HLH Posted November 16, 2022 Share Posted November 16, 2022 My 12 yo daughter is interested in applying for Summer 2023. I was wondering whether anyone whose child attended POB in summer 2022 could tell us how they liked the program. Also for those of you who are in the US, did your child only apply to POB? If not, how did you know whether to wait on POB or accept other SI options since the US school acceptances typically arrive earlier in the year? Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DQ123 Posted November 17, 2022 Share Posted November 17, 2022 My DD attended summer 2022 for 2 weeks in level Avance. She did not enjoy the program. We assumed the skill level would be high and intense but were disappointed. I was able to observe classes and saw this to be true and not just her perception. Several dancers consistently could not keep up with combinations. A couple dancers were injured and would just sit out and play on their phones during class instead of paying attention. They said all classes would be in English yet there was always at least one teacher per day who would only speak to the French students or would give feedback in French only. There is no investment in their summer program because POBS does not recruit for year round. If your goal is to enjoy the culture and make it a vacation, by all means apply and have a once in a lifetime experience. If the goal is for your daughter to get top notch training, there are better options in my opinion. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HLH Posted November 17, 2022 Author Share Posted November 17, 2022 5 minutes ago, Dancingqueen123 said: My DD attended summer 2022 for 2 weeks in level Avance. She did not enjoy the program. We assumed the skill level would be high and intense but were disappointed. I was able to observe classes and saw this to be true and not just her perception. Several dancers consistently could not keep up with combinations. A couple dancers were injured and would just sit out and play on their phones during class instead of paying attention. They said all classes would be in English yet there was always at least one teacher per day who would only speak to the French students or would give feedback in French only. There is no investment in their summer program because POBS does not recruit for year round. If your goal is to enjoy the culture and make it a vacation, by all means apply and have a once in a lifetime experience. If the goal is for your daughter to get top notch training, there are better options in my opinion. Thank you for the feedback! That's unfortunate that they did not speak English even though they said they would. My daughter is fluent in French so it would be opportunity for her to practice her French and do ballet! Plus it would be her first SI experience, so perhaps a lower skill level would be okay. It's all interesting to think about. Plus, I have no idea whether she'd get in. But I appreciate your response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DQ123 Posted November 17, 2022 Share Posted November 17, 2022 @HLH Good luck to her! I’m sure students in each level will vary from year to year, so experiences will also be varied. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted November 17, 2022 Share Posted November 17, 2022 4 hours ago, HLH said: Thank you for the feedback! That's unfortunate that they did not speak English even though they said they would. My daughter is fluent in French so it would be opportunity for her to practice her French and do ballet! Plus it would be her first SI experience, so perhaps a lower skill level would be okay. It's all interesting to think about. Plus, I have no idea whether she'd get in. But I appreciate your response. Hello HLH and welcome to the Forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Type 1 Mom Posted March 1, 2023 Share Posted March 1, 2023 I’m curious if there are any other reviews on The POB summer intensive. My daughter is 10 and applied. We should hear back next week. I’m also wondering why it seems like there are less than a third the dancers applying for POB than there are at RBS? I read the above review that stated their dancer was disappointed. I’d hate to spend the money to go to Europe at such a prestigious ballet school if the instruction isn’t top notch. Looking forward to hearing what you all say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted March 2, 2023 Share Posted March 2, 2023 Hello @Type 1 Mom and welcome to the Forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Type 1 Mom Posted March 2, 2023 Share Posted March 2, 2023 3 hours ago, Jan McNulty said: Hello @Type 1 Mom and welcome to the Forum. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sara_and_Lila Posted March 3, 2023 Share Posted March 3, 2023 On 02/03/2023 at 00:01, Type 1 Mom said: I’m curious if there are any other reviews on The POB summer intensive. My daughter is 10 and applied. We should hear back next week. I’m also wondering why it seems like there are less than a third the dancers applying for POB than there are at RBS? I read the above review that stated their dancer was disappointed. I’d hate to spend the money to go to Europe at such a prestigious ballet school if the instruction isn’t top notch. Looking forward to hearing what you all say. Hi, I am the mother of a dancer too, my daughter is 11 and we have sent an application for the next "Summer intensive". I am very anxious about the response we will receive next week; I hope it will be accepted. I didn't take info about the RBS summer, but I think the POB summer is good intensive program, our dance teacher's daughter attended it years ago, with an excellent impression. The girl has now then become a professional dancer. I don't think it's money thrown away... but I can’t be sure, I'm also waiting for other opinions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Type 1 Mom Posted March 3, 2023 Share Posted March 3, 2023 10 hours ago, Sara_and_Lila said: Hi, I am the mother of a dancer too, my daughter is 11 and we have sent an application for the next "Summer intensive". I am very anxious about the response we will receive next week; I hope it will be accepted. I didn't take info about the RBS summer, but I think the POB summer is good intensive program, our dance teacher's daughter attended it years ago, with an excellent impression. The girl has now then become a professional dancer. I don't think it's money thrown away... but I can’t be sure, I'm also waiting for other opinions. Thank you for your response. How old is your daughter and good luck to her! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RachH Posted March 3, 2023 Share Posted March 3, 2023 Hi, my daughter went last year at the age of 10 (year 5) and was in the junior group. She did enjoy the week, and ballet and folk dance tuition were great. But the additional classes in the junior section in drama and singing were all in French so hard for her to navigate and therefore not as enjoyable. Teaching methods were different to the UK - quite strict and quite hands on. For us, I think that the intensive would be much better as she gets older as there was much more ballet taught - with partnering and pointe - in the older groups. She didn’t want to apply again this year. