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Summer School Warning- Ecole Européenne de Danse Classique

swanprincess

By swanprincess
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swanprincess

swanprincess

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I just wanted to warn people; I made a huge mistake with my summer school applications this year, and applied for a course that isn't very well known, declining a summer school scholarship offer at a UK vocational school, because I wanted to do a course in France. It could've easily turned out much worse than it did; at least now I am home safely!!!

 

 

A summer school called "Ecole Europeanne de Danse Classique" was recently advertised in Dance Europe magazine, as an idyllic ballet retreat set in a castle in picturesque countryside 20km south of Bordeaux, with daily classes in ballet, pointe, repertoire and pas de deux, taught by Silvie Legrand.

 

It was the worst summer school I have ever been to, and I'm very glad to be safely back in the UK!!!

 

The "castle" was in fact a very dilapidated, dirty building, not dissimilar to a cheap, neglected holiday home. Despite paying £450 for the week, the accommodation was filthy, with four girls cramped into a tiny bedroom, and one bathroom between nine of us, with cobwebs and spiders everywhere!!!

 

The "dance studio" was a small barn like room, with no air conditioning; some days we danced for 3 hours in 42Celcius heat! The floor was exceptionally slippery wood, coated with a very thick layer of roisin which made it no more suitable to dance on; the floor was uneven, and after a few days I began to have a grinding pain in my knee and ankles which I've not had before. Having recently recovered from an injury, I was aware that the potential to get injured again was very high due to the unsuitable working conditions- also, despite the fact that all but one of the other dancers looked as though they'd never danced before, the classes that we were given were well above RAD advanced 2 standard!!!! The teacher made no attempt to adapt to our needs as dancers- she said she was teaching us the classes that she had done aged nineteen in the graduate year of the Paris Opera Ballet School, despite the fact that we were no where near that standard!!! I felt reluctant to try any new steps, firstly incase she was teaching them wrongly (despite telling me beforehand that she spoke English, she could speak only a few words of English!!!) and secondly due to the risk of injury.

 

The food- advertised as "organic, with vegetarian and vegan options" was on more than one occasion reminiscent of 18th century workhouse gruel!!! The breakfast every day comprised of a choice of 4 cereals; coco pops, sugar puffs, Frosties or another chocolate cereal (no oats, weetabix, granola, yoghurt, eggs, fruit etc etc) and bread. For lunch we mostly had melon (the only fresh fruit we got all week!!) and plain pasta or couscous. The dinner was frequently soup and bread- snacks were readily available, although the snacks consisted of brioche, crisps, bread and icecream..... Hardly appropriate dancer food, although we were offered tomatoes a few times! I politely explained that in England we eat a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables so could I please have an apple or banana with my breakfast- I was told that the week's food was purchased in advance so nothing extra was possible!!

I have been an ethical vegetarian (eating fish & eggs) for 2 years now, but would've devoured a steak by the 3rd day, my body was so desperate for protein! We were given no protein whatsoever, with the exception of one night when our soup was made from lentils and oats!!! Obviously, this impacted hugely upon my dancing, as I felt weak, my muscles felt heavy and lethargic!

 

On the 3rd day, I asked when we would have the pas de deux and repertoire lessons that had been advertised- only to be told that we would not be studying either, only ballet and pointe!!!! I could've studied both of those at home and learnt far more!

She then went on to insult my teachers and my training, saying that I am not of a high standard so shouldn't be studying pas de deux or repertoire anyway (despite being at vocational school....!!!) she also told me to not do any conditioning or stretching outside of class, then contradicted herself by saying that I was weak technically and physically! Okay I'm not the strongest dancer in the world, but my teachers at ballet school are excellent, so for her to speak badly of them made me livid!!!

 

Also, I recently brought a new pair of Apple headphones- I used them in the afternoon & put them on my bedside table- the following afternoon they had vanished! I told Silvie, she helped me search for them- then she concluded that the other girls were all too kind to have stolen them, so I must have put them somewhere else and forgotten!!!! The day I was due to go home, I asked again whether they'd been found. Silvie replied no, then said "if they turn up when you are home, Silvie Legrand knows your address & will post them to you." I stared at her in shock and said "But you are Silvie Legrand?!" (Before I went, mum and I had liased via email, phone and Facebook message with Silvie Legrand, the woman who claimed to be running the course, and who told me she would teach all classes herself.) Silvie was in fact an admin assistant; the woman claiming to be Silvie was actually a woman called Laurence!!!!

 

Thank God she wasn't anyone with malicious intentions!!!

 

When I was due to return home, we dropped another girl off at the train station; the woman watched to ensure the girl was safely on her train before taking me to the airport. I had informed her that I would need help obtaining my boarding pass- but she didn't park her car, instead pulling up outside the airport, telling me that she couldn't stop and that "it is a small airport, you will find your way okay."

