stressedbeyondbelief Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 My dd has made it through to final audition end of March. She really loved her first audition and got a lovely vibe but i am just looking for feedback on the school and what to expect at final audition please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 Hello Stressedbeyondbelief and welcome to the Forum! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stressedbeyondbelief Posted February 13, 2018 Author Share Posted February 13, 2018 Hi Jan thank you for the warm welcome. Do you know anything about RCS?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 Hello and welcome from me too. I've added the tag "RCS" under the thread title - if you click on it, you'll see a list of all other threads with the same tag. Hopefully they will be helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stressedbeyondbelief Posted February 14, 2018 Author Share Posted February 14, 2018 Thank you Anna C 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BadBallerina Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 Hello! I’m a current first year at RCS! The final audition last year was just a standard class, at a higher level than the prelims but not super difficult. Involves a contemporary class too which I found harder than the Ballet but they understand people may not have done it before. Even some people in my year had never done contemporary before they came! It’s taken by a member of staff and Will be watched by all the other staff which is usually 4 people plus the teacher. Hope this is helpful! Any more questions feel free to ask Rosie 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stressedbeyondbelief Posted February 16, 2018 Author Share Posted February 16, 2018 Thank you so much. What about interview??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BadBallerina Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 Interview was pretty simple they don’t delve too much into why you want to dance and why rcs is the place for you too much! They just sort of asked about academic qualifications and if you knew anyone at RCS and a couple of basic questions but nothing too thought-provoking. The interview really isn’t make or break, they just want to make sure you’re a decent person!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balletlife4me Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 On 16/02/2018 at 21:11, BadBallerina said: Interview was pretty simple they don’t delve too much into why you want to dance and why rcs is the place for you too much! They just sort of asked about academic qualifications and if you knew anyone at RCS and a couple of basic questions but nothing too thought-provoking. The interview really isn’t make or break, they just want to make sure you’re a decent person!! This school is one of the options we are considering, I’d love to know a bit more about the school and if everyone here is really serious about classical ballet? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BadBallerina Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 Hi, Even though the degree is is “Modern Ballet” it is very much a Ballet School like all the others. Everyone is serious about Ballet as their first specialism but contemporary is also taken seriously and by third year some people do decide they want to go down a contemporary route or are happy to do that if that is the job available at the end of the day. Primary focus however is Ballet like everywhere else we have Ballet, pointe, coaching, repertoire, Pas de deux, show work etc as well as Cunningham contemporary in 1st year, release contemp, a “creative” class (improv/choreography), jazz, stretching, Pilates. Hope that helps! 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meadowblythe Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 Just to confirm BadBallerina's comments - just about everyone in DS's year went the ballet route - 90%+ into paid roles/apprenticeships. Year above roughly 80% contemporary 20% ballet. Last year's graduates I believe predominantly went the ballet route but I only know a couple of individuals from that year. One of them already being offered choreographing opportunities (paid!) with a pretty prestigious company. From memory, different contemporary styles are studied in each year of the course. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bex does ballet Posted March 13, 2018 Share Posted March 13, 2018 (edited) Can I ask about the links with Scottish Ballet - I understand that some classes are taken regularly with the company, is this just for 3rd years or do 1st/2nd years also benefit from close links? Also, what other competition/ performance opportunities are on offer and likewise are these mainly for 3rd years or available to all year groups? Edited March 13, 2018 by Bex does ballet Edited for typo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BadBallerina Posted March 13, 2018 Share Posted March 13, 2018 3rd years do class with the company at weekends on a rota so I think every two weeks. They also have the opportunity to perform with the company. Several of them were on tour with their autumn bill and got to perform at ROH for the MacMillan celebrations (and take class with Marianela Nunez 😍) and perform in nutcracker as well. It’s not the whole year involved, they obviously choose whoever fits their needs of height/costume etc. We have the rehearsal director take 2nd years for class every couple of weeks too and 1st years occasionally. Sophie Laplane (the resident choreographer) at SB has taught some contemp