BusyDancemum

Forms for Summer School arrived in my junk mail this morning.

Just now, MamaFrosty said:

No I emailed to ask because I wondered if we could request to be in a later group. But they’re all going to be in the mornings. It’s a shame but she’s better off having longer, regular, in person classes than giving that up for 12 on Zoom ☺️

Yes definitely.  We did it last year and my dd is not that interested when it’s on zoom but we’ll probably still sign up.  It’s a great programme just depends on the child I suppose.

1 hour ago, MamaFrosty said:

We’ve had the email confirming dates and the link to sign up. Unfortunately the classes will be in the mornings which will clash with her Ballet Boost classes so we’ll have to decline 😔

That’s a shame! Does it actually say mornings on email, I can’t spot it 

To all on the waiting list, I have just turned down the offer of a further years CAT for my daughter so hopefully there should be a space for someone coming up in level 3.

I’m selling an associates tracksuit with the pink writing and a CAT track suit. Both age approx 13, both VGC. £15 each pm if interested.

Has anyone received any information on the online junior associates yet?

2 hours ago, Ballet-Tutu said:

Great thank you. Same for me. Which centre ?

Leeds. How about you?

17 hours ago, Ballet-Tutu said:

Does anyone know anymore about the new Royal Ballet online associate scheme?

 

And what are the chances of being offered a place on the shortlist?

My daughter got offered this this year and the short wait list.  We also got the same last year but it was called Junior Engagement Programme.   I registered our interested when I accepted the SWL place but not heard anything back yet.  Last year it was zoom classes every other Saturday taught by a JA teacher, it was very good.  I think the chances of SWL places are fairly slim but it does happen

3 minutes ago, Spamcat said:

It is so lovely that they are doing this for wait list children so it isn't all or nothing. My daughter is actually really excited about the online classes. So pleased!

Huge congratulations to everyone who got yes or online. Xx

Yes it is.  My daughter did JEP last year and offered again this year. It was really good.  I wonder if it will be any different with them changing the name?

2 minutes ago, Spamcat said:

Yes ours said new online Junior Associates too. Does this mean they can call themselves JAs (albeit online ones) 😂☺

Well I don’t see why not! Or even OJA’s 😆 😉

7 minutes ago, HowMuch! said:

Yes! DD has been going for a few years alongside her local RAD class. She really enjoys the classes and will be continuing alongside associates in September. There’s a mixture of children in the classes, some recreational, some very focused. There’s lots of emphasis on technique and strength. At times she finds that she’s done more complex work in her RAD class, but the focus on technique compliments her RAD classes really well.  The teachers are lovely and the academy staff are very approachable and supportive.
 

I’d recommend getting your application in ASAP though, the spaces get filled up really quickly! 

Thank you for your reply.  My older daughter does CAT and thought seeing as i'm always there it could be a good option as she was unsuccessful for associates this time.

Does anyone have experience of Northern Ballet open classes?  I notice registration has opened today.  This would be for my 9 yo dancer and has been dancing for 5 years.

Hi 👋🏼 those who got SWL did your email say ‘junior engagement programme’ or ‘junior online associates’.  I’ve seen lots of mentions of JEP I’m just wondering if they are offering 2 different online programmes.  Last year we did JEP but this year it says ‘new junior online associates’ TIA.

My dd got SWL and did JEP last year.  This year they have called it ‘online Junior Associate Programme’ and it is on a Sunday rather than a Saturday and for 12 sessions instead of 10 so not sure if it will be any different to JEP.  The email says it’s a ‘new junior associates online programme’ 🤷🏼‍♀️ 

SWL again for us Leeds year 5

4 minutes ago, SarahT said:

I keep getting random emails from the Royal School of Ballet and it makes my heart jump every time as I think it is JA results. I swear they have sent more that usual in the last week just to test my nerves. 
Talking of random emails, they sent one about the online summer intensive. It seems strange to have it mid July when most schools haven’t broken up for the summer yet. Such a shame as my DD did the online spring intensive and really enjoyed it. 
🤞we get some results tomorrow xx

Haha same! I just got that email my heart skipped a beat and one the other day 😆 hopefully tomorrow 🙏🏼 

8 minutes ago, Balletbow said:

Exciting! Ours were viewed properly weeks ago and then 45 secs on each last week 😂 who knows what that means, I’ve stopped trying to guess! 😂 🤷🏻‍♀️
 

We’re waiting for her regular grading results to come out too - I’m impatient now! 

Aww fingers crossed 🤞 It doesn’t look like the stats have updated yet but looks like a view on each and average view of 14 secs.   Ahhhhh! 

10 minutes ago, SarahG1881 said:

Are people still getting second viewings? 
I’m hopeful we may hear this week.