So I was alone in an airport in a foreign country, able to speak very little French, not knowing how to get my boarding pass!!! My poor parents have been physically ill with worry all week; I arrived on the Monday & by Tuesday afternoon was desperately trying to find an earlier flight home!! So I just wanted to advise people to be very wary in future- if ever I apply to another summer school (which I don't think is likely!!!) I'll make sure that it's a well known one run by an established vocational school!

 

Luckily I got home safely (after a 3 hour flight delay!), but...

 

"Ecole Europeanne de Danse Classique" is NOT a real ballet school

 

The conditions in the "school" are neither suitable to live in nor dance in

 

"Silvie Legrand" is not a ballet teacher

 

The advert in Dance Europe magazine was not placed by the woman who taught there; she did not even know of the advert!

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aileen

aileen

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Goodness me. That sounds awful. Are you going to take the matter up with the real school (if it exists) and Dance Europe? Is there a regulatory or trade body in France that you could contact about this?

 

As you say, it's best to be wary of summer programmes that you've never heard of or that no-one on this forum can vouch for.

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LinMM

LinMM

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Swan princess what a truely awful experience for you ....I feel so sorry for what happened ...if Imhad friends in Bordeaux area I would get them to check the whole school out if running another week.

In fact I'm speechless with the cheek of it all ....I feel you are definitely owed some sort of compensation ...did you make another friend there who you could liase with to possibly pursue this?

Lots of love

Linda xxxxx

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alison

alison

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This is appalling.  I'm aware that France is perhaps less well-regulated than the UK (I remember a few decades ago French students being fascinated by our Trades Descriptions Act), but even so, this sort of thing shouldn't be allowed.  I'll get in touch with some of my French contacts and see what they can advise, because this sort of thing really shouldn't be allowed.

 

If you haven't heard from me in a few days, do give me a nudge.  I have rather a lot on my plate at the moment :)

 

In the meantime, I'd say you definitely ought to be contacting Dance Europe.  They should be warned about these people.

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Peanut68

Peanut68

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So sorry you had such an awful experience SP - thank you for sharing & forewarning others about this shoddy organisation to hopefully spare others such an awful unsafe time & from wasting money. I hope you get some recompense & good luck in your future dancing x

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swanprincess

swanprincess

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Thank you for the replies!

The advert was on dance Europe magazine's website, which doesn't have any contact details for the magazine- does anyone know how to contact them please? I've emailed the woman who taught the course to complain but doubt I'll get a response!

 

Yes, Pictures, it is concerning..... When I was taken back to the airport, we dropped another girl off to the train station first, then the lady returned to the station to pick up girls who had just arrived..... Meaning that the students who were staying for 2 weeks (a 10 year old & 4 other girls aged between 15 and 18) were left at the house alone for around 5 hours!!! Goodness knows what could've happened..!!!

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Dance*is*life

Dance*is*life

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My goodness - there is a ten year old there????  It sounds truly horrific!  I wonder if the parents realise what their little girl must be going through.  And why so few on the course?  Perhaps most people are aware that it is a disaster?  I would definitely complain through official sources. By the way - I just put the name into google and nothing came up - isn't that wierd??????

Edited by Dance*is*life
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alison

alison

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Where it says that courses are given in English, French, German and Dutch - among other things.

 

You could try giving the course a rating, swanprincess.  I don't know whether they'd accept an entry in English, though.

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kcoom75

kcoom75

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Swan Princess glad you're home safely now, if you click on the link, there is an option to share it on Facebook. Maybe you could post your warning with the link and make it public for people to share?

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Peanut68

Peanut68

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OMG!!!! Well folks, reckon I could easlly utilise some old broom handles as ballet barres & call my mouldy damp summerhouse at rhe bottom of the garden a 'state of the art' dance studio.....even has glamourous views of......a cemetery!!! Any takers? :o

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LinMM

LinMM

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What are charging Peanut68?

You could advertise afternoon tea provided on the lawn!

 

Sorry Swan Princess at the joking as know it was a dire experience for you in France.....still hoping you will get all or some of your money back.

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Kate_N

Kate_N

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 if you click on the link, there is an option to share it on Facebook. Maybe you could post your warning with the link and make it public for people to share? 

 

That is an excellent suggestion. I've just followed Tog's link, and clicked on the Facebook icon, and it clicks through easily & invites me to comment. I think you could say something, Swanprincess, prefaced with the statement that your experience is first hand.

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TYR

TYR

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I am impressed by the performance chops demonstrated by that photo. It takes real confidence to look like that when the show's falling apart behind you. It's a lesson of sorts...

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Guest

Guest

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Does anyone else think its odd that its advertised on a Belgian website when the course takes place in France? Different levels of regulation peut etre?

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