Vonrothbart

A letter arrived this morning to say my grandaughter has made it through the first round, so that's good news. Remarkably her close friend has also made it to the final, not bad for two girls from the Hull area. We all know however that's when the going gets tough, but hey lets enjoy for the time being at least.

I think the SA thing is interesting. In Martin's year only one even got through to the second audition and he didn't get upper school.  The boys were not taught by a RBS teacher. He admitted he had no idea what the RBUpper school were looking for. Any interaction I had with RBS made me feel they deemed the associate scheme very seperate and cynically I did wonder if it was fulfilling some outreach objective. Don't get me wrong. It is a great thing to have on your CV for future company auditions but I think we parents give it more weight than it holds.

 

Again depressing as it is at upper school auditions they seem to be overwhelmingly disinterested in so much of what the dancer has already achieved. TBH it is similar to so many sports. Its what you do on the day that counts.

 

I really don't mean to cast such a negative shadow but it cannot be overstressed how tough it all is.

 

Not sure I understand the "self serving" comment made earlier however.

Julie, why should what the dancer has already achieved be of much use, it's what potential they have for the future that really counts. A lot of dancers like any other talented people only go so far before hitting their max for many different reasons, so it really is irrelevant, although it can be a little soul destroying for the individual concerned and maybe more so for their parents.   

Absolutely spot on Evie, it's not how good we think we are, it's all about potential, it's pointless the judges taking anyone without it.

I've seen these situations many many times, when young footballers and rugby players are told they aren't quite up to it, on most occasions their parents are the ones who take it the hardest. It's a tough tough world out there, and I'm sure there will be reasons just why your dd didn't quite make it this time. There is also a lot of quality competiton that your dd is up against, so I'm very sorry to have to say this, but you need to toughen up and just accept that for once your dd didn't quite do the business, and you should encourage her to bounce back and try again if that's what she wants. It made me think a little about your husbands attitude that maybe you've had her on a pedestal, just a thought mind you, but a swan amongst ducks and wanting to threaten the judges, hhhhmmmmmm.

Thanks for all the good wishes, fingers crossed.

Why thank you spannerandpony, it's very nice to be here.

My youngest grandaughter has been a JA for the past two years and is auditioning along with all the others later this month for White Lodge. I know the odds are stacked against the majority of the applicants but as she is only ten, the experience will be good, but like all the others she will obviously be disappointed if unsuccessful especially after spending a couple of weeks there at Summer School, which she is still excited about. It would be great if all the applicants were successful but we all know the probable outcome for 99% of them, but that shouldn't stop them believing and aiming as high as is possible.