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Easter/Summer Schools and Intensives


TinyNEDancer

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I wondered if anyone felt it would be useful to share thoughts and experiences on the dance/ballet Easter or summer schools their children have taken part in this year?

 

I thought it might be useful, given that there is often a choice and they can’t do them all (even if they would like to!) for people to share any experiences that they have had... It’s a good way to find out what is out there too! 

 

I am happy to share my DDs experiences this year if others are similarly interested 😊. She has really enjoyed both of the courses she did this year and found them very different from one another! 

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Great idea. 

 

Always good to have 'real life' experiences of summer schools.  I'd be interested to hear about Easter intensives. 

 

DD went to Laine for summer school 2019 and had a brilliant week.  She worked very hard and slept for 3 days when she got home! She stayed with a host family and 3 other summer school attendees. End of week show was phenomenal. 

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DD attended RBS white lodge easter week  2018 and now a summer week  2019 aswell and also easter week in hong kong  done  

totally loved it

very well organised

not one complaint i have to say  from her or myself 

met loads of lovely new dancers, always made to feel welcome in class, encouraged and DD says teachers all just gorgeous ! x

 

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We have experience of 

 

Moorlands Summer School - excellent course. DD learned so much and her technique improved very much. The course directors are wonderful. 

 

Tring Dance Course - really good, varied week. Had the opportunity to try lots of new styles. Brilliant food, made some nice friends, good facilities. 

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2 hours ago, Dancing unicorn said:

Malvern Ballet Seminars - fab Easter course  

 

Both my DC attend Malvern Ballet Seminars Easter and new Summer courses. Amazing teaching in a caring, supportive environment. Excellent facilities and activities too. They even have a swimming pool 😂

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  • 1 month later...

DD did Ballet Cymru, Claudia Dean and Ballet Star this summer. 

She loved them all for different reasons, was worked hardest at Ballet Cymru (we booked an air bnb for the week), had the most fun at Claudia (loved her!) and had the most high profile teachers at Ballet Star (inc Darcey Bussell). She wants to definitely return to Wales next year and will be looking for another course in addition so I'll keep my eye on this thread. 

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13 hours ago, Pixiewoo said:

Does anyone know of any Spring intensives held the week BEFORE Easter in 2020? They all seem to be the week after and DD already has commitments that week! 

 

I have this exact dilemma for my DD - I've spent an age trying to find something for that week! 

 

We'll definitely be booking Malvern for the summer. Can anyone give me an idea of what level the lower age group works at? My DD will be 9.

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 At Easter my DD did two days out of three of Dance Forward , the second day with Sarah Lamb, and a few days at the Intensive at the Escola de Dança de Conservatorio Nacional of Lisbon.  

 

For the summer, my DD did Longiano in Danza, close to Rimini with some colleagues from Kings International. That was interesting. Beautiful town, safe for the hundred or so children of several nations. International teachers. Dorm style accommodation in the local hotel. My 15 year old has been travelling alone for so many years as a vocational student, initially living 250 miles away from home, now 1500 miles and a flight away,  that such opportunities present no problem for us as parents. (The Verona Intensive  always appeals but we can never fit it in. I might turn up to that one myself...if only to hold the tracksuit tops, well, no, not really , I would probably be sightseeing.) My DD was impressed by seeing so much Checchetti up close. The director of La Scala and his pupils were there, so the standard was very high.

Then she returned for Ballet Cymru , which she thoroughly loved. However turning up here, the hotels and Student Village  recommended by the organisers did not accept under 18's unaccompanied so this caused last minute hitch whilst we tried to find an alternative for a 15 year old and a 17 year old. Such is the paranoia over chaperoning now, it appears you can fly across Europe and be welcomed, homed and fed by local Italian hotels only to be turned down in the UK on the grounds of child safety. It is' safer' for a hotel chain, with contracted staff, fire regulations, locks on doors, CCTV to refuse young unaccompanied adults and turn them away leaving them to find an unmeasured Airbnb  host! As it happened the Airbnb host willing to take them was delightful and even turned up to see them perform at the showcase at the end of the week. All's well that end's well.  Teaching and classes were great though. Lots of pas de deux for the senior workshop plus end of week showcase. Company dancers helped the course run and gave a gravitas to the content, but the atmosphere was very friendly.

