RBS Junior Associates 2019

[Motomum]

26 minutes ago, Ms Sunshine said:

No offence to royal as they are an amazing company but 90% at a guess of ja's dont make White Lodge finals. They take who they like! 

My son was in this years WL final, he is a JA, and all the other boys at the finals, bar two were JA’s.

 

Of the 4 Y7 London MA places originally all the offers were to boys that had been JA’s.

I think your % is the wrong way around.

In RBS annual report they take around 88-90% of existing associates through to WL or on to the next level of associate training. 

[Ms Sunshine]

Probably I am wrong. But all im saying is with all the centre's in year 6 with sometimes 2 groups in them they select 50 ish girls for finals. Nothing is a definate. 

[CrazyDanceMum]

On 14/05/2019 at 11:59, Shelley Case said:

Perhaps they were auditioning at a different centre due to All England regionals that are on in half term? 

Hi everyone, my dd auditioned at Eastleigh for a yr 5 London place this year purely because of the potential clash with All England. Would have preferred to go to London but would have been a risk that she'd have to choose between the JA and all England. 

 

Seen a few comments regarding the reverse frog position. Not heard of this exercise before but dd said one of the judges pushed her legs down further. Apparently there was only one other child they did this to. Not sure what to make of this but hoping it's a positive sign. Has anyone had previous experience with judges being hands on?

[Astrid]

12 hours ago, Bunny said:

 

Hi Astrid! Oooh was there really? I suppose more kids means more staff to assess them doesn’t it.

 

Im trying not to overanalyse but it is so hard when they’re so desperate for a place isn’t it! 

Yes there was another gentlemen there I didn’t recognise. I say recognise like I’m some sort of expert 😆 

I have already come to the conclusion we haven’t got a cat chance in hell looking at some of the talented kids there that day, but my goodness I love the analysing? It’s so fascinating to me...

we had about 25 in our class. they lined up in four groups of 6 and a couple of the groups had an extra in. 

[Astrid]

21 minutes ago, CrazyDanceMum said:

Hi everyone, my dd auditioned at Eastleigh for a yr 5 London place this year purely because of the potential clash with All England. Would have preferred to go to London but would have been a risk that she'd have to choose between the JA and all England. 

 

Seen a few comments regarding the reverse frog position. Not heard of this exercise before but dd said one of the judges pushed her legs down further. Apparently there was only one other child they did this to. Not sure what to make of this but hoping it's a positive sign. Has anyone had previous experience with judges being hands on?

My daughter said a man came and gave her a correction when she was doing this. I  asked what and she said, he moved my leg..and asked ‘ can I do it like this’ if that makes sense? 

[Astrid]

11 hours ago, Ms Sunshine said:

My heart broke a little every time she were a no. My dd was not bothered in the slightest. Just keep thinking of new things to do and new adventures to try! 

Wow  Ms sunshine what an amazing resilient little DD you have, and congrats to her on her achievements! amazing! 

[Bluebird22]

Student received hands on correction the year she was offered a place, so don’t take it as a negative!

[Vonrothbart]

18 hours ago, Motomum said:

My son was in this years WL final, he is a JA, and all the other boys at the finals, bar two were JA’s.

 

Of the 4 Y7 London MA places originally all the offers were to boys that had been JA’s.

I think your % is the wrong way around.

In RBS annual report they take around 88-90% of existing associates through to WL or on to the next level of associate training. 

There's a big difference between students gaining places at WL and their associate programme.

[Ms Sunshine]

36 minutes ago, Vonrothbart said:

There's a big difference between students gaining places at WL and their associate programme.

Just to add one more point  We met a few internationals and a few non ja girls at White Lodge finals from the 53. Boys are a very different story as so few compared to the girls. 

[Motomum]

2 hours ago, Vonrothbart said:

There's a big difference between students gaining places at WL and their associate programme.

I wasn't comparing them, I was stating that RBS take a very high % of their existing associates onto both WL training and ongoing associates training programs. The exact figures are in their annual reports.

[SissonneDoublee]

17 minutes ago, Motomum said:

I wasn't comparing them, I was stating that RBS take a very high % of their existing associates onto both WL training and ongoing associates training programs. The exact figures are in their annual reports.

I think the 88-90% might refer to the percentage of WL students that were previously JAs, rather than the proportion of JAs that go onto WL or MAs. There are tiny numbers of places at Year 7 compared to the figures for Year 6.

