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DD Driver

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Everything posted by DD Driver

  1. DD Driver
    It was probably a smoother run when comp winners were invited to join ABS in the Final year e.g. Ako Kondo ex YAGP & Guo Chengwu ex PdL - now principal artists
  2. DD Driver
    and of course, one student from ABS was also taken into the company last year. Very worthy & a Prix de Lausanne prize winner.
  3. DD Driver
    Yes @Sophoife I think you have previously outlined the new recruits to TAB last year & where they came from i.e. RBS, SAB, Mariinsky etc. I do like the idea of open auditions. I can see however that it may change the perception of a 'feeder' school. Maybe the role that these play do change over time. Or lead to discussions about reciprocal rights to working in overseas companies...
  4. DD Driver
    It is interesting to see the opportunity to audition for The Australian Ballet (TAB) advertised in London, July. Maybe a new trend for companies or just a new approach with a new AD. Some companies are known to recruit only from their associated vocational school e.g. SAB into NYCB SFSB & The Australian Ballet tended to follow this model, if not as strictly. There was also an ad for auditions for Paris Opera in July however I think this is a standard practice. https://www.instagram.com/audition_company_2020/
  5. DD Driver
    Demand & Supply
  6. DD Driver
    Look at the websites e.g. Elmhurst https://elmhurstballetschool.org/en/about/our-graduates/ Or go to Instagram posts e.g. ENBS https://www.instagram.com/p/ChbZ_SVumW-/
  7. DD Driver
    OK then I will say that: I think she will be visiting AusBallet again this year. Continuing with the Don Q coaching.🎉
  8. DD Driver
    Well that's what I had heard... but if I'm the only one saying so...and I'm always the last to know Then best downgrade that to the Wishlist rather than News! Could be a false lead - I think prior visits were planned but then cancelled over the last difficult years.
  9. DD Driver
    A few of DD's circle are flying to London, from Australia, to do the RBS Finals. Expectations of an offer are not high. They all have some other opportunities. No idea how many will be auditioning & how many places.
  10. DD Driver
    Sylvie Guillem is jetting in to coach the Australian Ballet for Don Q🎉
  11. DD Driver
    Talking to a couple of Australian candidates back from the Prix de Lausanne, I can confirm that - for most - this is an amazing career & developmental opportunity. Getting into finals is the icing on the cake but everyone got some cake 😁 Coaching from outstanding teachers. Exposure to dancers from all over the world and seeing the differences in their approach, strengths & weaknesses (maybe). Practising and then performing on the big stage with lights/cameras and jury members, partner schools / companies and a large audience watching. Getting feedback on your week. Networking forums ... Some hiccups... room for improvement e.g. those giving feedback should be trained in how to effectively do so. Also, it would not be hard for PdL to ensure that all candidates get at least 1 networking interview. Most returned home inspired to keep improving themselves. With direction on how to do so & opportunities!
  12. DD Driver
    I know an Australian going to the WL Final. The student flew to Brisbane for the 5 day summer school - with 2 RBS teachers - followed by a 1 hour audition. Success there led to a place at the Finals. The Upper School audition program was the same story but then required a video for the Semi-Finals. Those who were successful were invited to a 1 day Final in London. I don't know how many will be at the Finals but this seems an incredibly expensive process and the number of places to number auditioning is unknown. Scholarships are rare & RBS is very expensive. I think the proposition is getting untenable e.g. compared to some highly respected German schools. They seem much less expensive.
  13. DD Driver
    i can see that it is difficult for those at Finals to hear about others gaining early acceptance through a competition. Ideally all candidates should be assessed together in one venue. On the other hand, it is a very big ask for international students to fly into London for a one-day audition, alongside a large number of other hopefuls.
  14. DD Driver
    An industrialised society can only exist through cheap energy. It would be a shame for British people to go cold & hungry chasing Net Zero when it can make no significant difference to the world. Great speech here by Konstantin Kisin at the Oxford Union debate
  15. DD Driver
    Yes, in the intl auditions the White Lodge candidates had a prelim audition by video or in person, to get into the London Finals. The results were provided last year. In contrast, the upper school audition was a prelim and then a semi-final video due by Jan 10. It is those results that have just come out. & the dates (4/5 March)
  16. DD Driver
    It begins... Saw an Australian ballet school posting about a student just receiving an invitation to the RBS Upper School Finals in early March.
