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

and of course, one student from ABS was also taken into the company last year.

Very worthy & a Prix de Lausanne prize winner. 

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...

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/

9 hours ago, Millicent said:

I'm not sure if I'm allowed to ask this question, but am I right in thinking that a lot more UK boys are kept on at WL than UK girls? I'm wondering why this is, as surely the training/selection process is the same for both? 

Demand & Supply

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-/

OK then I will say that: I think she will be visiting AusBallet again this year.  Continuing with the Don Q coaching.🎉

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.

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.

Sylvie Guillem is jetting in to coach the Australian Ballet for Don Q🎉

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!

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.

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.

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

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)

It begins...

Saw an Australian ballet school posting about a student just receiving an invitation to the RBS Upper School Finals in early March.

22 minutes ago, Pas de Quatre said:

That seems a strange observation, implying that Vaganova training is somehow not a true classical training! Or am I misunderstanding your point? My own training was Vaganova and all my professional  contracts were in France, alongside dancers who had trained at the POB and sometimes with ADs who had been Etoiles there. Any minor differences in training methods were hardly noticeable and never an issue.

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(?)

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.

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)

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.

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.

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.

1 hour ago, Mummy twinkle toes said:

Non-vocational schools in U.K. tend to focus on technique, syllabus work and some will do shows. Not all schools do competitions. School day ends around 3.30-4pm so most cannot take ballet class until then. Home schooling is still rare in U.K.

Serious non-vocational school students will be aiming to get a vocational place either in lower or upper school. YAGP’s popularity in the U.K. is growing but it is still not held in the U.K. If you are able to be coached for it then it still means travelling to France, Spain or Italy to participate. The costs alone are prohibitive for many.

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.

3 minutes ago, Mummy twinkle toes said:

There are teachers available to coach but the costs are expensive. You also have to be located near them as if your dc is at a non vocational school then they can only train after their school day has finished and weekends. Teachers we know coaching for YAGP are in London and want their students 6-7 days a week.

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.

10 minutes ago, LinMM said:

 there was no programme so they didn’t always know what was going on and she felt she wanted more information about it all and they obviously had no cast list either so felt frustrated trying to identify certain dancers.  

The theatre provides this info online now i.e. a synopsis and the cast list for each session.