RuthE Posted June 28, 2018 Share Posted June 28, 2018 Reposted from my Twitter; I’ll transcribe later if nobody does so first! 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted June 28, 2018 Share Posted June 28, 2018 Thanks, Ruth. That's a lot of take-up from the national companies! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthE Posted June 28, 2018 Author Share Posted June 28, 2018 Here it is in text form for the benefit of anyone on a more basic user interface (and for ease of editing for whoever ends up posting later amendments!) with apologies for any typos. Harris Bell - Royal Ballet - Aud Jebsen Young Dancers Programme Yu Hang - Royal Ballet - Aud Jebsen Young Dancers Programme Harrison Lee - Royal Ballet - Aud Jebsen Young Dancers Programme Taisuke Nakao - Royal Ballet - Aud Jebsen Young Dancers Programme Katharina Nikelski - Royal Ballet - Aud Jebsen Young Dancers Programme Amelia Townsend - Royal Ballet - Aud Jebsen Young Dancers Programme Yu Kurihara - Birmingham Royal Ballet Tori Forsyth-Hecken - Birmingham Royal Ballet Callum Findlay-White - Birmingham Royal Ballet Lennert Steegen - Birmingham Royal Ballet Isabella Howard - Birmingham Royal Ballet Yuki Sugiura - Birmingham Royal Ballet Eli Gruska - American Ballet Theater Studio Company Ryota Hasegawa - Ballet de l'Opera National de Bordeaux Lore Zonderman - Dutch National Ballet Junior Company Dingkai Bai - Dutch National Ballet Junior Company Rebecca Blenkinsop - English National Ballet Maren Skrede - Norwegian National Ballet Laurence Elliott - Polish National Ballet Aaron Venegas de Frutos - Scottish Ballet Gearoid Solan - Zurich Ballet Junior Company 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBD23 Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 Thanks RuthE! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 Congratulations to all. Interesting that 10 of these contracts are 'apprenticeships'. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthE Posted June 29, 2018 Author Share Posted June 29, 2018 How do apprentice-type ballet contracts usually work? Other than the potential lack of job security once it’s over, do the apprentices typically benefit from additional training or guidance which they wouldn’t get as a full member of the corps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 And is it also to do with funding? Perhaps sponsors are attracted to these programmes, rather than more general contributions. And does the Government contribute to apprenticeships, either directly or because the Arts Council measures this kind of thing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 35 minutes ago, RuthE said: How do apprentice-type ballet contracts usually work? Other than the potential lack of job security once it’s over, do the apprentices typically benefit from additional training or guidance which they wouldn’t get as a full member of the corps? I hope so, since I assume that they're paid less than full members of the corps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthE Posted June 29, 2018 Author Share Posted June 29, 2018 Presumably the apprenticeship aspect, which typically supplies a dancer with a one-year fixed term contract, makes it much easier for the RBS to claim full employment for their graduates even if some of them are then out on their ear after a year though I'm not suggesting it was the RBS's idea that they exist in the first place... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akh Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 It does give however them a valuable asset to their CV as many companies require professional performance experience. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPD444 Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 Does the fact that all the students joining the RB are on this apprenticeship scheme mean that the door for joining the company on a full contract is now closed. I am not going to give any names but there is one dancer their who was very much in demand following a win in a famous competition, who had the choice of all the ballet companies and chose the RBS and whose star has continued to rise is not deemed suitable for a full contract. I can understand it if they have not been able to judge the persons work ethic or personality but being a pupil of their school does give them plenty of opportunities to measure those things. