Neverdancedjustamum

1 hour ago, Ballerinamama said:

Thank you so much for the info! Can I ask, is it pretty much a given that they need to be flat in box/middle splits? 

For Mid Associates, I wouldn’t have thought so (not sure about WL or other full time schools). I heard some professional ballerinas don’t have completely flat box/middle splits and to be honest, I don’t think there is a need for them once actually dancing on stage? 

14 minutes ago, MissEmily said:

@ballerinamama I can tell you exactly:

 

Stand facing the front, side and back

Pliés, tendus, relevés and grands battements in 4 counts at the barre

Sautés in 1st, changements, galops, spring points and temps levés (hops)

Arabesque

Improvisation (this year, they had to be an Autumn leaf)

Hamstring stretch, cobra, side splits

A reverence

 

So more of a normal ballet class than the JA audition.

Would that have been the audition to WL too? 

Has anyone heard anything yet about the timings of the new online body conditioning classes that are to be offered from September? Or the new uniform? I haven’t received anything in my email yet but thought I’d ask on here in case anyone phoned up RBS about these.

25 minutes ago, Astrid said:

I was just wondering has anyone had the email with the link to the new mids leo yet? In the info they sent out they said a link would be sent out once you send the forms back. Wondering if I had missed it? Xx

We haven’t had anything through yet. I just checked my junk folder too just in case. We have been waiting for that link with bated breath but also for the timings of the new online body conditioning classes. It’s very hard to commit to them and pay when I don’t know the times (I think it’s non-refundable too if you later find out that your DC can’t attend the classes).

12 minutes ago, Medora said:

Dancia give my DD grishko only to try on… and just the 2007 pro flex, saying it’s the softest shank. Freed said grishko would be entirely unsuitable to dd’s feet as they are super hard and heavy 😂 it’s clear dd needs a shoe which helps her to get over the box properly, that much I know. She is obviously working on her feet to strengthen them but in the meantime she needs some support.

 

back in my own (recreational) dancing days, Capezios saved me. Freed was no good. Maybe dd is the same, might go there next?

Capezio was my DD’s first pair! I believe she had the Ava and her backup pair now is the Capezio Kylie. Both look lovely.

20 minutes ago, Mumof1 said:

Ja’s are changing too. It’s still white but with a pinched front and a new waist belt. Good call to let everyone know . 

We are all very excited to see what the new uniform looks like.

Apologies for posting on here, DD was never a JA but is now an MA and I know how exciting it can be when you get that email and if you’re anything like me, I couldn’t wait to buy all possible uniform items (required and optional items!). However, MAs are changing uniform leotard this year. I’m not sure if it’s the same for JAs but thought I’d mention it in case anyone buys the old style leotard  pre-loved only to eventually regret not waiting to purchase the new style leotard. Again, I’m not sure if JAs are changing leotard too but MA definitely are. 

41 minutes ago, Medora said:

We were just there, they said Merlet  was not good for dancers who struggle to get over the box - the split soles sound interesting, they didn’t even mention this style to us? Will definitely have a look. Thanks!

 

I think some fitters at Dancia are great and others are a bit less… engaged?

We have been to Dancia 3 times, including for DD’s first pair of pointe shoes. When I said it was for her first pair, the fitter literally only let her try on 2 different brands saying those were the only two she recommended for beginners and this was before she saw DD’s feet properly. The last time we were there was for DD’s 5th pair (we are forever searching for back up pairs to her usual Bloch). She tried three different pairs on her, 2 definitely did not suit and and the third she said looked fine (even to my clueless, non-dancer eyes they did not look fine). I asked if my DD could try other pairs and in desperation I gestured towards the Gaynors asking “what about those?”. To be honest, I wasn’t sure what they were, my eye was just caught by the colourful bags they were in.  She let DD try a pair on and it was great in that DD could very easily get on the box and she said the shoes were very comfy. However, they were a nightmare to sew ribbons and elastics on. Also, DD’s physio didn’t quite like the way they looked on DD’s feet, whilst DD said they felt fine, the physio said they looked too clunky/big on her feet and didn’t look as great a fit (including aesthetically) as her trusty Blochs.

