KatyCustard

Hello I'm using my mums account I'm going to see Tring in march for an opening date I can't wait I hope that if I audition I can get in as Tring looks AMAZING! Tring seems to be the best dance school I have seen so far and for me to be a choreographer it would be the best starting point.

Ho hum, it's a "no" here too! I'm about to go and pick my DD up from school, and then we're going to go shopping as a treat to take her mind off it. Yes I'm disappointed for her, but I can honestly say that reading everyone else's experiences on here has been hugely helpful, especially with regard to not giving up, which I may have been tempted to suggest otherwise. We're going to up her number of lessons of one to two in September and take it from there. In the mean time it's keep calm and carry on dancing! Katy xxx

Argh! Have you had your PippinPointe? Or do you know someone else who has? (Edited for speeling!)

Oh and to answer your question Spannerandapony, she is 9, in Year 4.

Hi everyone, thank you for all your replies, much appreciated. The man who runs the potential dance school phoned me today; he was lovely and I explained that my DD is very keen to do more ballet and maybe another style, and about the current teacher not offering more than one lesson (but not about how my DD feels about her). He said that he didn't have a problem with her studying with more than one teacher but that it would depend on how her current teacher feels. He's going to email me some class times and the fees and we'll take it from there. I don't think her current teacher will mind - one of the other girls in my DDs class goes to a private school where they have one ballet lesson a week in school. It's interesting what people have said about my daughter's perception of her teacher not liking her. It's not really to do with her correcting her, more that she feels that she snaps at her more than at the other 3 girls. I don't really know what to think really - all I see is the end of term presentation they do to parents and the occasional glimpse through the glass in the doors as I dash past chasing my toddler! I think it is just a case of a personality clash, and that in itself is not enough to make us change schools. It's really about wanting to do more than her current teacher can offer. I do appreciate all the replies - I've been really busy at work and so have read each one on my phone, but this is the first chance I've had to get back to the lap top to reply!

Hello, We are currently in that awful waiting-for-a-letter period from our JA audition and we've been talking to our DD about what she wants to do with regard to her dancing. She's told us that even if it's a "no" (and we're being realistic) she wants to try again for RBS JAs again next year, and maybe other associate classes (Tring/Elmhurst). However she wants to do more ballet, and maybe have a go at another style. Her current teacher rents one or two venues but only offers one grade 2 ballet class a week, and doesn't teach other styles. I've found another dance school that offers ballet, along with modern and tap, and seems much more set up as a "school". It's got it's own studio with a mirror in it, something my DD loved at her JA audition as she said she found it really helpful as she could finally see where she needed to "tweak herself to how they want" (Her words ). So these are my questions: 1. Is it wise to have more than one ballet teacher? I know that if (IF) she gets a JA place that would mean more than one teacher, and the JA scheme is designed to run alongside current lessons. So is it alright to have two non RBS teachers at different dance schools? 2. I've always thought that if she's serious about ballet that another style like modern or tap might not be a good idea? But I know that at Elmhurst they teach other styles, so maybe I've got the wrong end of the stick. What do you think? I'm waiting for a call back from the man who runs the potential new dance school. I will of course be open with both teachers. On his website it states that to go to other lessons he must give his permission. I assume that's aimed at existing students, but it makes me wonder if he would accept a student from another school. I know he will tell me himself when I speak to him, but I think the other thing that is at the back of my mind is that my DD feels that her current teacher doesn't really like her. She's quite short with her and my DD often comes home feeling a bit dejected, which is a shame - there are only 4 girls in total in her class so it's hard to "dilute" a personality clash when the numbers are that small, if you see what I mean. So I'm also wondering if we take the plunge and change schools completely. Sorry for the long rambling post. Sometimes I worry that I'm living vicariously through my DD and that we should never have gone down this route... but she just loves to dance.

Congratulations! Brilliant news! So Birmingham and Manchester letters appear to be out; where else were people going for? We've got a good few weeks to wait I should think, as we were in London.

BRILLIANT! Snape that is really wonderful news! Well done to your DD! x

Thanks Balletmum20, I'd better stop lurking in wait for the postman. He might get the wrong end of the stick....

Congratulations Twiglet - such a huge achievement, although it's hard when there's not much to show for it! But it really is an incredible thing to get on to that list, and I really hope that she is off the list and dancing as a JA before too long. Brilliant. I saw your post on my phone at work and immedeiately phone home to see what the postie brought us today... of course there was no letter - we were in one of the last batch of auditions in London! A week on form the auditions and we've pretty much tried to forget about it and stay realistic... but every now and again I find myself muttering "please, please oh please"!! The Custardling is much cooler than me about it all, as I've said before! Congratulations again to your DD Twiglet.

I think box splits are when your legs go straight out at the sides with your body facing forwards, and scissor splits are with one leg in front, one behind. I'm glad you all enjoyed my post! I like to try and see the funny side of things. I'm appalled at the mother forcing her child into stretching. The stuff we saw was a tad showy offy, certainly not cruel like that sounds. Reminds me of a magazine article I read about the little Russian gymnasts who are trained like that. Anyway, the auditions are over! And so the waiting begins....

