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Associate courses - help!


dancerbabe82

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Hi everyone I'm new to the forum so sorry if I'm not up to speed with the ettiquette etc!

 

I've got a dance pupil who's currently in year 7 - she does really well in festivals etc (gets placed regularly) and gets distinctions in all her exams, and I know she's got a lot of talent but she didn't get in to RBS mid associates and Elmhurst don't have associates older than year 7.

 

I was wondering if there was anything else that she could do in the area that anyone recommends? She did EYB but it was more of the same that we already do (lots of shows, festivals, panto etc) - she could do with extra technique or body conditioning and I can't afford to run a class for just 1 pupil.... I know there's Tring but thats a nightmare to get to (we're in Shropshire), and Northern Associates is also too far to travel. Any ideas?!

 

Thanks! Amy

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I just wanted to say what a supportive teacher you are to your young pupil. Where was your pupils parents prepared to travel if she had been awarded a RBS associate place. Central School of Ballet do an excellent associate programme. Get her to look at the CATS programmes that are available.

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and of course Summer Schools are great for extra training - not too late to apply for some of them I'm sure?

 

Lots of Summer schools are residential so the travelling would be less of an issue. Perhaps she does summer schools anyway - was just a thought ....

Edited by Gingerbread
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I can vouch for the Central Associates and they do have people travelling from all over. If not there are heaps of great summer and Easter schools around, many of which are residential. My DD used to enjoy the Tring Easter school very much. :-)

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People certainly are prepared to travel huge distances for good associate schemes. There is a girl in the pre senior ladies class at Central with my DD who comes from Barry in Wales every week.When DD was at Legat there was a family considering travelling from scotland every week for their associate classes, and I have heard of similar for the RB JA classes in London. I think the RAD have started running some associate classes which I think have been in Birmingham and it is also worth looking at the BRB website for their insight days/ classes which are very good too.

 

J x

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Wow thank you everyone for your responses. I'll certainly talk to her parents - I think money is a bit of an issue and some of those easter/summer schools are rather pricey but perhaps better than trekking to London or Leeds. That CAT programme looks interesting but from the video it doesn't seem to be the right thing for her, she's more of a ballet/jazz/musical theatre student.

 

I've just come across something on facebook - does anyone know anything about this Midlands Independent Associate Scheme? https://www.facebook.com/MIDASdance

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I've heard good things about the MIDAS one and even though the CAT scheme might not be exactly what she's looking for it might be worth investigating if money is a bit of an issue because it's run on a bursary basis. We could never have done it for my daughter because our income meant we would have had to pay the whole lot (which was still too much for us with one away at vocational school!) but my friend's daughter goes to one in London and doesn't pay a thing except the travel.

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JulieW thanks for that - What have you heard about the MIDAS one? I might get in touch with them as it seems to be the kind of thing we're looking for but it's always helpful to hear what people think about the classes themselves.

Sparkedust are you in the midlands too? What a shame about Hammond!

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I still always think it is worth a making a phone call, things change and I think that with a teachers recomendation the school may have a look at your student. Sarah Durrant head of dance says she will never turn talent away. My dd did their summer school when she was 11, she hadnt auditioned for the associate course but was given a place with a full scolarship to attend.

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"What have you heard about the MIDAS one? I might get in touch with them as it seems to be the kind of thing we're looking for but it's always helpful to hear what people think about the classes themselves."

 

 

We did their summer intensive last year and it was really good, we would have done the associate scheme had we been able to fit it in!

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Hi there

I was about to say we did the summer intensive and my dd found it very benifical :)

We don't do the associates but 2 girls from our dancing school do 1 senior 1 junior and they both speak very highly of the training...

 

I think auditions are soon ;) good luck!

 

Cx

Edited by charlie4dancin
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Thanks for your advice - this forum is really great! It sounds like the MIDAS scheme is worth a look for my pupil because of her age and it's close by etc. Maybe they've tapped into a gap in the market there! I havent heard until I started looking online and it does look quite good - What was the summer course like? I might recommend that to my pupils :D

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Hi everyone, thanks for your help in this. I've spoken to my pupils parents and also emailed the director of the MIDAS scheme who seemed very knowledgeable. She's going to audition for them and we might try contacting Hammond after 1/2 term too. And for those people who did the MIDAS summer school the lady said they were doing it again this year but 5 days (Aug 20-24 incl) using more than 1 studio so I think the juniors and seniors classes will run side by side if I've understood correctly. She said they'd open up applications after Easter so it's a case of keeping a watch on their website/Facebook page.

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