We found Bloch in Covent Garden very good. The fitting never feels rushed, whether it’s the first time or subsequent, both fitters we’ve had so far took the time to let DD try a lot of styles and fits, it didn’t matter if there was a pile she had to go through. They listened carefully to any issues DD encounter when on pointe and suggests things that can help. It was here that a fitter told us that my DD could probably do with very thin ouch pouch rather than the usual thicker one other fitters have given us on the past. It seemed like such a little thing but it made a world of difference for my DD. We have been back a few times now and every time they didn’t assume that the best fitting shoes would be the current ones DD wears but would let her try various styles and sizes. Incidentally, the last 3 times we were there the best fit was always her usual. So it’s been quite consistent now for the past year. She used to have trouble getting over the box too, and looked like she had very sickled feet. It turns out she was wearing the brand most “not suited” for her feet - Freed!  I would highly recommend trying Bloch, they have a wide range of styles and sizes and fits and they can even customise I believe. For reference, my DD suited the European Balance style although she’s also worn Hanna before. She seems to have the similar feet to you DD based on what you said. 

Sorry not sure what happened there, doing this from my phone but meant to say that we have experience of BBA but it was quite some time ago and my DD was very young. It was probably within a year from when it started but my DD really enjoyed it. Her class was quite big at the time but as I said this was when BBA was just starting and I think there’s more than double the levels/classes available now. But the training was great. It’s just a shame we couldn’t continue, the commute was just too much for us as we live outside of London. 

Hi

4 minutes ago, Ballet Power said:

She’s going to Birmingham, thank you I’ve got the dates.

do you know the difference Between MA 1 &2 ?

I’m not sure how it works in Birmingham, I believe they recently started a new MA class? I think it used to be just the one MA class in Birmingham but don’t quote me on this as I’m not sure. In London, MA1 is a mix of Y7 and Y8 girls and MA2 is a mix of Y8 and Y9. An MA will always spend 2 years with either class and a year in the other before auditioning for SA1. In my DD’s MA1 class, the Y7 and Y8 girls are often given different sets of exercises I believe. 

On 21/05/2022 at 23:27, Ballet Power said:

Does anyone know when we will get more info? the handbook or dates/times

 

Term dates were sent out today  Is your DD going to be in London? 

27 minutes ago, Peanut68 said:

I'm using a very old computer & not my phone so no access to usual emojis....but lets just say the title of this thread had me snorting with laughter as a battalion of pigs flew by!

The image of pigs flying made me laugh. Although on a more serious note, I do think that to even get to that stage where one has a realistic chance of getting offered a place is already not cheap! No personal experience of this but I even wonder if once in full time school, even with a funded place, does it get cheaper? Just thinking of summer intensives, uniform, shoes, travel to and from school to pick up drop off, coaching etc etc, it can’t be that much cheaper to life before full time surely. The obvious thing that’s made easier I guess is the driving and waiting around time and the difficulty of juggling “normal academic schooling” with dance classes. Vaguely  related to this thread, I was reminded of the fact that full time lower vocational schools isn’t always the best/only way to get to a good upper school a few years down the line. Just the last few weeks I’ve seen on social media “non full time” DCs get offered places in prestigious institutions such as Zurich, Basel and Cranko.

55 minutes ago, meadowblythe said:

 

Students who don't get places in medical schools often end up in places like Czechia and Bulgaria.  Courses are taught in English and qualifications were accepted, in EU days, here.  Don't know the current situation.  I know some Dutch university courses are taught in English as, presumably, are those in Ireland.  My DS once met one of my ex-students in a bar in the town where they both lived!  

 

As others have said, it's different.  Also, the standard of accommodation is not what a UK student used to their £200+ a week ensuite would be expecting.  Sharing a double bed with a stranger is not unknown.  But the cost of the accommodation reflects this.

 

However, if you are up for an adventure and realistic about what you are getting into, it does offer the opportunity to live abroad, understand different cultures and gain a degree without a mountain of student debt.

 

I’m not sure about Europe but accommodation and pastoral care in Australian and American universities are probably comparable to U.K. ones, with the latter having a very campus-feel with lots of things to do for students within campus. This varies of course from institution but I often think that if it’s a small consolation, the £9250/year university fees here are small in comparison to the top private American universities’ fees, where one can expect to pay over $70k a year for tuition fee and accommodation and a typical American undergrad degree is 4 years. They do have federal aid but it’s still crippling debt for most students. 
 

