Ballet Dreams

13 minutes ago, Isabella said:

Wow...inspirational. Big well done to your daughter. As a parent I need to hear this more than my child! For me it is the financial implication too. I just don’t have the money to keep trying at things where the likelihood is it will be a ‘no’. 

Money has been tight for us so I completely understand your point. But just wanted to stress that a no to JA does not open less doors for your child and that the no’s my child has received have had a real positive affect on her.   As she just wanted to succeed and worked that little bit harder to achieve her goals.  

Please don’t ever be put off by any no’s to JAs, my DD had two no’s in year 4 and 5 and SWL for year 6.  Luckily she managed to get a place at Elmhurst young Dancers this year for year 6 instead and the difference it has made is phenomenal.  She never let the no’s affect her passion for ballet and her aspirations and dreams to try for finals this year.  I think the no’s from RBS have made her a much better dancer and this week she has received invitations to both White Lodge and Elmhurst Finals.  

2 hours ago, The red shoes said:

Just out of curiosity, can I ask how many of the yeses for Elmhurst are young dancers already? Xxx 

My DD is an EYD and has a yes to Elmhurst and WL finals she’s not a JA though.

It’s a yes for my DD so pleased and glad the wait is finally over.  Well done to all of the yes and not yets x

37 minutes ago, TwirlyWhirly said:

Thanks for that @Lara Eschler but that's how I found out that our LA doesn't do them 'yet', unfortunately. My LA's reply to me helpfully said that they were looking into setting up asymptomatic testing more widely in the 'next few weeks'! Argh! 😬 I will just have to impress on the school how important this is for DSs educational progress... or maybe email RBS and ask them what to do ..although I suspect they'd ask for a PCR test as an alternative, which is very expensive! Just more things to think about! Just gotta keep focussed on the main reason I'm doing any of this!

I am stressing about this as well!  We have community Lateral Flow Testing however I have looked into it and you have to be over 16 to have a test.  I have emailed the local LA to ask if they would consider testing my DD so hopefully I will get a response soon.    I don’t understand how we will be able to provide evidence though do you get an email result or something my eldest has these regularly at secondary school and you don’t get paperwork to prove the result. 

So pleased my DD has a yes to WL finals.  Just goes to show you should never give up and keep trying she had a no to JAs in year 4 and 5 and was a SWL in year 6.  She and I are over the moon!  

I guess the wait is nearly over then,  good luck to all the DC who have applied! X

1 hour ago, TwirlyWhirly said:

That's an interesting idea - but what if you test positive and can't come? (which obviously you shouldn't!). I hope if they ask for test results they'll have an alternative for kids who have to self-isolate. Does anyone from previous years have experience of being ill on final auditions day but being given another opportunity to audition? Realise I'm seriously over thinking this, having not even heard if we've made finals! 😂

Tests can be expensive as well around £120, on top of travel and accommodation it would make a big hole in some parents pockets. Money is tight for some people at the moment with furlough etc.   I agree I hope they also have other arrangements for those self isolating.

6 minutes ago, sunrise81 said:

It is lovely! Even though she got to finals for WL, her fave school has hands down always been Elmhurst! We have always let her make the decisions about where she would like to be. And Ms Ward is a fab headteacher too!

My DD and I watched the schools Instragram live last night with Brandon Lawrence it was very inspiring.  Ms Ward seems very caring and supportive to the students.  My daughter has said her choice would be Elmhurst!   If she got that far, hopefully her dreams will come true and hard work will pay off.

5 minutes ago, sunrise81 said:

Good luck waiting! Once they do finals its usually a week on the Monday after the finals, that they get the results....past few years has been very end of March (last year was the 30th....also my bday.....a great present!!!). My DD is yr 7 and loves it and can't wait to find out who she will be a guardian angel too and write her letter 💗

How lovely, Elmhurst sounds an amazing place.  We are gutted we haven’t been able to visit although we have taken the virtual tour and attended the Q&A and it looks and sounds amazing. Its lovely how parents from previous years are being so supportive and helpful.    

Thank you for this my Eldest DD is currently doing a BTEC in Performing Arts.  I also was dubious about the BTEC qualification but have been really impressed on how well it has fitted in beside my daughters ALevels.  She also has had 5 offers to study university all of them have counted the BTEC.   I have passed this onto her teacher it would be a real shame if  this qualification was no longer available.

