Mummy2BalletFairies

My 9yo recalled. We’re not hugely clued up on the process but from memory of reading the website those that didn’t progress beyond this stage another year received a masterclass with anna rose o Sullivan. Perhaps other forum members have more info (or I could go back to the website and read!) so definitely exciting to get this far whatever happens next. Sure it was difficult to not take all of those beautiful ballet children through. Well done to all for giving it a go, whatever the outcome xx

Thank you so much for the reassurance that this list is the complete list and it doesn’t run every Sunday from the New Year- and as you say, huge number of entrants so we’re statistically unlikely to end up on the tour/ company anyway. We’d only miss 2 CBAs in the spring term and one in the summer and I understand they are ok as long as it’s no more than 2 per term. Becalmed...good luck to all our little hopefuls xx

only just realised, while reading this thread, that there may be sunday rehearsals- or is the conscensus that this year the sundays have been dropped? i thought the list of rehearsal dates on the site was all there was, and it didn't cross my mind there would be extra days. are the sundays mentioned on this thread in addition to those rehearsals? not sure how Tring CBAs would feel about not having a terms' notice: equally would be very annoying to pay for tring and not attend. for the touring company, are the rehearsal dates exactly the same as the main company? and when do they tour- obviously not the performance dates so when?! thank you in advance....

Same here. They're practising something in groups in their bedrooms! Looks really fun and friendly. Lovely to see those scenes on insta. Hope they keep posting. I think I wish I was doing NYB myself 😀

thank you! off the back of your message i contacted NYB again and they were v encouraging so DD still hoping to find duet partner when there. we are having mobile phone dilemma as even though they said don't bring it unless you must, i can't help but feel we may regret not having ANY contact...what did you do with your DD first year? x

I've only just seen this post- how old is your daughter? Mine is 9 and going for the first time and is really hoping to find somebody to duet with. She is heading up with a CD with 3 pieces of music on CD as ideas, at their suggestion. NYB said they'd like to encourage entrants to the choreo so if at all possible their wardrobe department would help with costume or props if dancers were able to put something together last minute at Elmhurst. Like you, I'm scared about tomorrow morning's logistics! I've got the "what have we got ourselves into" feeling!

The What to bring list doesn't mention any change of clothes for the evenings. Can anybody confirm what kind of evening wear a 9 year old might need? Do they just throw on a onesie over the top of their leotards or is separate loungewear the thing? Also, how do they do the choreo competition as duets or groups unless they know other cast members before they go?! And how could they source props and costumes while at Elmhurst? Baffled. Thanks in advance!

SIGNED xx

So my letter just talks about the rehearsals on the Wednesday from 11am....I am sure it has said somewhere we get DCs back on the Tuesday. Somewhere on this forum I think it said it is usually about midday- can anybody else confirm this?

Now I’ll have to check! Wish they’d send us the actual info. Or have I missed that too 😱🤣

Thank you all so much for hotel advice. This forum is incredible. However I have another question. Do we collect them from Elmhurst or are they somehow delivered to near the Crescent theatre on that Tuesday? I am just having to send a grandmother to Birmingham to collect her so working out her logistics determines whether she trains or drives. On AA route planner it looks like a 10 min taxi ride from Birmingham New Street train station to Elmhurst, then another 10 min taxi from Elmhurst to the crescent theatre (if we stay at Hilton Garden inn next door). Does this sound sensible to those who live in Birmingham or who have done NYB before?

The crescent theatre is where the show is so I was guessing the dress rehearsals might also be there ....

Can anyone recommend a reasonable hotel for birmingham that is walking distance from the dress rehearsals/theatre? first time with NYB so steep learning curve!

wow. the mind just boggles how they could say no on that many occasions and then a WL yes, even if the child has developed and progressed in various ways - I think thats why people give up because they think they must be insane to think RBS would miss a talent on that many occasions so they tell themselves they've got rose tinted glasses on and they need to stop being delusional. As other forum members have stated, I think it's fair to say sometimes RBS simply don't get it right (On the no's!). So parents and children maybe need to just follow their passion and instincts, like you say, and not overthink the number of no's. well done your DD. what resilience x

i think cechetti associates need you to be grade 2 or above which is issue if you've only just started. all the other JA programs have just had deadlines for applcations so i think the next round of auditions is november for tring associates (which covers other stuff as well as dance i think) and also tring CBA's (just ballet). Happy to be corrected but am in similar position to you so that is my summary of options right now...x