[Ms Sunshine]

Birmingham took 2 year 6 girls to start year 7 girls ma's and one starting at White Lodge. The current year 6 have 2 classes. That leaves alot of kids without anything in year 7.

[Hazel]

6 hours ago, Bluebird22 said:

Student received hands on correction the year she was offered a place, so don’t take it as a negative!

How do you do this every year with all the different students? (and parents?!) 😂

[CrazyDanceMum]

6 hours ago, Bluebird22 said:

Student received hands on correction the year she was offered a place, so don’t take it as a negative!

That's good know Bluebird22

[Pointeshoesarethedream]

Anybody else at the Leeds session today? DD was in the 12-1pm

group. 

 

She really enjoyed it and it was very similar to the descriptions above. 

 

Just the waiting game now but I’ve tried to keep our expectations low so that the next few weeks aren’t an angst ridden ride!!!

[Vonrothbart]

22 hours ago, Motomum said:

I wasn't comparing them, I was stating that RBS take a very high % of their existing associates onto both WL training and ongoing associates training programs. The exact figures are in their annual reports.

I think you'll find RBS take very few ja's to WL for vocational training, obviously there will be more ja's gaining places at their MA scheme.

[Spamcat]

My DD who is auditioning in Bath on Thursday for a yr4 place is also auditioning for Elmhurst tomorrow so is very excited at the moment! Will be interesting to see if the audition is similar to RBS.

[Pointeshoesarethedream]

Good luck to your DD tomorrow @Spamcat

[Astrid]

12 hours ago, Spamcat said:

My DD who is auditioning in Bath on Thursday for a yr4 place is also auditioning for Elmhurst tomorrow so is very excited at the moment! Will be interesting to see if the audition is similar to RBS.

Same here spamcat! on our way to Birmingham now. We are group 3 🙃

[Spamcat]

Astrid we are in group 2, she is in now. But her friend (a boy) who we are with is in group 3 so we'll be hanging around.

[Astrid]

53 minutes ago, Spamcat said:

Astrid we are in group 2, she is in now. But her friend (a boy) who we are with is in group 3 so we'll be hanging around.

Well I’m in a pink top and a leather jacket so do say hi if you see us..lols ballet co blind date 😂 good luck to your DD!!

[PutYourBooteesOn]

8 hours ago, Astrid said:

Same here spamcat! on our way to Birmingham now. We are group 3 🙃

Are you back for another round of audition Astrid? I thought DD had already been?! 

[Astrid]

10 minutes ago, PutYourBooteesOn said:

Are you back for another round of audition Astrid? I thought DD had already been?! 

Yes she has 😅 today was for elmhurst associates. We are definitely done now! 😆 just in car on way home and logged in to give DD description of the elmhurst audition 😁..

[Astrid]

6 hours ago, Spamcat said:

Astrid we are in group 2, she is in now. But her friend (a boy) who we are with is in group 3 so we'll be hanging around.

Lovely to meet you and your lovely DD today, lots of luck to you and your friends little boy and good luck for next week! x

[PutYourBooteesOn]

Ahh busy little bee! Well done her

[Bunny]

Well done to everybody who has auditioned over the past few days! 😁

 

I wonder when we will find out? I know in previous years it has been beginning of June but with there being the new Dundee audition and that not being till the first week in June it might be later this year...we weren’t actually told when we would find out at DSs audition, so just guessing really! 

[Spamcat]

2 hours ago, Astrid said:

Lovely to meet you and your lovely DD today, lots of luck to you and your friends little boy and good luck for next week! x

Lovely to meet you too. Did your DD enjoy it and feel it went well? Did you get another very detailed account? We have been getting tiny bits from them both all day but they seem to have forgotten most of it! Sounded quite different to royal. Good luck to you DD, we don't have to wait long for Elmhurst results, they said by end of week! 🙈😲🤞🤞🤞

[Astrid]

Yes Spamcat she did - She loved it again- she was pretty descriptive - said they went in, warmed up in a circle, did some centre work all in first and second position, plies etc. She said they had to lie on their back and get their leg as close up to their face as poss. No splits, cobra, frog on back. She said they did stand in some positions but didn’t take their shoes off at all. Two improvs - one dancing round the room, one with arms. ‘The lady was taking notes and they had people’s photos’. she said the teacher was ‘more strict but nice’. Sounds completely different to RBS. More dancing. she started talking about her two chances to apply for both schemes again next year so is ready for disappointment but I think just wants it desperately. Amazing school I thought! 

