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RBS Junior Associates 2019


AllAboutTheJourney

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2 hours ago, Balletmamatotwo said:

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...

 

Are you talking about being accepted for WL yr 7 or other years? They are very different things. To be accepted for yr 10 you would need to have been doing a significant amount of quality training both in ballet and body conditioning, which, as has been discussed in other threads, is very difficult (  but not completely impossible) to do in UK without being a vocational student. Hence the high proportion of international students being admitted higher up the school. At yr 7 they will still be looking for potential although admittedly,  many students at age 10/11 already have had plenty training/ associates etc.

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Interestingly, although this might digress from the topic a bit, my DD and I watched the RBS Holland Park summer performance last year and in the programme all students participating  were listed. Those we were RBS Associates at some point before they commended full time training at the RBS had stars next to their names and it was very curious to see that at year 7 a majority had stars next to their names apart from the odd 1-2 students and the internationals. As you go up the years and into upper school the instances of these stars became less and less and by the final year I think there might only have been less than a handful in total. 

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The actual number for this years WL Y7 intake was 11 boys and 11 girls.

All 11 boys are existing JA’s and 9 of the girls are JA’s.

 

I suspect this is probably hijacking the RBS audition thread, but it is in its own way relevant and interesting.

 

I often wondered before my child was a JA how weighted the system might be in favour of those children already in training with RBS. It seems it matters a great deal.

Once you are inside the system and realise how it is working, I found it fascinating if a little scary.

 

i did say on a previous thread, there are always the exceptional child stories going straight in off the street to WL, but the stats bear out how unusual this actually is in reality.

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I think it’s all fascinating! Good for us at the very start of the process to go into everything with our eyes open - that’s the main thing I’ve learned from this forum.

 

Vocational lower school isn’t something we would be considering at all (even if lucky enough to be successful with JA etc) but I’m fully aware it’s the right choice for some. I’d perhaps also take a different view for DS in due course rather than DD so am not totally against the idea. Fascinating to read about people’s experiences though and the stats going forward into the higher years of vocational training.

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Yes, it’s all very fascinating isn’t it? And having spoken to mums of DCs in various vocational schools, it almost sounds like the getting in is the less nerve wracking bit compared to the staying in, especially in relation to WL.  It’s like if you get a no from the start then it’s heart breaking especially as most these DCs (and parents!) sacrifice so much to get them to that stage but a no is a no and at some point they get over it. The more awful feeling I imagine is when the DC actually gets in and both parent and child live year after year with the threat of being assessed out looming over their heads. I’m sure this isn’t the case for everyone as some just get on with it and are perfectly settled but I am sure it is something that’s always at the back of their minds. I suppose with JAs they might be to a certain extent used to this as they get assessed yearly (although not sure anyone actually gets assessed out from JA?)

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9 hours ago, Balletmamatotwo said:

Yes, it’s all very fascinating isn’t it? And having spoken to mums of DCs in various vocational schools, it almost sounds like the getting in is the less nerve wracking bit compared to the staying in, especially in relation to WL.  It’s like if you get a no from the start then it’s heart breaking especially as most these DCs (and parents!) sacrifice so much to get them to that stage but a no is a no and at some point they get over it. The more awful feeling I imagine is when the DC actually gets in and both parent and child live year after year with the threat of being assessed out looming over their heads. I’m sure this isn’t the case for everyone as some just get on with it and are perfectly settled but I am sure it is something that’s always at the back of their minds. I suppose with JAs they might be to a certain extent used to this as they get assessed yearly (although not sure anyone actually gets assessed out from JA?)

 At the insight day we were advised that the only time they would discontinue a child from the JA programme is if it became clear that the child wasn’t making any progress and the style of training didn’t suit them x

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Hi everyone, newbie here. Good luck to everyone auditioning. My daughter is auditioning for bath tomorrow (I've seen there's a few others here, hi 🙋‍♀️). 

It's her first time, (yr4). I've seen comments about an under the sea section, is anyone able to elaborate on this at all? My daughters improv in front of others is - let's just say, it'd be about 20 cartwheels, 10 turns, maybe chuck a couple of aerials in there too and a whole load of penches🙈🙈 (Inless it's on tiktok then that's a whole different story 😂🙈). 

Anyway, for the under the sea, do they improv just ballet? Or do they do whatever they like? Is it all on the floor? Is it an actual dance, or just showing moves? Just trying to prepare her. Thanks all so much in advance. 

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43 minutes ago, JJ700 said:

 

Anyway, for the under the sea, do they improv just ballet? Or do they do whatever they like? Is it all on the floor? Is it an actual dance, or just showing moves? Just trying to prepare her. Thanks all so much in advance. 

From what DD said she was on her knees, they had to respond to the music so move in time to how he played..I wouldn’t worry too much, I have a sneaking suspicion by that point they probably already know if they like any of them..they would probably just love watching her whatever she did 🙃 they do genuinely have a lovely time 

i think it’s so they can see their musicality (I’m on a steep learning curve 😂

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Hi - I know exactly what you mean about the acro moves in improv (!) and I've said to my DD it's not that kind of improv!

 

My understanding is that it's just about musicality and responding to the music, nothing major, and they should just listen and move in the way it makes them want to (on knees/seated/however they are told to on the day). I don't think it needs to be specific ballet steps per se, just movement (?)

