Associate Programmes. A teacher query

[Doing Dance 1]

Hi all, 

I was recently having a conversation and trying to explain what ballet associate programmes where to someone who was unfamiliar. 
It got me thinking 🤔 

 

How would you describe an associate programme?
What makes a good associate programme? 
Are there big differences between programmes? 
 

[Dancing unicorn]

Excellent question! Speaking from a mum to a graduate dd and a teachers perspective! Can only speak about Royal Ballet School JA’s. 
 

DD absolutely loved her JA classes, we still speak about them today with extremely fond memories. Dd got an awful lot out of her lessons and still uses some of the exercises even now! I also use some of the exercises too as I think we both found them beneficial! 
 

To us I think, it was about being part of a particular training programme to a particular school and their way of thinking.

 

[taxi4ballet]

High class training for talented young dancers in fantastic studios, with a pianist, at one of the best dance schools in the country. That would sum it up really.

[akh]

5 hours ago, Doing Dance 1 said:

Hi all, 

I was recently having a conversation and trying to explain what ballet associate programmes where to someone who was unfamiliar. 
It got me thinking 🤔 

 

How would you describe an associate programme?
What makes a good associate programme? 
Are there big differences between programmes? 
 

Do look at what the program includes, some are just ballet others are broader. It depends on what you want from a scheme. Also some have longer days than others.

[Doing Dance 1]

4 hours ago, akh said:

Do look at what the program includes, some are just ballet others are broader. It depends on what you want from a scheme. Also some have longer days than others.

Thank you for replying. 
I’m not looking for an associate scheme, I am just trying to better understand what they are/ should be broadly. 

[glowlight]

My view as a dance mum is that an associate scheme is a non vocational/pre vocational training scheme which is associated with either a vocational training school or a dance company.

 

There are now quite a few schemes which call themselves 'associates' which aren't actually associated with anything.  

 

What makes a good programme? High quality training, tailored to the individual, which goes above and beyond what a child would receive in their local dance school.

 

 

[WhereToNow]

I see an Associates programme as a way for those very, cery interested in a particular style (in this instance ballet) to get extra training from teacher who understands ballet in a much more advanced way.  Or a less expensive way of seeing if the DC wants to go into full time vocational/pre vocational training.

 

Normally, the training is from someone who has been or is currently within the industry.  It should be used alongside their current training.  I don’t necessarily think it needs to be ‘associated’ to a vocational programme anymore. Maybe the word needs to change?  But it is such a well recognised term now.

[Doing Dance 1]

4 hours ago, ally6684 said:

I don’t necessarily think it needs to be ‘associated’ to a vocational programme anymore. Maybe the word needs to change?  But it is such a well recognised term now.

Interesting point. 
I guess programmes like both the Cecchetti & BBO scholars would fall under that umbrella.

[Pas de Quatre]

A scheme doesn't have to be associated to a vocational programme necessarily, but I do think it should be associated to a larger well respected dance establishment/organisaton to use the name Associate.   Too many schemes that do use the word Associate are stand alone entities which are coaching/poaching schemes.   There is nothing wrong with offering extra coaching and classes for talented pupils, but there is a grey area.

 

The benefits to dancers from a good scheme is that they are taught by excellent teachers and get to dance with other students who are also talented and committed.  This is of great benefit to pupils who may be outstanding in their own school, but not exceptional in an Associate scheme. Different schemes offer different clases in addtion to their ballet class, e.g. pilates, repertoire, contemporary etc.  I am not going into Modern and MT as I have no experience of that area.

[Beezie]

Being non-Uk, I can perhaps help with why further explanation is needed as to the idea of an Associates program:

 

Many countries (US and Eu) discourage taking classes outside their studio.  If you ask them why, it is usually a combination of:

1) Our training is pre-professional, and there is no outside teacher that will do better.

2) A dancer needs consistency of training, so adding different styles of teaching may hurt and slow your child’s development.

3) We know your child best.  A new and infrequent teacher won’t know their strengths/weaknesses or care.

 

I find these opinions a bit of half-truths.  There is clear financial benefit to the studio from this message.  The studio will also have consistency in their pupils (probably easier for the teachers.  I’m not certain it is better for the girls.)

 

Anyway, if a parent buys into this message, then the idea of an Associates program is quite foreign.  It may also lead the parent to ask why the dancer isn’t receiving high enough quality training at their local school.  

 

Not making and judgements here….just pointing out why a non-UK family may struggle to transition from their ‘known’ studio structure to the UK variety.

 

We’ve now moved a couple times, and each new location is ‘ground zero’ with regard to relearning ballet instruction.  You have to sort through different country standards AND different quality standards.  There is rarely a right or wrong, just a very different way of doing it.

[Doing Dance 1]

38 minutes ago, Beezie said:

The studio will also have consistency in their pupils (probably easier for the teachers.  I’m not certain it is better for the girls.)

Just girls? 
#BoysDanceToo

[Beezie]

Of course boys too.  Sorry for the oversight.