Dancemum23 Posted August 13, 2023 Share Posted August 13, 2023 Hello, I’m new here! I’ve been reading the forum and found it so informative. I am looking for advice for my daughter - she is 10 and about to start Year 6. She attends our local dance school where she does ballet twice a week, as well as tap, acro, modern and musical theatre. She absolutely loves dancing. She recently successfully auditioned for the English Youth Ballet. I have been looking into options for extra training for her, alongside her regular classes. Her dance school offered extra associate type classes for some students until earlier this year but those have stopped for now. I’ve been looking at the various associate classes (we are in the South East) and I’ve booked her into the RBS insight day in September. At 10 is she already too old for me to be looking into this? Her current aim is to train in musical theatre not ballet specifically, but she loves ballet and wants to continue to a high level. Are associate programmes only for those who plan to apply for vocational ballet training? I would also appreciate any suggestions for holiday courses. She did some local dance school summer camps this year but she was too old for them really. Thank you from a newbie trying to navigate this world! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dancing unicorn Posted August 13, 2023 Share Posted August 13, 2023 Unfortunately I think your too late for associates at Royal/Elmhurst for this year, auditions are earlier in the year for September start. I don’t know if there are any associates that are aimed at MT, hopefully someone else will come back. Good luck 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted August 13, 2023 Share Posted August 13, 2023 Hello @Dancemum23 and welcome to the Forum! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millicent Posted August 13, 2023 Share Posted August 13, 2023 You might want to look at Tring. They do holiday and one day courses. They also have an associate scheme which I assume it will be too late to apply for but you could always ask. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted August 13, 2023 Share Posted August 13, 2023 Hello Dancemum23, and welcome from me too. Your dd is absolutely not too old, but she probably has missed the auditions for September start associates. As you’re in the South East, have you looked at London Studio Centre associates? LSC is a very good school for Musical Theatre and Dance, so I would expect that their associates scheme is of a high standard. When my dd was younger, she used to love Tring Park School’s short courses for dance. They used to do a residential Easter course, a summer course and a Christmas weekend. They also have Tring Park Associates classes on Saturdays and during the week. Bird College also runs Musical Theatre Easter and Summer Courses, Laine Theatre Arts seems to have a Junior department. Ballet summer schools my dd did over the years and that she absolutely loved were London Children’s Ballet, Elmhurst, EYB summer performance, Central, and Rambert. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dancing unicorn Posted August 13, 2023 Share Posted August 13, 2023 (edited) Just noticed that Yorkshire Ballet Seminars has back to school classes (YBSS pop ups) still has places left! Give them a try 😁 Edited August 13, 2023 by Dancing unicorn 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harwel Posted August 13, 2023 Share Posted August 13, 2023 If she wants MT then look into the associate/junior conservatoire classes run by GSA (Guildford school of acting) held on Saturday mornings at their studios at the University of Surrey. One of our top MT colleges. My son is on the MT degree there and it’s a fabulous place. No idea if it’s anywhere near you but well worth a look. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted August 13, 2023 Share Posted August 13, 2023 Glad to see your son is still involved in Dance Harwel. I can’t offer advice on Musical Theatre courses there but Guildford is a great place to be….I spent the first 18 years of my life just outside Guildford so it was a regular Saturday shopping trip for us! And trips to Yvonne Arnaud Theatre. I know the London Studio Centre mentioned above is good or certainly used to be I know a couple of dancers who trained there and later danced in Phantom of the Opera! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harwel Posted August 13, 2023 Share Posted August 13, 2023 28 minutes ago, LinMM said: Glad to see your son is still involved in Dance Harwel. I can’t offer advice on Musical Theatre courses there but Guildford is a great place to be….I spent the first 18 years of my life just outside Guildford so it was a regular Saturday shopping trip for us! And trips to Yvonne Arnaud Theatre. I know the London Studio Centre mentioned above is good or certainly used to be I know a couple of dancers who trained there and later danced in Phantom of the Opera! Hi, this is my younger son. My eldest is now a project manager for a construction management company! The hips never fully recovered from the 2 surgeries he had to have and he is very happy with his new life path (though there were some very dark times along this path). My youngest has always been an actor/singer but has a natural gift for dance that he discovered when he was about 16. Funny how life works out. I hope you are well. