Vocational training starting 2023

[Legseleven]

Given that GMs are worn by professional dancers and that students auditioning for upper schools are working at a relatively advanced level in terms of pointe work and should know what shoes work for them, I would be dismayed if any upper school ‘marked students down’ at audition if their pointe shoe choice is GMs. 
 

if the school then advises re pointe shoe choice once students attend their school, that is slightly different but I would still be wary of any school stating that these shoes cannot be worn - surely the shoes that best suit the individual are what is needed? 

[Gemma]

On 11/12/2022 at 10:40, Nutcracker20 said:

Just wondering if there have been any successes for Yr10 finals at RBS yet? 

DD has her first audition for RBS in Jan 

[shygirlsmum]

Dd wears GM and is in grad year at Tring (she also wore them at audition with no comment), she was also RB senior associate and wore them to class.  Good luck to your DD 👍

[Summer47]

23 hours ago, Gemma said:

DD has her first audition for RBS in Jan 

Is that for a year 10 place? 

[Sazzle]

Should we have had an outcome from ENBS video submissions by now? It's not that far away from the January prelim date. 

[Jan McNulty]

8 hours ago, Sazzle said:

Should we have had an outcome from ENBS video submissions by now? It's not that far away from the January prelim date. 

 

Hello Sazzle and welcome to the Forum!

[DreamChaser]

On 24/12/2022 at 13:24, Sazzle said:

Should we have had an outcome from ENBS video submissions by now? It's not that far away from the January prelim date. 

Hi Sazzle,  we got a response via email on the 19th

[Adagio123]

Hi. I am sure we will hear imminently but does anyone on here know where the Manchester semi finals will be held this year? Last year it was at the Uni in the centre of town but wondering if that was covid related. Wondering if it will be where the associate classes are held. 

[Exhausteddancemum]

Does anyone know how likely or when students might hear about MDS grants? If they get an offer or yes how does it work? 

[Crazylife]

It depends upon which school you are applying for - some offer MDS to all students and some only have a limited amount of funds. The MDS is then means tested. Which school are you waiting to hear from?

[Exhausteddancemum]

5 hours ago, Crazylife said:

It depends upon which school you are applying for - some offer MDS to all students and some only have a limited amount of funds. The MDS is then means tested. Which school are you waiting to hear from?

Hammond would be the first choice? V new to all this. Have searched the tags but still realise what I’m really trying to do is crystal ball gazing on whether she’d be chosen and not sure how the whole system works! 

[Crazylife]

With RBS and Elmhurst, all students receive MDS funding which is then means tested. There is a calculator on the RBS website which estimates the funding according to income and is a good indicator. Tring and Hammond have either a certain number of funded places available or a funding limit. Students may be offered a place without funding or be invited to a funding audition (thats the case at Tring I believe but I'm not sure about Hammond). I then believe places are reapplied for annually. But in addition to MDS there may be bursaries too. It is a little like looking into a crystal ball, but the only advice is to keep going and be open and host with your DC, because you won't know if you don't try. I hope that helps.

[Ruby Foo]

When you are given an MDS at Tring, you are told how long it will last. Usually to the end of yr 11 and a very few through until graduation 18 +. Most students don’t have to re apply every year.

Some students went paying full fees and then applied for a MDS after a year of training. Not sure if that still happens.

[Ruby Foo]

Hammond, I believe, works in exactly the same way. The number of MDS awards varies from year to year and can be awarded to any year group.

For example, one year (Tring) 3 MDS awards were given to yr 8’s. The most I’ve heard of in one year was 10 awards.

[Betty’s mum]

If I remember, re The Hammond, if you get a place offer you get invited for MDS audition & funding is offered following that. They have a limited number of MDS’s but I believe often more than Tring (have no idea why they differ) my my DD joined I think they had 7 to offer that year.. good luck @Exhausteddancemumas it is a lovely school. 

[Exhausteddancemum]

2 hours ago, Betty’s mum said:

If I remember, re The Hammond, if you get a place offer you get invited for MDS audition & funding is offered following that. They have a limited number of MDS’s but I believe often more than Tring (have no idea why they differ) my my DD joined I think they had 7 to offer that year.. good luck @Exhausteddancemumas it is a lovely school. 

Thank you so much! My daughter was really impressed by it and now has heart set on it 🤦🏼‍♀️ I have explained it’s practically unlikely to happen as such limited MDS places. I know they offered some on the audition day but was trying to work out of there was an slim possibility there were some left to still try for  

[Farawaydancer]

36 minutes ago, Exhausteddancemum said:

Thank you so much! My daughter was really impressed by it and now has heart set on it 🤦🏼‍♀️ I have explained it’s practically unlikely to happen as such limited MDS places. I know they offered some on the audition day but was trying to work out of there was an slim possibility there were some left to still try for  

The ones they give out early tend to be those which have become available in a particular year group and they can start immediately, the ones given to y7s are the ones freed up by the leaving y11s if that makes sense? Good luck, it’s a very happy school. 

