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RBS Junior Associate Auditions 2021

Tdc34

By Tdc34
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BalletBoysDad

BalletBoysDad

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Posted

 

I quote Birmingham as it’s the centre my DS goes to. There are currently only 2 Y4s I know of, both girls. I don’t know the number of Y5s over both groups but I know there are only 3 boys, and i think there are 4 Y6 boys. So from 18 boys in 2019/20 there are now only (I believe) 7. 

 

When my son auditioned for London in 2019, there was a group of around 25 boys who were presumably Y5 who came out before his audition group, and he was in an audition with 25 Y4 boys. So of the 143 boys who auditioned nationwide I think it’s safe to assume 50 of those boys who audition were Y4 and Y5 in London. 

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MamaFrosty

MamaFrosty

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We have to confirm (or decline) a place on another associate course by the end of the weekend - I’m pretty sure the timings would clash so doing both isn’t an option and it seems better to go with the one we know has accepted her than hold on to what seems to be a very small chance. It’s a little frustrating but what will be will be.

 

Those numbers are interesting, it’s such a shame boys places still aren’t as coveted  - I know there’s a discrepancy between the number of boys and girls that do ballet but I hadn’t realised how much!

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BalletBoysDad

BalletBoysDad

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36 minutes ago, MamaFrosty said:

We have to confirm (or decline) a place on another associate course by the end of the weekend - I’m pretty sure the timings would clash so doing both isn’t an option and it seems better to go with the one we know has accepted her than hold on to what seems to be a very small chance. It’s a little frustrating but what will be will be.

 

Those numbers are interesting, it’s such a shame boys places still aren’t as coveted  - I know there’s a discrepancy between the number of boys and girls that do ballet but I hadn’t realised how much!

I found myself in the situation of having to accept things due to different deadlines, and later turn them down when other results came available. As annoyed as some of those programmes were, they reluctantly understood, and it certainly wasn’t the first or last time they had that happen. I think a terms fees as ‘penalty’ hovers between £90-£120 depending on the programme. It’s not an insignificant amount of money, so annoying to lose it. But only one programme demanded I pay it.

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BalletBoysDad

BalletBoysDad

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45 minutes ago, MamaFrosty said:

 

Those numbers are interesting, it’s such a shame boys places still aren’t as coveted  - I know there’s a discrepancy between the number of boys and girls that do ballet but I hadn’t realised how much!

Being a bit of a numbers geek, before my sons first audition for London, I looked at all the annual reports easily accessible online. You could see year on year a steady increase in the numbers applying. Equally you could see how more and more boys are applying. The older reports used to break down applications and spaces allocated by centre, so you could actually work out the percentage of male and female applicants that got places. In the early days, you might have (eg) 8 boys auditioning for 5 spaces at Eastleigh. They’ve stopped breaking it down by centre as you can easily work out how the ‘odds’ vary greatly from centre to centre. I worked out that if boys had a 1/10 chance in London they might have a 1/7 chance in Birmingham. But the other side of that argument is that if the child has what they’re looking for they have a 1/1 chance.  But for this year, it’s clear that if centres return to ‘normal capacity’ its a very favourable year to apply.

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Raquelle

Raquelle

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12 hours ago, BalletBoysDad said:

Being a bit of a numbers geek, before my sons first audition for London, I looked at all the annual reports easily accessible online. You could see year on year a steady increase in the numbers applying. Equally you could see how more and more boys are applying. The older reports used to break down applications and spaces allocated by centre, so you could actually work out the percentage of male and female applicants that got places. In the early days, you might have (eg) 8 boys auditioning for 5 spaces at Eastleigh. They’ve stopped breaking it down by centre as you can easily work out how the ‘odds’ vary greatly from centre to centre. I worked out that if boys had a 1/10 chance in London they might have a 1/7 chance in Birmingham. But the other side of that argument is that if the child has what they’re looking for they have a 1/1 chance.  But for this year, it’s clear that if centres return to ‘normal capacity’ its a very favourable year to apply.

In terms of numbers they used to quote on their website that it is around a 10 to 15% chance I think of getting into JAs and as ballet boy says there will be regional variations. I was told that last year they only took a third of what they normally take due to the pandemic...hopefully with things resuming to normal there will be better odds for your DCs. Having spent the last month refreshing emails like a mad woman for vocational school results/mids results I know how you all feel! Xxx best of luck everyone xx 

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Pups_mum

Pups_mum

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I think the overall numbers are valuable to know, because it helps a child/parent realise that the vast majority of applicants are actually unsuccessful. It's very easy to feel that you/your child are the only one to get a "no", because human nature being what it is, people tend to share news of success much more freely. Seeing it in black and white that something like 9 out of 10 children will not be chosen can help with expectation management beforehand and disappointment afterwards.

But detailed analysis of the odds of success for any particular centre/year group/sex is probably just tying yourself in knots for no real benefit. As with all these things, population statistics do what they say on the tin - describe a population. But what they can't do is predict outcome for individuals. I know it is lots easier to say than it is to actually do, but over thinking things and worrying about stuff that you have no influence over does tend to make all these things even more stressful than they need to be. 

