DD Driver

From Julie Kent's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj-xVLsLaNf/ "Wanted to share my news… and my gratitude, pride and excitement ♥️🙏🏻💫 I am honored to serve the Houston Ballet as the first-ever co-artistic director and thrilled to have the opportunity to contribute to the remarkable Houston Ballet community. I have greatly admired Stanton and his brilliant work for more than 20 years, and I am deeply excited to partner with him in launching an exhilarating next chapter. I am eager to become part of the exceptional team of leadership, staff, and faculty at Houston Ballet, and especially to have the opportunity to work closely with their extraordinary artists. I look forward to sharing many significant milestones in the years ahead and making many new and meaningful relationships throughout the city. I share this news with feelings of gratitude towards, and pride in, The Washington Ballet. Washington, D.C. and The Washington Ballet will always have a special place in my heart; it is where I found my voice as an artistic director. Over seven seasons, the dancers and I have grown and learned together, always dancing forward to new opportunities. It is precisely because of how far we’ve all come in the last seven years, and particularly the last three years, that I know that this is the right moment for me, and for the Company, to look towards the future. Our dancers are reaching new artistic peaks, our School and Community programs continue to grow in all corners of the city, and our company is authentically, intentionally building an organizational culture of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. Victor and I are deeply proud of our contributions to all facets of the organization. We look forward to continuing to lead the company through this time of change. I feel tremendous gratitude to my Washington Ballet family, thrilled to be joining a new family in Houston, and hopeful for all that lies ahead. Onward, always.

If you see institutions or Media promoting racism & prejudice like this - against ANY race of people - make sure that you submit a formal complaint to the organisation & their governing body. Every Single Time.

Just to give a perspective from 'the other side'. My DD is at a private studio, she has lessons on top of her regular schedule & does competitions. You would call this hothousing. To us it is following a training path more similar to the approach taken in elite sports...without the govt funding that elite sports enjoy! The upside of this route is that she has considerable performance experience, which she loves. She does more contemporary ballet than her peers in vocational schools. Also, as parents we have greater control over what we are paying for & our DD lives at home for longer. That works for us. I have learnt that despite years of training, assessments of ability & potential are incredibly subjective. That is, at YAGP one intl. judge (a company or vocational school AD) may give a score out of 100 that is 15 points different from another's! You learn that your DD should avoid some places and head towards others. My DD has friends at top vocational schools (aligned to companies). They are the 'chosen ones' - for now. Many love the training & lifestyle. They definitely have a better chance of getting into the associated companies. Even so, we know a couple of girls who have recently left of their own accord & found other training options. The landscape is evolving but these schools are slow to change. That can be jarring for intl. students (and their parents) moving from private training into a vocational upper school.

Julian Makay's public Instagram post https://www.instagram.com/p/Ccdav08JY9x/ Whatever the story behind this is...the optics are terrible.

You would think that the ballets that a) stood the test of time b) are part of the companies' & countys' heritage and c) sell tickets are the most 'relevant' ballets for a Classical Ballet company. Relevant doesn't mean 'contemporary'. It means 'of contemporary interest' (sigh)

The Australian, Amy Ronnfeldt forfeited her apprenticeship as per Prix Media Release: https://www.prixdelausanne.org/schools-companies-chosen-by-the-2022-prize-winners/ She is continuing with the Australian Ballet School, doing her final year as per her Public Instagram post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CcHoLCBPRjR/

Thanks for this perspective, Birdy. In terms of helping students navigate professional options, the top vocational schools can certainly leverage their reputations to help students. I think they are getting a lot better at this. The benefits of vocational schools, linked to companies, are very clear! I would say that, in Australia, successful fulltime private ballet schools do a lot to help their students with: CV's, photos, videos & using contacts to get auditions for intl. schools & companies. They also invite intl. AD's to visit their schools e.g. to do Holiday Intensives. Their survival depends upon broad student success - not getting 2 students into an associated company. They also aim to maximise performance opportunities through exams, concerts & comps. This certainly toughens you up!

My DD, in Australia, is attending a full-time ballet school & does Distance Education in the afternoons/weekend. As do many of her friends, usually based in large cities. She would of course be very tempted if offered a place at a vocational residential school. However she doesn't go out of her way to audition. She believes her training & performance opportunities are superior where she is right now. She likes living at home. I note some new pathways emerging. Some vocational schools, associated with companies are offering open auditions for a 'pre-pro' year. ENBS Pre-Pro. Queensland Ballet Academy has a Pre-Pro year etc...

Queensland Ballet's Academy has a pre-pro year for those who have completed senior schooling. As many students in Australia lost opportunities in the last 2 years, the ballet schools have extended their pre-pro options. That is probably the case with the National Theatre Ballet School in Melbourne, that you mentioned @Maryy https://www.queenslandballet.com.au/academy/academy-programs/pre-professional-program

Similar issues also occur in top private schools. Even paying top dollar does not significantly remove the 'you're lucky to be here' mindset. To protect my DD, I tell her that my $$ and I are prepared to walk away if necessary. I also have relationships with (or contact details of) successful teachers/coaches that do not work at my DD's school. They are people I can call on if things go pear-shaped. There is more than 1 pathway available to get the training you need.