Anyway!

Sorry everyone for that brief diversion - annnnnd back to RBS 😅...💁🏼‍♀️

[Spamcat]

Astrid another brilliant account from your very observant DD! My daughter is adament that they didn't do an improv dancing around the room in her group, which she is most annoyed about as she really wanted a chance to show off! 😂

 

Yes back to RBS talk! Looking forward to Thursday. Good luck everyone who still have auditions to do.

[Astrid]

@Spamcat strange they were slightly different. maybe because there were more boys in her group. This week is going to be painful I have to say. At least it’s a diversion from the waiting from RBS I guess 🤦🏼‍♀️..also waiting on a job interview I went for. couldn’t be more waiting if I we tried 😂😂 

[Motomum]

On 16/05/2019 at 16:47, Vonrothbart said:

There's a big difference between students gaining places at WL and their associate programme.

 

On 17/05/2019 at 17:59, Vonrothbart said:

I think you'll find RBS take very few ja's to WL for vocational training, obviously there will be more ja's gaining places at their MA scheme.

For the new Y7 WL boys, of which the intake is eleven, 6 I know are JA's. The remaining 5 might also be made up of JA's as well, but I don't know them personally.

All 4 original Y7 MA boys places were offered to existing JA's, but two took vocational training elsewhere.

 According to my child's JA teacher, WL does take a higher proportion of JA's to WL than children who are not JA's, this is also borne by this years numbers and the stats in RBS annual report.

The Y6 JA training from September through to Preliminary and WLF auditions focuses exclusively on what to expect in the auditions right down to the improvisation piece that the children have to do.

It doesn't make any sense at all that any ballet school wouldn't have a vested interest in the children they are currently training on their existing associate programs in relation to either vocational training or ongoing associate training

 

 

[Balletmamatotwo]

5 hours ago, Motomum said:

 

For the new Y7 WL boys, of which the intake is eleven, 6 I know are JA's. The remaining 5 might also be made up of JA's as well, but I don't know them personally.

All 4 original Y7 MA boys places were offered to existing JA's, but two took vocational training elsewhere.

 According to my child's JA teacher, WL does take a higher proportion of JA's to WL than children who are not JA's, this is also borne by this years numbers and the stats in RBS annual report.

The Y6 JA training from September through to Preliminary and WLF auditions focuses exclusively on what to expect in the auditions right down to the improvisation piece that the children have to do.

It doesn't make any sense at all that any ballet school wouldn't have a vested interest in the children they are currently training on their existing associate programs in relation to either vocational training or ongoing associate training

 

 

It definitely does seem as Motomum describes it. If I’m not mistaken, last year, 10 WL offers alone were given to JAs in the London centre. It does seem obvious that there is significantly higher percentage of JAs who gain entry into WL.  If your DCs dream school is WL, then most will apply for JAs every year until they get in. As mentioned before they get prepared for WL auditions, RBS would have very detailed files on them, they get checked by physios - things other DCs wouldn’t really have access to in the “RBS-way”, or at all.  I noticed for other schools it’s not as much of an issue but for WL it does help A LOT.  And this is probably the reason why students who get into WL without being JAs are treasured almost, as they give hope to those who want to get into WL without being in the JA system. Also the reason this thread year after year is always the longest and most active around this time of year. I did notice, however, that quite a lot of JAs we know also attend other associate schemes. So I think in terms of WL entry,probably a significant percentage have supplemental training via other schemes or numerous private lessons and classes and intensives, physio sessions etc etc.  I would be interested to hear stories of DCs who get into WL, doing just normal ballet classes, no privates, no JA, although this might be for another thread altogether...

[meadowblythe]

Can I just give a personal counter example?  This is many years ago, but my DS, on arrival at the WL finals was whisked off to see the physio as there were concerns about hypermobility, based on his performance at JAs.  (I wish, he would now say!) Also his teacher said before the audition round started she thought he would be very well suited to another school - at the end of the first round she said she was genuinely stunned, didn't know he could dance like that - she wished she had could now submit a different report ....

 

My point is, I genuinely think his card had been marked before the process even started.  It wasn't any great deal other than a little hurt pride.  He did have a weak core which wasn't addressed until many years later, and he got pleasing offers elsewhere.  Two of his friends, one a JA one not a JA both went through WL to year 11, it was the non JA who took the upper school place.  Our postie's son started dancing because he liked DS' EYB t shirt, and is now with BRB.  Was never a JA.