Karen Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 Does anyone have expereince of EYB productions? My dd wants to audition but I have heard mixed reports about it. Some say it's a great experience and others say that everyone gets in and the weak ones get put at the back! Any feedback of experiences or views would be welcome, thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 Hi Karen, my daughter has done English Youth Ballet once in 2010 and has recently auditioned successfully for 2012. From watching the recent Senior Audition I can tell you that "everyone" most certainly doesn't get in. 101 Seniors from 12-18 auditioned and Miss Lewis took 50. The audition was quite tough with some reasonably complex enchainements and there were some dancers who were clearly out of their depth. My friend's son auditioned in the Junior section and the numbers were the same. I know the experience is fee paying, but Miss Lewis has a reputation to uphold and has high expectations of the standard she expects, so she certainly wouldn't accept anybody and everybody just to get money. It's a big time commitment and hard work as the children are also encouraged to learn other parts as well as their own, in case understudies are needed. The teachers are firm but fair and my daughter had an absolute whale of a time. The production was of a very high standard and my dd had got so much out of it we felt it was well worthwhile - hence she's doing it again! Hope that helps. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dancingdreams Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 My DS has done four productions over quite a few years with EYB the last being the Nutracker in October last year.. he has always enjoyed the experience and most definately learn't from both the 'performing' side of ballet but also the 'technical' side as well. It is hard work and tiring for them but this far outways the sense of acheivement he has always felt at the end of the production. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gingerbread Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 Hi there - older dancing DD did EYB Coppelia in 2009 - really enjoyed it and I would say it was a highly beneficial experience. She auditioned for NYB last year and made reserve list, but they wrote some time after to say that no reserve places were actually needed, so DD did not do that. Younger dancing DD is doing Aylesbury Sleeping Beauty this year (August) and auditioned in the junior section - I believe 100 auditioned and they took about half of them? A very wide ranging level of ability from what I could see (to my relatively uninformed eye)! But that is great - and ultimately, if you are good you will get in! What I mean is, you would still benefit from doing EYB even if you are with a few other dancers who aren't as high a standard as you are - there's always something to learn. Miss Lewis is very professional, and was very nice at the Aylesbury audition: rather than treating the 50 or so as "No's", they all were told they were on the Reserve List and that reserves were very often called upon. Older DD didn't audition although she had intended to - she was unwell on the day. I was informed kindly by Spanner (thank you again) that she may possibly have been able to send in a DVD but in the end we decided not to pursue this, but to audition again for NYB on 19th of this month. So if older dancing DD gets into NYB this year, we will have first hand experience of both EYB and NYB. It is generally felt that NYB is generally a "higher standard" but on the other hand I have heard that there is much more "waiting around" at NYB. And of course NYB is about £200 more expensive!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pintsizeballet Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Hi I have done EYB twice before, and am doing it again in Aylesbury this year. I really cannot recommend it enough! The experience is one that is very hard to find elsewhere, unless you have done something like NYB (though I have never done that). I have learnt so many valuable skills, above all about performance, which has improved my dancing no end and is what makes me stand out in auditions etc. The teaching staff/principles are wonderful too! No one goes through the process without being really stretched to what they're capable of. Everyone in it also feels really valued. Even if you are in the corps, they always reinforce how important every dancer is. Certainly not everyone gets in- there were 102 in my senior audition this year. Really, I can't stress enough how brilliant EYB is... the only downside is the awful feeling when it ends!! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dancersdad Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 We were EYB "tarts" for 5 years living in the heart of the Midlands and chasing our closest productions from Nottingham (twice) to Stoke to Dunstable and Bromley by special invitation. I have a feeling DS might have been in the same Copelia production in 2009, Gingerbread, if it was the Dunstable one. We certainly would not have done that kind of travelling if we didn't think it was worth every penny of it. Most certainly everyone does not get in, although the uninitiated eye might ask why some dancers got in. Every single one of those dancers that we wondered about improved amazingly between audition and final show which shows the EYB team can spot and exploit potential that others can't see. If as in the case of our last one at Bromley there was not enough local talent of sufficient standard Miss Lewis goes outside the local area to invite known dancers in to suppliment what she has rather than compromise the standard. The dancers involved work incredibly hard during the reheasal stage, but come out of a day's sessions bouncing off the walls in excitement leading Dominic Marshal to frequently apologise to parents for over excited offspring. As Pintsizeballet says the awful feeling when it ends lasts about a week, but every time DS took part the dancers organised to meet a couple of weeks later and had a great day together again. As parents we have made many friends and DS still has many friends he has met up and down the country. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taximom Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 We also did the EYB roundabout, also living in the Midlands including Wolverhampton twice, Swindon and Yeovil. The best opportunity that ever happened to my DD and making lots of friends, one of whom has remained form her first audition in Wolverhampton to today 9 years!! And still friends with all the principles. A lovely company, very careing and encouraging especially if your dancer really wants to learn and shows an interest! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LovetoDance2003 Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 Does anyone know what the likely hood of being selected for EYB from being no 2 on the reserve list? My daughter had her audition earlier this week and so just wondering what the chances may be as don't want to get our hopes up too much. Any help or advise would be appreciated ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 Yes people drop out for various reasons, and they do call on reserves. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
double trouble Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 My Dds did EYB a few years back and they knew people that had decided not to be in it one girl dropped out and she had been offered a scholarship ! Sometimes people just want to audition for the experience so would think you are in with good chance. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LovetoDance2003 Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 Many thanks. Keeping everything crossed! My daughter is more Musical Theatre/Acting but so loves her ballet. But as a parent I am aware it's not her strongest area. The professional input would really help her.! Keep you posted x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FelixGirl Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 My DD had to drop out a few years ago when she was injured…and she had a scholarship!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LovetoDance2003 Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 Oh FelixGirl, how disappointed you both must have been. Sorry to hear that! What an achievement to win the scholarship. Well done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FelixGirl Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 Thank you! Yes, she was disappointed…….especially when we went to see the production…..but she was one of the older ones, and she was really mature about it. xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LovetoDance2003 Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 Well that's the sign of a true professional! All the best to her for the future! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LovetoDance2003 Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 All very happy here as we got our confirmation letter today that my DD has a place for Copellia Stockport having been on the reserve list!! Looking forward to this exciting opportunity! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annaliesey Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 That's great news lovetodance 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie4dancin Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 Well done to your dd love2dance... It's a lovely ballet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamy11 Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 hi, my daughter also auditioned for the nutcracker at Nottingham a couple of weeks ago, I have to agree I think the standard was exceptionally high and a lot of children there too! I'm not sure how they managed to select those children at the end for scholarship places, could anyone else tell? well done to all those with places, we can't wait! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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