Katniss

My dd was a JA when she received her swl place in year 6 before gaining a full time place. Now we realise that the summer intensive system Is complete different from the full time training .she did end up doing SI and WL  full timers are encouraged to apply . It’s great experience but it certainly does not give a flavour of full timing training . That is very different. 

Sorry if you have read this before and to give hope to those with ‘no’s but my dd always got a no or swl for the RBS summer intensive... including the year she got offered a full time place at WL!😂

Hi... don’t know if this helps but my dd birthday is 31 August.. got no for yr 4..swl for year 5 ... yes for yr 6 and this was my concern too at the time & their feedback was they do take age into account  .

At WL every student is only offered one year’s training and they all have to audition again through the dreaded assessments every year for a further year’s training . This is made clear in the offer of training every year.The only explicit exception is Yr 10 and implicitly Year 7- although has happened in the past. In recent years students are regularly assessed out of Yr8 and of course Yr 9.In one sense every class ,especially those watched by the AD , is an audition . New students from abroad are added throughout the year .
RBS is no different to other top international schools in this respect - where they differ is the number going through to upper school.

Fit is little on big side.. I got small for dd as directed because of her height..but leo fell off shoulders so had to exchange for XS which fits perfectly .

I ordered 2 leotards from them recently -didn’t have to pay extra Import duty etc like you do if order from USA. Arrived quickly from Israel ( within 10 days) and I had to return one because of size- that was sorted very quickly too. Quality amazing - will definitely use them again. 

Cannot recommend Sarah highly enough... my dd has had training with her since she was 10 years old.We were recommended her by a forum user - Sarah’s expertise in both the technical and mental aspects of elite training is outstanding - but she has also had brilliant sense of humour who inspires both confidence and a sense of fun in her students . My dd was rejected for Yr 7 finals at Elmhurst and Tring- she went to Sarah initially to get a bit of confidence back. Two lessons later she gained  a place at WL- absolutely down to Sarah’s teaching . 

Yes you do get shoes covered by MDS funding at our school but we just fall out of the uniform allowance . It’s a real struggle. 

🤣 Definitely definitely not!! The reality is very different from the myth ...even the wee ribbon for the hair is charged at 50p...& we will never forgot the error on our first bill in which they had charged £50 for it instead😂! Anyway I expect dd was just very unlucky having very strong feet which do not suit the quiet’ performance’ brand insisted upon. 

2 hours ago, Peanut68 said:

Should have been words along the line of

“.....and I believe they get visits from very experienced fitters (& shoe makers?) & get a completely individual ‘prescription’ if you like for the best shoe for them” If they need a longer this or that it a firmer section on one foot - they get it with chance to tweak & redo their ‘prescription’ as they grow/develop as dancers. With that level of personalisation I expect even within just one brand all could happily get the ‘dream shoe’ with the school benefitting from more standardisation of colour/look & knowledge of level of expertise in fitting & steady supply!

Trust me the level of bespoke depends simply on what’s available in stock as they have a real problem with supply and demand  ( my dd has had to wait up to 12 weeks for shoes during term time and often has to simply go with me into the shop like any one else to get a pair of shoes. Even then the shoe does not suit... well only if you think that a pointe shoe bill of £500 every half term is acceptable- oh boy I wish they were free to the wearer!!

Just to add my experience of my dd going on pointe... her ballet school wanted her to start pointe at 9 years old . I took her out of the school believing that was such dangerous advice even though I knew nothing about pointe. Fast forward a year and I had her associate teachers and new school demanding to know why she hadn’t started pointe yet.. so we bowed to pressure....at just 10 she started.... she is at voc school has had no problems - yet- but I still feel very uneasy with tHe decision ... 

Incidentally she doesn’t bother darning her shoes now as she can go through a pair in one lesson- her school insists on only allowing one brand which she isn’t suited to.

They definitely look at children who were on swl last year if they have applied again for the current year. ..as my daughter got a yr 6 JA place after a no in yr 4 and swl in yr 5 . Her teacher was told this when we asked for feedback in yr 5 . If they see a child is making huge progress from year to year it’s another indication for their suitability. 

Could not agree more Canary ! mydd did LJB and she maintains it’s the one associate program that was most like her voc  school. The last year she was there ,3 students got into yr 7  WL . 

Hi , I know a lot of people’s plans for SS  have been cancelled so I just wanted to share what my dd is doing - a SS for 13 years upwards with Sarah Toner. I think quite a few people ‘s dc on here have worked with her- ex BRB . She’s offering online SS all through August - classes capped at 8 students . Classes include classical, classical solo, contemporary solo and audition work and private coaching session. Parent watching feedback at end of week.  You pick yr week .

 I’m sure many of you are sorted and  I don’t want this to be an advert , I just wanted  to help anyone , particularly dc going into yr 11 with upper school auditions  , who maybe are stuck for ideas for the summer .  

Artistic director - yes we have just received an email as parent of full time student which confirms one of the measures they are taking to prevent the spread of virus in which he states that 

‘’We will take the following precautions until the Easter Holidays during which we will consider what we will do for the beginning of the Summer term should Covid-19 still present a problem.
1. Limit access to our buildings to all but essential staff. This will include:
(a) No audiences at internal school events
(b) Limited and checked visits
(c) The cancelling of Associate classes at Upper school
(d) We will be postponing the 3rd Year Academic Graduation Ceremony
(e) Limiting parent and guardian access.
(f) Isolating anyone who we suspect might have come into contact with Covid-19.’

Imho all sensible precautions . 

The AD has also cancelled all associate classes at upper school too.

As many on this forum have commented already it’s not just about the quantity of hours a dancer does but also about the quality of teaching and training they receive. 

IMHO and personal experience it reflects the training they receive at WL. 

Any dancer outside of WL stands as much chance, if not better, of gaining an upper school place.

Hi

Yep my daughter got a place in JAs even though she didn’t have a high arch at all...&  interestingly she also got a place at WL too.... the teachers there felt with  a lot of work she would develop better looking feet / arches etc and her other strengths outweighed this weakness.... so like every one says on here it’s always worth trying.x

Hi

Just to say that if anyone got a waiting list place .. my dd got a yes but cannot attend so there will be a least one free place to reallocate .x 

21 hours ago, Peanut68 said:

This is not a personal go at Valentina or anyone else.... more the ‘decidions At the top’.  

No offense to you or your clearly very talented & deserving daughter... but offering summer places to ones who hadn’t even applied does make a mockery of a Wait List & all the £36 shelled out by so many people in the hope of living the ‘Royal Dream’....

The other irritating thing is how many places are offered at current WL pupils (they are actively encouraged to apply) & to WL finalists - esp it seems to those that will luckily be joining WL in the Sept across the age groups. I guess to ‘get a taste in advance’ But really I do think intensives sim should be more as a broadened reach so more can benefit from Royal system of training..... otherwise they might as well just make their terms 1 or 2 weeks longer!! 

I agree totally with everything said above except to add a note that my dd found the SI at WL very different from full time training at WL in terms of atmosphere / teachers etc.... obviously they are physically in the same place as their school but apart from that it’s a completely diff and wonderful experience . ...

Just to say  please don’t be discouraged if you receive a no for either the summer or spring intensive... my dd got a no the year she was offered a full time place at WL...!

Apologies my error - Edinburgh Festival Ballet.

I cannot comment on Edinburgh Festival School as a full time course but my dd attended a recent masterclass and believed that Peter S teaching was among the best she had ever received . She currently attends WL.