TwoLeftFeet

So, having ventured out there into the ballet world for the first time, applying to two european schools via video, we have been told that DD is too short. Its not something that had even entered our minds before that - gutted doesn't come close to the feeling. She is 15 years old and is 5 feet 1.5 inches and is a UK size 4 in street clothes. We chose Europe to apply to because of the low fee aspect. I have to wonder at this point if we are going to get the same answer from every school that she applies to?? For those of you who are lucky enough to have DDs starting out or finishing Year 11, first year of Elmhurst, ENBS, Royal conservatoire or indeed ANY of the UK schools - do they have a height restriction or do they accept shorter dancers? Or are there any other schools anywhere that will accept shorter dancers? Getting desperate here and haven't even told my DD why she will not be looked at... she'll be heartbroken

Oh thats fantastic news, very well done to her and her family. My daughter was almost 13 when she started, so there is hope yet... thank you for sharing

Thank you for sharing that. Does she have far to travel to her dance school?

Thank you all for your responses. Its quite a small list. I know that every 15/16 year old is different and that some will cope far better than others and some are much more independent than others. My own DD I don't think would cope well without the boarding/residential facility. Its very worrying for me that there are not more options. Homestay is definitely next on the list and I don't think it would be so bad if she had someone from her class doing that with her, but since I can't guarantee that I'm not sure what to do.

Thanks for the response arabesque1, I thought first years stayed in chalets onsite?

Thank you Anna C. Yes, Upper Schools with boarding facilities provided on site. Definitely for 1st year. My parent mind is saying definitely for year 2 also, but by then maybe DD might have other ideas once she knew the area and her classmates.

I would be most grateful if you could help me compile a list of ballet schools with boarding/residential facilities please, for overseas students. DD will be 15 turning 16 in October this year and living outside the UK. Elmhurst Ballet West

If anyone has the above for sale, please pm - we're only in London for one night :( thanks

If you don't mind me asking, for those of you who got places and those on the waiting list, what level/grade ballet are your children or people you know of? I'm thinking of putting in a last minute application for my DD but I'm not sure what level they are looking for. If you'd rather PM, please do

I'd love to buy the Dot2Dance board for my daughter but its from the US and customs I image would come into the picture. Does anyone know of a UK alternative?

Thank you Swanprincess, I'll have a look there too

Thank you Anna C, I'll have a look at that one. Yes, she will have completed her GCSE equivalent.

Thank you all for your replies - I didn't know they were here, I guess I need to figure out how to turn on notifications!

She will be 15 turning 16 in October and will have done her GCSE equivalent.

Hi all, Still trying to decide on a course of action for DD for September 2019! Are there any one year courses for ballet out there? I know there is a pre-vocational in Rambert that combines ballet and contemporary but its only one day per week - I looking for something Monday to Friday for a one year duration. Does that exist?

Does anyone have experience of auditioning for any of the German schools? If you have, could you please pm me if you don't mind? Thank you

I know this is probably a long shot but is the Wear Moi leo still for sale? Thanks

Thank you so much for your advice. The reason I don't mention other countries is simply that our idea was always to send her to Scotland to train but now that she has moved ballet schools, her new school focuses on training their dancers for Russia. I'm certainly not opposed to training in other countries but I think maybe the thought of sending her away is more difficult for me than it may be for her! I'm a worrier and an overthinker - she is quiet, shy and also a worrier which is why I'm quite anxious about sending such a sensitive person to Russia. She won't be 16 until October 2019 and so far the only places that I've found to take her at 15 in September 2019 are Ballet West Scotland and Russia. We may decide to wait until 2020 till shes a month off 17 starting - its so so hard to know what is for the best...

Thanks Pups_mum. I have compiled a list of all the schools that I could find with information from their websites and yes, they all seem to study difference genres of dance. I can't find any that study classical ballet alone - Rambert seem to be the closest to what we want but I have been told that while they do say 50:50, it definitely isn't, its more geared towards the contemporary end (information received from a recent graduate).

Hi again all, Our DD has just started in a new school and has gone from the RAD system to Vaganova which she is loving. Her plan was always to go to UK to study in a degree course at age 16. She wants to study classical ballet, doesn't like Jazz but likes contemporary. The problem for her is that most of the courses out there include lots of different genres of dance whereas she wants to specialise in just ballet. So she is considering applying for Ballet West, Central School of Ballet, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and Rambert - is there anywhere else that focuses mostly on ballet that I am missing? Our next dilemma is that her new school trains students to audition for Perm State Ballet School in Russia - this is now an option for her also BUT theres the language barrier (I know they take Russian class there), its so so soooooooooooo far from home and from what I've read in research the training itself is very very tough both mentally and physically. I know when I think about going there to study for 3 years I'm thinking about how far away she is and how hard it will be for her rather than whether this is the best training there is for her. Moms and Dads, what would you do? We are not from a dance background and don't live in the UK so we are very unsure about making the right decision for her . Any advice is greatly appreciated. If anyone has a friend, child, sister, brother that has gone the Russian route I would so love to hear from you either here or by pm. thank you

She is booked in for the Ballet West Summer School and really looking forward to it. I think you are all right, we do have time now that I'm reading all the comments. I was so sure that next year was the right year to send her, now, I think I'm going to wait and see how the summer school goes and see what they say there.

Thank you all for your advice and input. I understand the situation now and perhaps it is no harm to keep her here until she is 16 going on 17 and as you say, more mature. Its a massive step in anyones life and I certainly do not want to ruin it by sending her too early.

Hmmmm, I understood that the earlier they started the better and that they would be at a disadvantage if they were older which is why I presumed next year after her equivalent of the GCSEs was when to start her - am I wrong?

Our school years are not the same as those in the UK. My DD will sit her Junior Cert which is the equivalent of the GCSE in June 2019. Does this then fit with the UK system or do you think she should wait another year so she will be 1 month off 17 when starting?

Thank you all for your input. My DD will be turning 16 in October 2019 so will be 15 at entry that September - too young??