Yes. That may definitely be the case. I think they will be educated very quickly! RBS needs to be across the relevant Laws and seeking Advice from the full range of different interest groups. e.g. Many LGB people do not associate themselves with LGBT+ as they are same-sex attracted not same-gender identity attracted.

It is not inclusive if it alienates some women and LGB people. - Gender critical people: The recent landmark Maya Forstater case means that people, in the workplace, can not be discriminated against for 'gender critical' beliefs i.e. believing that there are only 2 sexes and women are adult human females. - Some LGB people: People supporting the LGB Alliance & LGB Fight Back, believe that current gender ideologies are a threat to people whose sexual orientation is same or both sex. That these ideologies are confusing and dangerous to children. Certainly, you may not agree with these views but the one celebrated by RBS here are not 'inclusive' of people in the 2 groups above.

and also celebrates 'transitioning' in the pink/blue/white square. I am aware that this kind of medical intervention for adolescents is now in question at the UK Court of Appeal (Tavistock & Portman NHS Foundation Trust v. Keira Ball ). So surely it is not the role of RBS to promote a position.

Across it's Social Media platforms The Royal Ballet School is displaying student art that celebrates: non gender binary, outside binary, partial genders, lack of gender... Ballet students across the world are seeing this. There is a very large number of vulnerable LGB youth amongst this demographic. Where is the messaging that they are perfect as they are? This kind of messaging seems wholly inappropriate to me! Why one viewpoint on gender ideology & not, for example, that of @LGBAlliance & @LGBFightBack ?

For 'woke' read 'recreational vengeance warrior' Sorry - back to narrative ballets..

Just as a comparison.. It is a very different story in Australia. Many students are at private fulltime ballet schools. Their goal is to audition for upper schools in Australia and around the world. They get a lot of hours and quality teaching. - I agree that being with others doing the same program is highly motivating and beneficial. - Doing academics in the afternoon, evening and weekends is incredibly hard work! We have well established Distance Education schools. You can opt for a full academic load or go to a DE school that offers a lighter load and counts your ballet hours. That is, it recognises the music, sport, physical health & development education the students are getting. Also, in Australia, the last 2 years of school can be done over 3 years. - We always check if the choice is right by asking - is my daughter getting her academic education and enjoying her choice? This way, whatever happens in ballet, she will have had a good childhood.

Yes, cotes du rhone! I have allowed my daughter to breach so many important boundaries. It has been negative for both of us as it leads to ongoing angry conversations and encourages her to continually push the limits -to see if they actually exist! One of my rules is that if DD does not hand in school work on time then she can not attend ballet until she catches up. Finally, I enforced this. It was fabulous. It is so harmful on the relationship if you do not follow through.

There is a lot of vaping in our little world! It's a hard no for me. My family are making significant sacrifices for our DD to study ballet. I have told her that she has to be prepared to 'pay the price' to have what she wants. It's always ok if she does not wish to continue. Ballet is an art that requires the body of an athlete.

It does seem to me that there is a determined effort to slow down the progression of younger dancers. Some will say the stars are just not there. I am not so sure. Surely they have to get stage time in order to develop and build an audience? Xander Parish talks of years as a 'spear holder in the back row' before he made his move to The Mariinsky. Harrison Lee, for example, is a talented young artist but I have not seen any mention of him for years. He won the Junior Grand Prix Award at YAGP in 2014 and Gold at the Prix de Lausanne 2015 before going to RBS.

Paola_Bromma Sorry, I don't know much more. I do know an Australian girl who is leaving to join ESB for the Sept term and someone else going to another Amsterdam school. Both seem to be going ahead with their plans. ESB posts quite regularly on Instagram and Facebook but I'm not sure what the Covid regulations in Amsterdam are right now regarding studio v. Zoom training. https://www.instagram.com/europeanschoolofballet/ https://www.facebook.com/ESBallet

My DD has done a 1 week intensive with Jean Yves-Esquerre - director at ESB. Probably one of her favourite training experiences. He is a straight talker. He is funny. He has told parents that I know - and myself - exactly what he thinks about their young dancer's prospects. Covid has changed opportunities. I know several young dancers who are at ESB as a place to shelter in the storm. Keeping up their elite training and hoping to get audition opportunities soon.

So often our contemporary ballet girls are performing in a leo only. Not a great look - no matter how slim you are. Let's celebrate the transition from a little girl to a young women! I went to her Instagram to give it a like! https://www.instagram.com/p/CN7hwjGFLLR/

This is a confusing situation. It is no surprise that girls grow and experience puberty at different rates. Maybe the school in question is too small too provide flexibility around the needs of the students? My DD goes to quite a large school. There is quite a lot of movement at the 10-13 age group. Some students skip a RAD grade and some repeat a year. There are many reasons for this. Some students are more advanced in their technique. Some students experience their growth spurt early and fit in better with older girls! A school should be able to cater to this with sensitivity and normalising it.

Here is an Australian student's account of her experience there. An oldie (2016) but a goodie https://balletschooldropout.wordpress.com/2016/12/02/surviving-sibera/

I do think it is valuable to look back at your decisions & actions. Learn from them! Share information with those that show an interest. (thank you to this Forum!) I am constantly amazed at the lack of research some parents do! We learn through the feedback loop. Adjust early where possible. Pay attention to the light taps on your shoulder before it becomes a knock out blow.