9 hours ago, Dancermom said:

I’m not sure when it happened but somewhere between dinner time and now I’ve had a view on the elmhurst video 😁 my DD is a young dancer x 

Is this your first view or a second view?  My DD is EYD we had a view on Monday.  It’s all very exciting good luck everyone x

Our Ballet Teacher lodged an appeal a couple of years ago for all the students in one exam sitting.  As the majority of the marks given were way off previous marks for these students and results were no where near what she was expecting.  The result was that each child was given an adjusted mark and given an extra 4 marks.  From what I remember that’s all they could do.  I think this was due to appealing on behalf of all students instead of each child separately as I am sure there were two approaches to an appeal but one meant paying a fee for each child.  

17 minutes ago, Raquelle said:

I hope it isn't post as with covid it is a bit unpredictable!!! It can sometimes take weeks longer x 

I agree would rather an email what happens if it gets lost!   I guess it will be a while yet anyway it will take weeks to go through all the year 7s I really wouldn’t want their job.

38 minutes ago, The red shoes said:

Just received a letter from Elmhurst in the post... nearly had heart failure... just DS invoice for this terms young dancers classes 😂😂😂😂

I had my DD invoice from Elmhurst in the post this morning as well and thought the same thing.  

41 minutes ago, The red shoes said:

Anyone had any views on their Elmhurst video yet? 

Not yet but I didn’t submit my DD video until Christmas Eve.  

4 minutes ago, Bunny said:

Oh hooray! Yes if anything at least we know they’ve definitely managed to see them so that’s a positive. I wonder if they’re just reviewing them in the order they were sent in? x

We sent my DD Video application on the 30th October the Friday of half term.  That’s why I was worried when other has said there had been watched I thought maybe they were watching them by centre the children were due to audition at.  My DD was due to audition in Bath.  

20 minutes ago, Bunny said:

My DS’s video was viewed yesterday, for 3 minutes and 46 seconds YouTube tells me! It’s made me even more nervous now to know it’s been seen! Ha x

My DD video was watched yesterday as well.  I am actually glad as I was getting worried that I had uploaded it wrong as it hadn’t been watched.  

1 minute ago, TwirlyWhirly said:

Thanks for the clarification! We didn't watch the talk, just did the audition practice. That will be a big batch of videos to watch then!

 

I thought the same I don’t envy having to watch all of the videos.  The Q&A was really good the Head Teacher, Artistic Director, Head of Dance Training and  Deputy Head all gave an insight into the school.  It’s sounds such a lovely place I was very impressed.

23 minutes ago, Lara Eschler said:

We didn't attend the insight day either, completely missed that it was happening and got the email today about the video requirements for preliminary. 

Was it a class for the children or more of an information session for the families?  

Both there was an audition class going through some of the exercises they may ask your child to do as part of a usual audition with tips etc.  This was similar to the RBS insight lesson in half term and then a separate Q&A for students and parents.  They said at the Q&A that everyone who applies will now be asked to submit a video audition.

46 minutes ago, Lara Eschler said:

Elmhurst preliminary will also be a video😥 

This was mentioned yesterday at their Q&A session following the audition workshop.  Thankfully it doesn’t look that different to the RBS video although there are a few differences.  We were hoping for face to face auditions here. Really feel sorry for the year 6 children they have missed out on so much of the process of auditioning. My DD was so looking forward to our road trips and attending auditions.  Let’s hope 2021 is more positive with the introduction of a vaccine.  Good luck to everyone filming both RBS or Elmhurst videos. 

We submitted my DD video during half term as well.  No views yet I will keep you posted if it changes.  

My DD has Waiting list as well.  We have never applied for the intensives before but thought we would give it a go as pictures are the same for Mids & WL audition.  My DD has had two nos for year 4 and 5and SWL for year 6 JAs.  I am so surprised she is on the waiting list we thought it would be a straight no!  I am so proud of her perseverance she’s so determined to achieve her dreams.

20 minutes ago, TwirlyWhirly said:

No worries @Lara Eschler! I've now looked on the RBS website and it's official. The deadline is now 5th January for all applicants, so anyone out there who hasn't done the video for the application yet has got until then! Half wishing we could have had more time, but equally, no guarantees we'd be getting back in a dance studio before January in any case...what's done is done!

We are in the same position we filmed and submitted my DD during half term as we were worried we would lockdown again.  Glad in one way we have it done it but also gutted as we could have had more time.  Like you said there is no guarantee we will be back in the studios in December especially if we go back into tier systems at least it’s out of our hands now.  

We will be using I movie, we used it for my DD ballet boost video audition. It’s really easy to use.