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolshoi Posted August 13, 2023 Share Posted August 13, 2023 Central School of Ballet are starting a new Junior Associate Programme for children in years 4-6, might be worth looking at this maybe, their main Associate Programme is for 11yrs+, audition is usually May/June time I think 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dancemum23 Posted August 13, 2023 Author Share Posted August 13, 2023 Thank you everyone, this is so helpful. We are in Surrey so will definitely look into Guildford School of Acting. The Tring short courses look great too. It is all a bit overwhelming so I really appreciate the advice and insights! I’ll look into associate class options for next year too. Please do keep suggestions coming! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dancemum23 Posted August 13, 2023 Author Share Posted August 13, 2023 2 hours ago, Harwel said: If she wants MT then look into the associate/junior conservatoire classes run by GSA (Guildford school of acting) held on Saturday mornings at their studios at the University of Surrey. One of our top MT colleges. My son is on the MT degree there and it’s a fabulous place. No idea if it’s anywhere near you but well worth a look. Thank you for this Harwel! The junior conservatoire in musical theatre looks ideal for her and she could apply next year for a Sept 2024 start when she will be in Year 7. I’ll keep an eye out for when the audition registration opens. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted August 13, 2023 Share Posted August 13, 2023 (edited) If she'd doing EYB, you will meet loads of other like-minded parents with dc at all stages of training at drop off/collect, so you should be able to pick up plenty of information that way. Also, it is well worth volunteering as a parent chaperone, EYB do ask! Edited August 13, 2023 by taxi4ballet 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harwel Posted August 13, 2023 Share Posted August 13, 2023 6 hours ago, Dancemum23 said: Thank you for this Harwel! The junior conservatoire in musical theatre looks ideal for her and she could apply next year for a Sept 2024 start when she will be in Year 7. I’ll keep an eye out for when the audition registration opens. Oh I’m so glad the info was useful. All the best to her in her journey. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhensMyDayOff Posted August 14, 2023 Share Posted August 14, 2023 If you’re close enough for Guildford to work then you might also want to look at Surrey Youth Ballet associates? It runs in Walton on Thames Jan-Sept so you’ve not missed it for this coming year. It’s a bit more local/accessible but my daughter (a junior who isn’t aiming at vocational ballet but possibly could) loves it and there are some kids who do go on to vocational training who’ve been through it. They do monthly Sunday classes, an hour ballet and an hour of a second discipline that varies. They also have a performance company but that’s over the autumn so kicking off soon. I’m also a newbie to all this but it’s been a friendly place to start. My daughter has her regular lessons elsewhere although some do come from the directors dance school. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted August 14, 2023 Share Posted August 14, 2023 Hello @WhensMyDayOff and a belated welcome to the Forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhensMyDayOff Posted August 14, 2023 Share Posted August 14, 2023 Thanks and hello! Long time lurker here… 😁 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pointetoes Posted August 14, 2023 Share Posted August 14, 2023 On 13/08/2023 at 12:57, Harwel said: If she wants MT then look into the associate/junior conservatoire classes run by GSA (Guildford school of acting) held on Saturday mornings at their studios at the University of Surrey. One of our top MT colleges. My son is on the MT degree there and it’s a fabulous place. No idea if it’s anywhere near you but well worth a look. I can also vouch for GSA. My daughter graduated from there last year as an Actor Muso. She always thought she would go down the contemporary route having started ballet age 3 but at 16 realised she would miss singing, Cello and other instruments. She was lucky enough to discover a way of combining everything. Yes she is one of those dread full triple threats although we didn't discover this until 6th form. Funny how things happen. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Betty Posted August 18, 2023 Share Posted August 18, 2023 Do you know about British Youth Musical Theatre projects? A friend of my daughter from ballet does these residentials and loves it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now