Crazylifecrazykids

40 minutes ago, Dance*is*life said:

Elmhurst have cancelled their summer school now, but perhaps you knew that?

Yes thanls but I only knew when I checked their website last week. I didn't receive an email about it, if there was one.

14 hours ago, Dancer20 said:

I applied late March and got a conformation email but that is all. The Summer School application is still open on their website.  I guess we will just have to wait until the end of May, which is when they are going to decide if it's going ahead and then if it does, that will be when they start the selection process 🙂 Fingers crossed

Thankyou... I didn't get a confirmation email either but I did ring and then said they had received her application, she's younger than 11 but they said still apply, so I think even if does go ahead then it's probably unlikely that she will be offered a place but got to be in it to win it lol 😁

On 04/04/2020 at 13:49, ponklemum said:

My dd did Elmhurst Junior summer school last year and I re applied for this year. I received an email in the middle of March saying they’ll let us know if it’s going ahead at the end of May. To anyone else that has had this email,  will they also be offering the places out at the same time or does the email mean they have a place should the course go ahead? 

Hi

I didn't get an email about summer school at all... we applied quite late first week in March, wondering if I should have received an email now? 🤔

1 hour ago, Derin's Mom said:

not at all.

Strong and flexible feet is completely enough.

There are sooo many aspects of a good dancer. If she can articulate her normal-looking feet and use her other best sides and musicality it will be all fine.

Thankyou... I was told she doesn't have "banana"  feet and after some research of pics of high insteps and arches, she does not have these type of feet. I want to support her to follow her dreams but worried it's hurdle that she simply can't do anything about. She has long Achilles and a very deep plie, her feet are strong and she can make a bridge when she's doing her doming excercises  but I don't know if that's enough. I don't have a dance background so it's all a bit tricky for me lol 

Hi

Another question from a newbie dance mum 😂... Ballet feet, my research tells me that high arches (banana feet) are desirable, so when it comes to vocational schools is this a 100% must? Or do dancers get in with nice but strong feet but not necessarily very high arched. Just trying to manage DDs expectations lol 

9 minutes ago, sunrise81 said:

Yep everyone who wants to audition for prelims gets an audition 🙂

Thankyou x

Another question... 😊 does everyone who applies to Elmhurst preliminarys get an audition? Same as RBS? Or do Elmhurst invite after seeing photos?

1 hour ago, Kate_N said:

Splits are not needed for correct ballet technique. Really.

Oh that's good! She's got one side completely flat, the other nearly and box isn't too bad but not completely down...don't want her stressing over it as she dances beautifully (I'm biased haha) , rather she be happy with that 😊

5 hours ago, BattementBatty said:

 
my daughter is pretty flat one way but not easily or over split and not flat the other side. Her box is not completely open and she is through to final auditions the splits was only one short part of the audition she said. 

Wow congratulations to your daughter 😊 and thankyou that's really good to know x

5 hours ago, Jan McNulty said:

There's a long standing thread (6 years and counting!) that it may be useful to peruse:

 

 

Fab thankyou 😊

14 minutes ago, Jane said:

RBS run audition experience days and parents could observe when my Dd took part. 

Ahh that's good, when do they usually do those? Thankyou 

33 minutes ago, valentina said:

It’s pretty much a yes to all of the above. At Royal, there is a lot of standing front, side, back to see physical stuff. Some stretching just as you’ve described above and they take shoes off I believe. A simple ballet class with barre, port de bras, center work, simple pirouette, allegro and corner allegro. Then some improvisation to music. 
It’s the same for Elmhurst although not so much ‘ looking ‘ at the beginning. I’m not sure if there’s any impro at Emhurst either.

Thankyou, is it important they are able to get flat down in splits both legs and box splits? DD can do one leg flat, the other almost there but box is more of a challenge! Lol 

Hi

Looking for experience please, would someone be kind enough to tell me what generally happens at the first auditions for Year 7 RBS and Elmhurst please. Things like do they need to do splits both types front and box, froggies, improvisation etc that sort of thing... do they take their shoes off etc. All this is new to us and I'm on a fact finding mission 😂 thanks in advance 😊

2 hours ago, BalletBoyMumma said:

Yes, it’s just over 2hrs of travelling by trains each way for us (about 70 miles).  I don’t mind too much as Covent Garden is lovely but it does take up a whole day and we are pretty knackered by the time we get home again in the evening. 

Yeah that's alot of travelling but going to Covent garden.. wow! DD is doing the Covent garden workshop and can't wait haha 

2 hours ago, BalletBoyMumma said:

Thanks Crazylifecrazykids, 🙂 

Does it work out every Saturday that isn’t school holiday (or thereabouts)? 

Yes term times x

21 minutes ago, BalletBoyMumma said:

That’s what I’d assumed from the handbook we got too but someone with previous experience recently suggested otherwise to me. I should probably be more mindful to take what other people say with a pinch of salt. 😁 

 

I have the email now. 🥰 Yay! 