After this she did Kings, which of course has residential and non-residential options . The course covers a variety of disciplines and leads to preparation of a piece of repertoire and other works for the end of the week performance. International teachers. Excellent course structure , definitely an intensive and facilites with evening fun activities.  

The last workshop she tried was the London Ballet Masterclasses . She and her friend had to stay with friends of ours on the edge of London and commute in as we could not risk the hotel turning them away again. The problem  is that hotel booking sites accept bookings where over 12's are sometimes classed as adults. but then won't accept them as guests. The girls enjoyed this course as well and would be trying to return here if possible. 

Then she rested...

 

 

  

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Gosh there is so much more out there than ever I realised! 

Any advice for first overseas course for a 16 year old who wants to spread their wings a little? I’m not sure we will ever be able to get a suitable video produced.... if RBS select from photos & application form do any similar high level overseas courses also go by just this & no video? 

Also, other than the fantastic ybss, any other places offering scholarships one can apply/audition for I wonder?

 

 

 

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Pixiewoo and BellaF,

Here are some pre-Easter intensives.

 

ENBS just announced spring intensive dates on social media (4/6-4/8/2020). I believe it is first come first serve when application opens. But age requirement is likely 14-16 if it’s the same as previous years. 

 

RBS White Lodge is 4/4-4/9/2020 and is already accepting applications.

 

Escola Artistica De Danca Conservatorio Nacional in Lisbon was 4/8-4/13 last year. The dates are not out yet for 2020.

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Can anyone advise what the application is like for RBS summer intensive? I know they want the usual photographs, but is there also an audition, or how does it work? My daughter is 10 and this is the first year she is eligible to apply.

 

She did Tring this summer. She had an amazing time but she prefers ballet over street/commercial/contemporary and there was only one hour of ballet per day, so we may look elsewhere this year.

 

In previous years she has done Danceworks summer intensive.Another amazing experience but it seems most of the girls attend Danceworks together in the year and are close friends. They were all nice to my daughter but I thought I’d mention it, as someone with a younger child may wish to book with a friend.

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Fees for each & every one I seen to remember! One form may cover all courses but still think it’s a seperate fee that has to be paid for each one!! 

Seems such a lottery when based on photos & I do think that all intensives that are marketed as International do then take a large number from overseas....almost a game to see how many countries can be represented.... have wondered if reverse is true & would UK DC’s maybe stand better chance of being selected for National schools abroad? But then if course costs would be ever higher with flights etc...

Wishing you good luck! 

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Yes, as Peanut68 mentioned, the application fee was 32 GBP per intensive last year so 2x that if you apply for both intensives.

On the nationality mix, my daughter's class was a little over 50% from the UK (spring 2019) and based on the 2017/18 annual report, the applicant pool was 57% UK, so different year, but the mix at the intensive seemed to be roughly in line with the applicant pool. 

Best of luck!

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From my DD experience I could recommend the following:

 

UK

Malvern/ OPES – for spring intensive

ENBS - tried sping and summer - not one for her, her feedback was 'ok to socialise not demanding enough', also placed in incorrect lower group so was not challenging enough

She has tried first time RB this summer but said is was good but not demanding enough

 

Portugal

The National Conservatory Dance School - https://www.eadcn.pt/en/  - very high standard of dancers, great lessons

 

Spain - summer

IB Stage - Barcelona

Russian Masters Ballet Camp in Alicante

Centre de Dansa de Catalunya - Catalunya

 

USA - tried only summer

Ellison Ballet – would recommend both programmes - Variations and PDD (very demanding classes and kids actually work and sweat)

The Alvin Ailey – fantastic teachers!

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