RBS Statement on Ballet Competition Culture

[PrancingMum]

An interesting not-unrelated article:

 

http://www.danceaustralia.com.au/expertise/international-competitions-are-they-worth-it

 

The mother of the dancer mentioned above is quoted in this.

[Sophoife]

My post under my real name (carefully not mentioning names or nationalities) underneath the article in question:

 

Anna Campbell

8th November 2018 at 12:02 pm

“Ballet requires so much more than the physical and technical ability to execute a step or series of steps. I am not alone in feeling that some competitions foster a culture that fails to encourage the development of artists – where technique is emphasised over artistry and students seek to reach extremes before they have mastered the basics. We see audiences agog at the elaborate physical tricks on display. That audience should be looking for an expressive dancer trying to communicate emotion, dynamics, musicality, storytelling ability, alongside an accomplished, clean technique relative to their age. Isn’t this what the art-form is truly about?”

But you gave a scholarship to your Upper School (for 16-19 year olds) to a 14 year old girl, now 15, whose public Instagram is an example of everything you are saying here is inappropriate or extreme. I still do not understand how you are doing one thing and saying something almost completely different.

Edited November 8, 2018 by Sophoife

[Anna C]

Several posts in this thread have been hidden which may contravene our Forum rules.

 

May we remind everyone of our rules regarding discussing schools, particularly the rule that highly critical posts must be made under your real name.

 

 

[Anna C]

37 minutes ago, Sadielou said:

Perhaps Mr Powney should take a look at the biographies of the international scholars on his own web page, all of whom have entered and won major prizes at "unethical competitions" performing age un appropriate pas de deux's and solo's on pointe. Perhaps this contradictory information should be removed from the web site in light of his recent statement.

 

 

Let’s be fair here.  I think we can all agree that Mr Powney’s statement is welcome.  He is not promising to change the past or un-select pupils that he has recruited from past competitions.  That would not be fair or reasonable. 

 

What he IS giving is his viewpoint from now onwards.  Personally, I would have added a paragraph to say that all current students selected from recent competitions will of course retain their places at the school but that from now on, they will receive the same amount of safe and skeletally appropriate training as their peers, and that while they represent the school, their public social media accounts will be monitored to show that the RBS training does not encourage tricks, tilts or overstretching of young bodies.

 

This might be something the school considers in future.  Let’s focus on that future now though and agree that this policy sends a positive and timely message for the future and to the organisers of some international competitions. 

[amos73]

7 minutes ago, Anna C said:

 

 Let’s focus on the future now though and agree that this policy sends a positive message for the future and to the organisers of some international competitions. 

 

Totally agree. And let's hope the discussion shapes the framework for future training and recruitment of students.

[glissade]

6 minutes ago, Anna C said:

 

Let’s be fair here.  I think we can all agree that Mr Powney’s statement is welcome.  He is not promising to change the past or un-select pupils that he has recruited from past competitions.  That would not be fair or reasonable. 

 

What he IS giving is his viewpoint from now onwards.  Personally, I would have added a paragraph to say that all current students selected from recent competitions will of course retain their places at the school but that from now on, they will receive the same amount of safe and skeletally appropriate training as their peers, and that while they represent the school, their public social media accounts will be monitored to show that the RBS training does not encourage tricks, tilts or overstretching of young bodies.

Yes, I think that's an important point. Dancers aren't excluded from entering RBS just because they have over-stretched their bodies up to that point, but whilst with the RBS, their focus should change to be in line with safe training.

[AllAboutTheJourney]

For me, as a parent of two young dancers, it's a welcome statement. I see the limitations and points made above, but at least it's a step in the right direction. 

 

Who knows how my childrens' dance journey may go - it may well be over in a few years as they find other interests and activities - but at the moment they both love and want to dance. When we are looking into that for them and discovering what is available in terms of opportunities such as JA's, vocational schools etc, it can be disheartening to read about the way things seem to be going at the other end of the spectrum. I guess it's a good reality check though. 

 

Anyway, to me it's a step in the right direction. And gives me some comfort that taking things slow and fun and safe and not getting carried away by the 'instagram' style of things is the right way to go for us. 

[Anna C]

I agree, Waverley.  

 

Everyone, we are receiving multiple reports about some posts in this thread so I will lock it for now while the Moderators discuss the thread.