Karen
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Everything posted by Karen
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As I have posted about all the US auditions, thought I would add a few thoughts about Central yesterday as I know there are still other dates to come so someone might find it useful. The building is old; not sure what it might have been in a previous life but was warm and welcoming. Existing Central dancers met the auditionees and took them to the changing rooms, which felt friendly. Dd said the hour and a half class taken by current central teacher was typical of the other audition classes with no unexpected exercises or activities. There were around 30 in the class, boys and girls and there were at least 2 more similar classes the same day. 5 people on the panel. There are a number of pleasant coffee shops close to the school and quite a few restaurants, delis and small supermarket. No information or tour for parents but parents not chased out of the building either. Dd was told they would hear within 2 weeks (which is when finals are, so hope its soon!)
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On the 10th Feb, the dancers who had a physio assessment were the ones who had an interview. Dd's friend told me they asked her what she thought she could bring to the school and why she had applied there. She gave me the impression that it was a quite relaxed conversation.
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Your post made me laugh baby steps. We've all done it and only a couple of weeks ago we were waiting for dd outside of school and dh shouted to the wrong child that the car was over there and then wondered why he was ignored!!
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I think you are right about wanting to see performance quality in a solo. Dd did ballet all those years ago (she's now in yr 11) One member of dance staff once said to me that they see ballet and modern in the audition and she loved to see a good tap solo because it showed versatility.
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Central School of Ballet Holiday Intensives
Karen replied to ArucariaBallerina's topic in Doing Dance
Not sure of your age, but DD was one of the oldest in the younger group at Central Easter course last year. She did not find it very challenging or enjoyable and was quite surprised to be told to do,' a pretty ballerina walk from the corner' in her first ballet class. -
Thank you CDR- not sure how I feel about this one.
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Quick update on ENB audition today. Parents allowed in to drop off/pin on numbers and dc's encouraged in to warm up in studio. Ballet class with no pointe work, small amount of stretches. Dd and her friend felt the barre was quite challenging compared to other auditions but centre work was straightforward with quite a lot of arabesques and adage. No talk or information for parents (as was made clear on audition information) - results by post between 1 and 2 weeks, dd was told. The building is in a smart residential area and is shared with an art and design college. The studio I looked in was bright and had windows and there was a room for physio treatment. Building was lovely and warm on this freezing day. The limited amount of time parents were in the building made it impossible for me to get any kind of feel for the place.
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Possibly due to not having DaDa for this year's entrants and all funding coming from school scholarships?
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There should have been 25 but 2 or 3 did not show up. They seemed a little surprised at registration about the absentees!
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Congratulations to your daughter Afab! Does that come with a boarding place?
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Little bit more about Rambert from today's audition. Dd really enjoyed the classes and parents had a fab, friendly informative tour with all questions well answered. Feels like a very friendly, supportive environment including financial support from the school (where possible)for each student. 8 dancers asked to perform solo (dd included) and 3 of the 8 had physio assessment and interview. We were reassured that those not asked for solo and physio/interview were equally likely to be offered places and the chance to perform solo did not guarantee an offer. Results might take a little longer than usual as the Principal is conducting auditions is USA and Canada and not back until next week. Around 45 places on offer with about 600 auditioning in total. Good luck to all waiting????
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Thanks everyone for the helpful info and insights. We are there tomorrow. Good luck to others there tomorrow too and hope those of you who have been already get the results you are hoping for. Have had a difficult journey and struggled to locate hotel and dd had to get later train as hers was cancelled. Hope it is not an omen! ????
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Has anyone not asked to do their solo, had physio assessment and interview been offered a place this year, does anyone know, please?
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Thank you Loulabelle for prompting me - all booked.
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Thank you. Got to work out the logistics of getting there and back to school. Yet another Premier Inn awaits!????
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Day place and funding audition offer for dd too. She was Tuesday audition, so looks as though results are coming out day by day.
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My dd also remarked that the panel 'lost interest' in her after a while and felt that certain dancers were watched more closely. However, she liked the class and enjoyed being at Covent Garden. I think we went with the expectation of a good day out and she had that. My dd also remarked on the small and slightness of many of the dancers - dd is very slender (within POB height and weight limits on the published chart) but said that for the first time ever in a class she felt big.
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Today's audition class at RBS was taken by Daria Klimentova. Dd enjoyed it and we were told that we will receive results 'as soon as they can.' Very brief introduction from Mark Annear and a lovely big space to wait in if parents didn't want to leave during the audition. All very well organised and managed.
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Anyone else at Royal tomorrow? Good luck to anyone from the forum who might be there.
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Dance assessments from the November session are usually out in December, arriving at home just after students have broken up. The only other dance assessment feedback is at the end of the summer term, previously based on your child's production preparation. Academic reporting is more frequent. I have heard it said that if you want to know anything about dance progress in between, the dance administrator will ask specific questions of teachers for you. No assessment results yet for us either! Not sure whether an assessment of below 50% suggests assessing out; possibly something school could answer if asked?
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Thank you very much Loulabelle
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Any info about what the audition contains would be appreciated. Dd is there in Feb. Thank you.
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Sorry for the delay in replying, been at Tring audition today. In answer to questions, yes it was the diploma course as you are right in thinking that Hammond accept 18+ only for the degree, all dance was before the cut and singing/monologues/brief interview after and yes, there was pointe work. So to compare today's experience... Much briefer introduction and information from the head teacher. Information about the diploma course given by the head of classical and head of contemporary. All students take common first dance dance year and can then choose classical or MT for years 2 and 3. There were apologies that key staff who usually spoke pre audition were absent for various reasons. Students can take up to 4 A levels from a choice of 24 subjects. No questions invited at briefing and funding not mentioned at all. Very brief information about boarding given, and we were told that school do not help find host families for those who live out because there are no boarding spaces for them. There was then a student led tour of the refectory, boarding accommodation, studios and academic areas. Students were helpful and happy to answer questions. Dancers then went off to studio and parents were encouraged to leave. I asked to speak to someone about funding and am not going to post any information because I am not confident that I have fully understood how this will work other than being clear that school scholarship funding on very similar lines to DaDa will be guaranteed for the 3 years of the course for those starting in Sept 2017, subject to the student making satisfactory progress. Dd said that the audition was brief compared to Hammond. She recalled 4/5 ballet exercises and one contemporary piece. Solos were then shown and the only question dd was asked was whether she had choreographed it herself. There was then an academic test. We were told that school aim to have results with us in 2 working weeks and that successful students would be invited back to a funding audition. Again, happy to answer questions if I can.
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Dd did Hammond audition yesterday with all of the current yr11 who wished to audition, plus a couple of external candidates. It started with ballet class (quite challenging, but possibly because it was mainly internal students dd said) followed by contemporary class and physio assessment. The panel (2 school directors and a range of staff who came and went for various aspects of the audition) then made decisions about who should go through to the afternoon and those who did presented their 32 bars of 2 different songs, Shakespearean and post 1960 monologue, dance solo and brief interview. Parents had information briefing from dance administrator, head, A level coordinator and accommodation manager and then a brief look at a dance class and tour for those who wanted it. Dd was one of the first to finish (we are at the end of the alphabet and they started the monologues and interviews in reverse alphabetical order) and she was through at 4.00pm. We were told that results would be out by letter 'quickly' and successful auditionees will go forward to April funding audition. Information on funding was that it looks good this year, with hopefully enough dada or bursary (Max 50% bursary) for all those offered support after the funding audition. School has applied for an additional pot of money just before Christmas and is waiting to hear the outcome. Please pm me if you would like more detailed information and I will help if I can.