This does digress from the OP’s original question so I do apologise. Incidentally, I think even SAB’s tuition plus accommodation (in the heart of NYC!) is still less than WL’s if I’m not mistaken. The audition I believe is very rigorous - in the form of their summer intensive so your audition is basically 5-6 weeks long! 

24 minutes ago, art_enthusiast said:

Just out of interest, could I ask where you streamed these end of year shows? I'd love to see the APG one this year.

APG was through the Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo website and they usually advertise the live steaming of their exams around May. Here is the link to the trailer last year:

I think it only cost €5 at the time. 
 

I can’t remember how I accessed POBS - it was probably through their website too, and again, for not much.

Both are well worth the steaming fee. The students of both schools are absolutely stunning to watch, the shows fuss-free, they usually wear very simple dancewear (no costumes or props etc although POBS’ was in the Palau’s Garnier which is pretty much unbeatable as a backdrop!).

1 hour ago, Cosmo said:

Hi, I am fairly new to the forum but my daughter is in RBS associates and wants to do vocational training outside school. We have recently moved and I'm just wondering if anyone knows of any great teachers around Marlow/Beaconsfield/Wycombe/Amersham they could recommend?

Hi! How old is your DD is you don’t mind me asking? It might make a difference on who people recommend. All those areas are within easy (train) commute to London but also there might be options in places near Amersham.

1 hour ago, alison said:

Welcome to the forum, tippytoed1234567890!

 

I suspect the same may apply to further education: I remember being amazed at how cheap the university tuition fees were for the year in France   (That was a long time ago, though).

Absolutely, @alison !  I feel the same. Unless my DCs gain places in U.K. unis where they can get their £9250’s worth, I’d rather they go overseas for uni. And this is coming from someone who can’t bear the thought of her DCs living away from home (certainly before upper school/6th form age) and has worked in higher education for over a decade…

Perhaps not free but a lot of European ones are cheaper. Dutch National Ballet School for example has lower fees than any of the well-known full time vocational schools in the U.K. (I think it used to be even cheaper when the U.K. was in the EU).  I believe Academie Princess Grace in Monaco works out cheaper too tuition fees + accommodation than say WL (if you don’t take into consideration any possible funding). However, getting into APG is notoriously hard, harder I believe than any of the U.K. schools including the top ones, hence their student body is very small and obviously carefully handpicked.  They usually stream their end of year show and each and every one of their students appear to be stunning performers, both technically and artistically. Another excellent school (in my opinion) is BTB (Basel).  The best thing about some European schools is that they are very confident in streaming/making public their end of year shows or final assessment classes. I think it was last year, I saw APG and Paris Opera Ballet School’s online and they were amazing. No elaborate sets or costumes. Just students in plain coloured leotards. I believe Dutch NBS also did it this year.  You can also easily “YouTube” Vaganova, TAZ and BTB classes online. I am very impressed with schools who have the confidence to do this. 

4 hours ago, BallerinaMum13 said:

Oh sorry got too excited and didn't realise my DD has her own ballet show that afternoon. Sorry about that!

No worries, thanks for letting me know.

I have 2 tickets for the RBS Summer Performance show in Opera Holland Park.  Saturday, 9th July 2022, 2pm. I think this is a predominately lower school (White Lodge) performance. Paid £25 per ticket and they’re e-tickets so can easily be forwarded. Seats E59 and E60. Please message me if interested.

15 minutes ago, Peanut68 said:

Hmmm…. I wouldn’t necessarily make a decision based on viewing it as ‘private education’  as just as in all education - be it state or private - each school varies hugely & one school may ‘fit’ for one young person & not another. Also, I used to think private naturally would be an obvious ‘step up’. I’m actually not so sure…. Sometimes if you are amongst the brightest then a less advanced/talented student (as much relevant for dance as academics I guess?) might push them on & up. For others it may demoralise them & push them lower down.

