BalletBoysDad

I’m seeing that videos part 1 and part 3 has been quickly viewed again within the last hour, only for a couple of minutes each, but no other views of video part 2... 

We’re applying for Y5. My DS is a summer baby, but also has a surname beginning with 'A'. We also submitted nearly at the deadline. It’s hard to know how they’ll work through the videos, or if it’s totally random. 

I imagine Birmingham has a huge number of applicants, as it was its own group like London. 
 

2 hours ago, SarahG1881 said:

Are those of you with views all year 5? 

We’re Y5 too

4 minutes ago, BellaF said:

Thanks @BalletBoysDad and @Spamcat 😊 

 

Think we're going to view this year as a 'trial run' - DD didn't show her full potential in the audition and had a different attitude going into it than Elmhurst YD or Tring CBA which comes across in the video (like I said upthread she didn't even TRY to stretch her feet 😂). 

 

Really hope we have some good news for people on here in the not too distant future 🤞

I'm totally with you about the home setting.  There's an energy I see in my DS when he goes into and comes out of the ballet studio that genuinely can't be replicated at home, in front of a pre-recorded class.  Zoom works when there's a real-life human being in front of you to impress (like the Elmhurst zoom audition).  And Tring CBA audition had a degree of 'positive tension' that no doubt causes some constructive adrenaline to kick in and genuinely try and impress.  I do think the pre-recorded element has its limitations, and even if it allows the RBS still to see what they feel they need to see, I don't think it gets the most out of a younger dancer.  Lets see what news the future brings..... 

23 minutes ago, Spamcat said:

@BellaF I'm sure your videos will get viewed properly. I know of another who still only has a few seconds viewed. They have a lot to get through.

@DanceMum03 congratulations on SWL, I hope a place comes up. 🤞🤞

@BellaFWith at least 2.5 weeks until decisions/results, I’m sure there is plenty of time for thorough viewings. Ours were being viewed rather late last night, around 715-745pm. It makes me think what someone else mentioned earlier, that different assessors have each been given a batch of applications and might be looking at them within their own time. Ours definitely weren't viewed within ‘office hours’. 

5 minutes ago, DanceMum03 said:

Sorry to any not yets and well done to the yes's and SWL's. We got SWL for group 3, DD has her heart completely set on a place so praying it materialises. It doesn't seem all that likely though. Hope group 4 decisions are out soon so you don't have to wait much longer!

Congratulations to your DD, sending positive vibes that that SWL place materialises. Was that for Y4 or Y5? 

4 minutes ago, BellaF said:

No more views for us... no surprise based on videos!

 

Sounds promising for a lot of you 😊

 

Who knows... we genuinely won’t ever know what number of views, when, for how long etc mean. I’m sure they’ll all be looked at multiple times. All the views in the world could still result in a no. I really hope there’s not another YouTube auditions again because having access to the analytical data is borderline torment. No one would ever know in a studio audition! 

10 hours ago, Spamcat said:

@BillyElliot1Another yrv5 yes, woohooo! 😃

 

Ours vids have just been watched.

7.5 mins of first vid

4 mins of second 

6 mins of third

A very similar amount of time to @Spamcatspent viewing the videos today (They were being watched this evening, around 7pm when I got off the train home). Approximately: 

9 mins of first vid

5 mins of second 

5 mins of third 

All 3 videos have just been viewed again. The YT Studio phone app says ‘estimated watch time in last 48 hours 20 minutes’ but I think there’s a 24 hour lag in getting more accurate numbers. I can’t yet see how long each video part was viewed for.... I’m hoping I get a clearer idea tomorrow.

Not that it will affect the outcome, just for my peace of mind that the videos got a fair viewing. As others have said, many different eyes might be on these videos at different times, so a one day snapshot in time probably has no meaning whatsoever. 

1 minute ago, Candycakes82 said:

My sentiment exactly - the thought of starting all over again in January is somewhat depressing but I will appreciate the few months of rest!! 
Have your videos now been watched? 🤞🏻

Other than a 10 second view of the first video, nothing yet. I wonder if they look at boys separately, who knows.... or they just review in the order the videos were submitted. We were very last minute in submitting the videos as my DS was unwell the days we intended to do the filming. Fortunately he perked up just in time to give it some effort before submission deadline. I genuinely though we ‘missed the window of opportunity’ for him to give it his best. 

