The red shoes

Our JA teacher said it would be a long wait still when she was asked on Sunday. Well into the summer term 

According to our JA teacher ( from today) she said MA results will be a long wait still... well into the summer term 

16 minutes ago, Ballet Power said:

@Red shoes do you know or know anyone that might know? 

I don’t know the answers to this unfortunately xxx

1 minute ago, Lara Eschler said:

I was just thinking maybe it would be a good idea to have a check-up before starting, I get a bit anxious about health stuff that is why I wanted to know more about the physio checks too. I was surprised by the details of the questionnaires and was wondering whether it would affect an offer if any problems were found. Alo, my dc haven't see a doctor in ages. RBS has not asked for anything else so far.

Yes.. when I read it I thought .. I can’t see our gp wanting to fill this out in the middle of a pandemic for a child to go to ballet school!!! I’m sure we will have something similar for RBS though xx 

1 minute ago, Lara Eschler said:

Hi Everyone, I was just wondering about the medical form for Year 7 entry, is that something a regular NHS GP would do, or is a private GP needed? Has anyone booked this already? It just seems quite detailed questionnaire requiring urine samples as well.? 

Thanks xx

 

Is this for RBS too?  I thought you’d accepted WL? 

Just now, The red shoes said:

There are a couple of UK students who couldn’t make face to face audition so are doing it on zoom! They could well get MA places

Not just international students auditioning on 19th xx

1 minute ago, Dancermom said:

But wouldn’t have applied for MAs though 🤔 it’s too long a wait however long 🤣 it’s been nice knowing ‘after Easter’ as I have forgotten about it but come Tuesday I’ll be refreshing emails again 🤦‍♀️

There are a couple of UK students who couldn’t make face to face audition so are doing it on zoom! They could well get MA places

4 minutes ago, Dancermom said:

But surely the international auditions wouldn’t effect the MA results? X

Some were prospective year 7 students 

1 minute ago, stardust1 said:

Did I read earlier in this thread that there were zoom auditions this weekend for overseas students?  If so,    results may not likely until mid-next week anyway?

Yes I had heard from a reliable source that zoom auditions are being held for a few boys who couldn’t make the finals & internationals on the 19th April so still a long wait for MA places 

Just now, Newbie2 said:

That’s interesting - all white lodge staff on leave until next Wednesday? We are still waiting to hear about audition results for full time training (years 8, 9, 10)....

I’m not sure ALL are but the ones I have dealt with in sending back acceptance forms etc are on leave 

They are all on leave until 7th April so maybe after that? Though date of acceptance of a WL place was by Wednesday 8th April 

1 hour ago, Ballerina_girl said:

Just a question whilst we await MA results, do children attending elmhurst, tring or other vocational schools still attend associate classes/ are they allowed to? Just wondering how much movement to expect and if DD is lucky enough to make the waitlist how likely she could be to get a place. 

They aren’t allowed to attend associates if they go to Elmhurst full time. I think Tring allow their students to do MA’s though xx

2 minutes ago, SJBallet said:

Congratulations. What a fabulous position to be in. 

Thank you.. it really is and one we definitely didn’t expect 😆😆😆

3 minutes ago, BillyElliot1 said:

Congratulations to your ds @The red shoes! That’s amazing! 🎉🎊🎈

Thank you so much!!! Xx 

A yes for my ds too!!! Now the tough decision of Elmhurst or WL... and yes I do appreciate what a fantastic position he is in and no, I can’t quite believe it!!!

congratulations to the yeses xx 

On 25/03/2021 at 07:40, Ballerina_girl said:

Hi, would love some more information on this when are the audition dates/ entry dates? What’s the usual entry requirements? Where are the centres? (We are near to Manchester)  What days do they run? My DD got to the final for white lodge but wasn’t successful in gaining a place so looking at other options for her whilst waiting to hear back about RBS MA. She is not an associate anywhere currently.  Any info appreciated. Thanks 

I think the Northern ballet do a scheme .... ?? 🤔🤔🤔

9 minutes ago, Balletdreamsgoon said:

We know of a year 7 girl on the waiting list 

I also know of a girl and a boy on the year 7 waiting list for September

Could it just be possible that standards are indeed getting higher ... ? RBS specifically advertises themselves as a school of excellence and they have to keep that reputation. Not saying this is right or wrong but if “ the more polished child” is being accepted.. we need to ask ourselves why? 
 

A long time ago , if you were a boy with the right proportions and equipment then you were half way in the door.. not anymore I’m afraid!!! The standard of boys has increased dramatically in the last decade and keeps increasing so IMO .., no it’s not potential alone anymore .

4 minutes ago, glowlight said:

I think the take-aways from this discussion are:

• Some children who are successful in auditions do lots of associate classes and/or private lessons
• Some children who are successful in auditions do fewer classes
• All children who are successful in auditions work hard, love to dance, have natural potential, and (from what I can see) have supportive parents
• Not everyone who works hard, loves to dance, and has natural potential will be offered a place at vocational school
• Some families like to shout about what they are doing on social media, others keep what they are doing private
• We shouldn't worry about what other people are doing - we should do what is right for our own families

 

Amen 🙏 

1 minute ago, Motomum said:

The problem is ‘the rest’ very often is no longer coming from the child with home practice and that’s the point of this discussion.

It is disingenuous to suggest other wise when the problem has been identified by the Royal Ballet School itself in an article written by Mark Annear.

Hmmm the point of this discussion keeps altering from comments to comment ... 🧐 A minute ago it was about it not be a level playing field, before that it was RBS only accepting polished dancers and not “ rough diamonds” ... now we are talking about “ rest”?  
The fact is.. if you are what they want it doesn’t matter how many classes you have or how “ famous “ you are on Instagram. Accepting this and moving on is the best thing to do. 

