Should my dd audition for a vocational ballet school?

[BalletStars]

At the moment my dd is in year 5 at school (she is ten this month) and she loves dance, especially ballet. Next month she is doing her Grade 4 ISTD modern, last month she did her Grade 4 ISTD ballet and in September she is doing her Grade 4 ISTD tap and ISTD bronze jazz. Her weekly timetable looks like this for this half term (Summer 2nd)

Monday:

4-5.15=Grade 5 ballet

5.15-6.15=Grade 4 modern

6.15-7.15=Grade 4 tap

Tuesday:

5-6.15=Non-syllabus ballet

6.15-7=Musical Theatre

7-8=Bronze jazz

Thursday:

4-5=Grade 5 ballet

5-6=Grade 4 modern

6.30-7.30=Grade 4 tap

7.30-8.30=Bronze jazz

Saturday:

1-2=Grade 5 ballet

2-2.45=Grade 4 tap

2.45-3.30=Musical Theatre

3.30-4.15=Grade 4 modern

4.15-5=Bronze Jazz

Do you think this is enough dance and good enough grades for my dd to get into a vocational ballet school for yr 7?

 

[BalletStars]

Also, I have been told that she has the physique for ballet and she has auditioned and got into English Youth Ballet but we had to pull out for financial reasons.

[aileen]

Your daughter could get into a vocational school on one ballet lesson a week and at Grade 1 standard if she has the right physique and shows enough potential. The number of hours of dance per week, the length of time she has been learning and her examination results don't matter. Your daughter is doing an extraordinarily large number of hours per week and I've never heard of a child of her age doing three tap classes per week. Perhaps you are outside the UK.

[balletmum20]

What I have learnt this year with doing the process, it does not matter how many classes you are doing, what grade you are at, and how good you are, it's all about potential, I know someone this year who does one class a week? Only grade 2, and only started ballet 7 months ago, but still got into a top school with funding!! So I'm not sure it matters, and yes that seems a lot to me too! X

[orchidblue]

My DD was offered a place at vocational school for Year 7 after attending an associates audition. She didn't do nearly as much dance as your DD. At that age they aren't looking for how many hours per week you already do but potential for the future. If you & your DD want to audition for vocational school then go for it. She obviously has potential if she got a place in EYB but each school looks for something different and it will all depend on whether they like what they see on the day in comparison to the other auditionees. Treat it as a wonderful experience in itself. Good luck whatever you decide. x

[Jan McNulty]

Hello Balletstars and welcome to the Forum!

[BalletStars]

At the moment she is doing an extra class in modern, tap andd jazz in the run up to her exams so usually she would only do two classes of each of these a year.

[Lisa O`Brien]

Welcome to the Forum. Are you located in the UK BalletStars? [Oh I'm assuming you must be if your daughter auditioned for English Youth Ballet !! ]

Edited June 5, 2016 by Lisa O`Brien

[amos73]

I agree with ballet mum20, at this age for year 7 entry the over riding factor is physique as vocational Schools believe they can train the right physique.

[primrose]

Vocational schools look for several things, ability and potential skipping,jumping, turning , physique, musicality, turn out, flexibility and that little something that makes the panel want to watch the dancer.

[angel]

One thing I wish i'd known is that one or two classes per week with the right teacher is worth a hundred classes with the wrong one...

[Pups_mum]

Does your daughter want to go to vocational school, and are you willing and able to support her in that ambition, but also to deal with potential disappointment? If yes, then she should audition. None of us can tell you whether she will be successful in gaining a place either for year 7 or at some later point - it depends on many things, but have others have said already, it is much more about potential than current attainment in the younger age groups.Trying to predict audition outcomes very difficult, is likely to drive you mad and is generally best avoided! The only way to know if she will get a place is to audition,but do be aware that there are vastly more talented children applying for places than there are spaces available so both you and your daughter need to be prepared for all eventualities. Good luck whatever you decide.