10 minutes ago, Candycakes82 said:

I think all Group 3 results were out on same day 🤷🏻‍♀️
I think Group 3 results were out in shy of 3 weeks (submission by 5th and results 23rd) so we can hope they will put us out of our misery ASAP 🤞🏻

Haha, ‘out of our misery’, perfect choice of words!!! My thoughts exactly!
 

That’s really interesting about the dates for group 3. It would be a lovely thought to know by end of next week. I think, like most people, we took photos towards end of January, and regardless of the outcome, I’ll be happy to have a break from this process 😂 

I wonder if that’s all of group 3 decided and informed, and if all eyes are on Group 4 Birmingham videos now?
 

Part of me hopes they’re now impatient to finish the epic 2020 JA audition process and not take another 3 weeks to make their decisions.
 

Though I’m sure as a matter of fairness they’ll take the full time. 

35 minutes ago, BillyElliot1 said:

Thank you so much! Year 5 🙂 xx

Congratulations! Wonderful news for another Y5 🎉🎉🎉

22 minutes ago, Bobbins said:

Year 5! 

An unheard of Y5 🎉🎊🎈👏👏👏

5 minutes ago, Isabella said:

Ours still haven’t been viewed either. Maybe they’re watching them in groups? 

I’d like to think they’d be looking separately at Y4 then Y5. 

25 minutes ago, Spamcat said:

We've literally had the first video only, viewed for about 10 seconds! I really hope they watch more than that.

Snap! One view of the 1st video for 10 seconds. I know YouTube analytics can have a 24-48 time delay, but it’s a bit depressing to know that that might be all that gets looked at.

1 hour ago, Millicent said:

Well done for asking a difficult question! I have to say I'm surprised that they actually acknowledged that there are fewer places than usual this year. Or did you mean that there are fewer spaces in Y5? 

 

If it gives you any comfort I really doubt that any email you send will reflect on your DS. They won't have that in mind when they view the videos. 

 

On a positive note, I hope that today's news about the Oxford vaccine might mean that we can get back to "normal" within the next 12 months and have in person auditions. 

 

My DD did two JA insight days and loved them so much. I really hope that they might be able to run them again in the near future. It made up for not having an in-person audition. 

I personally think a prestige (or socially responsible) organization has a responsibility to be transparent. It was really nagging me that these auditions might be nothing more than a source of revenue rather than genuine opportunity, so I just felt compelled to ask the question. This is a section of the reply I got, that I was pleasantly surprised to receive:

We are making room in all our Associate centres to take in new Y4 and 5 students in January – inevitably there will be fewer places than a normal year but we will do our best to accommodate the candidates who we feel would benefit the most from the programme.

I don’t yet sense that there have been many spaces create for Y5, but like you mentioned, the participants in this forum might not be a proportionate representation of the applicants and results. It doesn’t address if the allocation of spaces will ‘swing’ more favourably to Y4 rather than last years claim that it swings more favourably to Y5. But it does suggest theres still opportunity, though much less than in previous years.

38 minutes ago, Millicent said:

I know two Y5s on SWL this year who were both a no last year. And three Y4s on SWL this year. All dancers that consistently (boringly so!) win at festivals and get very high marks in exams. 

 

It seems that it is even harder than normal to get in this year. As I've said before, I'm looking forward to RBS publishing their figures to see if there really were fewer places this year, or if perhaps we just don't have proportionate representation on this forum 🙂

I’m quite sure I’ve got a ‘big red X’ next to my name at the RBS for being annoying/too blunt, but I did email and ask the auditions team are we technically auditioning for places that don’t actually exist? I think it’s a perfectly legitimate question. We’re living in times when £50 isn’t insignificant, and an ‘experience’ in your living room is very different to one at an actual ballet school. 
 

They did say there ARE spaces in all year groups, but acknowledged that there are fewer. I dont know if people will ever truly know how slim the odds were. I believe that the RBS are a charity and not obliged to divulge all numbers.
 

