices include,allocated following the closing date.
  2. I'm sorry but have to butt in here. Sadly, more and more companies in Europe are insisting that applicants possess EU passports and US rules around visas seem to vary company by company, even when in the same State, making it increasingly difficult for our lovely new graduates who only possess a British passport to even apply for jobs. And yet graduates from around the world are able to be granted jobs and/or apprenticeships with British dance companies. I know this goes off-topic but is increasingly a bug-bear of mine. I personally would like all dancers, no matter their nationality, ethnicity or gender, to have equal opportunities globally than have what appear to be unfair restrictions placed on our UK dancers, particularly at the beginning of their careers. So I personally disagree with the point raised here.
  3. As a parent of a vocational DC myself who has recently left one of the institutions mentioned, I have been reading this topic with interest and immense sadness, particularly as I approached the school in question with a number of concerns last term shortly before my child graduated. The principal tried to address my concerns but I feel there is still a lot of things happening in the studio that is not shared/admitted to by the staff when questioned. However, my real reason for commenting now is that my DC has moved on to a grad pro programme where the teacher is a former student from the other institution and is definitely perpetuating the experience/appalling teaching manner in the studio. My DC is doing their best to rise above it but it is concerning, all the same.
  4. since the first Covid lockdowns, Elmhurst have not offered any in person preliminary auditions - it's all been video application which I personally think disadvantages a large number of applicants who maybe don't have access to studios, private teachers or good recording media. Not sure what they will be planning this year but imagine the video application is here to stay
  5. I'm also getting ready to take my younger DD up for the summer school today. She will be taking her mobile as per the original email we received and is expecting to have to hand it in at night etc. She's used to doing this at home anyway but wants the security of knowing she can contact us in the early evening without having to wait her turn on the school phone.
  6. Once my DD reached Upper School, I had to pay for her singing lessons. I was charged the same price the teacher charged the school for Lower School lessons covered by the MDS of £16.75 per lesson, if that helps at all with your planning. I would guess there would be a slightly increase for the coming year though.
  7. It's been a few years but when my eldest did the junior summer school, it was always taught by the school's staff. Senior summer school is mainly taught by members of BRB. My younger DD is going this summer and I expect they will be fully taught by school staff, with a couple of members of BRB coming in to do a Q&A session on one of the evenings.
  8. All I can say is no wonder so many non-British dancers want to come to the UK to dance if the pay is that poor when starting out elsewhere
  9. Last Festival I went to (April) the death character stuff has been brought into the 11&12 year old solos and 14&Under duets/trios. Wildly inappropriate for the age I felt and when our school were presenting age-appropriate items such as a day out at the lake etc, and then the death & politically motivated pieces scoring very highly. Yes, danced well, but seriously uncomfortable to sit through. Highlight (not!) for me was one girl being the 'fruit swinging from the poplar tree' at the end. Really not for me but the adjudicator on the day seemed to love it.
  10. I remember learning a dance that involved being a little girl at the fair mimic'ing all the acts she saw so one was pretending to be the fat lady so had to blow your cheeks out and dance really large and heavy. Very non PC these days. Might have been for RAD Gr4? ** Edit to say this was early 1980's
  11. The fact that you have a close relationship now will stand you in good stead. I boarded as a child but feel I never had a particularly close relationship with either of my parents then or now. however, my DD went to Elmhurst age 12 (graduates this summer) and we had a good relationship before she left that I would say got even closer, even with her so far away, to the point now she is able to (and does) tell me most things that are going on that I know I would never have spoken about with my own mother.
  12. Of my DC's year group at Elmhurst (3 years ago now), most of her Y11 class were offered places to continue. Yes, 3 or 4 who wanted to stay on weren't offered places, others turned down the place and took places elsewhere or decided that following the vocational path was no longer for them. A couple I am told regretted their decision to go elsewhere and some have left/dropped out during the US years, leaving just under a handful of ex-LS students in the graduating class. Looking in from the outside, it would be reasonable to think the school hadn't wanted their LS students to continue but, being on the inside, this was not the case. However, I can't speak about other year groups as each year is comprised of different students and will have a different experience.
  13. Can't edit my original post but I meant US companies, not UK!
  14. Just checked and I got that from our Application confirmation email sent out to me on 3rd March.
  15. My DD is in her grad year now and it is heart breaking to see how even those european companies that aren't specifying EU citizens are definitely seeming to be discriminating against UK dancers because of the whole visa issue. And what upsets us more than anything is that the UK is not doing the same in return to non-GB dancers. Personally, I hate all forms of discrimination, whatever it's based on. Brexit was always a dirty word to me right back when they were even discussing having a referendum and is continually proving what a shockingly poor move it was and still is. One of my DD's friends has been offered a US contract but the cost of the visa compared to her earnings has meant turning it down. My own DD has has UK companies interested in her but unable to help with the Visa so ended up being non-starters. The world has gone mad, not that this helps our lovely young DDs follow the dream they have spent so many years working towards.
  16. Elmhurst are in the middle of doing their LS and US final auditions but I do know that the AD was looking at applications last Friday morning as he spoke to my elder DD about her younger sister's SI application. The website says results will be coming out w/c 13th March but do wonder how the AD will have time to review all applications amongst the auditions etc.
