Richard LH

Very pleased that Christopher Saunders confirmed that the RB will be keeping with Acosta's original version, and not including the changes he has introduced for the BRB.

Ruby I was remarking in general terms on the sort of unfortunate misunderstandings that students can make, as referred to by @taxi4ballet and earlier by @Pas de Quatre...the sort of thing which one would hope might be relatively easy to resolve, provided (as @taxi4ballet points out) it is known to have arisen in the first place! I didn't have your case in mind in that context - I gathered there was no such "misunderstanding" behind the traumatic and unacceptable treatment you have described in responding to the recent post from @Emeralds

From the cast list I wonder if Annette will be dancing as Mercedes, with Lukas B B as Espada and with the 6 other gentlemen as his matador compadres??

I would hope that misunderstandings about teacher feedback could be largely avoided if students/parents are encouraged and enabled to ask for clarification if something said, or written, is not clear. Maybe easier said than done in some cases of course.

Many Happy Returns - everyone!

Thank you @Irmgard. Do you know how much busier it can get during rail strikes?

Decided to drive down to London for the Don Q season opening night on 30th Sept, and park at Urban Parking, Shelton Street, which is close to Covent Garden 😬. Is this complete madness? Any tips/advice greatly appreciated.

The sub-editorial byline reads "English National Ballet’s new boss Aaron Watkin tells Debra Craine why the age of the skinny ballerina is over", and I think this promotes a current misconception. Isn't simply labelling ballerinas as skinny, just as potentially "body shaming" as some of the reports of dancers being criticised for being overweight? In fact the article itself is rather better in describing Watkins's actual position..."He’s not fixated on the skinny ballerina body image and he does not expect his dancers to conform to a single type. “I’m not looking for uniformity. I’m looking for real personalities that shine on stage, an eclectic group of interesting people who can have the expectation of collaborating in their artistic journey. I’m allergic to the idea of treating dancers like children.”" I don't think this is really anything new...as I have mentioned above, dancers, in UK ballet companies at least, already have this sort of variety of body type, though of course within the limits of the being fit enough to meet the demands of dancing the ballet repertoire of the Company concerned.

This looks lovely...! Well done to all the RBS students involved.

I used to be able to go to Insights, but recently they always seem unavailable by the time my membership (Friend +) allows booking.

Happy to be able to report a very smooth booking experience this morning for Manon.

The 2014-2015 reports were by Ofsted; the latest ones are by the ISI (Independent Schools Inspectorate).

No I don't think that's fair. I have just tried to set out what the official procedures are and explained why I can't understand, given the procedures, why such complaints aren't being reflected in Inspector's reports. I can't see how they would dare to sweep them under the carpet.

But Inspectors must see reports of complaints, as indicated above.

Also on Complaints, the RBS policy states... "Two things tend to make parents reluctant to complain or to express concerns: a) A fear that the School will not see the issue to be important: please be assured that, if it is important to you, it is important to us b) A fear that a concern or complaint may lead to repercussions for the student: under no circumstances will the School discriminate against a student because of expressions of concern or complaints. The School is very experienced in ensuring that, if other students are involved (e.g. in an allegation of bullying), there are no repercussions from other quarters. This policy seeks to explain the systems we have put in place to give you confidence in our willingness to listen to them and in our determination to be open, honest and fair in our dealings with you. It highlights the routes anyone can follow if they feel that something is not right, that their child or ward is fed up, unhappy, being treated unfairly or bullied, or if they have any other concern or complaint." So fears of repercussions for the student are recognised but (seemingly) comprehensively dismissed. I would hope that if there were such repercussions from teachers, this would lead to even more complaints and serious repercussions for the teachers themselves.

But have they, officially? If they have, they would have to be recorded and available for Inspectors... as explained in the RBS complaints policy. https://www.royalballetschool.org.uk/discover/royal-ballet-school-policies/ So if there have been such complaints, and they are multiple, genuine and serious, I can't imagine how Inspectors could have been ignoring them in reaching their assessment...irrespective of the "Royal" tag referred to by @billythewhizz

But haven't Ofsted also been criticised recently for being too hard on schools on safeguarding compliance? As far as the ISI is concerned, they state "Inspectors may be aware of individual safeguarding concerns, allegations and complaints as part of the inspection process. Such matters will not usually be referred to specifically in published reports in this document but will have been considered by the team in reaching its judgements." I can't imagine Inspectors would dare, in the current climate, to ignore multiple, genuine and ongoing reports of problems of this type, so surely in coming to an "excellent" conclusion about a school, they can't yet have received such reports, from current, or past, students or parents, or indeed via the wider media. The possible reasons for this will remain open for debate but it will be interesting to see the outcome of the NEXT ballet school inspection reports, following this programme.