Similarly - and sadly - you do get (in the minority, but sadly usually very dominant personalities & occasionally  over championed by staff too…) snobby, over privileged, rich brats or ‘connected’ types who too can engender change or feelings of lack of self worth, or feelings of jealousy/resentment in a young person. But afterall, not everyone is from a super rich/jet-set/celebrity family but listening to stories can make you think many are & that when you are not, you the parent are also a failure!!!! I stress that my DC has never said anything to that end nor intentionally I’m sure ever imagined I’d think this, but yes, at times I do feel inferior!!! Awful admission there…. & actually not a real genuine feeling, just passing waves of my own silly insecurity I guess! 
Trying to help kids at private school ‘keep up with the Jones’s’ is not fun (financially or morally) & is a really not nice side of vocational school. Afterall, students are - thankfully - from all walks off life due to the opportunity for funding. Although of course this funding is not shared around schools evenly & many more places are available to those who self fund…. Also, the competition for places has - as many have said here - lead to some young children to attend lots of training/associate schemes/private lessons - all having to be funded by parents so again, creating a divide as some can afford much more than others. I know many ‘regular’ private schools offer funded places to less affluent but difference often is it’s been a big family ambition to get to those schools/mix with the full fee payer echelon of society. They are maybe more prepared  for this? 
It can be awful if any child has a ‘not fitting in’ feeling.

I think staff actually are guilty of making these chasms wider as they do tend to favour the rich/connected kids….all IMHO.

Sorry if this sounds rather negative… but good to know of the uglier side of vocational school life too I think! 
Of course, many will grasp this & indeed get offers to join some friends from fabulously wealthy backgrounds on holidays on private yachts & the such…. But it’s not nice when you worry your kid coild potentially be ‘embarrassed’ of their background/home etc etc….kids can be cruel. 

Again, this is observational from experience of private & state & vocational training over several decades across family/friends. 
Also am a big believer in trusting gut instincts….

Good luck all! 

I totally agree with you @Peanut68 and this is both from personal experience and those of family and friends and acquaintances. Private education does not necessarily mean better, I’ve actually witnessed this first hand. I’ve seen the vast difference between the academics of a private school and a selective state school, with the latter being clearly more impressive from its approach to learning and teaching, assessments, pastoral care and the general feel of the place. It would be wrong to generalise of course but I myself experienced this coming from a private school to a state secondary. When I was in private education, I felt like I was in a bubble (if that makes sense). In my area, I actually know numerous parents who put their children in private education prior to Year 6 to avoid the ‘trauma’ their children might get from having to go through the state 11+ process.  This is of course not referring to vocational schools at all and I think the well known ones do have quite a good number of students who receive funding. As with any school, however, you will always have that element of “can we keep up?” once DCs see their peers shopping in the weekend or jet off to various summer intensives overseas or sport the latest expensive dancewear during non-uniform days. But this isn’t isolated to vocational schools. Again, ballet and dance in general is an expensive endeavour (I am always shocked by how much less I spend for my DC who plays sports compared to the one who dances). For one of my DC’s sports, the termly fee is less than the price of an hour studio hire in central London. I do think that especially in the last few years, to be in the right state to be competitive for a place at one of these top vocational schools, the parents would have already invested a significant amount of time and money.
 

Ultimately, you’ll know where your DC wants to be when the time comes. It’s always a good idea to let it come from them, as it will be the next few years of their lives to live. It will be easy to be persuaded by big names and possible missed opportunities but I always think the DC’s happiness and finding the right fit for a school should be priority especially when your DC is so young and likely not sure yet what they want to do or become. 

Hopefully it has changed these days but years ago I’ve met parents who actually pored over RBS’ annual reports to check out centres’ place offer percentage rates, number of applicants, male/female ratio/etc to see which centre might be best for their DCs to audition in. Because you can audition in a different centre to the one your DC wants to attend, I do know of some who auditioned in other centres for a place in, for example, the London centre. Because no one really knew how it worked and whether their theories hold water, there was always talk of how RBS allocated associate places, would the results come out with the centre they auditioned in or the centre they want to attend, would it be advantageous to audition in a centre with not as many applicants, etc etc - I remember the seemingly hours of discussion over where to audition. It may have moved on since then but I guess that’s how it can be in some rare cases because places are so highly sought after.

Now sold 

ROYAL BALLET SCHOOL ASSOCIATES 
Navy blue tracksuit (zip up sweatshirt and bottoms)
Size child 9-11 
Excellent condition as only worn once before realising it’s the wrong size 
£30 for the set including postage already