Ballet Saga

Yet they want to become a dancer. Madness!

Not naive at all. I know many families who go on long holidays etc and a myriad of other luxurious activities but moan about the cost of a ballet ticket! Which can be very cheap. And not just ballet, any dance. I’m sorry if I hit a nerve with you but that’s your life and you don’t need to defend anyone else’s life. Can we just be real and admit that there are lots of people that could easily go and see performances and don’t? I don’t understand why people get so defensive about this issue. How can you be serious about your child becoming a ballet dancer and not take them to watch dance?

If you live in London you have the opportunity to get last minute tickets and there are definitely ways and means to see the ballet cheaply. Also there are more dance performances in general to go and see. Which is important for a dancer in training.

Yes it’s great that some are shown in the cinema now. Some performances cost the same as the cinema if you can get to them. It should be a priority to at least see a couple of live performances a year surely? Sometimes it’s down to priorities isn’t it? It also doesn’t always have to be the Royal Ballet etc. Some smaller companies tour performances and the ticket price is very reasonable. I’m seeing a short performance in June for just £12.50 (and that’s all tickets at that price).

I find this extraordinary that many families who have children training to be ballet dancers, very rarely see the ballet or much dance at all! I know so many who pay out 100s for training and extras but never take their child to the ballet…And moan about the cost of a ticket! How can they know what level is expected if they don’t see it for themselves? And how can they not support the ballet?

I’ve heard of some graduates doing more than one graduate year. And now more schemes like that are popping up. So even more schools making promises!

So too many schools then? Too many opportunities? Just a thought! I’m sure there are many talented dancers but the companies must pick the very best. Maybe the goal posts have changed and expectations are higher.

Too many schools is also part of the problem leading to too many graduates. I wonder how many of the 950 who auditioned were actually at the standard that’s needed? Just a thought as I have no idea! But it is something that crosses my mind. Does that skew the impression that there are no jobs?

My advice would be don’t go too mad! You can always send things if they need them, and they’ll be home regularly. A sharpie is the best way to label things. You usually don’t need any extra furniture, the rooms will likely be small and the kids that bring masses of extras just take up all the room!

My son has recently done all of these finals (including Elmhurst) and he said ENBS was the hardest (but then again they only did one round this year). It’s really hard when it comes to exams as they don’t mark you on physique or what a particular school is looking for. Rather than exams achieved I would be concentrating on technique. My son only ever took his intermediate. But he has worked extremely hard over the last couple of years perfecting his technique and that’s what has done him well, not exams.

You could try for an MA? Don’t be put off by the eligibility requirements on the websites, contact them directly and plead your case! You can get a student loan for it. There seems to be quite a few dance MAs that are a year long. https://www.postgraduatesearch.com/pgs/search?course=dance

In all the auditions my child was not once asked about having any UCAS points

Agree with above. She’s at the right level. Vocational schools don’t expect more than intermediate by year 11. Plus it doesn’t really matter anyway. What matters is how she dances at the audition, that’s what they will be judging her on. But it’s handy to have your intermediate I would say.

I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised! I’ve enjoyed watching at the cinema.

Does she do any drama classes? That could help her. I don’t think you need to be a noisy and over the top child to succeed in ballet. And she’s so young, I would just keep encouraging her and she will learn to find her voice. I honestly wouldn’t be worrying about this right now because of her age. If she still won’t talk to her ballet teachers in a few years then I would be wondering if there is something behind it. Children change dramatically as they grow up. A shy and quiet 6 year old could be an outgoing and loud 12 year old!

End of next week they should be out.

I’m sure it’s an online video but they expect a solo. My DC didn’t audition for them but he heard that’s what they want.

I think the schools want talented kids. There are a lot of decent kids out there and that’s part of the problem. The jobs can take the best of the best. Plus it’s being at the right place at the right time. So it’s not even about being good or not. I’m sure all the kids are good dancers after all the years of training. The schools are all good schools. It really is heartbreaking for the kids after they’ve worked so hard.

Yes I would like to know this too! A lot of schools seem to have such successful graduates…But statistically that can’t be right! I’m sure the schools just give the impression of success for most. Which at the end of the day pulls in pupils which is what the schools need to run… Also worth noting the schools that assess out or don’t take many of their own into the graduate year look so much better on paper! And it’s quite obvious why! Edited to add: this is why I tried not to listen to the ‘noise’ when it came to decision making for my DCs school. Looking for graduate destinations doesn’t tell you much about a school.

I think hard work and determination count for a lot!

Gosh! It’s madness. I know even in non arts industries it’s similar. So many jobs are insanely competitive for young people. But I do believe the attitude ‘it might be me’ isn’t a bad one to have! Keep going!

I think it’s worth noting that even a ‘top’ school doesn’t guarantee a job. I know a lot of people are swayed by the names of schools. Schools are a business in their own right at the end of the day. They need students and they know that there will be hardly any jobs for their graduates. That’s just the reality of it sadly. Hence why all the graduate schemes have popped up (another business). I fear for my DC like all of us do our kids. We want them to find work. But only a few will. You have to keep trying though if that’s what you want. I would say don’t be too picky when it comes to a job, a job is a job at the end of the day! Good luck to your DD. Good luck to all the graduates this year. I wish there was a job for them all.

The email says early April so should be soon

The email says early April. Hopefully that’s sooner rather than later!

I don’t think there is movement into the company from the school. You have to see them as separate entities really.