DancingDays

So sorry balletmum16 - I know just how you feel x

Sorry for your no Dancermum

That's brilliant news Amber21 - so happy for you and DD - bet she's bouncing around!!

It's one of those bittersweet situations where you are genuinely delighted for the children that are through to the next stage...but you can't help feeling a little sad that your DC didn't make the cut... and yet still feeling hugely proud (in my case) that DD got offers at Tring and The Hammond...and yet more, feeling sad for those DC who have had to deal with disappointment all round. Mix it all up and that probably sums up most of us parents at the moment - whether for lower school or upper school - and that's before any of us get to the whole assessment cycles.... I say...lets all have a drink to congratulate / commiserate each other Except...I forgot...I can't drink at the moment - just started my diet yesterday

Congratulations to your DD abitwornout - great news

Sorry for your no TMT - good luck with Elmhurst finals and Tring result

Good luck Afab - hope she has a great audition

Congratulations MVOBE - Great news and good luck for finals and Tring :-)

Sorry to hear your "no" results KiwiMum and Jaylou

Congratulations - good luck for finals!

That's my understanding too for solos. I think for groups, if they come first at finals, they are allowed to enter the same choreography the next competition but then not for 2 subsequent competitions regardless of the placing at the second competition. If that makes sense!

MVOBE, I wouldn't get too disheartened on the strength of one rejection...we were told at our Elmhurst audition of a girl who auditioned for yr 7 and yr 8 and got nos both times, but went back in yr 9 and got her yes. I would be guided by your DS and if he doesn't want to try again then OK but if he's still got the fire, then try again... Of course, this could all be academic if he gets a yes from Elmhurst or Tring Keep the faith! Wishing him and you loads of luck for next week and for Elmhurst result xx

Ahhh...she's probably a little conflicted - I think LinMM had some good advice on one of the threads today about making sure all our DCs know just how tough it is and how few places there are - especially when there are so many talented children out there. I think more than ever, children from every background have access to and aspirations for the best teaching in whichever their favoured discipline is...certainly far more than was available when I was a child so the the competition for these coveted places is so much bigger than ever before. Has your DD done or got any other auditions for this year? Thankfully all my DDs first round auditions are over and she's just got funding finals to go now x

Oh dear - what a shame Fusster....I'm now wondering if the yes letter have been sent a day later than the nos - we've not heard of any yes's yet? Is your DD OK? x

Oooh...that's the hand of fate stepping in - I'd get speaking to your DS's teacher to set a little 1 min piece - you've got a week - go for it! Good luck! x

No singing at Tring, there's an optional "short drama piece" or "musical instrument piece" but they are optional and I know lots at DD's audition didn't do them. The singing at The Hammond is just as Pictures says, only a very small snippet to see that the children are willing to give it a go So the only thing you'd have to have for both would be the dance solo - 1 minute long for Tring and 1.5 minutes for The Hammond - I've read on the forum of people being successful using excerpts from syllabus work or show / festival pieces... Appreciate the short time frame though if your DS hasn't got something he's already comfortable with x

MVOBE, I think Tring's final lower school audition is next week so there could still be a chance.... why don't you ring them again? Also, there's a February and a March date still for The Hammond as pictures suggests.... We took DD to open Days at both, she spent a Taster Day at the Hammond and we really came away from both schools feeling that our DD could be happy at them and she enjoyed both audition days - tell your DS they're not that scary Although both these schools offer courses for different performance disciplines as well, they do both offer dedicated Dance Courses based around Classical Ballet so they are worth considering And you've still got the Elmhurst result to come so stay positive x

Sorry for your "no" - we also had a "no" today - posted on the Lower School thread. Think we're in good company though and thankful for The Hammond and Tring places offered

Ah well...it's a "no" from us too Although disappointed, we have to remember that there are so few places that to make a decision based on a 90 minute class is always going to be tough and I think that for our DD the longer audition experience that The Hammond and Tring offer, provided a better opportunity for her to overcome her natural reservations and show them what she's got. So for us, we now celebrate her achievements in gaining offers from The Hammond and Tring and look forward to the funding auditions for both. DH will also be happy because his first choice for DD has always been Tring There is a romance to the notion of White Lodge that resonates with me, but in my head it has always seemed "just out of reach"...so it's not meant to be and I'm content with that Good luck to everyone else opening their letters today - Fusster, I hope you survive the next couple of hours For those with a no, just remember that you're in good and very talented company x

Sorry to hear that Amandalou - but as you say, there's still Elmhurst and Tring x You've now put me on high alert as I'm guessing you were 9th Jan audition too? I'll be taking 5 minute tours of the front door till our post arrives

Yippee! Great news PdC - bet DD is made up Great start xx

Congratulations to you and your DD Jazzpaws

hfbrew - love your last comment....because the question posed by Nancy21 makes me immediately think - oooh...they didn't do a hands on check of my DDs flexibility so does that mean they're not interested in her... I would also think that they would only check feet and joints if they were interested...so I'd take that as a good sign...whilst at the same time hoping that it doesn't mean they're not interested in my DD!!! Oh the fun of these auditions....we're always second guessing ourselves...and while we can cheerfully say "what will be, will be" we find it devilishly difficult not to ponder all the different scenarios!

I don't think it will be that long MVOBE - the first final audition for lower school is the 28th February so they've got to give people plenty of time to prepare and make arrangements if they are invited to finals. We were also at the 9th Jan audition at Birmingham and they told us a couple of weeks - so I would imagine it will be later this week or next week. I think Afab is right that they do all the first round auditions first but they're all done now (for Lower School - I think there's still a couple of upper school / SA auditions to do first week of Feb). Lower school finals are 28th Feb and 7th March but Upper School finals aren't until 16th March. Keep calm and carry on

Yes - good luck everyone - hope it goes well