Elmhurst Upper School general questions

[BaffledBalletMum]

I am looking for basic information about Elmhurst Upper School.

Is it very competitive to gain admission to the Upper School Level 12?

Are the academics manageable? 

Do most graduates obtain professional contracts?

Approximately how many "assess out" during those last two or three years?

What level participates in the Elmhurst Ballet Company?

Are there really opportunities to work with BRB?

What are the Elms lodging facilities like? 

I have read many comparisons with RBS, what about Canada NBS? Is one program better than the other? Any big differences to be considered?  

 

Thanks for any help!

 

[Jan McNulty]

Hello BaffledBalletMum and welcome to the Forum!

 

I have moved your query to the more appropriate Doing Dance forum where all things about doing dance (as opposed to watching) are discussed.  I have also added a tag for Elmhurst at the top of the thread.  If you click on that it will bring up previous threads about Elmhurst where you may find useful information.

 

[BaffledBalletMum]

Just now, Jan McNulty said:

Hello BaffledBalletMum and welcome to the Forum!

 

I have moved your query to the more appropriate Doing Dance forum where all things about doing dance (as opposed to watching) are discussed.  I have also added a tag for Elmhurst at the top of the thread.  If you click on that it will bring up previous threads about Elmhurst where you may find useful information.

 

Thank you so much! I was just going to do that. Apologies! First time post! 

[dancefanatic]

On 10/04/2022 at 21:07, BaffledBalletMum said:

I am looking for basic information about Elmhurst Upper School.

Is it very competitive to gain admission to the Upper School Level 12?

Are the academics manageable? 

Do most graduates obtain professional contracts?

Approximately how many "assess out" during those last two or three years?

What level participates in the Elmhurst Ballet Company?

Are there really opportunities to work with BRB?

What are the Elms lodging facilities like? 

I have read many comparisons with RBS, what about Canada NBS? Is one program better than the other? Any big differences to be considered?  

 

Thanks for any help!

 

Hi, will try and give you some info based on my DD's experience (she's in Y13 currently)

 

1. Yes, I would say it is competitive to be offered a place.  All prospective students have to attend a preliminary audition (or if overseas I think they can send in a video) and then the lucky few are invited back for Finals, with only a few finalists being offered places.

 

2. The students do two A Levels plus their Dance Diploma in years 12 and 13.  This does seem to be manageable and they can choose from Maths, Biology, English or Art.

 

3. Best to look in the News section of the school's website for graduate destination news.

 

4. Elmhurst don't formally assess students out at all over the 3 upper school years.  But some students do leave for a number of reasons ranging from injury to just not wishing to pursue dance vocationally anymore.

 

5. Elmhurst Ballet Company is the graduate year (Year 14) only.

 

6. There are some opportunities to perform with BRB although my DD's year have not had any so far, due to Covid.  The current grad year have definitely had opportunities and Y12 are currently rehearsing for a production this summer.  Y13 are to start a new project we can't discuss for the summer that does also involve BRB.  On a different note, members of the company do come into school to teach on occasion, students get to watch a number of BRB performances throughout the year and sometimes get to go and watch a rehearsal at BRB's studios.

 

7. The Elms is a short walk away from the school and run by two houseparents who I think are great.  The accommodation is mixed but the boys share the small flatlets (pods) on the ground floor and the girls are on the first floor.  A common room with kitchen facilities is available on each floor and used by all the students.  There is CCTV in the corridors.  The pods contain two double rooms which are quite large and a single room, plus a bathroom with shower & loo, a shower room and separate loo.  Each pod is set out over two floors two with internal stairs.  The students still have rules to follow but they do have more freedoms than they had in the lower school.

 

There are differences with the other schools although I don't know the Canadian one you mention.  I would say the main ones involved the assessing out or RBS which Elmhurst do not know and the number of performance opportunities that RBS seem to get over and above the other schools.  Plus the graduate destinations.  RBS students seem to get performance opportunities with the Royal, BRB, ENB and Northern to date.  

 

Hope the above helps you a bit.  If you have any other specific questions, feel free to PM me.

[BaffledBalletMum]

I am so appreciative of your response! Thank you. My DD will start in Year 12 this fall and we are very excited~ 

[LexBallet]

Hello,

 

Is it true now that year groups are on average 30 now at Elmhurst? I’d love some insight into that if anyone currently has a child in upper school. How does that work?

thank you