Mine were all viewed 11th May and I’ve just looked again and they are being viewed right now 😱 

22 minutes ago, Crazylifecrazykids said:

Hi quick question, the deposit is paid by parent pay which I've done but I haven't had any email confirmation that I've paid, other than my bank says £50 paid to parentpay, doesn't even say Elmhurst. Has this been the same for any of you? Am I worrying uneccassrily as usual! 🤣

Yes same here

Just came up on my Facebook memories that 3 years ago today we found out my older daughter got her JA’s place.  I’m thinking it could be a omen and we might find out today 😆 

57 minutes ago, Balletbuds80 said:

Is anyone else driving themselves crazy by watching their child's audition videos? 😂

Yes watching the videos, scrutinising the pictures and picking faults. I don’t know why I can’t just forget about it and wait for the email 😂 

29 minutes ago, Momapalooza said:

After months of reading threads on this forum, especially during the lockdown months, I thought it was time to sign up so I can join the conversations . My DC is considering going through the whole audition madness next year, with applications I assume starting later this year, and I have so many burning questions since starting reading the posts on here and being exposed to social media.

 

My question is basically the title.  With 3 young ones, we have a very social media savvy fam and my teenage DCs are all exposed to social media although they themselves aren't active on it and are loathe to post and hate having their photos taken for mum to post on hers despite my account being private.  And so we have all seen Instagram posts of vocational schools acceptances over the last few weeks, mostly from the same DCs who actively post on their Instagram.  I remember years ago, during my teen DCs time (year 10) vocational schools used to stress that they offer places mostly based on facility, physique and...potential.  However, as I see the same kids offered places this year being posted by 2-3 different dance schools, by multiple private lesson teachers, and the same kids who post quite a lot about their training, I am really hesitant to even let DC try.  So much so one can easily guess that some if not most of them probably train more hours that current full time students!  I am also aware that some get training on the side and keeping it from their usual schools/teachers (god knows the sorts of trouble/drama this can get them into when teachers find out).  By the time these kids go full time in September, they will probably be cutting down the hours they train compared to the hours they have been doing the last couple or so years.

 

Obviously no disrespect to these determined, hardworking and beautiful kids who rightly deserve their places but I do wonder what chance a little boy or girl whose family cannot fund such extensive training pre-auditions but who has big dreams and dare I say it, massive potential, has?  I know some associates have funding for talented kids who need it, but what if their families cannot afford multiple privates a week, or to train in more than one school, take classes every day, apply for various intensives?  Back in my older DCs time, a lot of the kids who got in attended one associates and did maybe 2 graded classes a week, maybe a private a week the month leading up to auditions.  Back then, I still believed that it was potential.  These days, I think kids with simply potential can easily be overlooked when in a group with amazingly polished young dancers.

 

It looks like there is a move slowly and surely to places being offered to kids who already look like they're the "finished product" - or as finished as someone can be at 10/11 years old.  There is now an astounding choice of pre-vocational programmes/associates catering for this, the norm is now for a DC to attend 2, 3, even 4 associates.  Looking at the years 4 and 5 there are already kids who are intensely preparing for associates and auditions with still a year or 2 to go.  Where do they find the time to be kids?  Whilst social media posts are taken as a snapshot in time, it would appear they spend a lot of time in photo shoots, being ambassadors and training so many hours which surely cannot be good for such young bodies in the long run?  I am curious to see how this trend plays out and whether this will improve the statistics of kids completing all 5 years in a lower school, going on to upper schools and getting jobs in companies.  How do these kids cope once they start full time?  To keep up with their intensive training from before they start full time, and with the desire to stay there the whole way, I would say they would be tempted to still have private lessons on the side whenever they can despite vocational schools frowning on this.  I personally think this defeats the purpose of going full time.

 

Sorry for the long post but I guess it is just me typing away my thought of the last few weeks and trying to convince myself that it is okay to let my DC enter this whole thing, that it is ok for DC to try.  In my heart I want to protect DC because we do not have the means to prepare nearly as much as DC would need to from the looks of it.  I need to be convinced otherwise I think but seeing as me and my DCs managed to guess about 90% of a particular vocational school's offers of places this year based on social media posts alone, I think I may have a point in wanting to dissuade my DC from even trying to audition.

This is exactly how I think! great post thanks for sharing your thoughts.

1 hour ago, Shelovesdance said:

Argh, had an email this morning from Laura (CAT manager) got excited, turns out it was about the boys class and nothing to do with auditions😩🤣

Same! Why can’t they just put us out of our misery! 😭 😂 

1 minute ago, HowMuch! said:

I reckon it’ll be today. Wishful thinking maybe! 😂

 

 

Haha fingers crossed!  I’m bored of obsessing about it now 😆 

Just now, Shelovesdance said:

Nope. I’m going with the 29th in my head

I think that’s what I need to do lol 😂