DanceMamma Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 DD is auditioning for RBS senior associates - prelims next week. I’ve had a look on here for info but I couldn’t find much on seniors. Few wonderings … Are there places available for dancers who haven’t been JA or MA? Does anyone have experience of the audition class? What’s expected, pointe, flexibility etc? I ticked the box for both SA and WL prelim, I don’t think she’s WL ready but I figured it’s best to let them say no, will the audition be any different to just SA groups? DD is already in 2 well-known associates classes and attends summer intensives etc, but she has never tried for anything with RBS. Any advice, tips, info xxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richieN Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 I'm not sure about the level of audition for seniors as my DD got an automatic upgrade from Mids to Seniors. But saying that, there are places occasionally. Some get into vocational schools. Others drop out or are assessed out. Its at this time that children start to prioritise GCSE's over ballet, too. But the large majority of seniors are mids moving up, and it is competitive. From my impression, RBS tends to be less about making you a more impressive dancer and more about removing faults from technique. If your DD could do with this, RBS would be good. But they are nothing special and you're likely to get similar training elsewhere if you're with other associate classes. Make sure you factor in extra travel and inconvenience and the fact you are doing other associates. Remember an associate programme is there to support a dancer's training. Not take it over. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruby Foo Posted October 20, 2023 Share Posted October 20, 2023 10 hours ago, richieN said: I'm not sure about the level of audition for seniors as my DD got an automatic upgrade from Mids to Seniors. But saying that, there are places occasionally. Some get into vocational schools. Others drop out or are assessed out. Its at this time that children start to prioritise GCSE's over ballet, too. But the large majority of seniors are mids moving up, and it is competitive. From my impression, RBS tends to be less about making you a more impressive dancer and more about removing faults from technique. If your DD could do with this, RBS would be good. But they are nothing special and you're likely to get similar training elsewhere if you're with other associate classes. Make sure you factor in extra travel and inconvenience and the fact you are doing other associates. Remember an associate programme is there to support a dancer's training. Not take it over. I would agree with this. If your DD needs an extra class with reminders of good, solid technique then great. If, on the other hand she needs something extra and special then a private lesson with a fabulous teacher would be more beneficial in my opinion. I guess it depends how far you have to travel as to what makes financial sense. There have only been a couple of girls to my knowledge over the years who have gone from senior associates to RBS and they were both already training at vocational schools. I guess it will depend what she’s looking for. From past experience, the audition is fairly basic, with nothing tricky and some stretching, splits 3 ways. etc. There wasn’t any pointework, but that may have changed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BattementBatty Posted October 20, 2023 Share Posted October 20, 2023 (edited) Everyone in Mids has to re-audition for an SA place. Last year there were just under 100 auditioning in London for WL/SA (it’s the same audition. It’s just a straightforward ballet class with the standard flexibility stuff you’d expect. I think there are now 4 SAs who were not in the the programme anywhere before and a couple who have moved from other centres. Some MAs moved centre, 1 or 2 seem to have opted to leave the programme and a few didn’t get a place for SA but I’ve been successful elsewhere. Edited October 20, 2023 by BattementBatty 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neverdancedjustamum Posted October 20, 2023 Share Posted October 20, 2023 22 hours ago, DanceMamma said: DD is auditioning for RBS senior associates - prelims next week. I’ve had a look on here for info but I couldn’t find much on seniors. Few wonderings … Are there places available for dancers who haven’t been JA or MA? Does anyone have experience of the audition class? What’s expected, pointe, flexibility etc? I ticked the box for both SA and WL prelim, I don’t think she’s WL ready but I figured it’s best to let them say no, will the audition be any different to just SA groups? DD is already in 2 well-known associates classes and attends summer intensives etc, but she has never tried for anything with RBS. Any advice, tips, info xxx There are definitely places for those who haven’t been RBS associates before because MAs need to audition for SA places, it’s not a given. We have no experience of SAs but something to keep in mind is that class is often just 2 hrs 15 mins and you have to take this into consideration if you’re travelling from quite far away. You mention your DD is already in a couple of associates schemes and I’m sure you’ll find this is less hours than other schemes and if it’s like MA or JA, there are no separate classes timetabled as such. In our experience, in MA for example, the class didn’t do pointework every week and the duration of when they did varied from week to week. So it’s not like other schemes where there are clear classes timetabled (eg Pilates for an hour, pointe for an hour, an hour contemporary, 2 hours ballet). Class sizes also aren’t as small as I thought they would be. As Ruby Foo said, if your DD is looking for something extra and special, then a private with an established and qualified teacher would be more beneficial than another associates scheme. It is undeniable that the RBS name is very attractive but it very much depends on what you’re looking for. If the ultimate goal is full time RBS, do check the numbers of MA/SA who get offered places from associates to WL or upper school who aren’t full time students elsewhere already in other vocational schools. Also to add that MA students do sometimes leave the programme which means less from certain centres auditioning for SA places. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerfuffle Posted October 20, 2023 Share Posted October 20, 2023 There’s a new RBS SA centre in Leeds which is really good, with a lovely teacher and taught at Yorkshire Dance. I think like most these things it depends on the individual teacher how good the associates are. I guess it’s good to have on your dance CV even if you don’t apply for or get into the RBS Upper School (which is pretty much impossible these days). My daughter enjoyed her sessions and it’s helpful to see what other dancers are like at this level as they are likely to be the same people you audition with in y11. My DD applied through video, it was straightforward ballet with some stretches and pointe work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beezie Posted October 21, 2023 Share Posted October 21, 2023 (edited) My daughter auditioned for Mids, and was quite put off by how much seemed to be a body/proportion/turnout assessment. She said there was hardly any dancing. I’m actually happy she didn’t make it, as we’ve found a smaller program that (from everything I have heard on here) is more comprehensive and provides more individual attention. DD is completely turned off from RBS now, as she independently came to the conclusion that they only care about looks….and that just isn’t cool, in her mind. While I am not saying that is accurate or inaccurate, I’m super proud of her coming to an independent assessment on the matter based on her audition experience. It means she is putting some mature thought into what type of training is most aligned with her values and aspirations. Edited October 21, 2023 by Beezie 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerfuffle Posted October 21, 2023 Share Posted October 21, 2023 I think your daughter is right to have not taken it to heart, Beezle and is focussing on what matters which is the dancing. Often RBS change their minds about dancers as they grow, either in favour or not but they aren’t the be all and end all of the dance world, just one option of many. I would guess that they are at their most particular at 11 because they are guessing what a child might become based on what they can see before puberty. My DD didn’t even try at that age because she thought that only JAs would get a place. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BisforBallet Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 If anyone has a senior associate currently can they tell me when/ what time the classes run in London and how long for? thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mum of unicorn dancer Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 SA1 (year 10) - 12 entry to building with start at 12.30 and finish 2.45 & SA2 (year 11) - 2.15 entry with start of class 2.45 - 5.00 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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