I do hope that there are genuinely spaces, but I can’t help shake off the feeling that I’ve purchased my DS a ticket for a flight the airline know is already cancelled. 🤦‍♂️

2 minutes ago, MamaFrosty said:

I doubt they’d explicitly say there were no year 5 places because then they’d have to explain why. I think there’s been a mention of someone knowing someone whose year 5 was offered a place but it does look a bit like they’re prioritising the year 4s. I think we’re similar in that if it was face to face we’d give it another go next year, but for £65 I don’t think we’d pay to do another video submission. Plus we’re now more aware of the other associate programmes so she wants to try for those. 

Yes, taking audition fees for places that don't actually exist would be highly controversial I am sure.  My DS got SWL for Y4 last year, and was told not to worry, it was a 'good result' and they take fewer Y4 children to offer more spaces to Y5. Now, it seems to be the complete opposite; giving more space to Y4 and pretty much ignoring Y5 applicants. 

I know every parent/guardian/teacher of every applicant doesn't participate in this forum, and we can only form opinions on what we do actually hear,  but it seems a very disappointing year for Y5s in general.

As you mention though, there are many other high quality associate programmes. I noted that Tring CBA have opened registration for their next round of auditions in March.  That's a brilliant programme in a stunning and inspiring environment.  This isn't the be all and end all.

9 minutes ago, Ballerinamum said:

She's year 5 and first time she auditioned.  I have been told year 6 places are very rare.  If it's f2f I will but don't think we would do video auditions again X 

I would think that’s really positive to get SWL this year, though always bittersweet if a place doesn’t become available (we had that experience last year). There appear to be almost no Y5 ‘yeses’ this year due to limitations on class sizes that would normally expand to accommodate more Y5. It might be fair to assume that some of this year’s SWL places might have been yes in a ‘normal year’. 

2 minutes ago, Balletbow said:

Thank you. Doubt she’ll get a place but there’s always next year. 
Hope yours will also be happy to try again next year x 

Congratulations for your SWL. May I ask if that was for Y4 or Y5? Y5 places seem to be almost unheard of this year. 

30 minutes ago, Spamcat said:

Yes and I remember at the insight day they said if you don't get in try again next year and 'we will remember you', so I hope this is still the case if the audition at a different centre.

The only way someone will remember my DS is if the London team are looking at the Birmingham videos 🤦‍♂️

2 minutes ago, Spamcat said:

That's all good if he remained focused! Could actually go in his favour.👍 

At the time we were really happy with our pictures, compared to her audition pictures from last year ot was like looking at a different child! But looking at them now I can see her turnout has improved a lot since then after doing excersises set by her teacher.

 

I thought that too. My DS’s Y5 pictures were a lot better than Y4, but surely the audition team will appreciate how much time has since passed. Maybe (he says, knowing he will never know the answer) clear improvement between photos from then and video from now is a good indication of progress.... 

10 minutes ago, Spamcat said:

Yes very true, my friend brought her DS and DD here to do audition and during the inprov our cat walked right in front if her DD and was meowing really loudly and she just kept going and ignored the cat. I felt terrible but her Mum loved it because it showed how she carried on when something went wrong! 😻

Absolutely! We had an ambulance pass, people stop outside for a  ridiculously loud chat (the pavement being really close to our living room window), kids shouting whilst walking past.... I didn’t realise how noisy our road was until we filmed that video! 

2 minutes ago, Candycakes82 said:

I could do with some of your optimism ... no views here yet so am concerned there was a pre-selection from photos which, in our case, would be sad as my DD has changed so much since they were taken 9 months ago! 😬

Birmingham is presumably the 2nd biggest centre with a huge catchment area. I would imagine it’d take several days to go through all the videos even just to check if the quality is suitable. So I personally wouldn’t worry if some have been viewed and others not.

I do agree on the photos though, I think we took ours on miserable February morning in a freezing cold studio, after making a video for an intensive application. He was tired and the look on his face on one of the pics looked less than impressed 😂 But my DS has had a massive growth spurt since the and his turnout is now leagues apart from what the photos might show. I feel the photos are a bit of an unfair representation given so much time has passed. Compared to the video it’s like looking at another dancer.