The London Ballet Co Associate - Experiences?

[TKT]

Hi again, since asking for associate recommendations a week or so ago, I’ve applied for Tring (I really liked their associate write up) & RBS (yikes) BUT (we’re going for a fun day out & the experience for future auditions)  Oh, also Ballet Boost (they’re very close)! However, I’d also written to The London Ballet Company who have just come back to me. I’ve looked on here but I’m unable to find anyone’s reviews... I’d imagine they’re held in high regards & I'm just asking the obvious... (sorry I’m a newbie) but I would love to hear a review / recommendation on auditions & training. Thank you all x

[Anna C]

Hello TKT.  ☺️ I must admit, I haven’t heard of The London Ballet Company and it’s not easy to find information on who teaches their Associate Scheme and what teaching qualifications they have.  Are they quite new, I wonder?  That might explain the lack of reviews.

 

I see you’ve applied for Tring; is it the Classical Ballet Academy you’ve applied for, or Tring Park Associates?  Only because if you’re looking for an Associate scheme similar to RBS, then it’s the Classical Ballet Academy you want, rather than the (confusingly named) Associates. 

 

I don’t know whether you can get to London but Central School of Ballet’s Preps/Pre-Seniors is always worth looking at for once your dd starts Year 7.

[2dancersmum]

I think the associates/school part of the London Ballet Company only goes back a year or perhaps two so perhaps difficult to find reviews for assoicates, though they do have a facebook page. . They started off as a performance company in 2010 but have been running summer (and Easter) intensives/summer schools for quite a few years. I know of dancers in upper school vocational training at the same time as my DD (2012-2015) who attended around 2013/14 time - too far for us when no accommodation was provided, but my DD was interested. The company was only small then - but it seems to grow year on year.

[TKT]

Hi Anna C, thank you for your reply. Yes it’s the CBA at Tring we have applied for. London is not local for us, it’s 2 hours away but the opportunity here would be wonderful for her. RBS Bath is very local to us, as is Ballet Boost Devon. Also Ballet Cymru but unsure when the applications open for 2020. 
 

Thank you also 2dancermum, if their associate scheme is fairly new, this would be why I can’t find any reviews, I have looked at their Facebook page which appears very professional. They’ve asked for a video audition of my DD as the programme is already underway but prepared to accept a late application. It maybe worth their feedback.

 

Thank you again - this forum great! Xx

 

Edited October 31, 2019 by TKT

[OnlyDance]

Hi TKT, I have experience of this scheme as my DD was one of the first batch of associates. She thoroughly enjoyed her year there but I would say (having read one of your other posts) she was in a completely different situation to your daughter in terms of opportunities at home ballet school. My DD started at TLBC having only ever done 1 hour ballet class per week. No competitions, no festivals. 

 

The TLBC style of dancing if very creative and contemporary-like if your DD likes that.  I would enquire as to the class sizes as I know the year after my DD left the size increased significantly (over 20). Picking up on Anna C's comment about teacher qualifications, I never did find out what formal teaching qualifications had been gained. 

 

My DD left after a year because it was too much of a commitment both financially (significant fee increase) and time-wise (often a 3-4 hour journey each way due to rail engineering works). Perhaps had we lived nearer, and were able to attend the non-residential Easter Intensive that's now included in the new fee, she may have continued as an associate.

[Encroix]

58 minutes ago, TKT said:

Hi Anna C, thank you for your reply. Yes it’s the CBA at Tring we have applied for. London is not local for us, it’s 2 hours away but the opportunity here would be wonderful for her. RBS Bath is very local to us, as is Ballet Boost Devon. Also Ballet Cymru but unsure when the applications open for 2020. 

 

Ballet Cymru audition dates will be updated in the new year I imagine. 

The audition is usually the last weekend of June. 

 

[margarite]

DD was an associate with the London Ballet Company before going to vocational school. Despite being an associate elsewhere with another, more well-known scheme, TLBC was her favourite. I agree it doesn’t have the benefits of being attached to a vocational school, but we saw it as DD having an instructive and enjoyable class with other likeminded children and as an accompaniment to her other training. She didn’t do any of the holiday schemes due to other commitments. The director also has links with Rambert and Elmhurst I think? Hope that helps.

[TKT]

Thank you Margarita that was very, very helpful! This is exactly what we need, at 10 years old my DD wants more than her syllabus class once a week. We could still apply for a more well-known associate schemes with the hope of gaining invaluable experience, enjoyment & hope for a possible ‘yes’ one day x