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Very happy to change the direction of the discourse if it’s provoked discord/digression 😖 but do want to state for the record that An Ode wasn’t intended as anything more than an expression of feeling (perhaps tinged with sadness/frustration) about the degree which any of us has control over our context or the uniformity of the playing field we (or our DCs) happen to be playing in. I’m grateful to the moderators for not deleting it - albeit this is now tinged with guilt for inadvertently provoking dissent! I hope the post can nevertheless be viewed as a benign and authentic expression of feelings and thoughts. It actually came from a place of hope and optimism (however naively) which makes it harder to switch to 'what to do when things go wrong'. But maybe it's the hope that kills you! So, I will certainly read and reflect on people's thoughts and experiences ☺️

You looked at me but did not smile, And held my heart a little while. I wanted you to share my zest For pirouettes and arabesques. But all you saw were those around me, Whose extensions are astounding, Due to their environment They shower a grander battement. This is impressive, I’ll not argue, Who wants to watch a lazy tendu?! But let me offer another view Of what it’s like in our dance schools. Where focus tends to be on the ‘whole’ Academics, and social all part of the goal. Gradually developing those developées Tortoise v hare for dancer longevity? That doesn’t mean that we don’t care. Nor does it mean that we lack flair. A product made from whence we came Haven’t we still got skin in the game? We arrive with plans. We come with dreams. Being put in our place Just strengthens our seams. The sacrifices that we make Matter as much as those from the States. They’re just as many as those from France, From Spain and Russia. And all who dance! If we were exposed to Vaganova Would we be able to win you over? As it is, we dutifully Follow the course of RAD. That doesn’t mean that we can’t do it, That we lack something as we go through it! It simply means that context matters So please don’t leave our hearts in tatters. Try if you can to see beyond Those perfectly formed ronds de jambe. Instead, consider our innate graces The musicality etched on our faces. Don’t view lack of polish with disdain; we too have bodies you can train! Look to the soul and qualities within That you can take out but can’t put in. Consider giving us a chance, To make it in the world of dance. Don’t assume there’s not more there if you can see a little flair. Nurture, invest and shape our attitudes. Don’t fob us off with worthy platitudes. Take us, mould us, make us fly And we’ll set our limits beyond the sky.

Ooh, I always thought Melissa H had a short stint at RBS following Elmhurst, but it seems she didn’t, @alison. So, yes, that and new policies offer a glimmer of hope for others. But it all seems so impenetrable from where I'm standing. One thing I wonder a lot about is how all the talk there is around international talent must have on those kids from UK. The sheer psychology of it must play some part, with many candidates automatically thinking they stand no chance against the talent from abroad in the later lower - and upper - school years? I’ve heard own DC and hopeful (talented) others talk about how inaccessible WL seems to them because they perhaps lack a certain polish, and not quite yet attaining the advanced levels apparently achievable outside UK training. I sense UK students always feeling on the back foot. Can't imagine what it must be like auditioning alongside these highly trained competitors.

Long-term, occasional forum-lurker here, coming out of the wings and entering stage left for better or worse! 😄👋 My sense is that the Summer Intensives are dealt with completely separately to the main school so would have thought the number of staff on panel at finals over the weekend wouldn't have an impact on the intensive selection process? 🤔 I suppose if it's at the Admin (emailing results) stage, the office staff might have been a bit busy though 🙈