Trainee Program Ballet De Barcelona

[Topaz]

I am wondering if anyone on this forum has had experience or any knowledge of the Trainee Program with Ballet De Barcelona?

[Jan McNulty]

Hello Topaz,

 

I assume this is the website for the company (headed up by Chase Johnsey, ex-The Trocks):

 

https://www.balletdebarcelona.com/en/

 

With no knowledge of how things work there, looking at the company members it seems to me that the corps de ballet of the company is made up of the pre-pro dancers?

 

The company was only set up in 2019 so I expect not too many people will have experience of the programme given that for most of the company's existence we have been living through the pandemic.

 

 

[taxi4ballet]

Schemes like this can sometimes be a way for a company to have extra dancers without having to pay them a proper salary or give them a contract. 

 

Not that I'm a cynic or anything.

[Anon2]

2 hours ago, taxi4ballet said:

Schemes like this can sometimes be a way for a company to have extra dancers without having to pay them a proper salary or give them a contract. 

 

Not that I'm a cynic or anything.

 Parents having the privilege of paying for the program and the company a ready made corps. 

[FlexyNexy]

4 hours ago, taxi4ballet said:

Schemes like this can sometimes be a way for a company to have extra dancers without having to pay them a proper salary or give them a contract. 

 

Not that I'm a cynic or anything.

Completely agree.  I am yet to hear where are the students that finished ENBS pre-professional program. I was looking at them closely since they announced this scheme, now second year running and still nothing once they leave. 

Companies/ schools have to subsidise somehow their lossess. 

[Lildancer96]

My understanding is that most of the dancers don’t get paid and are there to get experience. Lots of companies seem to do this now but there doesn’t seem to be many paid positions at the end.

[rowan]

I know a few who were offered this, but none who took it up.

[Peanut68]

On 05/02/2022 at 13:33, taxi4ballet said:

Schemes like this can sometimes be a way for a company to have extra dancers without having to pay them a proper salary or give them a contract. 

 

Not that I'm a cynic or anything.

Right with you Taxi on the cynical step…

this sort of thing frankly should be outlawed - at the very least called out for what it is. Am apprenticeship position should attract payment. Isn’t this sort of thing rather more like internships? And are there not some sort of laws about non exploitation? (Uk/European  laws?)U thought the days of buying your way into a company went out with Dickens….? The power (& optimism? Stupidity?) of the parent purse seems to endorse this practise & sadly I think perpetuate the idea of there being more opportunities & more careers in classical dance than perhaps there actually are…. 

[taxi4ballet]

9 hours ago, Lildancer96 said:

My understanding is that most of the dancers don’t get paid and are there to get experience. Lots of companies seem to do this now but there doesn’t seem to be many paid positions at the end.

Can you imagine the Musicians' Union standing for this? Orchestras bumping up their numbers, not by employing professionals, but by offering a trainee programme where people pay for the privilege of performing with the orchestra? Not likely.

[Lifeafterballet]

It’s just so sad 😞 Especially for those families that have struggled financially to support their children through vocational training to realise that it just doesn’t end at graduation. I wish that the schools would be more honest and transparent with students and their parents about the likelihood of a paid contract when they graduate. It’s not to discourage but to be realistic and prepared for when it doesn’t happen. Also, I would like to see more parents and dancers come forward and share their experiences and journeys with others so they can see the possible outcomes and alternative choices and pathways that may be available. We personally got nothing from previous year groups. Everyone keeps stum and plays their cards close to their chest. It’s like a huge secret / conspiracy. After going through the audition season with Ds and then Dd I wanted to shout out and help / warn others of the pitfalls etc but personally I found the school didn’t want that out there. 

[Lifeafterballet]

To add…….

My daughter reminded me yesterday of the first company audition she attended in Europe. It was a hell hole. We had never been to such a dull and lifeless place and the company had worse facilities than the local church hall she had danced in as a child. In fact the flooring was better in that 🤣 She found her bottom line and said that if this was the only job she was offered she would never in a million years accept it. She was so relieved to get cut 🤣 It was a real wake up call to the ballet world and what we were willing to tolerate and sacrifice for ballet. Others in previous years had auditioned there and no one had uttered a word. The teachers seemed surprised by mine and Dds feed back 🤣 We aren’t snobs. You had to see this to believe it. If that was were she was going to end up after 8 hard years it would have been heartbreaking for all of us 😢 

[Peanut68]

I am wondering if there needs to be a specific union for dancers? 