[Somerdance]

My daughter has been offered a place for y7 at the Hammond to start in September. 
The offer email has nothing in it about a funding audition, however I thought all children were considered for MDS? 
 

Am I right in thinking she is likely to not have a funded place then? 
 

We’re going round in circles on the website and waiting to hear back from the Hammond. Just wondering if anyone can shed any light on it in the meantime? 

[Betty’s mum]

Congratulations on the offer.. Did you indicate that you needed funding when you completed audition paperwork? I believe you need to indicate it at the time.. I just looked back at our original offer letter and it did invite DD for MDS audition. I would email school tomorrow. 

[Farawaydancer]

If she’s eligible for mds then she’ll be considered for one bit it’s odd that the recall audition isn’t mentioned. I’d phone up and speak to them, getting a reply to emails is such a rare event it feels like a lottery win! 

[Ballettap]

Congratulations on the offer!! How long after the Hammond audition did you get the results? 

Edited February 9, 2023 by Ballettap
Add info

[Jan McNulty]

Hello @Ballettap and welcome to the Forum!

[BisforBallet]

5 hours ago, Somerdance said:

My daughter has been offered a place for y7 at the Hammond to start in September. 
The offer email has nothing in it about a funding audition, however I thought all children were considered for MDS? 
 

Am I right in thinking she is likely to not have a funded place then? 
 

We’re going round in circles on the website and waiting to hear back from the Hammond. Just wondering if anyone can shed any light on it in the meantime? 

That was the wording of our offer 2 years ago and when I finally reached them it was confirmed that everyone with acceptance had a funding audition too. As I recall we had to wait ages for the arrangements of the audition too. 

[Somerdance]

We found out around a week (and a couple of days) later.

 

Thank you, planning on calling them today. 
Wow this really is a rollercoaster process!

 

[Ballettap]

Ah ok..we are not a week yet so will keep waiting!! 

I read on their website that there would not be any MDS recall auditions and that they would be considered for funding  as part of their audition. 
 

Edited February 10, 2023 by Ballettap

[Somerdance]

UPDATE;

 

Managed to get hold of someone at the Hammond and unfortunately it’s an offer for an unfunded place.

 

The children get points at each audition and that is how they are ranked and scholarship/ MDS are awarded from top downwards.

 
There are no further auditions for the Hammond this year.
There is of course some movement once all offers for schools are out so we now just wait. 

Anyone have a spare £30k? Haha! 
 

[Ballettap]

2 hours ago, Somerdance said:

UPDATE;

 

Managed to get hold of someone at the Hammond and unfortunately it’s an offer for an unfunded place.

 

The children get points at each audition and that is how they are ranked and scholarship/ MDS are awarded from top downwards.

 
There are no further auditions for the Hammond this year.
There is of course some movement once all offers for schools are out so we now just wait. 

Anyone have a spare £30k? Haha! 
 

Could they give you any idea where you were in the list?? 
Such a shame as not many people can afford it without funding.. still waiting for our email… 

[Somerdance]

2 hours ago, Ballettap said:

Could they give you any idea where you were in the list?? 
Such a shame as not many people can afford it without funding.. still waiting for our email… 

The lady we spoke to didn’t have that information but I think you can ask.

 

Anyone have any experience of being on the MDS waiting list and being awarded? 
We have prepared D for worst case scenario and she is so disappointed.

 

[Ballet Power]

2 hours ago, Somerdance said:

The lady we spoke to didn’t have that information but I think you can ask.

 

Anyone have any experience of being on the MDS waiting list and being awarded? 
We have prepared D for worst case scenario and she is so disappointed.

 

Last year my dd was on the wait list for an MDS and did get offered one in July. 

[starsmum]

On 14/02/2023 at 16:06, Somerdance said:

The lady we spoke to didn’t have that information but I think you can ask.

 

Anyone have any experience of being on the MDS waiting list and being awarded? 
We have prepared D for worst case scenario and she is so disappointed.

 

Hi

We are in the exact same position. My daughter has been offered a place but not the MDS audition. She broke my heart when I told her. 

Do we know the date of the MDS audition so we can follow up with them?. I'm disappointed there has been no communication from the school. 

Like you I have spoke to a lovely lady on the phone, but the advise has been to email, but I'm not getting a response.

Are you local?

My D would be a day student as we live fairly close. I wondered if that changes the funding option?

 

[Jan McNulty]

Hello @starsmum and welcome to the Forum!

[Swanwings]

On 19/11/2022 at 13:56, Somerdance said:

Daughter had her first audition for Tring last Sunday and it was unfortunately a no. This is all very new to us, does anyone have any experience of a no from Tring but a yes from other schools? 
 

Hi Somerdance, my dd had a no from Tring but a yes from YDA, shes been very happy there and in yr 10 now.

[RachH]

Anyone keen to resurrect this thread a bit more as we get closer to finals? I’ve read back on last year’s one and it seemed like such a supportive and helpful group! My DD is applying for a year 7 place.