  17. Re the current year assessment, they will only consider it if your joint earnings are 15%+ less than the year before. We had to move to a current year assessment partway through my DD's MDS time and it was very difficult to get it down. We also found out very late on that each time my husband sold shares so we could pay the fees we were heavily penalised the following year, plus they added his employer's pension contributions to his earnings and penalised us for that too. The MDS calculations are very heavily skewed against you. Our experience with the DADA, at the same school, has been significantly better. Good luck!
  18. The name/manufacturer RClass have been around a while, well before the atrocities started in Ukraine this year, although they have strong links to Russian Pointe. You might find their About Us page an interesting read https://r-class.bg/pages-9-za-nas
  19. I spoke with Dancique last week and have been told that two things are now affecting supply of RClass shoes - a difficulty sourcing the satin and our government have introduced a 35% tax increase!! Just when my DD had found a suitable shoe to replace her beloved Grishko 2007s. But I also recommend speaking with them as they are always incredibly helpful and knowledgable
  20. Further to my post about Swindon CAT Ballet scheme, I've just looked at their website and it appears they are planning to continue after a successful pilot scheme. https://www.swindondance.org.uk/cat-swindon-ballet-programme/ Audition date 16th July I think!
  21. They have been running a trial scheme here at Swindon CAT for a ballet stream (they already do contemporary and street) but haven't yet made a decision whether to continue to offer it for the next academic year. Here's hoping they do as we badly need a ballet CAT in the south/south west!!
  22. just found the link and, as Farawaydancer says, it was about Elmhurst. It was made by BBC Wales I think and followed four (I think) welsh students. The lad in question had to leave Elmhurst and eventually got a scholarship for The Hammond.
  23. We're still on the search for an alternative to my DD's beloved Grishkos. She tried Gaynor Minden and that was a big fail. She hates the gel liner made into the shoe plus she couldn't get the right width as her foot is so compressible, she was falling down into the shoe as soon as she went on pointe, despite wearing her usual padding and the GM wing padding insert. This weekend she had yet another fitting and has decided to try a pair of R-Class RC22 with a hard shank. She's hoping they will last her as long as her Grishkos so between 2-3 weeks - I'll have to report back on that but when she can kill a pair of Freeds in an hour and Blochs in 2-4 hours, I'm not convinced! The R-Class are Russians but made in Bulgaria so not subject to any sanctions. Certainly Dancique in Birmingham report they have not had any supply issues with them. Perhaps worth a try for your daughter?
  24. I agree. It also seems to be unfairly against both the Asian and Street dancers too this year. I preferred the previous format, even though the ballet students didn't win the overall final, but really really don't like the changes. Nor did I like the comment that "ballet dancers never choreograph their own material" as previous ballet dancers from the same school as this year's ballet student did their own choreography and performed it well. In fact, all students at the school in question are encouraged to choreograph material from Y7 upwards and there is an internal competition each year. Admittedly, mostly their peers perform their pieces but that doesn't mean the student choreographer can't perform their material. Personally, I feel the AD of the show this year is actually quite ignorant of some of the genres and the show seems quite 'dumbed down' if you know what I mean!
  25. Hi, will try and give you some info based on my DD's experience (she's in Y13 currently) 1. Yes, I would say it is competitive to be offered a place. All prospective students have to attend a preliminary audition (or if overseas I think they can send in a video) and then the lucky few are invited back for Finals, with only a few finalists being offered places. 2. The students do two A Levels plus their Dance Diploma in years 12 and 13. This does seem to be manageable and they can choose from Maths, Biology, English or Art. 3. Best to look in the News section of the school's website for graduate destination news. 4. Elmhurst don't formally assess students out at all over the 3 upper school years. But some students do leave for a number of reasons ranging from injury to just not wishing to pursue dance vocationally anymore. 5. Elmhurst Ballet Company is the graduate year (Year 14) only. 6. There are some opportunities to perform with BRB although my DD's year have not had any so far, due to Covid. The current grad year have definitely had opportunities and Y12 are currently rehearsing for a production this summer. Y13 are to start a new project we can't discuss for the summer that does also involve BRB. On a different note, members of the company do come into school to teach on occasion, students get to watch a number of BRB performances throughout the year and sometimes get to go and watch a rehearsal at BRB's studios. 7. The Elms is a short walk away from the school and run by two houseparents who I think are great. The accommodation is mixed but the boys share the small flatlets (pods) on the ground floor and the girls are on the first floor. A common room with kitchen facilities is available on each floor and used by all the students. There is CCTV in the corridors. The pods contain two double rooms which are quite large and a single room, plus a bathroom with shower & loo, a shower room and separate loo. Each pod is set out over two floors two with internal stairs. The students still have rules to follow but they do have more freedoms than they had in the lower school. There are differences with the other schools although I don't know the Canadian one you mention. I would say the main ones involved the assessing out or RBS which Elmhurst do not know and the number of performance opportunities that RBS seem to get over and above the other schools. Plus the graduate destinations. RBS students seem to get performance opportunities with the Royal, BRB, ENB and Northern to date. Hope the above helps you a bit. If you have any other specific questions, feel free to PM me.
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