Tips for Rambert and/or Central Summer Intensives 2023

[Sunflower]

Any hints and tips for Rambert senior intensive first week (age 15-19) and/or Central School (age 14-16) first week would be extremely welcome as I plan for these next two weeks in London.

 

We are staying within walking distance  of each, switching accommodation on the Sunday. 
 

Advice from old hands welcome 😁

[Betty]

Dd did the central course last year, we got quite a comprehensive intro email about the timetable, have you had that yet? She enjoyed it a lot, made friends and there is a nice performance at the end for parents. Central have nice modern studios and facilities and they are accompanied by very talented pianists.

 

Central is just back from the Thames at Waterloo, so if you’re wondering what to do whilst waiting, you have lots along the Southbank - you can walk along the river from Waterloo to London Bridge, there is the TAte modern art gallery, the Globe, National theatre, Southbank Centre, BFI, or you can walk the other way past the London Eye, Houses of Parliament to Vauxhall and eventually the new Battersea Power station complex. It’s quite a good location for exploring.

Hope you both have fun!

[Betty]

To add: you are also within a 20 min walk of all the Covent Garden ballet shops if supplies are needed (Bloch, Capezio, Freed etc)

[Sunflower]

4 hours ago, Betty said:

Dd did the central course last year, we got quite a comprehensive intro email about the timetable, have you had that yet? She enjoyed it a lot, made friends and there is a nice performance at the end for parents. Central have nice modern studios and facilities and they are accompanied by very talented pianists.

 

Central is just back from the Thames at Waterloo, so if you’re wondering what to do whilst waiting, you have lots along the Southbank - you can walk along the river from Waterloo to London Bridge, there is the TAte modern art gallery, the Globe, National theatre, Southbank Centre, BFI, or you can walk the other way past the London Eye, Houses of Parliament to Vauxhall and eventually the new Battersea Power station complex. It’s quite a good location for exploring.

Hope you both have fun!

Thank you.

 

Yes, since posting I did get a more detailed schedule and information emailed that’s been very helpful, and teen is so much looking forward to it next week.

[Elbows]

On 13/07/2023 at 08:03, Sunflower said:

Any hints and tips for Rambert senior intensive first week (age 15-19) and/or Central School (age 14-16) first week would be extremely welcome as I plan for these next two weeks in London.

 

We are staying within walking distance  of each, switching accommodation on the Sunday. 
 

Advice from old hands welcome 😁

My daughter is doing the junior intensive at Rambert, we are about an hour and a half drive away (mostly M25!) so contemplating getting a hotel vs driving in each day.  Any advice on hotels nearby or parking nearby? 

[Anna C]

1 hour ago, Elbows said:

My daughter is doing the junior intensive at Rambert, we are about an hour and a half drive away (mostly M25!) so contemplating getting a hotel vs driving in each day.  Any advice on hotels nearby or parking nearby? 

Rambert School in St Margarets?  If memory serves, there should be parking onsite (it’s a very quiet area), although dd and I were staying nearby so she walked in every day.

 

Personally I would not drive in every day; what is in theory 90 minutes on the M25 can easily end up being 2, 3, or more hours.  Nothing more stressed than a dance student who might be late for class! 
 

I used to try to find the cheapest quiet Premier Inn within a short bus/tube journey of summer school.

[Sunflower]

It’s a tricky one @Elbows I don’t know what I’d do with a commute that’s on the cusp like yours. Doable, but anything can happen on the motorway 🙈, versus the extra expense of a hotel.

 

Ditto the premier inn suggestion though by @Anna C And at least YOU can pop back home in the day if you need to.

There’s loads of parking around and about though, with restrictions just between 10 and 12 Monday-Friday 😁

[cluelessdancemum]

2 hours ago, Elbows said:

My daughter is doing the junior intensive at Rambert, we are about an hour and a half drive away (mostly M25!) so contemplating getting a hotel vs driving in each day.  Any advice on hotels nearby or parking nearby? 

Hi @Elbows my daughter is doing the junior intensive for the 1st time this year and is very apprehensive as she currently doesn't know anyone who is attending and what to expect. We live a distance away and have booked into the Travelodge in Twickenham as this seems the most cost effective for us and approx. 20/25 minute walk from the studios.  

[Betty]

Also check out the train and tube strikes coming up

[Sunflower]

I absolutely loved the sharing of work yesterday at Rambert 😁

 

It’s been a really successful week for my teen; she’s been pushed out of her comfort zone, with the contemporary especially. The teachers were all amazing, as were the musicians. Plus Citi, who does all the emailing is just outstanding.

 

My tips for anyone else in future years would be to send knee pads if they are not used to contemporary. I don’t know if it’s as brutal on the knees in the junior week, but my teen was so thankful she had knee pads for the senior!

 

And also, there’s a trick to locking the lockers. You have to have your own padlock as well.

 

It is such a friendly, happy school in a peaceful spot. Apart from one rainy day, the students could all eat outside at lunchtime. I was super impressed at everything I saw, and while my teen possibly would want a course that’s more ballet centred for full time training, I could see her being really, really happy if she ended up at Rambert.