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophoife Posted March 4, 2023 Share Posted March 4, 2023 7 hours ago, RachH said: But the additional classes in the junior section in drama and singing were all in French ...it's a French school. In France. I'd expect all the classes to be in French. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RachH Posted March 4, 2023 Share Posted March 4, 2023 (edited) 5 hours ago, Sophoife said: ...it's a French school. In France. I'd expect all the classes to be in French. I was just trying to give feedback, as requested, to parents whose 10 year olds may not be fluent in French. We had been advised that all lessons would be taught in English in addition to French. Edited March 4, 2023 by RachH 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura_ballet Posted March 4, 2023 Share Posted March 4, 2023 @RachHyour insight is appreciated as I’m sure many others mothers who have been told that classes would be held in both English and French were taken back when some classes weren’t. I would imagine it was a fabulous opportunity however pretty overwhelming for a young dancer as you say, maybe a more senior dancer would have got more from it with there being more options with classes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophoife Posted March 4, 2023 Share Posted March 4, 2023 1 hour ago, RachH said: I was just trying to give feedback, as requested, to parents whose 10 year olds may not be fluent in French. We had been advised that all lessons would be taught in English in addition to French. I'm sorry, I didn't mean that to sound how it obviously did. From my 50+ year experience with The French and Things French, I'd always take with a pinch du sel any claims of "oh but we do include the English". For example I booked a tour of the Palais Garnier. They offer them in French, with separate tours in English. I booked the French one and on the day the lady at the ticket office tried to force me to switch to the English one as "but madame this tour is for French people! They will not speak slowly for you!" 😂 Somewhere I read that one of David Hallberg's contributing factors to his unhappiness at the POB School was the language barrier, to lower which his teachers and fellow students made very little attempt. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophoife Posted March 4, 2023 Share Posted March 4, 2023 PS I can highly recommend the Garnier tour to anyone. In French or English. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissEmily Posted March 5, 2023 Share Posted March 5, 2023 @SophoifeSo funny! I’m a teacher of French and took a school trip to the Opéra Garnier a few weeks ago. We booked a private tour just for our group and I asked if we could have the tour in French, but slowly. I was told the only options were French or English. So we had a tour in slow, stilted English 🤣🤷🏻♀️ 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Type 1 Mom Posted March 5, 2023 Share Posted March 5, 2023 On 03/03/2023 at 10:55, RachH said: Hi, my daughter went last year at the age of 10 (year 5) and was in the junior group. She did enjoy the week, and ballet and folk dance tuition were great. But the additional classes in the junior section in drama and singing were all in French so hard for her to navigate and therefore not as enjoyable. Teaching methods were different to the UK - quite strict and quite hands on. For us, I think that the intensive would be much better as she gets older as there was much more ballet taught - with partnering and pointe - in the older groups. She didn’t want to apply again this year. Thank you for your insight. It is much appreciated. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Type 1 Mom Posted March 5, 2023 Share Posted March 5, 2023 On 03/03/2023 at 18:46, Sophoife said: ...it's a French school. In France. I'd expect all the classes to be in French. They actually imply that the classes are also taught in English. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbaraH Posted March 6, 2023 Share Posted March 6, 2023 Anyone any news? This is our first time applying for the summer of POB so no idea if we have to wait until the day of the deadline or if they already send emails sooner? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mum of unicorn dancer Posted March 6, 2023 Share Posted March 6, 2023 1 minute ago, BarbaraH said: Anyone any news? This is our first time applying for the summer of POB so no idea if we have to wait until the day of the deadline or if they already send emails sooner? It is on the date they said - at least this was a case last year. I think it is this Thursday on 9th. Good luck everyone 🍀 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Type 1 Mom Posted March 6, 2023 Share Posted March 6, 2023 7 hours ago, BarbaraH said: Anyone any news? This is our first time applying for the summer of POB so no idea if we have to wait until the day of the deadline or if they already send emails sooner? Nothing here. I think we need to wait until the 9th. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbaraH Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 nothing here yet... and just 'a little unpatient' 😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sara_and_Lila Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 1 minute ago, BarbaraH said: nothing here yet... and just 'a little unpatient' 😉 Hi Barbara, I'm happy to know I'm not the only one Nothing for the moment... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Type 1 Mom Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 Waiting impatiently over here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbaraH Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 No news here either... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ballerinamom Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 Nothing here either. Feeling anxious. Good luck to all! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sara_and_Lila Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 Nothing... nothing... just waiting... anxious! Good luck to you mums... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Type 1 Mom Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 It’s 5pm in Paris and I’m wondering if they’re not going to get the emails out by their listed deadline now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Type 1 Mom Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 I’m curious for all those that are waiting, how old is your dancer? Mine is 10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbaraH Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 (edited) My DD just turned 13. (Also auditioning for vocational school now.) Edited March 9, 2023 by BarbaraH 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sara_and_Lila Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 My daugher is 11, we are from Italy. I was thinking that maybe in Paris there are strikes, I heard something on TV, for pension reasons if I'm not mistaken... maybe the theatre is closed due to that... I hope... hope that this silent is not because the answer is a NO... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stardust1 Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 Last year and the year before, emails came out by 9am on the advertised day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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