  17. DD Driver
    Sorry - I'm saying they are Classical in the POB style. Not better or worse, just different. Sounds like it is negligible in your experience. In terms of training, my DD has done summer schools with Vaganova (& Bolshoi) teachers as well as RBS. She found them different. Interesting question, though. How training, for example, from John Cranko v. POB v. RBS differ(?)
  18. DD Driver
    The list of coaches for PdL 2023 has come out https://www.prixdelausanne.org/artistic-team-2023/ I am looking forward to watching the coaching with Elisabeth Platel & Monique Loudieres from Paris Opera Ballet & its school. Vaganova training seems to be on the increase but these 2 women are true Classical etoiles.
  19. DD Driver
    Hmmm that's a vicious price hike 22 v 23 for level 7! ABS boarding is much cheaper by comparison to private school boarding - although girls share rooms at ABS. ABS students go to VCASS state school for academics for younger years e.g. 16 & under, so that is an important comparison with a private academic school. State schools ask for a 'contribution' but don't seem to chase it up. I've had daughters at both. In our case, we did see a $30k difference in what was delivered LOL (I can laugh now)
  20. DD Driver
    Ok so very different programs occurring around the world. Maybe the large no. of competitions/Eisteddfods in Australia give part-time dancers more opportunities & the friendships to continue dancing throughout their schooling - even when they have no intention of going professional. Probably it is most similar to the US culture. I also know girls who have moved out of ballet and put the same number of hours into Contemporary dance, athletics, swimming, team sports etc Teachers here will tell a young ballet student that their facility is not perfect for ballet e.g. turn out, leg/torso proportions etc. Still they also say that they don't know what someone will look like at 16. As for weight, by 14/15 they might recommend a dietician. There's a clue.
  21. DD Driver
    That's an interesting insight @Kanangra Big hours and on a journey with a bunch of like minded peers! I find most Eisteddfods now have Variation sections for the 13 plus age group. Most students will eventually drop off and go in a different direction but the level of discipline, hard work & sheer grit as they go through the ups & downs is a rare thing in today's world.
  22. DD Driver
    I guess this is the best place to start discussions around the Upper School Final Auditions for 2023! The RBS Upper School Finals are in Feb/March this year. That is a large window! Semi-Finals involved a video audition due by Jan 10. Results from that are due late Jan.
  23. DD Driver
    It is really a different situation & approach between the different countries! Part-time ballet students in Australia seem to do big hours at ballet. It can be up to 3 hours after school most days and 1.5 hours o or more of Saturday classes. Private lessons would be on top of that. This is very hard to sustain so the 'serious' students tend to go full time & others drop back their hours. Even schools associated with a company are expensive - the Australian Ballet School (ABS) is around $15k AUD and Boarding $21k AUD. Govt Student loans are available at the older - Diploma - levels, I believe. The academic schooling is done at a public school. Similar (ish) story at Queensland Ballet Academy. Only 1 student from ABS was taken into The Australian Ballet Co this year. She attended Prix de Lausanne 2022! MEANWHILE there were 8 Australian candidates selected for PdL 2023 out of 43 applicants. 1 representing ABS and the rest from private ballet schools. There were 6 applicants from the UK but none selected.
  24. DD Driver
    Yes coaching is expensive, probably wherever you live. In Australia, students land up training in a city with a larger population base. For us however that can mean a city like Newcastle, with a pop of 500,000. Great teachers also appreciate life outside of the big city! The students might move from part time after-school training to full time training from 12/13 on. They mostly do Distance Education so the ballet day will end by 2:30-4pm and may be 5 days a week. No weekends. Some students in small towns or cities will have very good teachers and just augment this by attending holiday schools in the bigger cities. They may have a coach they also work with on Zoom.
  25. DD Driver
    The theatre provides this info online now i.e. a synopsis and the cast list for each session.
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