atacrossroads Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 Yes, she started CBA this September and is 10, in group 3. The girls in group 1 tend to be 8-9, group 2 are 9-11 and group 3 are 10 - 12. They are setted according to ability/ how high they are in RAD grades. The Sunday classes start at around 10am in the lovely Park Studios and last for about 1.30 - 1.45 hours, with a break two thirds of the way through. The uniform is a lovely lilac for groups 1-3 and the girls seem really happy there - my daughter loves it. The flexibility test in the audition is all 3 splits for 20 seconds, straddle and pike for 20 seconds also I think. The judges will make notes on their level of flexibilty at that point. The fact that she is down in her splits will be a big plus for her - let us know how she gets on! X 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balletmum20 Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 Thankyou, you have been very helpful, and of course i will let you know how we get on. x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jellybeans Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 I am intrigued that the Tring CBA pay so much attention to splits as I know that many students who are accepted into full time vocational schools in yr 7 are not able to do them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balletmum20 Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 Yes it does seem to be the thing they are looking for, and at such a young age,. x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atacrossroads Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 I wonder whether they use it as a sign of how committed to dance the child is? (and I'm not saying I agree with this by any means). My dd isn't flexible, so it took her 2 years of pretty much doing splits every day to get down. A child in my modern dance classes was so stiff we thought she'd never get down despite all her exercises, but to my amazement, she was down this September. It's fine for a child not to be flat in splits before entering year 7 vocational as they can catch up at that age. The only worry is if this is now part of the audition process, you wouldn't want it to count against them in a room with other talented children who appear more flexible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jellybeans Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 The thing is that being able to do the splits has nothing to do with commitment! Some may stretch every day for ever and still not get their splits and others who never actively stretch can get down flat with no effort at all! And surely, being able to do the splits or not when you are so young has no relationship at all with the ability or potential to dance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balletmum20 Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 Yes I do agree, my 8 year old has stretched every day for her to be able to do her splits but my 11 year old is not that committed, and only stretches in her body condition class, and is not even near on the splits, my 8 year old is so much more committed to dance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atacrossroads Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 Ah, those naturally flexible children are so lucky! I would say however, in my experience and looking at boys in particular who are naturally less flexible than girls, with every day commitment and being willing to warm up gradually each day to sitting in each splits for 30 seconds, over a year or so pretty much all children would be flat in splits. The trouble is that after a day of school and dance classes, then homework, the last thing they want to do is spend 15 minutes limbering! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jellybeans Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 (edited) Ah, those naturally flexible children are so lucky! I would say however, in my experience and looking at boys in particular who are naturally less flexible than girls, with every day commitment and being willing to warm up gradually each day to sitting in each splits for 30 seconds, over a year or so pretty much all children would be flat in splits. The trouble is that after a day of school and dance classes, then homework, the last thing they want to do is spend 15 minutes limbering! Still doesn't mean they can dance, though!! Of course, many will be able to but not because they can do the splits! I would be interested to know if, in the absence of a physio exam, an audition panel would be able to tell a naturally flexible child from one who has worked hard to achieve the same result. Edited October 24, 2012 by Jellybeans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atacrossroads Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 (edited) I totally agree Jellybeans! I don't see how they could without the chance to look at the ligament structure of the rest of the body. Splits cannot show the level of natural turnout for example anyway. Edited October 24, 2012 by atacrossroads 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balletmumfor2 Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 I can remember when my daughter went for her first JA audition many years ago and was a long way from any splits. When she told me they had tested these I assumed she had no chance and threw the RBS info away only for her to be offered a place several months later! She was called for yr7 finals and practised splits everyday to try to improve them. Flexibility is still difficult and she has a stiff back, tight Achilles and still can't get down in box splits. Despite this she has made MA's, SA's and yr10 finals and her feedback encouraged her to try again in 6th form when there are more places. Flexibility or lack of it has never been mentioned so I assume it is not an issue. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulip Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 Yes I have known children who have secured a place in year 7 for the Royal and not being able to do full spits. Even some older children in vocational schools are still not able to do full splits properly, and one that I knew of was a an Mds student. But she is physicaly beautiful and a beautiful ballerina. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drdance Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 Splits really isn't the be all and end all in auditions. It's one factor in an awful lot of things. Physique, dance quality, response to music all count too. Front splits can be easy for someone with loose hamstrings but the child still might have a lack of turnout. On the flip side, a child might have good turnout and very tight hamstrings so won't be able to do any of the splits. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 Who knows what they are after at these auditions!!! Perhaps looking at splits is just a very small part of assessing a trainable physique and potential for the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomuchtallent Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 My order would be- Body proportions Turnout Feet Flexibility All coming after the way the student danced and only for ballet,but I'm not teacher or anything so just my opinion.But must say when I look at young dancers I can tell who I like within 5 minutes,wonder if at auditions they are the same? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hfbrew Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 My old ,sadly now departed nallet teacher was one of the very first RAD examiners. She used to say that she knew the moment a dancer entered the room if they were a likely "Honours" student! