Julie 2 Milner

Can only echo everyone else. Grades etc are meaningless for a dance future and career. Every childs body develops at a different rate so pushing too far too fast can have serious negative effects.

Most children have at some time been the big fish esp if they go to vocational school later in life and not at 11. Susccess at festivals seldom translates into a good indication of future success but can be great for giving confidence and performance.

Let her enjoy her dance. If it becomes clear she does want to try a career and teachers etc see it as a possibility then my advice is to increase hours of dance as she matures. If you are not even thinking of vocational until 16 this is vital. Keep up as many styles as she enjoys. No-one really knows how a body will develop and sometimes sadly that can be the deciding factor.

Doing non syllabus classes is good too. Keep an eye on the grade level but don't become obssessed about it. ( I say this as someone who probably did).10 and grade 3 sounds about right to me for most schools. Being en pointe early is not good and a good dance teacher will look at each individual child.

Good luck to you and your daughter and just enjoy. Good luck too with the NYB audition.

Years ago, and it was about 12 years ago when Martin did English Youth Ballet a girl bounced in very proud of herself. She was a big fish in the area, at festivals etc and I guess about 10. She announced that of course she was en pointe at which Janet Lewis firmly told her that she would not be anywhere near pointe shoes at EYB. She did get the lead but Ms Lewis gave us all a talk about the dangers of early point.

Most of theteachers I've know have been insistent on it depending on the strength and physique of the dancer/foot etc.

Of course I've very little experience of pointe work but Martin did do it. All the girls in his class were so he decided he would too. Now buying size 9 pointe shoes is not easy.lol

Katymac a while back I had just this discussion with my nieces, mixed race. My son loves Alvin Ailey and we were joking about whether he could ever get into the company given he is very fair. That led on to Ballet Black and how it is allowed. He has worked with the director when he did Kent Youth Ballet. Interestingly 2 of my nieces thought positive descrimination was wrong the other felt it was great. I'm uncomfortable with the idea.

If you are looking for something extra for your daughter English Youth Ballet is something to consider if they are near you. Or National Youth Ballet though I think that has a very southern bias.

good luck.

I have a question and I really don't mean this to be argumentative. I've always wondered the same about Ballet Black. How can one set up companies for a specific ethnicity? Does this not break all our race laws? Can you imagine the outcry, quite rightly if a youth company was set up for those only of Anglo Saxon descent. It is something I just do not understand., both legally, and why? I do understand wanting to encourage youngsters but companies based on colour and background seems a huge step back. I know Ballet Black felt it was the only way some of their dancers would get work but again to be barred from a company for being white?

So please do not take this as an invitation for arguments or an attack on any company but just a genuine, puzzled enquiry. Just how is it legal?

Already booked:-)

You'll probably find every school has issues. Our year was just very wearing. :-)

Totally agree Tulip but they aren't disciplined Actually many of the foreign students do work harder as they have often come a long way to study. . As I said I hope things have changed but the behaviour was truely shocking. It would not have been tolerated in a local state school but was in this vocational school. All I ask is students work hard but I really think if a student getting a DaDa is consistently rude and abusive the DaDa should be removed. should say this was not just one pupil either.

 Of course this may have just been this school going through a not great time. Same school did have complaints about its students when out and about. A great shame.

Ok first POB school. Certainly have taken "foreigners"in the past. I remember a very interesting article in Dancing times ( I think) about a japanese student accepted and how incredibly hard it was. But in France, companies as well, they do seem to favour the french.

2nd funding  the scholarship from the school, should go to the "best" student. Wherever that student is from. But gov't funding is different so the tax question is not really relevant. Overseas schools can offer huge scholarships for UK students.

3rd touching. My understanding is that what is necessary for the lesson is fine but that does not include slapping. No good teacher I have ever known has ever held off on the touching.

4th at vocational school there is a lot of shouting but I totally disagree that discipline is high in British vocational schools. Hopefully things have changed but when my son was at his school discipline was shocking with boys who told teachers to "F" off not being sanctioned. This is very dispiriting to hard working students and as I've said before something the amazing Russian teacher could not cope with.

Again I do hope things have changed but my brief experience of vocational school was not rewarding. I think our students benefit hugely from interaction with other nationalities and learn a huge amount about life, dedication etc. to leave Japan at 16 to come here is tough and tbh our students need to know this dedication is what they are up against.

We now have students going to Russia which must be so hard but boy do I admire them.

Depends from where they come. EU have EU rights but others pay alot I think. I'm sure scholarships are offered too.

