PrancingMum

How many Mids classes are there?  Is it one for each year group or are they mixed?  Do they take as many into Mids as JAs.  Is there much of a chance to get Mids if you haven't already been a JA?  Sorry for all the questions and if this information is already out there somewhere on the Forum couldn't see it.

Am I right to understand that NYB is held at Elmhurst not Tring this year? Is this a very recent change?

When details of this year was announced back last December it said they would be at Elmhurst.  It may have been a late decision as the dates they would have been at Tring are not taken up with anything else.  This may just be for the 30th anniversary - my understanding is that they used to be based in Birmingham.  I think the gala will still be at Sadler's Wells.  There is no indication as to whether or not this is a one off or if they will move around the country in future years, stay at Elmhurst or move back to Tring.

From reading the letter there doesn't seem to be an option for day pupils. Although they did say the JA would be day pupil sthere is no mention of it on the letter and no price option for it either.

It might be worth checking with them. I have found the office very helpful. The original information said that there would be some residential places for older JAs. I wonder if the letter that was sent with them recall information is a change or whether it is really intended for the Main Cast Dancers? Certainly, the bit about groupings and seeing different choreographers seems more relevant to how I understand the main cast auditions are run.

This year they are actively encouraging all dancers to take up the residential offer.

Two things to note - the summer school is based on age not ability and RBS have a file on everyone who applies with the details of the programmes they have applied for/attended (fact based on speaking to them at one point so this is not supposition).

Have to say that I am cynical about it - quite a lottery - £25 a ticket and if you win the pleasure of paying several hundred pounds for a weeks ballet summer school. I am sure it will be a lovely experience wirh fantastic teaching and great on the CV but it is quite an expense.

You could try this one

https://www.winxdvd.com/resource/ripit-for-windows-pc.htm

I think someone posted this a while back - it looked a good guide - hope it helps.

https://pointeperfect.com/learn-your-foot-type-pointe-fitting/

how do you actually send an email to 3000 people!! do you have to type it one at a time & cut & paste content!! how awful?? Can't imagine the anguish waiting for WL results this is bad enough!!!

They will do an e-mail merge - I would assume their admissions system is set-up to handle this.  Sorry for being an IT nerd - no idea about ballet though!

Please also bare (?) in mind that RBS also makes mistakes and some lovely dancers in top companies never went through their doors!

You could also look at it in terms of some dancers not having the particular RBS look or physique, but doesn't mean they can't still be successful dancers with other companies.

There is one dancer I know of who didn't make it through to finals who was a JA, is a lovely dancer and has the RBS physique - nothing can be taken for granted.

As has been said only the panel know what they want to see. There are those who have several hours ballet a week including private tuition and are JAs and did not make finals and those who have only danced for a few years at local schools who were there at the weekend. Well done to those who put themselves through prelims and fingers crossed a yes this week. For the nos you are all stars. Many may well be offered places elsewhere or later this year or in the future, even at WL. This is just the start of the journey and as has been said each year brings its own roller coaster until you hopefully see your DC up on the stage as a professional. Good luck to all!

amos73 - what is happening with the SS places for JAs?  Any news there?

Yes, good luck to all DC over the next three days.  Knowing some lovely JAs who didn't make finals you are all special already, regardless of the outcome- enjoy the experience.

Hi Newdancermum the MDS is an individual award to the dancer so depending on the school , they all have a different number of awards available allocated on talent, if you are chosen to receive an award you will pay a set contribution. From memory I think most forms will ask if you need to be considered for funding.

The dada is a "pot" of money allocated to the school or college and depending on who needs what will determine how many dancers are funded. If your DC is successful at prelim auditions the school or college send out a form and you have to indicate what income band you fall into , giving them a rough idea of how much you will need from the "pot" .

I can see how the DaDA works and understand that the MDS is individual so for the schools to manage both are relatively clear and the message here is the desire for more transparency.  I have been told that some school's favour boys but even if it was true no-one would admit that. (No slight intended to all the lovely and talented DSs out there.)  For MDS with a fixed government budget how can it be managed.  If you have 10 places and they all go to parents on low income who can claim a full grant the sums needed are different from the scenario where they are only receiving a small award due to high parental income.  Then again the big scheme of things maybe it doesn't matter to the policy makers!  From what I gather talking to the Bursars at the individual schools is helpful for understanding individual circumstances.

What I can’t understand is why the talk is about the number of funded places when the actual funding value will vary significantly from child to child depending on the parents’ income.  Furthermore the Government scheme has a budget attached not a places available number.  If a school gives 10 places they will not know how much this will cost the scheme until the actual application is completed and the award amount calculated.  How does it all balance?  Does this makes sense?  Does anyone have an information to help understand this?

Sorry just sharing my headache on this one! 

It's quite expensive, but Lisa Howell's Perfect Pointe programme is very good with lots of info on pointe readiness and strengthening exercises.

DD's teacher recommended this to her - is it really worth the expense?

I was also wondering if anyone has heard of a book that is referred to the ballet bible.  DD keeps talking to me about this book her teacher uses it to show her things that she refers to as her ballet bible.  Any ideas what it might be?

I just Googled that article. Do people in this day and age really still believe the Royal Ballet School,  or even just its Summer School is for middle or upper class kids only? Oh, and that she was somehow singled out because she was working class and possibly had a strong Northern accent ? So this put her off wanting to become a ballet dancer. Says a lot about her and her attitude to others of a different class to herself I think.

According to the Mirror the year she applied there were 9,000 applicants!

"At nine she dreamed of being a ballerina and was one of a handful of girls picked from 9,000 hopefuls to take part in the Royal Ballet School's two-week summer school."

Says it all - must be an accurate piece of journalism.  

I would suggest http://www.tunehotels.com/my/en/our-hotels/paddington-london as it is really good value - I have friends who have recommended it to me although I haven't used it myself yet.

Not sure where best to post this but perhaps this is as good a thread as any.  Just back from dinner with friends where I met a lovely girl who is auditioning this year for a company place (classical ballet) and was saying that she wished to go to Germany but was considered too short.  So for all those who have DD that are worried about getting too tall .... Good luck to all!

OK, i've just Googled Linda Goss. There came up a very interesting article about her in the Independent newspaper in 1997 concerning the RBS.

Very interesting article - quite shocking treatment of children by RBS - twenty years ago is not so long ago!

Just been speaking to DD's friend who was bemoaning the fact that after two years she still doesn't feel her soft blocks are broken in!

There were certainly yr 8 girls on 25th jan also. Don't know about higher year groups x

I hadn't realised that there were other years at the Birmingham one but that makes sense.  Looks like it will be next week then for all.

Perhaps today for the year 8/9/10 results? All of the auditions for those were finished a while ago I think. 

The last audition for Year 8 and above was 22nd January so yes today might well be the day - good luck to all - DD's BF is waiting tentatively!

Noooo, I hope in both cases it wasn't obvious to the candidates concerned

DD's friend didn't think it was her and couldn't obviously see who it might be but definitely unnerving!

Well they do appear to make some decisions on the day if the snippet of conversation DD's associates' friend overheard on her way out of the studio at the end of the 22nd January session.  It was "well we don't want that one".  You would have thought they would have waited until the girls were out of earshot!  Good luck to everyone waiting on results!

All this discussion about feet reminds me of something I overheard the Principal of DD's dance school say a number of years ago  It was in relation to a girl in one of the older grades after an exam session.  She said that the best that could be said about this dancer was that she had nice feet.  I found out recently that said dancer went on to associates and is now doing well at vocation school.  I would love to ask the Principal what she thinks of her now!