Associate Programs - do you ever receive feedback?

[ScottishDancerMum]

My daughter has been in an associates program for 2 years.  We've never been given any feedback about how she is doing... other than a scholarship award given to one student at the end of the year, we really have been given no information at all about her progress (short of passing the audition the second time).

Is this typical?

Child does not want to return next season (she is almost 10).  I'm not wanting to push her as this has been on her mind for months (and she'll continue her other classes), but don't know if I should mention it beforehand to her program head that she won't be auditioning.  

What do you think?

[sunrise81]

My dd is a Royal JA and we get a yearly telephone report from headteacher which is really specific about how she is doing and areas to work on. 

[dancingboy65]

DS is a northern ballet associate, is assessed in February and we get a report with offer of another year or re assessment in May. Also get a small written note at the end of the year.

 

[BlueLou]

Northern ballet associates get a written report once a year. As I recall, scores out out 5 for lots of things like ‘musicality’, ‘phsique’, ‘flexibility’, etc etc, plus a couple of sentences. Ballet Boost similar - scores, an overall grade and a few sentences. 

[Anna C]

Central Preps and Pre-Seniors used to get a report each year as well as a short face to face at the end of Prep 3 to see if you had been moved up to Pre-Seniors.

 

Tring CBA has an Assessment class once a year, followed by a written report. 

[Farawaydancer]

Elmhurst young dancers receive a written report once a year and the teacher is happy to speak to us whenever we want about progress. 

[MAK]

Central Preps now get two reports a year which include written feedback from both ballet and contemporary teachers as well as "scores" (off the top off my head ranging from very good to weak with good and satisfactory in the middle) for technique, musicality, performance, etiquette and attendance. Face to face meetings with the teachers are offered to pupils that after the assessment haven't been asked to move up the following year, i.e. those who are reauditioning or repeating. 

[ScottishDancerMum]

Hmmm... a lot to think about.  Thank you all.

 

[OllyO07]

My daughter is a Scottish ballet associate and we made an appointment to get feedback. Was very informal, a 15 min chat but covered everything we wanted to go through.

[Canary]

London Junior Senior Ballet use to receive a written report each term from class teacher and a overall note from the head , they prepare and are assessed once a year by an independent guest and as they get older have a sit down discussion about their future with the Graduate class teacher. 

Classes were on body ability not age. 

But it may have changed now 

[AdageKitty]

Hi all,

 

Quick question regarding the Royal Ballet Associates.

Can JAs/MAs get assessed out?

 

Also, as I've heard that most children continue on to the following year (except for when they are JAs in Y6 when they would have to re-audition for Y7 MA), would this mean that it's tougher to get a Year 6 JA place in comparison to when they are auditioning for a Year 4 place?

 

 

Edited March 14, 2019 by AdageKitty
clarified the question

[rudolph23]

JA's don't usually get assessed out.  MA's are assessed each year and so can be.  The most common year, for entry, as a JA, is Year 5.  They are quite lengthy classes for Year 4 candidates really.  I would imagine this would probably mean that it is more difficult to get in at Year 6.  However, in my DC's JA's, I believe there were at least 5 that joined in Year 6.

[AdageKitty]

Thank you

[Bluebird22]

I always thought Year 6 was the “easiest” year to get in to as they have a separate class to the year 4/5s so there is more places available? 

 

I know they can ask JAs to give up their place if they don’t think they are responding well to their training programme. Not sure how frequently this happens, but I know in one of my students classes a child left think it was a mutual decision between parent, child and RBS, so not assessed out per se, but they do seem to advise when they think it’s not suitable. 

[rudolph23]

37 minutes ago, Bluebird22 said:

I always thought Year 6 was the “easiest” year to get in to as they have a separate class to the year 4/5s so there is more places available? 

 

I know they can ask JAs to give up their place if they don’t think they are responding well to their training programme. Not sure how frequently this happens, but I know in one of my students classes a child left think it was a mutual decision between parent, child and RBS, so not assessed out per se, but they do seem to advise when they think it’s not suitable. 

I genuinely don't really know which is the easiest.  However, I would have thought it would be better to join in Year 5 to make the most of the program.  And yet, there are many who've gone on to WL having joined in Year 6.  Probably, best to be guided by your dancing teachers and audition for every year, if the teacher thinks it's appropriate.  Particularly, considering how many no's the kids get.  If you want it, just keep knocking at that door 😝

[Bluebird22]

I don’t think any aspect of the Dancing journey is easy! 

 

 

[Dancing unicorn]

No and it doesn’t get any easier the higher up they get or the older they get either 😂

[Ruby Foo]

4 hours ago, Bluebird22 said:

I always thought Year 6 was the “easiest” year to get in to as they have a separate class to the year 4/5s so there is more places available? 

 

I know they can ask JAs to give up their place if they don’t think they are responding well to their training programme. Not sure how frequently this happens, but I know in one of my students classes a child left think it was a mutual decision between parent, child and RBS, so not assessed out per se, but they do seem to advise when they think it’s not suitable. 

I think sometimes it depends on which center you are auditioning for as in some centers the 4/5 and 6’s are altogether. Also there is quite a variation in studio space between the different centres.

[Bluebird22]

I did wonder if it varied across the country, I only have experience of 2 centres and 1 was so long ago it may have merged 4,5&6 into one class! 

 

I think we try to place logic where there is none, in a bid to make it all seem more sane! 

[sarahw]

In my DD JA class the ones who got into WL started Y6.

[sunrise81]

1 hour ago, sarahw said:

In my DD JA class the ones who got into WL started Y6.

Two I knkw of got in at my dds centre (she is yr 5 at the mo). One had been there since Year 4 and one started year 6

[richieN]

Hi @ScottishDancerMum

DD is currently with the RBS Mid associates. Have always had excellent face-2-face feedback from her teacher, who has been quite outstanding. I have nothing but good things to say about the Associate programme, and would not hesitate to recommend.