 

Is anyone else considering opting for 32 instead of 24 sessions? It’s a long commute for us and the current teacher is really lovely which is pulling us to stick at 24 but it is tempting. How do those of you with DCs doing 32 sessions feel? Is it just right? Too much for them? 
DS wants to but I’m worried I’d miss my weekends off (selfish-much?!? Haha!).  

Oh but we are very fortunate that we don't have to travel far.. 5 miles or so. I can see why 24 would work well if you having to travel a long distance. From the point of view of DD participating in 32 she's enjoyed it and found it ok.

18 minutes ago, BalletBoyMumma said:

That’s what I’d assumed from the handbook we got too but someone with previous experience recently suggested otherwise to me. I should probably be more mindful to take what other people say with a pinch of salt. 😁 

 

I have the email now. 🥰 Yay! 

 

Is anyone else considering opting for 32 instead of 24 sessions? It’s a long commute for us and the current teacher is really lovely which is pulling us to stick at 24 but it is tempting. How do those of you with DCs doing 32 sessions feel? Is it just right? Too much for them? 
DS wants to but I’m worried I’d miss my weekends off (selfish-much?!? Haha!).  

Hi we do the 32 (that was the only choice haha) and our DD has found it fine, no problems 😚

On 15/01/2020 at 20:25, Rocco said:

DS (10) has a yes for both spring and summer this year but only made it to SWL for JAs. He’s now worried that he won’t live up to his photos in real life!! 

Ahh fantastic news, congratulations! I'm sure he will have a fab time and SWL JAs is brilliant too 😊 I'm sure he doesn't need to worry. x

2 hours ago, Dizzyballetmum said:

Absolutely not , I remember from my daughters Ja class three that got a no for summer school first time ended up as mid associates and from that , one is now a senior associate. My DD was wait listed in year 5 for SS luckily a very last minute place came up and she is now in year 10 at WL. 

Wow your daughter is doing brilliantly! Thankyou for the words of encouragement. I think it's naivety on my part, not knowing anything about anything haha. I think because it was a straight no for my DD It got me thinking... we would have been over the moon with a waiting list 😊, we are learning to roll with it in the Baller world 😂, quite a learning curve lol x

19 hours ago, BalletBoyMumma said:

Same here. We are just floating along, picking up opportunities wherever they pop up. If they don’t go as wished, something else will come up.  

 

Is your DD in the mixed JA class (if you don’t mind me asking)? 

Sorry just seen this 🙈 yes she is and she absolutely loves it, her teacher is amazing and lovely, DD really likes her 😍, how about your DS is he in a mixed class?

1 minute ago, BalletBoyMumma said:

Similar situation then. They still have two years left of applying for this course level so it’s still very early days for them.  
 

I can only imagine there are far fewer boys applying which might give boys a sort of unfair advantage in terms of waitlist so please don’t take it to heart the ‘waitlist vs no’ thing (just think, only one or two will prob get yes from a wait list anyway, that’s all and I can’t imagine they can tell a great deal from photos alone). I know the application numbers are huge and from what I’ve read and heard there are only a small number of places given to JAs on the summer course. I’m certainly not holding out any hope. 

 

To be a JA is incredible as it is. ❤️ 😊

Yes you are right, it is incredible we feel absoloutley privileged that DD has the chance to be a JA. I just find it a bit confusing at times 😜 xx

5 minutes ago, BalletBoyMumma said:

I wouldn’t take it as an indication of future opportunities to be honest - DS is a JA too (new to yr5 so is playing catch up) and I didn’t expect anything to be honest. From what others have said Summer tends to be a bigger mix of young international dancers and non-JAs so I guess this is where they scout for other potentially talented young dancers.  
We couldn’t apply for Spring as he doesn’t turn 10 till late May but we probably will try that one instead next year. We’ve also been looking into a few other summer programmes too. 

Thankyou, my DD is also new to Year 5 JA and also was too young for spring as she's not 10 until May ...she got a straight No, not wait list has made us very inexperienced RBS parents a bit unsure of everything x

We also got a no and DD is a JA, so wondering where that leaves us on our JA journey? We are new to all this and find it so confusing at times...so a no for SS as a current JA, is there still a chance for Mids?

3 hours ago, TKT said:

Hi Crazylifecrazykids, thanks so much for replying, can I ask if your DD is enjoying Ballet Boost? Xx

Yes she loves it 😊 xx

23 hours ago, TKT said:

Hi - I do hope it’s OK to ask a question on this existing thread instead of starting a new one... I was after a little advice from those on here whose DDs have successfully gained a place on Ballet Boosts Associates please.
 

The Ballet Boost Devon is local to us & so we’re very keen to see if my DD could also gain a place. Can I ask if the audition was particularly challenging & did your DDs take private audition lessons prior to the audition? 

 

Any advice as always is so gratefully received  x

 

My dd loved the audition, she came out really happy, said she enjoyed it, they did barre work, centre work and corner work. She's never had audition lessons, we just let her have a go 😊 most associates auditions are in the format of a general ballet class. Hope this helps x