classes and will be creating work for the end of year graduation show too. 1st years do have less contact with SB than other years as they’re really trying to hone our technique before they sort of show us to the outside world but Chris Hampson watched all year groups at our Christmas demonstration which is held at the Scottish Ballet studios. Competition wise it’s very much up to the student to find and enter competitions they want. Staff will support with coaching but there’s not much time for it within both their and our timetable. Any year has the opportunity to do it but it’s your responsibility to want to do it and do your research. We’ve had quite a few people from 1st and 2nd year do YAGP this year and several are intending on applying for Genee (some have already been and are going again). Also depends what sort of background your from (RAD/Competition) so those who’ve done competitions have tended to keep doing them. The school I went to before was very much RAD but am intending on trying to do YAGP next year! 3rd years tend do be more worried with showreels/auditions at that stage as well as the choreographers coming in for workshops so actually tends to be less so them doing competitions! Hope that helps! 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bex does ballet Posted March 13, 2018 Share Posted March 13, 2018 Thank you bad ballerina ( although I suspect that is a very inappropriate name for you 😉) that’s a very helpful and comprehensive reply. Just trying to gather as much of an understanding as possible as it isn’t an institution we are familiar with. ‘dd’ came away from the prelim feeling that it had left a very positive impression on her. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tutusrus Posted February 26, 2020 Share Posted February 26, 2020 Resurrecting this post in the hope for some further insight into RCS if anyone can help. DD is considering applying but is keen on contemporary and would like to understand how much of the timetable is given to contemporary on a weekly basis and also if improv/creative classes are also available. DD wants to keep up Ballet to a high level after leaving vocational but really interested in progressing in contemporary. Do they only take the “typical” ballet dancer (I don’t mean that in any way offensive just don’t know how else to express it) or do they have a cross section of experience in dance, body shape etc Many thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taximom Posted February 26, 2020 Share Posted February 26, 2020 38 minutes ago, Tutusrus said: Resurrecting this post in the hope for some further insight into RCS if anyone can help. DD is considering applying but is keen on contemporary and would like to understand how much of the timetable is given to contemporary on a weekly basis and also if improv/creative classes are also available. DD wants to keep up Ballet to a high level after leaving vocational but really interested in progressing in contemporary. Do they only take the “typical” ballet dancer (I don’t mean that in any way offensive just don’t know how else to express it) or do they have a cross section of experience in dance, body shape etc Many thanks You might want to consider Rambert or London Contemporary Dance School, but particularly Rambert for ballet at a high level but with a contemporary focus. LCDS is a contemporary school but with daily ballet classes following contemporary ballet technique. Heather aka Taximom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meadowblythe Posted February 27, 2020 Share Posted February 27, 2020 Not sure about the current hours - DS graduated nearly 4 years ago - but students have gone on to have successful careers in both contemporary and ballet fields. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stressedbeyondbelief Posted February 27, 2020 Author Share Posted February 27, 2020 20 hours ago, Tutusrus said: Resurrecting this post in the hope for some further insight into RCS if anyone can help. DD is considering applying but is keen on contemporary and would like to understand how much of the timetable is given to contemporary on a weekly basis and also if improv/creative classes are also available. DD wants to keep up Ballet to a high level after leaving vocational but really interested in progressing in contemporary. Do they only take the “typical” ballet dancer (I don’t mean that in any way offensive just don’t know how else to express it) or do they have a cross section of experience in dance, body shape etc Many thanks My daughter is currently at RCS and absolutely loves it. They do lots of both ballet and Contemporary (different genre of contemporary every year) and I would say they very much have a range of body types. They have so many opportunities to be creative and choreograph their own work. My daughter loves both ballet and contemporary so this was a focus for us when applying. Is your daughter applying this year or next? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meadowblythe Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 Scottish Ballet are using a recent former student to choreograph some of their projects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 Matthew Topliss, now a very wonderful soloist at Northern Ballet, graduated through the NB CAT scheme and RCS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farawaydancer Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 DS was at the audition today and very much enjoyed it. I was impressed at the behaviour of the students around the place and in the cafe at the Scottish opera building. Fingers crossed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farawaydancer Posted March 1, 2020 Share Posted March 1, 2020 Looking at the term dates for RCS, they have 13 weeks off in the summer - what do the dancers do with all this time?! That’s a really long time to not be having daily classes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peanut68 Posted March 1, 2020 Share Posted March 1, 2020 Does mean they’d have time to do one of those (crazy long) (crazy expensive) USA intensives I guess..