BalletBoysDad

I read on an earlier email that candidates who are 8 or 9 will be auditioned in autumn term with a view to successful candidates starting in January 2021. I’m not sure if this is still the plan, but we could be in for a very long wait....

Thanks for the info. Gosh, that really is quite a short amount of time.

It says in the email: You will be sent the details of the video class and the form through which you will submit your video links approximately two and a half weeks in advance of the deadline for your group. Which makes me wonder if there is, say, 4 week to submit. In the hope that applications are staggered, and not all submitted on the deadline day.

Congratulations to your DD! That must have been a wonderful call. My DS had the nervous anxiety of a SWL for Y4 and the disappointment that it never materialised into a space. May I ask, from submission deadline, did you have to wait long to get your result?

I also wonder how long results will take to arrive from submission deadline for each group? I think in ‘normal’ years, it takes a month. But with individual submissions, I’m wondering if they understandably take much longer... Talk about an agonising wait. 😬 Although purely hypothetical, children might already be accepted and enrolled on other associate programmes that have already asked for, or are shortly about to request signed confirmation of acceptance.... makes me wonder if there will be a bit more movement and opportunity on SWL’s this year.

I’m wondering when Group 4 Birmingham Y5 application update/links will be sent out, and what the submission deadline will be? Looks like they have a lot of applications to get through before they get to Birmingham. (Cut and pasted from the July email update): We will request videos in four groups with the first being due at the beginning of September (and more specific details to follow): Group 1 - first choice London Group 2 - first choice Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, and Dundee Group 3 - first choice Totnes, Bath, and Eastleigh Group 4 - first choice Birmingham

I was wondering if they separate the boys And girls or if it’s mixed. My DS is starting Y5 Birmingham.

That’s very kind. Thank you! And best of luck to you DD for her academic year in ballet 😊 🩰 Though he had his fair share of problems also, and enough went ‘wrong’ for him to feel it didn’t go well. He started nearly everything on the wrong foot. His brain seemed to see left but hear right, and confused him the whole time. It felt more like The Krypton Factor at times.

I thought along similar lines. It’s great that Elmhurst did actually run auditions, but there are so many factors that made this different to a ‘normal’ audition. Same with the way RBS are running their JA auditions via video.... In a normal audition, they all disappear off into the same room, and are exposed to exactly the same conditions, and its all very equal and fair (except maybe when they separate the older children and the younger ones within the same year group). But this year, there are a million different factors every child will be exposed to. My DS has to dance on carpet for the first time, we had to close all the windows so he could hear properly, but it was ridiculously hot in the house. There were space issues, and so many distractions out of his control. Not to mention poor internet speed and broken sound. Every child who auditioned should feel incredibly proud for doing so under very unique and challenging conditions.

Great that she has Ballet Boost to look forward to, that’s a great achievement in itself!

Sorry to hear of your DD’s disappointment. I do feel bad for all those who don’t get the outcome they hoped and worked hard for. My son was in that situation last year. For Y4, he wasn’t that fussed. It was nothing a trip to the Lego shop couldn’t resolve. But what a difference a year makes, as their emotions develop. Hope she feels better about it soon.

I can imagine the sense of frustration, but it’s still an achievement. My son’s ballet teacher from ENB said she taught some of the BBA students over zoom in lockdown and was amazed with how good the Ballet Boost students are, and the results they achieve. As Candycakes said, I’m sure there’s truth in ‘all in good time’. My son will do the RBS and Tring CBA audition just for experience, he got SWL on his first audition for JA’s last year and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s the same this year, maybe even a no.... But I’ve prepared the motto for my son that I learned from a Chinese friend; ‘slow and steady wins the race’.

Congratulations for Moorland. There’s so many places the children can thrive, and they’re still so young. I’m sure she’ll have an amazing year of dance.

Congratulations 🥳

I had very mixed feelings about participating in this forum this year. I used it for the first time last year when applying for RBS JA’s. My son got SWL and it came to nothing. It’s a strange mix of successes and disappointments. But I also appreciate most people are having a shared experience of anticipation and anxiety. After disappointment last year, it’s great to have some good news. But I also share the disappointment of those who don’t get the outcome they would have preferred.

Congratulations 🥳 I really did think it was a challenging audition, especially in the home environment. I don’t envy any of the children going through this zoom audition process.

Thrilled for you and your DD! See you in Edgbaston 😊

Thank you, so kind. I did read someone say Y7 and Y8 had been announced, so I was very surprised to see Y5 announced before Y6. Hoping everyone hears this side of the weekend.

Congratulations! 🥳 Is this for a DS or DD? I’m so pleased, because my son got SWL for RBS London last year, and felt really disappointed when it turned into nothing. This audition wasn’t particularly easy. I know it sounds strange, it was the first time he had to dance on carpet, the sound wasn’t great, and we didn’t have the hugest space. Was expecting a no so it’s a really pleasant surprise!

Just this second received the email, surprised to get one this side of the weekend. It was a yes for my DS, auditioned for Birmingham Y5

Parallel lives 😂

This was also the first Elmhurst audition for my DS as we’ve only just relocated to the Midlands, so we didn’t apply for Y4. Wether there are many spaces available is probably anyone’s guess. I just hope we get to know he outcome this side of the weekend.

Good luck too! Yes, I got the sense there were quite a lot auditioning, and no idea I’d the statistics involved. I’ve always presumed RBS JA’s hover around a 1-in-10 chance for the bigger centres, but have never really asked or researched the Elmhurst statistics. Regardless of the outcome, the waiting is never particularly a pleasure is it 😬

And another 🤞

@DreamChaser thanks for taking the time to offer your thoughts and long term experience, it’s genuinely appreciated. I do agree, quality over quantity, and it’s a marathon rather than a sprint. I note quite a lot of the associate programmes start from age 7, but other than one RBS JA application last year, we avoided any other applications until now as my son was (and still is) really enjoying his ENB juniors class. The only thing that’s ashame with that programme is that it ends next year and doesn’t ‘rise’ into high school years. He has an amazing connection with his ENB tutor that has turned into ongoing 1-on-1 tuition that’s a joy to watch. Regardless of what happens, we will try and keep that up as it’s what fuels his love of ballet. We’ve applied to programmes recommended by his tutor, and will see what is or isn’t an option when it’s revealed. (I’m encouraging the mindset that it’s an audition experience and nothing to lose sleep over). Infact, part of our reasoning to leave London is to make a better balance between work/school/ballet time and family time. It’s so easy to get sucked into doing too much here and like the article you sent says, it probably results in over-exposure and a sense of fatigue. It will also bring us closer to family, which can only be an emotional plus. I feel a touch nervous that it’s easy on these kind of forums to come across as a ‘pushy parent’, applying to all and hoping for my son to do all. Even in that unlikely scenario, we wouldn’t push to do more than is realistic. And at this young age, I personally think pleasure is key. When/if the pleasure goes, it just becomes a chore. But it’s genuinely appreciated to have these kind of conversations to reflect upon what you’re applying to, why you’re applying and what you aim to achieve by applying