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legseleven Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 I would be very surprised (and a little horrified) if Tring really are only accepting children who are able to do all splits, straddle and pike. Unfortunately, many in the wider community already seem to think that flexibility is the only mark of a good dancer and those children who are able to 'wrap their legs around their heads' are often lauded as the next big thing on that basis alone ; there was a recent thread about the trend for ultra-extensions etc (plain ugly in many instances, in my humble opinion) and the 'gymnasticising' of ballet and I would hate to think that a vocational school really was setting splits all ways, straddle and pike as 'must have' entrance requirements. I hope that this is not the case further to Balletmumfor2's and Tulip's posts, although I am conscious that they referred specifically to the RBS rather than to Tring. As most people would consider the RBS to be the most prestigious UK vocational school and the most difficult to get into, I assume that what is not an absolute bar to RBS entry would not be an absolute bar to Tring entry? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 We know someone who can't do splits and she got in Tring CBA. Always worth remembering it doesn't matter how flexible you are, you still need to be able to dance ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primrose Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 I dont believe that it is an absolute requirement to be able to do the splits to get in, I think they will be looking just to see what the potential for these requirements are, ie lenght of hamstrings etc. They will be looking at a whole host of things (I would hope so anyway). I would say if you are unsure, then give the school a call, there is no point allowing your child to audition if they cant do these things and the school insist upon it. I really DONT think this is the case though. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBA Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 I'm fairly sure that the first thing they look for is physique, then facility and musicality. As with all schools, they look for a blank workable canvas. If you could do everything already you wouldn't need training ! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 As with all schools, they look for a blank workable canvas. Not completely blank, I hope !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loulabelle Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 Well as I said in one of my earlier posts, in my DD's audition for Tring CBA they did NOT do ANY splits/flexibility tests. My DD got a place without having to prove she could do splits all ways and I don't believe they can tell whether a child can/cannot just by looking at them. So it can't be the one deciding factor if they aren't testing all the students they audition?? As was mentioned above, I think they know who they like fairly soon after they have walked into the audition just by looking at their physical attributes, feet etc. The ability to do the splits all ways may be one tick on the form but not the deciding factor. There are girls in my DD's CBA class who cannot do splits. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hfbrew Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 (edited) Sometimes being too flexible can actually work against a child. I remember this being discussed at a teachers day at Tring some years ago. There are individuals who are so hyper mobile in their joints that they are unlikely ever to get the required strength and co-ordination needed to bring such flexibility under control in order to dance. Any audition panel does need to assess students facility but this is purely to see ,by looking at the all round package,who will benefit most from their system of training . I think people are worrying too much about the flexibility issue, yes its a factor to be aware of but its not the be all and end all. Much better to be a dancer who has the facility to increase flexibility and maintain strength at the same time than have joints totally out of control. I recently observed lots of very talented WL students who weren't flat down in splits, this is true of a lot of vocational students at all the schools. They would have all undergone similar flexibility assessments during the audition process which shows that whilst its an integral part of the selection process its certainly not a deciding factor at all. I would say to any auditionee to not panic if you are not down in splits- just show that you understand how to work towards them and that you are willing if not yet able, showing that you are prepared to work/try hard and not give up is a big bonus. Edited October 26, 2012 by hfbrew 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All4dancers Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 Sometimes being too flexible can actually work against a child. I remember this being discussed at a teachers day at Tring some years ago. There are individuals who are so hyper mobile in their joints that they are unlikely ever to get the required strength and co-ordination needed to bring such flexibility under control in order to dance. One of my dd's dance teachers recently expressed deep concern over her lack of strength and her extreme flexibility, particularly in her spine. Her exact words were "I'm worried that this will prove to be the undoing of her". She has quite a few auditions coming up, so I hope this won't be the case and that she can build up her strength, she is certainly prepared to put in the work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drdance Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 Strength, and flexibility, can be trained. There are some things that are harder to train. That's what panels look for, in my opinion, first and foremost. Hfbrew were you at WL last week? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atacrossroads Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 Out of an audition that lasted over an hour, the flexibility test was a 5 minute thing. I think Tring are looking for all of the above attributes that have been mentioned and flexibility is just one of may elements they are testing. I'm sure musicality, presentation, physique etc. are further up the list Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happymum Posted November 10, 2012 Author Share Posted November 10, 2012 Just one more week to go! My DD is working on her splits and is getting really excited. I'm also getting excited! I don't know why did I think that we will be more relaxed because it's not a first audition for us. Good luck to everybody else who is auditioning at Tring next Sunday. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balletmum20 Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 Yaaaay one more week to go!!! Im also very excited, have you auditioned at Tring before? how old is your dd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happymum Posted November 10, 2012 Author Share Posted November 10, 2012 My DD just turned 9 (year 4). She auditioned for royal JA and Elmhurst Pvp but we've never been at Tring before. It will be nice to see the school. What about your DD? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balletmum20 Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 She is 8, never done an audition before so all new to us! what time is your audition? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happymum Posted November 10, 2012 Author Share Posted November 10, 2012 9.45 registration - if I remember well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balletmum20 Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 Yes we are too! so im sure ill see you there along with hundred of other people, I know there are very few places and alot auditioning this time! xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balletmum20 Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 is your dd flexable, as there is a flexability test? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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