3 minutes ago, Motomum said:

All credit to your son, in defence though of the OP, your son and children like him are not the focus of this discussion.

It is not an attack on those children who don’t do extra, or an attack on those that do.  
It seems to me it is a very valid discussion about the trend toward more and more of everything when it comes to dance. It maybe distasteful but it is a valid discussion about children who are 8/9/10 being polished dancers because of privates, intensive ballet training and hot housing toward entry into competitions like YAGP, PDL and entry into prestigious vocational training schools.

The discussion doesn’t detract from these children’s achievements it asks whether potential is really what’s being assessed anymore.

This years WL intake is very relevant because many of the children whom we know have trained differently and more intensively and more than has been so in the past that I can remember, and this matters because it altars the playing field, altars it massively.

 

It doesn’t alter the playing field... it didn’t with my ds hence my post. I’m sorry to say.. hard work comes from within and not how many extra classes you attend!! Quality always over quantity!! I know if children who attended multiple ballet classes, PBT, conditioning and privates and didn’t get onto the wait list... so.... 

I think assuming that money buys you success is ridiculous too... if you have an excellent teacher once a week.. that is good enough!!! The rest needs to come from the child with home practise !! 

3 hours ago, Momapalooza said:

If I sounded like it, I apologise, but I wasn’t intending to make sweeping generalisations. My original post was more about a concern that this could be the trend moving forwards. Of course I would be happy to be proven wrong and that this particular year would not be the norm for the following years. The past year has been a very different ones and this of course could be a factor. The only reason I was saying my comment was for a particular intake is to address those who thought I was making a general comment covering several years.  There is no pattern as such, and I wasn’t alluding to any, but what I was hoping won’t happen is that for this to become a pattern because that would severely limit the demographic of children who can access full time training in vocational schools. I obviously don’t know the circumstances of these DCs and I would never claim to, but an interesting thought I had was that how many of these kids would actually need a substantial level of MDS funding?   I know of many lovely stories of DCs who are funded through associates etc where the family cannot afford such extras, but I still personally believe that to attain a certain level to be truly competitive one has to have means to do so or be so stunning as to be awarded scholarships or other sorts of funding.  Would everyone have the time to travel long hours to access a particular associates? Attend classes almost every day of the week? Have privates? 
 

I had no intention to be insulting. In my previous posts I had made this clear that I don’t wish to take anything from ang children.  No one can dispute their talent, hard work and suitability which is why they achieved what they did. However, I stand by my statement that having the means to fully complement, nurture, progress and enhance these attributes helps. Perhaps I am wrong and a “rough diamond” can show up in a group of exquisitely trained, hardworking, determined dancers and be noticed. Anyone who gets to these final stages of getting into full time schools must have potential and facility  of some level. The difference might be that better trained young dancers would probably know how to harness their strengths, and hide weaknesses (if any).

The bottom line is that I would like to see a pattern NOT to emerge. You are completely right and that this is just this year’s. It would be a nice thought that everyone who works hard and has the potential has an equal chance to achieve their dream, regardless of having the means to do so. I always did say I love a good success story, and much prefer those that are about people who managed to defy odds.  

Here is a story that “ defys the odds “ as you say. 
My son has fallen arches, hyper mobile everywhere, knocked knees, uneven turnout and not naturally flexible. He has been a JA for 3 years... midway through his 2nd year I was told he needed to improve flexibility, turnout & to “ fill out” a bit as not to look so angular if he wanted to stand a chance at full time vocational. He worked his backside off I tell you, exercises every night.. constant stretching, using his theraband to improve feet etc etc . He then also got accepted onto year 6 YD. 
Now I am his regular dance teacher and he was only havIng one ballet class a week with me ( plus tap, modern etc) and the his associates. I wasn’t able to give him extra tuition initially as I was always teaching  other people’s children! When lockdown happened we investigated and found an excellent male tutor who had a great success history. He had a 1-2-1 with him for a few months but then we came out of lockdown and the online class stopped. That was back in September. 
So from September to January he literally had 1 ballet class and two associate classes..He worked & worked in the evenings to get better and to achieve all splits.. improve his feet which actually now have an arch, improve his leg alignment when standing in parallel by lift his arches and using his glutes, inside thigh muscles etc to give a better appearance. He has continuously worked on his turnout for months & months most evenings!! 
I am proud to say my son got in to White Lodge on sheer hard work 😓 off his own back ( a bit of nudging by me) but his OWN efforts & OWN merits! He deserves this and shows hard work does pay off!! 
 

And that will be my only comment on this thread as feel it’s VERY distasteful 

10 minutes ago, Weloveballet said:

Yes was also just referencing to this year that has just been accepted, not other years. that I haven’t heard of many from the north, so far just heard of 1 now, but generally of the many posts I’ve seen they are all from the south 

I think this is due to the boys only JA class in London. 6 boys were accepted from there. My ds is a Birmingham JA and has a place and I know of one from Newcastle who also has a place 

1 hour ago, TwirlyWhirly said:

My DS did!

Have you joined the year 7 WL WhatsApp group? Private message me if not and I will send you the link xx

3 minutes ago, Lara Eschler said:

Congratulations Everyone! It took me most of the afternoon to process and letting it sink in. My DS has been offered a year 7 place. I am also very pleased about the new programme structure. 

I have been posting very publicly on here, lol, please let me know if anyone would like to start a whatsapp group for year 7 entry?

Congratulations to everyone again for enduring this rollercoaster ride...though I know it is only the beginning..

Yes!!!!!!!! Well Done to your ds!! I am delighted with the new structure of guaranteed 3 years ... though could potentially get rid of a whole year group at the end of year 9 but I’m it going to start stressing over that now 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 

Yes please for a WhatsApp group ☝️