I think there are many "bits" to this. Where are students coming from? We get very few students from Russia unless they go to RBS. Alot from Japan and that is simply down to the fact that job opportunities are very limited in Japan and appallingly paid for women. They need to come to Europe. Australia, again training opportunities aren't huge and companies limited. Alot from Italy. Italy isn't doing well for ballet companies, same for Spain so they need to move away from home. Very few from Germany because ballet training in Germany is excellent, vocational schools very good and opportunities good. Germany has alot of companies, big and small. France again has some excellent training and does have quite a few companies.

Do i think they should get the places? Yes. A school needs the best and if the best aren't British then the better question is why? Personally I do think training in this country needs looking at. The attitude of pupils and staff etc. but not the place for that discussion:-)

So I'm afraid I want the places to be given to the best available then, if you get a place, you know you should be there. Trying to find a company is hard but to know your place in the school is truely on your ability gives you a confidence that your standard is high enough.

Many many congratulations. What wonderful news.

Exams and results may be of little interest in the professional world but they are vitally important to many students themselves. Many use it as a good way to measure themseleves against others. Don't be obssessed by them but if you do them it is only natuarl to wish to do your best. But if a mark is lower than expected put it down to experience. Of course though some competitions do require a particular grade achievement.

Ok gut feeling.... this is basically paying for an apprenticeship. Do they still take apprentices like they used to?

Just as an example the Vienna State Ballet apprentices were paid and got all this. Same in Munich!

Unpaid apprenticeships are the bane of the ballet world. Cheap way of getting corps de ballet and the take up rate of moving into the companies is not so great.

Don't get me wrong. Apprenticships are brilliant. A great link between school and professional. A good way for the dancer's body to mature enough for a company. I really think they are a fabulous way forward but paying for it isn't the way forward. In effect it is paying for more schooling. Of course the name is a huge lure.

Saw this last year. Tremendous fun. Well worth catching.

Was going to say Sussex Summer School too.:-)

Disagree def looking for potential. Obviously they expect a certain standard but I think that is why physique becomes so important. The ability to improve. I think potential is still key.

Legats is boarding. It is attached to St Bedes school

http://www.bedes.org/legat-school.aspx

It has a very long history in this area but over the last few years has suffered frequent changes of head. Two ex Elmhurst people were heads at different times. But recently it seems settled. Others on here may know more.

Also Hammond though maybe you have already considered that.

Have you tried Northern Ballet? Also Legat in East Sussex.I was also going to suggest talking to the Russian Ballet School in Bristol. Good luck.

Congratulations.xx

I have an acting daughter. She graduated in 2009 and has worked but it is tough. She has done a years tour of Germany going into schools and is currently in Barcelona for 6 months. She has done panto here and toured "Sense and Sensibility"

Also my son is a ballet dancer. He is on yearly contracts at the moment which of course is easier. But many dancers also have to go from contract to contract..

Basically the Arts is so tough. Pay for many actors seems to be even worse than dancers. My daughter is really at the stage of does she keep going or does she get a job that will earn her enough to live.

I don't envy any of them.

Wow totally brilliant. Alice, my daughter went to Rose Bruford but loved Central. One of the top 5 for Drama. A wonderful school and lovely location. Many many congratulations. This is a hard school to get a place at.x

Meant to add that the magazine "Dance Europe" usually have a comprehensive summer school listing.

Our only experience of a summer school that could seriously be said to cater for vocational schools was Prague Masterclasses. But did not know about POB.

We were tempted by the Alvin Ailey summer intensive but too long a time committment.

On another tack Hong Kong Ballet used to do a summer school.I have no idea of the real standard though.

Good luck finding something suitable.

Well a very interesting performance. The tour through the bowels was fascinating but actually I would have liked it to be darker and to have more "birds". Obviously it is quite packed with people though they stagger the groups.

It was certainly amazing to stand on the stage. We were very much at the front because of course, they cannot risk us traipsing over the bit they dance on.

I enjoyed the performance itself. Not sure I totally "got" all the videos :-).

The dancing itself was great though I must admit a sneaking relief when the final "group" started as the music moves from rather cacophanous to beautifully melodic.

Would highly recommend this to everyone.

Well it was a while back but at the final audition for Elmhurst there was a physio assessment too. Actually it was funny because loads came out saying "ooh I have one leg shorter" etc.  It was quite quick and seemed a baseline view. Checked spine hips etc. Certainly was nothing to worry about.

It is also probably worth holding the view that if they do find something that will make ballet very difficult as a long term future career better to find out then than later down the line.

Good luck.