BalletBoyMumma

2 hours ago, Nicky73 said:

Hooray!! How old is your DS?

 

He's just turned 9 (going into yr 5).  

Wow! 

Thank you for sharing this.

4 hours ago, sunrise81 said:

She was absolutely fine doing both. She finds it easy to remember if something is slightly different......at her normal dance school she does ISTD grade 4, but RAD inter foundation so has become used to switching if needed

Thank you. That is really helpful. My DS picks things up quite quickly too and doesn't seem to have any trouble remembering routines or theory so far. I think we are going to go for it and see how things go.   

On 28/06/2019 at 14:03, sunrise81 said:

Yep you can do more than one scheme - just be aware of different styles of training and technique. My DD is a RBS JA, and last year was also a Ceccehetti Associate. This year (Year 6) she has dropped Cecchetti as she has gained a place on the Northern Ballet CAT scheme.........she will be busy very, but it was her choice to audition - we are already in Leeds for her Saturday lesson, so it is 2 extra sessions during the week - we shall see how she does!

Can I ask how your DD found doing cecchetti associates style alongside Royal Ballet JA programmes? 

We've just received DS's acceptance letter for cecchetti (this is the style he studies at his local dance school) and also we've already accepted the place at RBS. He's going into yr5 but has never done an associates programme before. He's only grade 2 (cecchetti). 

The cecchetti programme is tough for me to get to as I don't drive but I could make it work somehow as it's only once a month and not every weekend. It's a tough decision to make (as the parent, I mean - he's eager to try both). 

My DS is 130cm (9yrs but small) and we've ordered the 7-8 zip up jumper and it fits him well - growing space but not too bit and thankfully not small. 

The leotard on the other hand is weird. I ordered him a size 1 (his usual size) it's given him 4 bum cheeks and he says feels tight at the shoulders, however the sleeves are baggy and I can see if I ordered up it'd have been quite baggy around the waist. So difficult. It's a silky material - quite thick so good quality but I much prefer the cotton boys leotards as there's more give so you can play around with the size more.  I think he might just have to get used to it. 

I measured his waist (20inch) and ordered up on shorts after phoning the shop to ask how tight they are (so got a 22) and they are really tiny. Boarderline uncomfortable. I'd have thought they'd have fitted around the leg better. They are a lot higher at the front of the leg too which we've not come across before. Think Bridget Jones pants. 😂

Pups_mum, that's really good advice. Thank you. 

Our first place is RBS JA's and we chose 24 sessions, so a lot but not every weekend (until you hit oct/Nov) Our second one is Cecchetti which is just 9 sessions over the year (and it's a boys class, which my son loves) and it's on a Sunday. Given the lessons during the week and we have two other children who also dance/have music and Brownies commitments we are really thinking carefully about it. Some weeks will be manic, others nothing more than what we do now (which is a lot but ok as all local). It's the travelling that worries me as a lot, if not all will be by train. That said, we all love travelling into central London so I can't see us getting fed up with the RBS ones (unless we're hit by dreaded engineering works on the trains). 

Lots to think about. Too much of a good thing can turn sour. I think we are going to go in with an open mind but quit the second associates class if the travelling becomes unmanageable or the no longer enjoyable. 

Congratulations to your son for being accepted into both! Incredible! 

Interested too. My son was going for another programme and went for the RB audition as a bit of an insight to what auditions are like (he'd not done one before)/to have fun and simply to be able to dance at The Royal Ballet School - he had another audition a week later. We didn't expect him to get into RBS at all (still shocked). While RBS a no-brainer and we've already accepted the place he too is now making noises about 'what if' he's accepted into the other one too. Do others manage this successfully? Does it burn them out? 

The cut off date for sending back the online form/photo/signing t&c's etc for those who got a 'yes' is 1st July so those on waitlist might start hearing back shortly after then.  Best of luck to those on the waitlist. 

10 hours ago, Nicky73 said:

Hi everyone, my DS has just got a place at RBS London associates 12-2.15pm... anyone else in that class? 

Hi Nicky73 - Congratulations! My son will be in that class too. 😊 

Yes, I'll be looking for joggers elsewhere for my DS as it's always a trouble having to find some with a slim enough or at least adjustable waistband. Everything drowns him. Plus as they are plain they'll probably be cheaper elsewhere too. M&S school range navy joggers might be worth looking at - my eldest daughter wears their boys school trousers because they are one of very few places that do them in tall and slim (as well as many other height and build variations).  

I've just looked at the leotards on the RBS shop and I'm stuck on sizing there too. At least there seems to be an easy returns process. 

Hi, has anyone put through their uniform order yet? (I was looking to do it online via the Express Dance website rather than via the order form/email)

Any idea how the zip up sweatshirt sizes up compared to high street store clothing? My boy is 9 but very small and I think the 9-11 will drown him. I'm already having to order two sizes with the trunks (he measures 19-20inch waist but surely won't be the smallest size?! - though he does usually wear a 1 in footless ballet tights and shorts). Eek!! 

Hi CrazyDanceMum - congratulations to your DD.  

I agree - very overwhelmed here too. 😰

Does anyone know what JA1 means? Is that just the class? He's 9 and we chose London 24 sessions as first choice and 32 as second (due to travelling distance), got the 24. Are the classes mixed (boy girl and ages)? I'm a bit clueless to how it all works. 

Thanks.  

19 minutes ago, Lara Eschler said:

Hi #Balletboymumma,

We were number 94 and will be in J4 for 32 sessions. Hope to meet you then and congrats to your DS.

Hi Lara Eschler. 

Thank you.  And huge congratulations to your DS too! Looking forward to meeting you all and my DS is really looking forward to making some new friends. It's still bit of a whirlwind for us as we had no expectation of DS getting in (his first audition experience and we were using as an insight and bit of experience for another audition he was attending the week after) - it's all very exciting! And a bit scary. 

On 24/06/2019 at 13:09, ExBallerina said:

Ah ok, I think there were a few boys around you , we were group 4 too number 102 . I wonder how many boys were successful from our group.....my son just loved being with a big group of boys  

Hi ExBallerina, was this in London and for a place in London? If so I think your DS used to do ballet with my littlest DD  I didn't see you there or I'd have popped over and said hi. 

Congratulations! 

Hi, Newbie here.

My DS got accepted for London (24) for yr 5. He apparently made a couple of friends in the audition room but cannot remember their names or numbers - he's hoping a few might have made it through too.  

My DS was number 98 (we think...I didn't get a photo and neither of us can actually remember for sure...oops). London 3 Group 4. He was the little curly-haired, mixed-race boy. We were sat near the front (myself and my big DD).

Hi! 

Newbie here. My DS was successful for London JA (yr 5 - 24 sessions). I'll have a ton of questions soon I'm sure (just received the information pack so still digesting it all) but just wanted to introduce ourselves first.