dancefanatic

My DD did the summer school last year which she thoroughly enjoyed.  My younger DD and I went to watch the sharing at the end of the week and the standard of work was excellent.  I have nothing but praise for Julie and her team.  My DD is doing the competition this year and, so far, has enjoyed it.  Just waiting on the finals now in May.  But Julie has done wonders for her confidence and self-belief, which had taken quite a knock at her vocational school, since first meeting early last year.

My DD graduated last year and had a DADA for her upper school training, having had an MDS for lower school.  The DADA was assessed once at entry point into the upper school and not again.  I queried this having been used to annual reassessment with the MDS but was told that the DADA is only assessed the once for the full 3 year course.  So no, once you have your award figure it remains the same until your DC finishes their course.

15 hours ago, Peanut68 said:

This is where our government really needs to step in & remove the job of  ballet dancer  from the list of employment roles that are unable to be filled & thus ok to easily hire overseas dancers. I am not against overseas talent but feel that should be used in the capacity of guest artists in principal roles - this giving opportunity to enjoy very many overseas dancers. But I do strongly believe that all UK based ballet companies should employ only UK dancers & professionals in at least the bulk of their positions.

It seems ludicrous that the government spends millions funding the training of UK dancers through MDS & DaDa awards as well as supporting ballet schools through other arts & education funding & charity status to then not try & protect in some way the company vacancies for these home trained dancers. 

I couldn't agree more!  My DD was one of the many UK nationals auditioned for London City, she got through to the final round and then was kept waiting for just over 2 weeks before they told her thanks but no thanks.  And then to see the number of overseas dancers apparently walking into all of our national companies and yet our schools are producing high numbers of talented dancers who are UK nationals.... makes my blood boil at times to be honest.  Yes, companies should want the best dancers they can find but sometimes to the detriment of equally talented UK dancers who can no longer obtain work overseas as easily as in years past.

My DD was one of the inaugural group there but left a few weeks ago as she has taken up a contract with a dance company.  She enjoyed her time there, although there were some teething problems initially which I can't discuss on a public forum, but these have been addressed.  I can say she didn't regret taking up her place and that she enjoyed her time with them very much.   Good luck with the decision making!

On 20/01/2024 at 21:10, Adagio123 said:

My DD has attended Malvern, YBS and Elmhurst and has enjoyed them all in equal measure. Malvern and Elmhurst applications have not opened yet but YBS is currently open with an option of 4 weeks in summer

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.

58 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

There are more dance companies in Britain and abroad today, and more companies that favour diversity and a range of body shapes; dance graduates are not restricted to applying for just 5 classical ballet companies or Rambert in the U.K. Cheaper air fares than in the 1980s make it possible for graduates to audition and find jobs abroad if they can’t get a position in the U.K.

 

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.

38 minutes ago, BisforBallet said:

No it certainly doesn’t and perhaps the majority have been taught in this manner themselves and therefore think it’s acceptable - the cycle continues. 
 

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

10 hours ago, Pixiewoo said:

 

That is F section ( 16 yrs and older ) Character territory !!! Occasionally you get a happy or funny character dance at that age, but usually there is death of some form or the other! We call it the 'doom & gloom' section !!! 😆

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.  

5 hours ago, balletfanatic said:

Grade 4 was some kind of character dance I think 

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

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.

9 hours ago, Janeparent said:

I think I understood you correctly, I was just questioning your assertion: my understanding is that quite a few Year 11 students would like to continue but aren’t given offers. But as I said, I am happy to be proved wrong if anyone has any actual data.

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.

4 hours ago, dancefanatic said:

 My own DD has has UK companies interested in her 

Can't edit my original post but I meant US companies, not UK!

24 minutes ago, The Graceless One said:

Thank you, I’ve not seen the results will be out w/c 13th March. Maybe it will be later since they extended the closing date?

Just checked and I got that from our Application confirmation email sent out to me on 3rd March.

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.

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.  

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!

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

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

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!

2 hours ago, Peanut68 said:

To add....there are of course funded places & I do think the CAT scheme as others mention seems IMHO a much better use of funds - both family & government. I do think this scheme needs extending & with North/South leveling up; this time it's the South that seems to be missing out with schemes thin on the ground & with the only course with a Classical emphasis being in Leeds....

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!!