 

Good luck to your DD and everyone in Bath. We are inching closer to DD's audition in London at the end of next week, feels like it's taking ages to come round but at least its less of a wait till the results I guess! 

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My DD attended the Bath auditions today, group 1 for year 6 place. I wasn’t able to go (training at work!) so her dance teacher and dad went! Just home from work and she said it was fine and no improv and that’s about all I got from her!! Now the waiting!!

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2 hours ago, Twirlygirl09 said:

My DD attended the Bath auditions today, group 1 for year 6 place. I wasn’t able to go (training at work!) so her dance teacher and dad went! Just home from work and she said it was fine and no improv and that’s about all I got from her!! Now the waiting!!

Awww. Good luck to your daughter. Good to know there was no improv. Thank you. Gonna be a long wait now till results 🙈

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29 minutes ago, Dancing unicorn said:

Anyone know how many auditions to go? And, have they given any indication in these recent ones when results will be out please?

Good luck to those still to audition

Thank you x

At DDs audition they said results out end of June. 

 

Dd had to do improv sat with crossed legs and had to be a butterfly coming out of its cocoon. 

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JJ700 my DD is also auditioning in bath for a year 4 place tomorrow. We are in group 2 registration at 10.30. My DH is taking her. My DD is really hoping they do improv, ideally on feet!

Astrid my friend asked me to say that it was lovely to meet you and sorry she didn't get to say goodbye. Her son did bath today.

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23 minutes ago, Spamcat said:

JJ700 my DD is also auditioning in bath for a year 4 place tomorrow. We are in group 2 registration at 10.30. My DH is taking her. My DD is really hoping they do improv, ideally on feet!

Astrid my friend asked me to say that it was lovely to meet you and sorry she didn't get to say goodbye. Her son did bath today.

Aww good luck to your daughter!! We're in group 1 at 9.30. 

I told mine earlier about the improv and we've prepared for it slightly. So hopefully it will work out fine.

 

Ive been quite laid back about it all until the last couple of days, now it's suddenly become a lot more intense lol. God knows what the waiting for the results is going to be like!! What will be will be, paying the audition fee to have a class with a royal ballet teacher is worth it whether she gets in or not. 

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8 minutes ago, SJBallet said:

 

Does anyone know, why when they have so many groups they mix ages? There were 4 groups at DDs audition and she was in with 3 friends, 2 for year 4 places and 1 for year 5. I couldn’t work out why they weren’t split?  

 

I guess because they are auditioning for a place in the same class? - The JA1 class is a year 4/5 class.

 

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1 minute ago, Darkbeans said:

I guess because they are auditioning for a place in the same class? - The JA1 class is a year 4/5 class.

 

Oh ok, so there isn’t potentially 16 y4 places? (Think I saw this in the YouTube introduction, that there was approx 16 places, obviously boys and girls) but 16 JA1 places? 

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6 minutes ago, SJBallet said:

Oh ok, so there isn’t potentially 16 y4 places? (Think I saw this in the YouTube introduction, that there was approx 16 places, obviously boys and girls) but 16 JA1 places? 

I can only really comment about Totnes as that’s where my daughter is a JA, but I believe that’s the case. I would also say they would take up to 16 - DD JA1 class currently has 12. Last yr at Totnes they took 4 yr 4s and 3 yr 5s in to that class. (The rest of the class are yr 5s who were yr4 JAs last year.) 

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Just now, Darkbeans said:

I can only really comment about Totnes as that’s where my daughter is a JA, but I believe that’s the case. I would also say they would take up to 16 - DD JA1 class currently has 12. Last yr at Totnes they took 4 yr 4s and 3 yr 5s in to that class. (The rest of the class are yr 5s who were yr4 JAs last year.) 

Thank you @Darkbeans this makes sense... and also makes DDs chance even smaller 😳

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21 minutes ago, SJBallet said:

Thank you @Darkbeans this makes sense... and also makes DDs chance even smaller

I’m glad it makes sense. I wasn’t sure if I was just being confusing 😂! The chances are slim, but someone has to get in and you don’t lose anything by trying 😊

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Just now, Darkbeans said:

I’m glad it makes sense. I wasn’t sure if I was just being confusing 😂! The chances are slim, but someone has to get in and you don’t loose anything by trying 😊

It made perfect sense 😁 I’d just assumed there were 3 classes. 

 

Yes I think the chances are very very slim!!!!! 😁

 

 

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Hi everyone! I’m new to this site, even though I’ve been following the posts for a while. Our DD is auditioning next Tuesday in London and it’s her first time auditioning with RBS. As she is currently in Y5,  she is auditioning for Y6 space. Any idea of what the class is like and what they will be expected to do? Thanks in advance and good luck to all of your DDs and DSs! x

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13 hours ago, JJ700 said:

Awww. Good luck to your daughter. Good to know there was no improv. Thank you. Gonna be a long wait now till results 🙈

 

15 hours ago, Twirlygirl09 said:

My DD attended the Bath auditions today, group 1 for year 6 place. I wasn’t able to go (training at work!) so her dance teacher and dad went! Just home from work and she said it was fine and no improv and that’s about all I got from her!! Now the waiting!!

Good to know. Dd is not at all happy with the improv she did last year so that's a relief she doesn't have to do that again! 

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