We in the U.K. & the European Union countries would all have to check on the conditions livestock are raised in & livestock workers work in.... what about dancers???🤔

[taxi4ballet]

3 hours ago, Peanut68 said:

I am wondering if there needs to be a specific union for dancers? 

We in the U.K. & the European Union countries would all have to check on the conditions livestock are raised in & livestock workers work in.... what about dancers???🤔

I agree - there's Equity for the acting profession and the Musicians Union - dancers need one too really, don't they? 

[Jewel]

Is there a reason why many dancers don't join Equity?

[Lildancer96]

It isn’t just European companies though ... a company here in the UK once wrote to my DD and said that they had been following her progress and would like to offer her the opportunity to dance with the company for experience and she would only have to pay a reduced fee compared to the normal post grad course fee and accommodation costs. 

[Lildancer96]

On 07/02/2022 at 10:52, Peanut68 said:

I am wondering if there needs to be a specific union for dancers? 

We in the U.K. & the European Union countries would all have to check on the conditions livestock are raised in & livestock workers work in.... what about dancers???🤔

I totally agree that our dancers should be better protected and be entitled to more. Unfortunately though if our dancers don’t take the positions and accept the conditions, there are plenty of dancers from other countries who will jump at the opportunity, whatever the pay and conditions. It then becomes a balance between how much they want to be a dancer and how far you are willing to go to try and make that happen. 

Personally I think a short trial without pay is acceptable - maybe a month or so to enable the director to see if the dancer fits with the company but the problem is companies that keep unpaid dancers for prolonged periods and then let them go at the end filling their position with another unpaid dancer. 

[Anon2]

25 minutes ago, Lildancer96 said:

I totally agree that our dancers should be better protected and be entitled to more. Unfortunately though if our dancers don’t take the positions and accept the conditions, there are plenty of dancers from other countries who will jump at the opportunity, whatever the pay and conditions. It then becomes a balance between how much they want to be a dancer and how far you are willing to go to try and make that happen. 

Personally I think a short trial without pay is acceptable - maybe a month or so to enable the director to see if the dancer fits with the company but the problem is companies that keep unpaid dancers for prolonged periods and then let them go at the end filling their position with another unpaid dancer. 

So who keeps the dancer whilst they do their month unpaid? Most posts outside dance have a trial period but you are paid for your work, if it doesn’t fit on either side you can walk away.
And in our experience the dancer had been part of the graduate program, did class with the company and was involved in majority of performances - they knew them and were happy to use as a member of company just didn’t want/couldn’t pay so could only offer a contract if dancer didn’t need paying. 

[glowlight]

A contract isn't really a contract if there is no pay involved is it?

 

I understand why companies do this, and I understand why dancers chose to take part. Unfortunately it means that only those whose parents can support them have the option.    However it can undoubtedly be the right choice for some people.

 

My dd was adamant when she graduated that she wanted to support herself, and refused to consider unpaid work.  Maybe if she had she could have prolonged the ballet dream, but she made the choice to work as a dancer where she could be paid to dance, and has no regrets about her choice to work on ships.

[Lildancer96]

Both very valid points - the dancers who are determined to not work unless paid and then get a job ... fantastic. Unfortunately not all will get a job of course and some don’t want to move away from classical.

Yes it’s true that the dancers who are lucky enough to have parents who can afford to support them when they complete a trial for a short period are very fortunate. We were able to do this knowing it was only for a short period and it was worthwhile as dd has now been there for over 5 years. Everyone’s situation and experiences are different but it is without doubt a very hard industry to succeed in especially if it’s the classical dream you are chasing. 

[glowlight]

46 minutes ago, Lildancer96 said:

Everyone’s situation and experiences are different but it is without doubt a very hard industry to succeed in especially if it’s the classical dream you are chasing. 

I couldn't agree more @Lildancer96, and I certainly wasn't trying to suggest that it is wrong to take unpaid work.  I am so pleased that it has worked out for your dd and that it has led to a proper contract.  It is good to hear of this type of arrangement leading to something more concrete.

 

I also recognise that it is even harder now to get paid work than it was when my dd graduated.

[MariaDance]

On 04/02/2022 at 07:15, Topaz said:

I am wondering if anyone on this forum has had experience or any knowledge of the Trainee Program with Ballet De Barcelona?

Unfortunately, I don't have experience in Trainee Program with Ballet De Barcelona. Since I started with ballet dancing it's been my dream. This program offers to dancers the opportunity to gain experience in a professional field. If you have the chanc don't let it go.