Thank you everybody, glad I made you smile! It's such a relief to off load to people who understand! Spax I remember that you'd said before (or was it someone else?) that box splits are not the be all and end all. I did try and reassure her but I suppose the nerves took hold. There's no doubt that those girls are good dancers and I have a suspicion may be regulars on the dance competition circuit! Edited to add - REEM good luck to your DD tomorrow! You'll have loads of fun! (Any spots of blood on the carpet are ours.)

Ok so now we've done it I'm wondering what all the fuss was about.... No. Seriously, be prepared for a blow-by-blow account! First thing - I am rubbish at ballet hair. My DD hasn't done an exam yet, so I've never had to do it before and for some inexplicable reason she tried to give herself a side fringe with disastrous consequences about 3 weeks ago, so I dutifully bought a bun net, some hair gel and spray and managed to get it looking passable. However by the time we were in the taxi from St. Pancras it was sticking up like Sonic the Hedgehog. However we found a loo in the Starbucks round the corner and repaired it. As we walked towards Floral Street we spotted several "bunheads" but they all seemed to be leaving, and I managed to get a photo of my DD outside the RBS front door from the other side of the street with no-one around! We made our way past the receptionist and as we came out on to the first floor landing, lo and behold we were greeted by a little girl back flipping across the foyer . So we made our way into a dance studio (it had a barre and mirrors and everything - very exciting for us as my DD does her lessons in a church hall with a portable barre! ). There were bleacher style seats that had little clusters of girls and their adults sitting waiting, and we went over to the table. A very nice lady registered my DD. Then she explained that we would wait here, that there were two panel members and one teacher who would be watching her and that there would be nothing too hard. She gave my DD her numbers and then quite clearly said "Now please don't worry about doing to much warming up. A couple of gentle stretches is fine but we really don't want to see you doing anything else because the class includes a warm up." You have to remember that my DD and I are total novices at this, so I probably shouldn't have been surprised when, a few minutes after being told this, six or seven of the girls (most of whom seemed to know each other) began to drop in to box splits and do that high leg kick thingy and all manner of weird and wonderful stretches. My DD, already nervous, got quite tearful ("oh Mummy look how amazing they are") and then promptly had a nose bleed! So I hurried her down into the foyer where a lady in a suit saw us and ran for some tissues. When she came back I said "Oh thank you so much, she's just a bit nervous; we've never done anything like this before." and the lady said to my DD "Oh dear we've never had a nose bleed before, there's nothing to worry about." My DD replied "But they're all amazing doing box splits and I can't do it!" and the lady said "Well they really shouldn't be, we have told everyone not to do to much warming up". We went back into the hall to find the original lady asking everyone to stop warming up... not on account of us I may add, as she didn't know about the nose bleed or about our exchange with the lady in the foyer. (Who turned out to be one of the panel. ) Anyway, nosebleeds and tears out of the way, a gentleman arrived and asked us all to sit down and thanked us all for coming. He explained that they would like to offer everyone a place ( tactful!) but that they would only choose a few, and just to relax and enjoy it and try again next year if we liked. Then they lined them up in numerical order and as she went off I saw my DD stand tall and smile and knew she'd be fine. We then were moved to the next door studio where we waited (I was SO tempted to do a bit of barre work, just so I could say I had!) I had a chat with one of the ladies volunteering in the "shop" selling RBS stuff. For "chat" read "made a complete idiot of my self". Why was I so nervous? They weren't auditioning me! She was a lovely lady with a daughter in year 10 at White Lodge. Interestingly her daughter was never a JA, but did London Youth Ballet. So I whiled away the hour by reading the RBS report from 2010/11 that they left out for us and before I knew it they were back. My DD's default position about everything is "it was alright" but through the day we have gleaned that, yes it was in fact all stuff she's done before, that she thought the lady who helped us when her nose bled was kind and kept smiling at her ("but not because I was the best, she probably just felt sorry for me"), that she enjoyed working with a mirror "because I can finally see what I look like!", and that even if it's a "no" she wants to up the number of ballet lessons she does a week from 1 to 3 and try again next year. Phew! Not sure I can go through it again! Results out early July, or a bit earlier if they can. I bought her a RBS black hoodie (£20!!!!), then we went to the Indian next door and had a good laugh about it all. We went and watched a hilarious street performer (the pogo stick guy, seen it before but still very funny), and all the nerves and anxiety went as we laughed - a really good way to finish off. Phew. There you have it. Sorry to ramble but it may be informative for other newbies like us one day! (We're experts now, clearly.) (PS I make no judgement on those who warm up with box splits etc. If my daughter had more confidence and could do them she'd have been down there with the best of them. )