Whilst tending to be pretty slim and muscular due to the demands of their chosen careers, ladies in the top UK ballet companies, at least, are certainly not all “stick-thin”, skeletal or flat-chested etc. Some take time out to have babies and then return to the stage. When dancing they need to be very careful of nutrition, which means eating enough of the correct foods, not just eating as little as possible because that would mean lacking sufficient strength and energy to perform. Some students may need to lose a bit of weight; others may need to improve their diet or increase their intake of some foods- either way this should be explained sensitively; indeed the schools have specialist nutritionists for this. This is the RBS's very detailed Nutrition Policy: https://www.royalballetschool.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Nutrition-Policy.pdf which includes for example: “It is known that, along with many athletes, dancers are at greater risk of developing eating disorders and associated medical problems than the general population. Body composition is also an important component of physical fitness, vital in enabling dancers to train and reach their true potential. Dancers who fall above or below the recommended norms may be putting their health at risk as well as limiting their career”. And: “A person with an eating disorder commonly has fears about being ‘fat’ and fears about their shape: the mind of an anorexic shows them as ‘fat’ when they look in the mirror when others see them as a virtual skeleton. They usually believe that the more weight they lose the closer they come to being worthwhile. If challenged, they deny that they have a problem and refuse to believe they are dangerously thin. They are unable to accept rational argument around their eating habits and weight”. “Any single symptom could have an explanation, but recurring patterns are a cause for concern. Members of staff should always report concerns to the Director or the Ballet Principal. Individual members of staff should not discuss questions of weight, diet or medication with students, nor should there be general discussion of any issues related to this protocol”. So I don’t understand the reports of some teachers suggesting, or implying, in their remarks to students, that excessive weight loss is the way certain students will improve as dancers, or be able to have a ballet career, such that those students feel they must keep on losing weight to a dangerous and unacceptable extent. Any such remark goes entirely against all that is set out in the above Policy, and the obvious facts in terms of the actual body shapes of dancers who do make it professionally. It is unfortunate, therefore, that the programme did not include any interviews with teachers or school nutritionists in response or in further explanation. The schools (at least as reported) only seem to have put out what came across as fairly generalised and bland statements, without being able (understandably I suppose, especially with a legal case pending) to respond to the various individual cases. However the RBS had an Ofsted report in 2014 https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/2433869 The identified concern at that time was proper checking and monitoring of staff recruitment and vetting, which was falling short. (This appears to have been addressed by 2016 according to the published report from a later unannounced visit by the Independent Schools Inspectorate). Otherwise the report appears positive, and in terms of the issues most immediately relevant to the current discussion, Ofsted reported for example: “The school’s behaviour policy is implemented consistently and fairly. All students behave impeccably. Behaviour and relationships between students and with staff are excellent. Case studies of the most vulnerable students show the school’s sensitive yet robust approach to students’ emotional needs. Weekly network meetings between health professionals and staff carefully coordinate agreed support and care for identified students”. “An effective anti-bullying policy is in place. Awareness of bullying in all its forms is a high priority through the curriculum, students’ weekly house meetings and the student council. The new leadership team ensure that, in this high-intensity training environment, staff are well briefed about teaching classes designed to really push students yet maintain a balance of criticism and support. Students say teachers rightly expect and insist on the highest standards of performance and commitment, as befits a school of this nature. However students also feel well supported and respected. No bullying by staff was reported to inspectors”. More up to date (Oct 2022) is the following very positive report from the Independent Schools Inspectorate, a link to which can be found here: https://www.isi.net/school/the-royal-ballet-school-7171 This includes for example: “Pupils exhibit a very strong awareness of the importance of physical and mental wellbeing. They describe the importance of balancing rigorous physical demands, being physically strong and mentally agile, with the need for good nutritional balance. They know the actions they must take to be healthy, as well as decisions that may cause them harm. Pupils appreciate the support they receive on diet and nutrition, mental health, dealing with injuries and rehabilitation through regular weekly meetings with a specialist team of health professionals….”. “An overwhelming majority of parents and pupils who responded to the questionnaire conveyed the view that the school is a safe place to be and that is safeguards the children effectively”. Similarly Elmhurst had an “outstanding” Ofsted report in 2015: https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/2527673 and the ISI gave them an excellent report in February2022 https://www.elmhurstballetschool.org/media/downloads/elmhursteqiisireportfebruary2022.pdf In the effective absence in the programme, of “the other side of the story” in the sort of detail suggested by these inspection reports, I am wondering how balanced the BBC have been here.

Yes as @mum5678 and others point out, the 11 plus does still exist in some areas, and even good scores don't necessarily secure a place. A grandson of mine recently took it but his score wasn't quite high enough to secure one of the (very limited) places available in a local Grammar school. With selection by an exam system, it is inevitable that many won't be able to go to their preferred school, and I don't think it is fair to refer to such children as "written off at 11 as a failure", thus suggesting they aren't expected to have any success academically, or in later employment, via a non-Grammar route. Arguably there is still selection under the comprehensive system, albeit by means of parents choosing to live in the "right" catchment area, often meaning they are able to afford a higher priced housing locality. Isn't it particularly the case with a vocational school, such as a ballet school, that a progressive and seemingly severe selection process is inevitable, given the limited number of ultimate opportunities for a dancing career? Again that is not to say the non-selected are "written off as failures", rather, that a particular career path may not be for them. One would hope, though, that selection is always managed sensitively and that students are helped by teachers and parents alike NOT to see themselves as failures, and helped to make rewarding alternative choices. Where this is not happening, for whatever reason, clearly things need to change.

Superb!...hope you have a great season.

Akane's "Spotlight" is now available to watch. She is so lovely to listen to, let alone to watch performing!

😂

It seems I can stream it from my PC but not from my Android tablet, although I can control it from the latter, to pause play for example. Weird.

Akane's interview is still just showing "coming soon" when I log in.....is it only available on certain devices, or something??

Isn't RB's acknowledgement of the start of "Ashton Worldwide" rather underwhelming, given there are only 10 (5 each) dates for the two Ashton triple bills this season? Not conducive to the widest range of dancers practicising his work and getting a good number of performances under their belts.