mimi'smom

Hammond did say at the first round auditions that all children offered a place are given some sort of financial assistance (ie if not mds then a bursary of up to 50%) It is a shame they haven't been more specific in their letter about the size of the bursary and that you have to wait until next week to speak to them - as if the waiting hasn't been long enough! Fingers crossed for a generous bursary for your dd x

Just reading back over this thread and thought I'd post something about the results letters. There are different types of letters that come out. Obviously the ones we all hope for, the straightforward yeses and the waiting list letters (and I do know of children who have got in off the waiting list.) There are 2 types of 'no' letters - the one Julie W mentions in her post - the one that states they would like to see you again the following year and the straightforward no, which says something like they would not discourage you from applying again (but reading between the lines they wouldn't particularly encourage you either!!) We got the straightforward no one when my dd auditioned for year 4 and we found it very discouraging and disheartening. However, when dd auditioned again at year 5 (haivng literally just come out of plaster for a broken arm 2 days before) she got a place. I guess what I'm saying is if you get that discouraging no letter and you hear of people getting the other types don't be put off trying again (we nearly were!) And by the way, the letters are all the same thickness (just a tear off reply strip at the bottom for places and waiting list) Good luck to all dds and dss applying for associate schemes this year - they are fantastic!

Normal dance school/grade leotards are fine and they usually stipulate waist belts and socks not tights. More important to make sure their ballet shoes are comfy and 'broken in' - wouldn't especially recommend going out and buying new ballet shoes for auditions unless you do it a good few weeks beforehand.

And fasten your seatbelt - it's a bumpy ride! We are still relatively new to all of this so my best advice to you is to go for it but with your eyes wide open. Speak to anyone and everyone that you can who has been there before (this forum is a wonderful place to start with so many helpful supportive people and the archived threads on the old site are worth searching through too) Be prepared for the impact the journey will have upon you, and indeed the whole family as it can take over your life (if it hasn't already!) and remember that you can, at any point, shout 'stop the ride I want to get off!". Having said that, if you make it about the journey and not just the destination, great fun can be had along the way, lifelong friends made, strong characters built. It's been stressful, it will continue to be stressful - would I change anything? Not in the slightest!

Lovely news Amber4dancinstar- worth the wait! x

C4D So so sorry to hear your news. A big hug to your dd, such a lovely little girl whose dream deserved to come true xx Interested Parent sorry too that the news was not what you were hoping for. Hope your dd is ok and boy do I admire you for already planning to put yourself through it all again next year! We hear so many wonderful stories on here of how that deternination and resilience pays off. Good luck xx

Fantastic news Dancingmom! Congratulations to your dd - another dream becomes reality! xx

Hi Louise MDS stands ffor Music and Dance Scheme. They are government funded scholarships awarded to children applying to the 4 centres of excellence - RBS, Elmhurst, Tring and Hammond. Contrary to popular belief, children awarded MDS places do not get 'free' places - they are means tested with a parental contribution based on gross income. Other than at RBS, not all children who are offered places are awarded MDS - hence some schools offer bursaries of up to 50% of the fees but others may have more experience to share of that. The amount of MDS places on offer varies from school to school and year to year. WIlderflower fingers crossed for a bursary - stay positive, the door is still open x Karen - congrats to your dd - bet she is over the moon! Good luck to all others still waiting for the postie - hope he/she brings good news xx

Does anyone know how the vocational schools manage those children whose weight might dip below healthy? I know they stop them from dancing but how do they get them back up to a healthy weight? I ask because I have one of those naturally very thin children (with a perfectly healthy appetitie/attitude to food and a normal 11 year old's love of chocolate!) but I have quietly monitored her BMI especially during a couple of recent growth spurts and her weight has a couple of times gone very close to the underweignt end of healthy. This has been fairly easy for me to remedy at home (changing to full fat milk seems to have been the key) but I am worried that with a daily dance programme at vocational school plus amybe more growth spurts this may be a reoccuring issue. Thanks in advance for anyexperience/advise. Angela

For fine leg hair and younger dancers the exfoliating pads work wonders!

Can't believe you are all still waiting - it must be agony! Sending you all positive thoughts and hope the waiting is over soon with the outcomes you are all hoping for xx

Just out of interest, do the Elmhurst associates also have the option of doing an exercise/body conditioning class sane as the PVPs?

They need that drive and determination Happymom as long as they are not too hard on themselves!! Yes year 4 places are very hard to come by but they are out there and if it's a no (as it was at year 4 for my dd) the audition experience is still very valueable. DD was much more at ease the second time she auditioned having been through it once! Best wishes to her when she does audition and please let us know how she gets on. Angela xx

Hi Happymum You have to wait until the last round of auditions are over before any letters come out - last auditions this year are in London on the 8th June (pity those poor people auditioning in Newcastle right at the start of May!) When my daughter auditioned, we did not hear until the end of June. Your daughter will not be asked to do anything individually - all exercises/stretches done in lines either at the barre, in the centre or from the corner. There is nothing too challenging - they are looking for potential and love of dance. My advice is to keep it low key and treat it as a lovely day out (for my daughter a day off school was always a bonus!!) A cliche I know but all audtion experience is good experience. What year will your daughter be auditioning for? Good luck!

Hi toomuchtalent Can answer a few of your questions (but not all - sorry!) as my daughter recently auditioned for year 7 entry to Hammond. The first round audition consists of a ballet class and a more contemporary/free movement class. The solos were performed just by the auditionee in front of the panel (although dd did say you could hear the singing where they were waiting!) They also have a physio examination and an academic assessment (non verbal reasoning) - further academic tests (in English and maths) are sent for completion at their current academic schools if successful in being offered a place. Performance in the academic tests does not affect the outcome in terms of offers. Hammond offer places after the preliminary auditions but do not allocate funding until a later recall audition. (this is different from Elmhurst) The children are bused into school from the boarding houses and have all their (weekday) meals at school. The music provision/standards to us seemed outstanding! Hope someone else can fill in the gaps! Angela x

Fantastic news little ballerina - how exciting and wonderful that all your hard work, positivity and perseverance have been rewarded!

Thanks for posting the article Nana Lily - really interesting stuff and answers the almost unanswerable question often posted on here about what exactly the RBS are looking for! Angela x

Hi 2dancersmum Thank you! Hope we get to meet again now we know who to look out for - the ballet world is a very small one! Angela xx

Hi lildancer96 Thankfully our waiting is over - dd starts at Elmhurst year 7 in September. I really really feel for all of you still waiting - it is agonising! Fingers and everything else crossed for your 6th form results and to all those still still waiting to hear from Elmhurst and Hammond - really hope it is good news for you all xx

That is a long wait for results but at least you have a good idea of when the letter will arrive! Were there many there today? Hope it went well for all of you xx

Good luck everyone going for funding tomorrow - remember that Hammond also offer quite generous bursaries too which might enable a few more dreams to come true. We are keeping everything crossed for you all. Special good luck wishes from my dd to C4Ds dd - you will be fab xx

That's kind of what I meant too famcandance - is there a 'non-negotiable' checklist of physical factors/abilities etc that apply to all dancers, all schools, all schemes or is just down to the artistic director's preferences/own criteria in the light of their own school circumstances?

Sorry for the slight deviation but am intrigued by the phrase 'suitability for classical training' as it seems to be a key phrase. Can anyone clarify what factors determine that sutiability?

Hi We were told at Hammond that they had 14 MDS places this year (which was more than we thought)

Brilliant news! A big well done hug from me and my DD!!