Hi Julie and Pups_mum, Both of those posts are exactly what I needed to see tonight. I've got my DD asleep in bed next to me (special treat to help with the nerves!), ballet shoes in their bag on the kitchen table, leotard, bun net, grips and hairspray all laid out next to it, alongside the letter, which I've read 20 times this evening, just in case I've missed a vital piece of info! We've been really calm and kept busy today, and now that it's actually here all I can think is how proud I am of her just for trying. I think at this point I just feel that this experience on it's own is worth so much that the outcome is almost (almost!) irrelevant. Her primary school have been lovely, and have made a bit of a fuss of her, just for auditioning (I don't think they understand that they all get an audition!), as she has struggled academically and has a lot of support for reading and writing. So she knows she's got people rooting for her, and tomorrow is just going to be FUN. Afterwards we'll have lunch in Covent Garden and then maybe go to the aquarium or whatever we fancy doing. Sorry, I know I'm rambling. Oh, as an aside, I was hugely impressed by the way the letter from the RBS was worded, so sensible but so lovely at the same time. I'll report back tomorrow!

Thanks balletmum! We're up tomorrow! eeeek!

I did have a giggle to myself on the application form when they asked for parent's heights I half expected the next bit to ask for our weight! I'm no ballet dancer! None of us are really sure where she's got this from

Hello BalletAbbiesMum, reading your posts is like reading my own thoughts! (Except my daughter's audition is next Thursday morning) I asked her tonight how she'd feel if she didn't get in, she shrugged and said "fine. I just have another go another time". Cool as a cucumber! I think I want it almost more than she does! We too are trying to be realistic. If you want more info and chat on JAs there's another thread going with some of us other parents who are going through the agony too! Good luck to Abbie! xxx

Hi Twiglet, Thanks for your account of your experience,I popped over to the other forum just now and saw your post but couldn't reply because I forgot my password! It's been really helpful; I read it out loud to my DD (she giggled at the bit about the warming up!). I can see how it may come across as competitive, and if she'd seen that whilst waiting and feeling nervous it may well have started to fill her with self-doubt, as she is so inexperienced she wouldn't really know where to begin with warming up stretches, and as neither she or I know what we're doing I'd rather she didn't lest she pulled a muscle. You've all been so kind and helpful on this forum, and I can't wait to post about our experience. I myself am looking forward to a wander round Covent Garden without the childerbeasts in tow for once! Katy

Our letter came today Balletmum20. Sadly it's not the same day as yours; we've been given 30th May. I thought the letter was very friendly and sensibly worded. Really excited now. Whatever the outcome, we're focusing on being brave enough to try, and the opportunity of dancing at the RBS, even if it's just once!

balletmum20 we haven't had our letter yet either! Beginning to get a bit twitchy now!

From what I can gather they pretty much ask everyone to audition who applies, unless I suppose it is immediately obvious from the pictures that the child's physique is not right. I assume that they then use them for reference afterwards? It's my daughter's first time auditioning so I don't really know though. I'm sure someone with more knowledge and experience will be along soon! We haven't had our letter yet; keeping our eyes peeled!

This has been very interesting and extremely helpful - my DD is less nervous now she has some idea of what she will be doing. She has been practicing her flexibility exercises like mad - she's great at froggy legs both ways and king cobra and the stretching both arms and legs whilst keeping back flat to the floor, but she's struggling with box splits a bit (has noticeably improved but it's not perfect). She's just taking it all in her stride as she knows that with 18 months of lessons for 45 mins a week she's very inexperienced. We had the email confirmation a few days ago, so we're just waiting on a date now!

Thanks everyone, you're all so friendly! Balletmum20 she will have just turned 9 if she gets an audition - it woudl be good to be able to say "hello" to someone if we get the same date.

Hello, I posted on here about a year ago about JAs and everyone was very friendly and helpful. We decided to leave auditioning until this year, and yesterday DDs ballet teacher spent ages helping us get the photos right. So the form will be going in the post this week (fortunately we are wanting a London audition as the other centres' deadline has passed!) I was very grateful to her teacher for her attention to detail in the photos, ensuring the correct line, posture etc. My dd got a bit worried as she found holding a couple of the poses hard but her teacher reassured her that they don't normally have to stay that still when dancing! So now we just have to wait and see! I think I know really that she won't get in - but what fun to say she auditioned for the RBS JAs! Even just being brave enough to try deserves admiration in my book! Maybe we'll see some of you in London?

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I plucked up the courage to phone her teacher today (I needed courage because I didn't her to think "Here we go, another one who thinks her princess is the next Darcey Bussell"!) I asked her to be completely honest and give it to me straight. She was lovely, and said that she thought that T (my daughter) is one of the better ones in her class - rythm, grace etc. but that JA is extremely competitive and that she thought the turn out from her hips was not quite right. (Habe absolutley no clue what this means!!!) This made me a bit sad, because it seems a shame that if she does have potential it's her physique that may stop her from going down that particular route. But then it sounds like that is quite common. Are other schools less worried about it? Still, at least the teahcer agrees that she's a good dancer, and she advised me to be open minded about other ballet schools. The Royal Ballet School seems like such a fantasy that I can hardly believe I actually said it all out loud! I do appreciate your responses, they were very helpful xx