Balletmummy28

Short wait list for my dd for Birmingham. I’m sure that won’t manifest into a place but proud of her 😊

That is not true. We have turned down an MDS and taken up a bursary offer instead as it works out better for us financially. I am hoping some other lovely little dancer will now get an offer from the reserve list!

Sunrise I know how you feel. My dd got a no as well and to be honest I’m quite upset about it. She is an RBS JA and this year has successfully got through to finals for a Year 7 place for Royal, Elmhurst, Tring and Hammond, so she must be doing something right! I can’t for the life of me understand how they can choose just from photos! 😓

We got a place on the summer course last year after being on the wait list. As someone said it depends how far up the list you are so it’s always possible! It’s a yes for us for spring course 😊

For those that have attended RB summer school before can you tell me if they have classes on the first day? I am unsure if I should arrive with dd in her ballet kit tomorrow or normal clothes? She is getting very excited now although I am a nervous wreck!!

We have recently received the information pack for RB summer school and it states that all girls must be able to do their own hair during the course. My dd is only 9 and nowhere near capable of producing a bun to RBS standards. Is it really the case that the younger ones are expected to do their own hair or are there actually boarding staff there that are willing to help in the mornings? 😬

Just wondered if anyone had heard anything from RBS since accepting their place? My dd is attending week 3 but we haven't received an invoice yet and the initial email offering her a place stated that full payment needed to be made by 25th May. Worried I have possibly missed an email or something but don't want to chase up if it's normal for the invoices to be sent so late?

My dd is a JA and we live over 2 hours drive from her centre. It’s a huge commitment as we leave around 10ish in the morning and regularly get stuck in traffic on the way back so don’t get home until gone 5pm! We have other children so a big impact on family time, but saying all that I wouldn’t even consider not doing it. The training she receives is invaluable and she has improved so much in a relatively short space of time. The ballet world is very competitive so if you are given opportunities like RBS associates I would grab it with both hands. Good luck x

Thanks for the replies. She is young in her year group so not 10 until August. We have already applied to RBS summer school but to be honest I was more concerned about the expense of it all and if it was really necessary at this age. Looks like we need to save up and give one of them a go though! I will look at YBSS and OPES. Thanks

How important are Summer schools and dance training during the school holidays please? My dd is 9 and very serious about ballet and a future in dance. She is an Elmhurst and RBS JA and trains about 7 hours per week but obviously when the holidays come round all of that stops. I have looked into summer schools for her but they are all so expensive and she is also nervous about being away from home on her own which I can totally understand. I know she is still young but I worry that she will fall behind her peers if we don’t do anything during the holidays and particularly as she will be in Y6 next year and likely to be auditioning for vocational schools.

I heard it was 1,300 applicants this year as well with only 11% chance of getting a place which is just tiny! My dd got JA's last year (Y4) and I know this sounds awful but at the time I was so shocked and actually rang RBS to make sure they hadn't made a mistake! She was not overly flexible (couldn't do box splits, touch her toes etc) and only ever got high merits in her ballet exams. Her best friend was completely the opposite (very flexible and always getting distinctions) and yet has tried to get into JA's for two years running and never been successful. What my dd does have is bucket loads of enthusiasm and a wonderful performance quality (you only have to look at her to see how much she loves to dance) and a very slender physique with long legs and very arched feet. I know it's only my opinion but I do think physique and "the look" has something to do with it, as well as obviously potential. What I am trying to say is please don't be disheartened if you got a No this time. There are plenty of amazing dancers out there who were never JA's and are still training in top vocational schools and following their dreams. My dd's friend that I've mentioned is an Elmhurst Associate so it also goes to show that all the schemes/schools really do look for different things!

She will be in Year 5. Thank you elfin this is really helpful

Can anyone tell me what day and time the Manchester associate classes are please? My dd is supposed to be auditioning this weekend but she is already an RBS JA and someone has mentioned it won't be possible to do both, so not sure if it's even worth attending the audition?

Could anyone recommended any good summer schools in the North West please? We live near Chester so I was initially hoping to send my dd to the Hammond one but they only take them from 10 years old and she will only be 9. Needs to be driving distance if possible as don't think she would stay away from home and challenging as she is quite advanced for her age (RAD Grade 3 and an RBS JA). Thank you in advance.

This thread has worried me slightly. My dd (age 7) has associate auditions for both RBS and Elmhurst coming up and she isn't particularly flexible. She can do front splits on both legs, but not box yet and has quite tight hamstrings which we are trying to work on. She does have wonderful musicality and great performance though (as well as very long legs!) which is why it was suggested that she audition for these schemes. I am not sure she has a chance though if they take flexibility into account and everyone else in the room will be more bendy than she is. I don't want her to feel intimidated and start doubting herself, as she has always loved her ballet and at the moment is really excited about the auditions!

Thank you for all the advice and suggestions. Will have a look at the dance schools mentioned.

Oh I see, sorry I don't know the area very well. My husband's job is in Manchester but we are currently looking at properties nearer to Chester as our daughters have places at a girls school there.

Could anyone recommend a good dance school in the Cheshire area please? We are relocating from Essex with my husbands job this summer and I have two daughters who both take ballet lessons. The eldest is 8 and will be auditioning for RBS JAs this year and takes her ballet very seriously. The other one is only 5 so at this stage it is more fun for her. Thanks in advance.

Thank you for all the replies. I think we are going to go ahead and apply as I may always regret it if we don’t. I’m just worried as you have to enter the name of the Dance school and Principal on the application form, but I’m presuming they would only ever be contacted if a pupil was successful in getting a place? Can’t imagine the RBS having time to contact the dance school of every applicant at this stage surely? For what it’s worth a few people (outside of our dance school) have told me dd has the perfect physique for ballet and would be “just what they are looking for “. She is tall with ridiculously long legs for a 7 year old, so not sure if this is what they mean, but this is how we found out about JA’s and started looking into it for her. I didn't even know such a thing existed before!

Jane I'm not sure but they just don't seem to like the idea of pupils going anywhere else. To give you an example my friends son got a year 7 place at a vocational school last year and the same dance school didn't even congratulate him. In fact they actually suggested it was foolish that he was going and that he could get the same level of training by staying with them. I also know of other children who have applied to various associate schemes in the past and have then felt the school treated them differently afterwards. I probably need to look for another dance school tbh but that's another matter Thank you for the welcome Janet

I am new to this forum but need some advice regarding my 7 year old dd please. We are considering applying for JA’s this year but I just wondered if it is compulsory that I get permission from her dance school to do this? The reason I am reluctant to do so is that the school does not seem to advocate this kind of thing and in fact from my observations they seem to actively discourage it and get very annoyed if anyone even considers additional training elsewhere. My dd absolutely loves ballet, has just received a high distinction for her Grade 1 RAD exam and from my untrained eye seems to have some potential. I do not want to go behind our dance schools back by applying and then getting caught, but at the same time I am worried that if we don’t apply she could end up missing out on an opportunity and we could regret it later on. The deadline for applications is looming so I really need to make a decision one way or the other! Thanks :-)