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peanut68 Posted March 1, 2020 Share Posted March 1, 2020 (edited) Guess it’s like Uni Students.... I know of students on Laban dance degree courses a few years ago who each summer during course went to work at Camp Americas as dance coach - taught ballet/contemp/modern & choreographed for shows etc. Gained huge experience & confidence & free travel with some pay!!! Might be worth researching these places now.... Guess it may well only be open to ages over 18.... students I know only went to Laban after completing A-levels & training at local schools - still amazing dancers btw....proof that voc school from 11 or 16 not always the be all end all! Have also heard of cruise ship/overseas holiday hotels/holiday camps etc giving summer holiday contracts.... obs not really Classical & im also guessing that no longer for U18’s (as in my day...) Edited March 1, 2020 by Peanut68 Typo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farawaydancer Posted March 1, 2020 Share Posted March 1, 2020 Yes, it’s great for finding jobs etc, I was more thinking about the physical aspect of missing training for three months. But yes, at least some of those eye wateringly expensive summer schools would be feasible. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meadowblythe Posted March 1, 2020 Share Posted March 1, 2020 I'm not sure what others did but .. DS stayed for 1 week to do RAD exam one summer - yep, from 1step to taking exam in a week. Also took summer school at RCS and open class at Scottish Ballet. Came home and did Chantry summer school, and took class with them when the company was back in September. A couple of weeks at the cheapest-we-could-find European summer school. Relaxed, cycled, worked at the local pub to earn some money. Weight training at local cheapy gym (also did this while in Scotland). We couldn't afford Prague let alone US camps but the options were there if you looked for them most years - sometimes we couldn't even run to that. And we didn't have a "home" ballet school he could go back to. I don't think he ever went more than a couple of weeks without class and I don't think the rest did him any harm. He certainly picked up remarkably few injuries during his training. Going back physically and mentally strong were more important than the technical aspect. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farawaydancer Posted March 1, 2020 Share Posted March 1, 2020 1 hour ago, meadowblythe said: I'm not sure what others did but .. DS stayed for 1 week to do RAD exam one summer - yep, from 1step to taking exam in a week. Also took summer school at RCS and open class at Scottish Ballet. Came home and did Chantry summer school, and took class with them when the company was back in September. A couple of weeks at the cheapest-we-could-find European summer school. Relaxed, cycled, worked at the local pub to earn some money. Weight training at local cheapy gym (also did this while in Scotland). We couldn't afford Prague let alone US camps but the options were there if you looked for them most years - sometimes we couldn't even run to that. And we didn't have a "home" ballet school he could go back to. I don't think he ever went more than a couple of weeks without class and I don't think the rest did him any harm. He certainly picked up remarkably few injuries during his training. Going back physically and mentally strong were more important than the technical aspect. Thank you, that’s really useful. I know my ds likes his long summer, and definitely needs it to rest, but I think three months would be pushing it! 🤣 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygirlsmum Posted March 3, 2020 Share Posted March 3, 2020 Dd has the chance to go to finals after auditioning last Friday. Can anybody advise on accommodation should she be successful? Also, i understand that the course fees are covered by student loan, is that right? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farawaydancer Posted March 3, 2020 Share Posted March 3, 2020 17 minutes ago, shygirlsmum said: Dd has the chance to go to finals after auditioning last Friday. Can anybody advise on accommodation should she be successful? Also, i understand that the course fees are covered by student loan, is that right? Yes, fees can be covered by student finance. Accommodation is at Base Glasgow now, I believe. Well done to your dd, our ds is going to finals too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygirlsmum Posted March 5, 2020 Share Posted March 5, 2020 That’s great, good luck to your ds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygirlsmum Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 Does anyone know how many students are invited to finals at RCS? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stressedbeyondbelief Posted March 7, 2020 Author Share Posted March 7, 2020 From memory there were 50-60 split into 2 groups. Then around 17 selected 😊 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygirlsmum Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now