Not specifically dance related, but I have learned in recent years that energy expended on things that are outside of your control is very seldom positive. My advice these days is very much focus on what you do have influence over, don't stress over what you don't and enjoy the ride as best you can.

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BalletBoysDad

BalletBoysDad

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45 minutes ago, Pups_mum said:

I think the overall numbers are valuable to know, because it helps a child/parent realise that the vast majority of applicants are actually unsuccessful. It's very easy to feel that you/your child are the only one to get a "no", because human nature being what it is, people tend to share news of success much more freely. Seeing it in black and white that something like 9 out of 10 children will not be chosen can help with expectation management beforehand and disappointment afterwards.

 

This was exactly our experience for Y4. It was recommended by a good teacher that we apply, and this was pre/before any kind of meaningful ‘research’ or even knowing about this forum etc. When I turned up on the day and we saw at least 50 boys (2 auditions crossing over) in London, we realised immediately that the number of applicants was vastly greater than the number of spaces available. Some research after made me regret that we had applied to London, and wished we had applying elsewhere. But I then realised that that would have been more a case of hedging bets and ‘chasing odds’ rather than just letting my son try his best and be satisfied in that, regardless of the outcome. As you mentioned, and as I realised, the knowledge of ‘numbers’ simply helped manage expectations and rationalise any disappointment.  In a live audition you get a visual experience of how many are applying. In a video audition, you don’t ‘see’ those numbers. 
 


 

 

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DancingDevon

DancingDevon

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Hi, new to this forum, just been reading the thread on the JA auditions. My son was SWL for Year 4 Totnes last year, think just 4 kids in the JA class (2 boys & 2 girls). He did the JEP which was great, keeping fingers crossed for this year, hope they let us know soon 😀

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MissEmily

MissEmily

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1 minute ago, Balletbuds80 said:

Is there anyone brave enough to contact them and ask for an update? I am not brave enough 😂

Nope! 🤣 No more views since the original ones weeks ago for my pupil, so they must have made their final decision then.

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BellaF

BellaF

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3 minutes ago, BalletBunNet said:

We had a 10 sec view of the video again yesterday from "external" 🤔

 

Could be RBS ........or could be the dance school teacher accidentally clicked on it!! 🤪 Aargh!

 

Good luck everyone! Really hope it's soon 🙏 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a very brief view shortly before receiving our yes last year...

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MissEmily

MissEmily

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@Balletbuds80 Yes! We weren't going to try again, after two nos, but then decided at the very last moment that we should go for the hat trick...just so we knew! I could just tell she wasn't REALLY happy to give up on JAs. We went Eastleigh first choice (as opposed to second choice after London) this year. Hopefully we'll hear soon so we can all be put out of our agony!

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Balletbuds80

Balletbuds80

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Posted (edited)
11 minutes ago, MissEmily said:

@Balletbuds80 Yes! We weren't going to try again, after two nos, but then decided at the very last moment that we should go for the hat trick...just so we knew! I could just tell she wasn't REALLY happy to give up on JAs. We went Eastleigh first choice (as opposed to second choice after London) this year. Hopefully we'll hear soon so we can all be put out of our agony!

I think its better than wondering “what if?”

Edited by Balletbuds80
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SarahT

SarahT

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I keep getting random emails from the Royal School of Ballet and it makes my heart jump every time as I think it is JA results. I swear they have sent more that usual in the last week just to test my nerves. 
Talking of random emails, they sent one about the online summer intensive. It seems strange to have it mid July when most schools haven’t broken up for the summer yet. Such a shame as my DD did the online spring intensive and really enjoyed it. 
🤞we get some results tomorrow xx

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BusyDancemum

BusyDancemum

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4 minutes ago, SarahT said:

I keep getting random emails from the Royal School of Ballet and it makes my heart jump every time as I think it is JA results. I swear they have sent more that usual in the last week just to test my nerves. 
Talking of random emails, they sent one about the online summer intensive. It seems strange to have it mid July when most schools haven’t broken up for the summer yet. Such a shame as my DD did the online spring intensive and really enjoyed it. 
🤞we get some results tomorrow xx

Haha same! I just got that email my heart skipped a beat and one the other day 😆 hopefully tomorrow 🙏🏼 

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Tendu43

Tendu43

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1 minute ago, BusyDancemum said:

Haha same! I just got that email my heart skipped a beat and one the other day 😆 hopefully tomorrow 🙏🏼 

🤣🤣 Same here! 🙏🏻 for tomorrow, my nerves cannot take much more!! 

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Balletbow

Balletbow

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3 hours ago, SarahT said:

I keep getting random emails from the Royal School of Ballet and it makes my heart jump every time as I think it is JA results. I swear they have sent more that usual in the last week just to test my nerves. 
Talking of random emails, they sent one about the online summer intensive. It seems strange to have it mid July when most schools haven’t broken up for the summer yet. Such a shame as my DD did the online spring intensive and really enjoyed it. 
🤞we get some results tomorrow xx

I keep getting random ones too! 

 

My dd isn’t old enough for the intensives but I thought the same thing about the dates when I saw them - even the London schools don’t break up that early 🤷🏻‍♀️

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