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 I think the general pattern has been to take the apprentices into the RB after the initial year. However, with half-a-dozen at a time, and a finite number of places in the company, I'd guess that can only continue if there are equivalent departures from the ranks. Whether that puts increased pressure on those already in the company to perform, I don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 Not all the Aud Jensen young dancers at the RB get full contracts there. The only year that happened was the one which comprised Lukas BB, Leo Dixon, Harry Churches, Isabel Lubach, and Julia Roscoe. There was an apprentice at BRB two years ago who did not get taken on. Similarly, not all members of the Dutch National and ABT junior companies get jobs. Of course, there are also RBS graduates who go elsewhere initially and join the RB later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthE Posted June 29, 2018 Author Share Posted June 29, 2018 1 hour ago, SPD444 said: I am not going to give any names but there is one dancer their who was very much in demand following a win in a famous competition, who had the choice of all the ballet companies and chose the RBS and whose star has continued to rise is not deemed suitable for a full contract. I remember speculating last year after the Holland Park shows that he could be a candidate to go straight onto a full contract. Am I right in thinking that the last person to do so since the Aud Jebsen scheme came into being was Chisato Katsura? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBD23 Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 Joe Sissens 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sadielou Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 (edited) Better to go to BRB on a first year corps contract and then if possible transfer to RB a year later on a 2nd year corps contract as one of the girls in the year capybara mentioned did. Now she is a full year ahead of her peers, hardly seems fair. Very surprised that the male dancer SPD444 mentioned was not given a full contract, however one of the girls given an apprenticeship is also a big prize winner, both Prix and YAGP. I would have thought these two dancers could have had their pick of companies. Perhaps there are just no contracts available. Not sure how helpful these apprenticeships / junior companies really are, a handy well of talent for companies that cannot afford the extra dancers they need for big productions, but for many young dancers prolonging the agony for another year. In many cases I think the dancers would be better off accepting a contract in a smaller company and audition for the larger main companies at a higher level. Edited June 29, 2018 by Sadielou grammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 (edited) 53 minutes ago, RuthE said: I remember Quote Am I right in thinking that the last person to do so since the Aud Jebsen scheme came into being was Chisato Katsura? No. It was Joseph Sissens two years ago. Edited June 29, 2018 by capybara 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 I may be absolutely wrong but I suspect the concept of apprentice contracts has been around for many years but is only in recent years that dancers have been listed as such. I would hope that if people join BRB it is because they want to and not because it is seen as a stepping stone to another company that it happens to share a board of governors with! 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 Some of the RBS graduates have been performing on tour with BRB and seem thrilled to have secured contracts there. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobR Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 6 hours ago, bridiem said: I hope so, since I assume that they're paid less than full members of the corps. Not significantly 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mallinson Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 The Aud Jebsen scheme started in 2014 when there were 5 apprentices, 2 from RBS, 2 from ENBS, and 1 from Semperoper Ballett Dresden school. Since then they've all been from RBS: 5 in 2015, 7 in 2016, 5 in 2017 and 6 this year. !n 2015 there were 2 from the scheme who joined the RB, in 2016 it was 5, in 2017 it was 3. Before that there were apprentices but I don't think the scheme (whatever it was called) was as organised as now. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 I know who is meant by the two young dancers who were mentioned earlier who were prize winners at Prix de Lausanne and both chose to join the RBS. I hope they will both be dancing next week on the mainsatage performance as its now two years since seeing them dance and am too surprised that couldn't be offered full contracts etc.as both ( at least two years ago) were great dancers. As so many have been taken into the Company through this apprentice scheme this year perhaps that is going to be a new way of starting with the main Royal Ballet Company now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xandra Newman Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 1 hour ago, John Mallinson said: The Aud Jebsen scheme started in 2014 when there were 5 apprentices, 2 from RBS, 2 from ENBS, and 1 from Semeperoper Ballet Dresden school. Since then they've all been from RBS: 5 in 2015, 7 in 2016, 5 in 2017 and 6 this year. !n 2015 there were 2 from the scheme who joined the RB, in 2016 it was 5, in 2017 it was 3. Before that there were apprentices but I don't think the scheme (whatever it was called) was as organised as now. Before that the apprentices were from Prix de Lausanne not from the RBS. Going back to the pre-Aud Jebsen 2014 scheme: the selected RBS graduates were always offered contracts with the RB ( presumably