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Genee 2017


Ellie

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Many of the students in full time pre professional training in Australia pass RAD Advanced 2 at 15 years and a few even take and pass solo seal at 16/17 years. Getting distinction is standard if the student is aiming for a professional career. Students will often take Int, Adv 1and Adv 2 exams on consecutive years (or even less). I'm not saying this is necessarily a good thing!

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14 hours ago, sarahw said:

Incredible how many finalists are 15 and must already have Adv 2 distinction!! Amazing.

and note that none of the 15 year olds are British. Coincidence?

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This if off topic, and possibly a little ranty, but this is my 2 cents...

I'll just point out that for these Aussie students wanting to win a place (and finance) at a school like Royal Ballet or Elmhurst or really any of the upper schools in the UK, competitions like this are seen as the 'only chance'. In fact, many of the 'full time' dance studio programs deliberately teach both RAD and cecchetti to make their students eligible for the most competitions possible! If you think about it, it's not like a student from down under can casually fly to England a couple times to audition for ballet schools. There's not really a comparative 'upper school' system that I know of in Australia, students tend to dance full time at a 'local studio' and do distance or online schooling until they're university age, then do a degree in dance. For the serious kids who have the same aspirations to attend upper schools as British students do, the pressure is on to qualify and make the finals at one of these competitions and be noticed by a big international school (particularly for the girls). I'm not saying I agree with the system or the amount of pressure placed on our young people, but this might be why the Australian's are on average younger than the brits?

 

53 minutes ago, sarahw said:

Probably not a coincidence. .... A lot seem to be Aussie.  Are they all at normal academic schools?

I'd say most of them aren't at 'normal' academic schools. The majority probably train full time at a studio either in conjunction with a part time course-load at a participating school or through online education programs/homeschooling. 

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Dear all

 

Without going into the Aussie/Brit issue which is complex I want to know if the judging panel have the following information when they are judging or is it just the number of the dancer only.  Country of dancer, school attending and dance teacher's name.

 

There are news articles currently stating that many large companies including the BBC, omitting school and university details from job applications as a way of avoiding conscious or unconscious bias.

 

Do you think that bias has crept into the Genee? Do you think this may result in perhaps a less rich final from an artistry point of view? Do certain schools or teachers hold sway with the RAD? Your thoughts please.

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To anwer Ravasmum - as the Genée is an in-house closed competition of the RAD, and to take part the dancer has to have passed Adv 2 with Distinction, the exam entry form will name the teachers who have taught them the syllabus.  So I can't see how it could be made a "blind" entry, or what purpose it would serve.  

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Thanks pas de quatre for the info. I am familiar with requirements. Though is there a time limit on how long ago you did your Adv2 exam? Or how many times you can compete in the competition?

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Yes it will be very interesting to see where Harris Beattie goes on graduation.  

 

The time limit for the Genée is by age - you must be between 15 and 19 on the closing date for applications.  I know some people have competed more than once, but I don't know if there is a set number of times it is allowed.

 

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Just wanted to add that the only NZ representative made it to the finals, and trains (in ballet) at our dance school. She goes to a normal state secondary school and is in Year 11 (age 15). I have the greatest admiration for these teenagers who manage to reach such a high standard!

Yes Australia has more options for pre-professional training. In NZ you have to go to a private school or home-school if you want to train during schooltime before Year 12.

Edited by Cara in NZ
add home-schooling option
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Wow Cara, she has done incredibly well especially when she attends a normal state school and a non-vocational dance school! I hope she continues her dance journey (for as long as she wants to do that) as well as she has started it - aged 15, qualified for the Genee and a finalist! 

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11 minutes ago, Flit_and_float said:

Ellis who also made finals is only 16 & trains a local everyday ballet school too (albeit a good one but just your average dance school) pretty amazing for anyone to get to Genee level before they even start full time training!

I honestly thought all the finalists were in full time training. That is amazing not just for the pupils but also their teachers. The standard of training available outside the Vocational Schools must be very high at some Ballet Studios. Well done to them all. 

 

PS Would love to see an award/medal handed to the teachers of the medalists in the final, as an acknowledgement by the Genee. 

Edited by balletbean
To add the PS
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As the competition is held in September the teacher for UK students might have only met the dancer that term as they arrive for the new year. 

 

Also with the RAD changing the Majors syllabus and changing the ages for the exams although my DD did an exam each year she waited to do the new Advanced 2 RAD so was 16 in the September following that. If that makes sense 

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