Just found this thread after searching for info on how difficult it is to gain a place on CBAs and wondered if any of you could shed some light on whether CBA are looking for? Is potential to develop more important than current level? CBA have asked me to submit a video audition as complete one off as they "are interested to see her level of ability" and I am thinking, - are they looking for high level ability in terms of accurate technique? - ability in terms of higher grade work (My 9.5 yr old is taking grade 2 this summer i.e. not advanced- they move slowly in her school) - ability as in natural talent/ability to perform and dance? - ability as in the RBS vein of making them do very bizarre bends and assessing whether they will make prima ballerina one day (!) DD has quite a classical ballet physique but isn't particularly strong or flexible (yet), and she has more skill on the performance/interpretation side of dance. She has the interest and drive to cope with a more intense program of training. I'm just wondering if there's much chance of getting into CBA or what to aim for on this video. She has a place with NYB Juniors this summer (first time she has done anything like this) and has done festivals for 2 yrs and done very well with them (qualifies for All England, has placed first etc). Any kind of comparisons to help me get a feel would be appreciated. xx

and may i ask, how did you acquire the feedback?

She sounds so sweet!......lets hope it works for her!! good luck!!! xx

throwing in my two pennyworth, they really seem to be going for small and more gymnastic looking girls (and boys?)and not your typical tall-but not-too-tall/long leg/neck/more classical ballerina types.anybody else agree?feel free to disagree! i was discsusing with a friend and she was convinced it was still about long legs etc but I just haven't seen that in recent years...and this year think that trend has continued...interesting times...

Lots of yeses on here- well done to you all! Can somebody please confirm, is there REALLY a letter that is a little more promising that the one we got which went along lines of... "sorry you didnt get a place but there were lots of enthusiastic dancers and we are not offering you a place. ..Feel free to apply again as children develop at different rates (i.e. we have to put this bit in here but we don't want to give you any hope) and if you want any feedback your teacher is best placed to advise...just don't call us." Basically a massive door slam. Are we simply reading different things into the same letter or is there honestly another letter sent out to those with a better chance in future that reads more like "PLEASE do apply again."?! Please don't worry about offending me- I just want to understand where we are as DD now set on applying for Y6 and I would prefer to be straight with her. Thank you all in advance.

Eastleigh came out today for us- an expected no- not sure if yeses out yet. good luck all xx

onwards and upwards xx

are you auditioning for YDA or are you already with them? their auditions clash with our actual ballet exam but they wouldn't let us observe a class until we had successfully auditioned...

Congratulations to your little dancer Lottie77 and I'm sure RBS will have found some adorable little joiners for her group. Any child who has been selected obviously really shines 🌟 xxx Good luck to all "waiting" x ps does anyone have experience of an alternative Junior associate scheme which they'd recommend near the South Coast? We've spoken to Tring (and CBAs next) but has anyone on here done Ballet Boost?(...September rushing towards us now and I haven't found DD a JA scheme!)

We were just before london (eastleigh 25th ma)y and not heard, although like many we are in a sense not waiting as we feel we know the result already mainly because i don't think my daughter compares well in terms of flexibility plus everything else i can't see because i am her mother but still very interested in this thread as intrigued by what the RBS actually choose and how on earth they can compare a child with little training to a child with significant training (Mine is somewhere in the vast middle). for example my daughter has literally blossomed from performing at festivals for 2 yrs so how can other children who haven't had that opportunity demonstrate that same degree of musical expression- not saying it's impossible but certainly much harder- they only got one improvisation in the audition so what about those little shy ones who come alive when the music bangs and they can just move i would so love to hear their deliberations and feel sorry for them they only have 1 hour to assess. i thought the 2 hour insight workshop was a very good differentiation of musicality ( parents watch the workshops) but DD said the audition was quite different and very much more focused on how they look in certain bends. they must have had a physio there surely otherwise how could they judge who could bend further with training? i'm digressing...no email here!