on a six month trial basis as goes in most companies) but it always stated that those selected were offered contracts with the RB or BRB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Macmillan Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 And way, way back, the 12-strong Opera Ballet was another preliminary to joining the RB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pas de Quatre Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 I am afraid, that as in many other areas in life, what happens in the USA eventually finds its way to UK. It seems that most big companies now have apprentice, trainee or second company tiers, some pay a small salary, but some you pay for tuition as a sort of "finishing". When I did the audition tour in Europe many years ago, most companies had apprentices, but they were paid a living wage, just a bit less than a full corps de ballet contract. It also used to be that an academic degree led to employment, but now you have all sorts of trainee or intern positions paying little or nothing! My heart goes out to those trying to forge a career. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 (edited) 16 hours ago, John Mallinson said: The Aud Jebsen scheme started in 2014 when there were 5 apprentices, 2 from RBS, 2 from ENBS, and 1 from Semperoper Ballet Dresden school. Since then they've all been from RBS: 5 in 2015, 7 in 2016, 5 in 2017 and 6 this year. !n 2015 there were 2 from the scheme who joined the RB, in 2016 it was 5, in 2017 it was 3. Before that there were apprentices but I don't think the scheme (whatever it was called) was as organised as now. I think that they ended up with 6 in 2016 as one of those originally listed went to Paris. The continuing presence of Prix de Lausanne Apprentices can be confusing and, as others have said, not all join the RB. Surely this year 😚 Edited June 30, 2018 by capybara Wrong emoji - sorry (on tablet and can't delete) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 1 hour ago, capybara said: The continuing presence of Prix de Lausanne Apprentices can be confusing and, as others have said, not all join the RB. Surely this year 😚 Probably why they are now referred to as "Prix de Lausanne Dancer" rather than apprentice. What emoji were you after? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 1 hour ago, bangorballetboy said: Probably why they are now referred to as "Prix de Lausanne Dancer" rather than apprentice. What emoji were you after? A sort of smiley one - maybe like this but hoping for this 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPD444 Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 At the school performance on Saturday night there was genuine shock being expressed by people close to the school that Yu Hang and Harrison Lee had not got full contracts, talent like this is rare and needs cultivating not a one year deal. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 There could of course be all sorts of considerations which we know nothing about, I guess. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DD Driver Posted July 3, 2018 Share Posted July 3, 2018 I was also surprised that full RB contracts were not given to Harrison Lee and Yu Hang. I am not sure what the reasons might be - but curious as to how this works! Maybe they are ok to see how things pan out rather than accept a contract elsewhere but I for one would have loved to see their talent and hard work rewarded with more of a commitment ( and presumably $$). It was great, for example, to see Shale Wagman gaining a contract at ENB after his Prix de Lausanne win. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted July 3, 2018 Share Posted July 3, 2018 7 hours ago, alison said: There could of course be all sorts of considerations which we know nothing about, I guess. Precisely. But there are obvious ones including whether there are any company vacancies, needing to optimise the funds from Aud Jebsen (whose support of ballet is simply amazing), acting on the basis of experience with dancers in a scheme which will soon be in its fifth year, and keeping options open both ways. The talents of all the Aud Jebsen dancers WILL surely be nurtured whatever their 'status' within the RB. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yumiko Posted July 3, 2018 Share Posted July 3, 2018 4 hours ago, DD Driver said: Maybe they are ok to see how things pan out rather than accept a contract elsewhere but I for one would have loved to see their talent and hard work rewarded with more of a commitment ( and presumably $$). It was great, for example, to see Shale Wagman gaining a contract at ENB after his Prix de Lausanne win. I am confused about Shale Wagman’s status. ENB announced Shale joinjng as Artist. Prix de Lausanne site states apprenticeship offered. A couple of more Prix de Lausanne winners are joining ENB. Both apprenticeship offered is remarked. https://www.prixdelausanne.org/schools-and-companies-chosen-by-the-prize-winners-2018/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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