London Studio Centre vs. KS Dance

[alice0702]

Hello,

I have been offered a place at both London Studio Centre and KS Dance for September this year. Both courses look great but I'm wondering if someone here could give me some advice. I ultimately want to try and get a job in a ballet company so I want to know where I'd be more likely to end up with a ballet contract. It would be great if anyone could share any other information or their thoughts on either school.

Thanks!

[Jan McNulty]

Hello Alice0702 and welcome out of the lurking shadows!

 

I've added a couple of tags at the top of your thread.  If you click on them you will be taken to links for older threads.  One thing I do know our members suggest is looking at the list of graduate destinations.

 

I can't comment on either school but living in Warrington would be cheaper than living in London, if costs are a consideration.

[Dancing unicorn]

Can’t help with LSC.
My dd currently at KS in Warrington and loving it. 
Can vouch for accommodation costs, only £300+ a month instead of £300 a week as quoted for another school in London 😱 All houses are within walking distance of college and students either walk or drive so no costly travel expenses or lengthy travel times either, for me this was a big plus over London. Really nice area too so students feel safe. 
Hopefully you will have been to KS for your audition so you will know what the place looks like. Staff are fabulous, and caring. Although my DD’s yr is small (10 - 7 girls, 3 boys) current 1st yr has 19 students so still much smaller than some London schools. 
As Jan says look at their grad destinations for previous yrs. It’s very difficult to predict where students will/have ended up this last yr under current circumstances. 
My dd is certainly happy that she chose KS. 

[Bluebird22]

I have a former student in second year at KS Dance, as a teacher I have been particularly impressed by the pastoral care and the attention to detail from the fitness/physio coach. They appear to have a very holistic approach to training, with a real emphasis on fitness and strength. Another student successfully auditioned this year but declined her place as Kate told her she would be expected to study a variety of styles during her first year, which were way out of her comfort zone. Another former student went to LSC several years back and they found living in London really difficult, that is more of a personality thing rather than anything to do with the college itself. LSC graduates do have access to the bbodance teaching course, I assume there was some incentive offered as a lot of my year were LSC graduates, so opportunities like that may be worth looking into. 

[Jewel]

Whereas KS Dance offer ISTD teaching qualifications (including Cecetti ballet which my child would have loved the chance to learn)

[Mummy twinkle toes]

Both schools are good so I think you need to go with which you prefer. Dd1 has opted for LSC but really liked KS dance too. LSC’s new course is specialist from the beginning but you will still do other genres.

LSC does require a fee top up but there are scholarships available. Luckily, student finance in Wales is generous so makes it doable. We would have had to pay accommodation fees with Dada.

Dd1 loved the idea of being in London and Chester House is reasonable and includes food. Dd1 also knows some of the ballet faculty at LSC who have coached her previously and have been excellent.

Dd1 is very classical but is aware that classical work is hard to obtain. For that reason I also liked that LSC are very strong in other genres so if ballet did not work out there were other possible options. 
 

[Sunshine girl]

Interesting reading all the advice, my DD has an offer for KS dance and NBS for September, plus another school.

Does anyone have any advice between KSdance and NBS?  Her goal is to join a contemporary ballet company, thank you 

[Dancing unicorn]

Can’t speak for Northern sorry.

DD was delighted that her Contemporary teacher who taught her at Hammond, was also teaching at KS. Fab contemporary classes, and always fab to watch in their productions. 
Ballet mainly taught by Miss Simmons who is brilliant and gets the best out of her students. One of the best teachers my dd has had.

Edited May 5, 2021 by Dancing unicorn

[Dancers Dad]

2 hours ago, Sunshine girl said:

Interesting reading all the advice, my DD has an offer for KS dance and NBS for September, plus another school.

Does anyone have any advice between KSdance and NBS?  Her goal is to join a contemporary ballet company, thank you 

Have a look at the NBS thread - there are some very helpful people with children either in the school now or who have been recently and they may be able to give you a feel for the place.

[MrsMoo2]

I went to KS Dance before it was KS Dance in the early 90’s. I enjoyed it but felt I missed out on the whole city living thing. (I later went on to Manchester Uni) It depends what you are after and as I was very contemporary focused. It felt like we spent a lot of time on classes like Flamenco, and character modern that seemed a bit odd and everyone is expected to join in with everything! 😆😆 Also they were pretty unhelpful with a friend with an eating disorder but this may have changed. Good luck!!

[Sunshine girl]

Thank you for the comments. DD very ballet orientated, but enjoys more contemporary ballet, but still loves classical. She isn’t too bothered about being in a city, more the correct school and teachers... lots to think about 

[Dancing unicorn]

Timetable at KS changes week by week depending on which term they are in. Generally Term 2 is show term (although this yr it’s changed to term 3 as term 2 was in lockdown.

But generally they have ballet every day, pointe, pas de deux, contemporary, jazz and S&C twice a week, Spanish and tap once a week.

I have found no problems with weight issues in this school. 

[mumtotwoballerinas]

On 05/05/2021 at 13:34, Sunshine girl said:

Interesting reading all the advice, my DD has an offer for KS dance and NBS for September, plus another school.

Does anyone have any advice between KSdance and NBS?  Her goal is to join a contemporary ballet company, thank you 

My ds chose KS as he felt more at home there. He follows the classical stream  and although he was a late starter to ballet he has just gained a distinction in advanced 1 cecchetti ballet. He has also grown to love the contemporary. NBS was too musical theatre for him to contemplate. 

[balletbean]

On 05/05/2021 at 18:18, Sunshine girl said:

Thank you for the comments. DD very ballet orientated, but enjoys more contemporary ballet, but still loves classical. She isn’t too bothered about being in a city, more the correct school and teachers... lots to think about 

My DD is in 3rd yr at NBS. She entered the school with the sole intention of pursuing the classical focus. However at the end of 1st yr she selected the Jazz Focus. The Jazz Focus still encompasses strong ballet and contemporary training along with other genres. Keeping those all important doors open for options upon graduation.  She’s been incredibly happy at the school, not just with the training (albeit slightly interrupted 😷) but the friends she’s made and with city living. 
 

Depends on your DD’s aims and goals with her career path. No two dancers at the same . Whilst researching schools and colleges she also looked through old programmes of as many different productions and companies she could find to gauge where cast members trained. Which we both found very helpful. 
 

Good Luck. If only we all had a Crystal Ball when making these kind of decisions it would make life so much easier. 😉

Edited May 7, 2021 by balletbean

[Canary]

Congratulations on gaining entry to LSC and KS both heads of ballet are exceptional teachers and incredibly experienced teachers.