Pointytoes22 Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 I have just received my third no out of the three schools I auditioned for. I started ballet late and so knew I wasnt really ready for full time training and thought of this slightly as a first attempt that I can try again next year. The issue is I don't know how i can possibly try and reach the required standard for next years auditions - local training is very limited (I live in Devon), as are associates for over 16's. Could people suggest some vocational schools (other than the main ones) or training organisations that I could attend for a year before next years auditions? Unfortunately I'm guessing by now I may have missed the deadline for many places Also any suggestions of associates for 16+ would be greatly appreciated! Or any other ideas as to my next step along the journey? I'm feeling very lost with it all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa O`Brien Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 Oh dear Pointytoes. So sorry to hear this. Hopefully people on this forum will be able to give you a few ideas. I would suggest having a talk with your ballet teacher and see what she advises. Were you hoping to become a classical ballet dancer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pointytoes22 Posted March 2, 2013 Author Share Posted March 2, 2013 I am aiming for classical ballet but I know how hard this is; if in a couple of years I have made no progress I'll consider contempory and musical theatre. I've spoken to my teacher once already and she just said you need to be doing as many hours of dance as possible, the thing is where I live I dont think it'll be enough to even try and keep up with vocational school students Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RosaMac Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 You could try Bristol Russian Ballet school, they have a youth company. Entry is by audition and they meet once a fortnight on a Sunday. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurora Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 Ballet west in Scotland is a bit less selective but still an excellent school - might be worth a look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mumofballetmaddaughter Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 I have just received my third no out of the three schools I auditioned for. I started ballet late and so knew I wasnt really ready for full time training and thought of this slightly as a first attempt that I can try again next year. The issue is I don't know how i can possibly try and reach the required standard for next years auditions - local training is very limited (I live in Devon), as are associates for over 16's. Could people suggest some vocational schools (other than the main ones) or training organisations that I could attend for a year before next years auditions? Unfortunately I'm guessing by now I may have missed the deadline for many places Also any suggestions of associates for 16+ would be greatly appreciated! Or any other ideas as to my next step along the journey? I'm feeling very lost with it all! Hi Pointetoes22 Not sure whereabouts in Devon you live but Totnes School of Dance offer a vocational dance course (30 hours per week) which is funded if you are aged 16 - 19. I know several girls who did the course and all were happy with the training they received. My daughter did several classes a week there and she also was happy with the teaching. I sympathise with you as living in Devon, it's not easy to access sufficient training and you do need to travel considerable distances. For several years I felt that we practically lived in the car. My daughter attended 4 dance schools, 3 of which were syllabus based and the other was free work, concentrating on performance. None of them individually could offer enough hours at advanced level. She was on the waiting lists for funding at Tring (classical course) and NBS but was unsuccessful at 16. She did get a funded place however the following year at NBS. Have you looked at the RAD website as they do various workshops/masterclasses. Not sure if Central still do their 'days of dance' as daughter did a couple of these in Truro, this was many years ago now though. If you can get the odd day or weekend in London, Pineapple and Danceworks offer ballet classes at different levels. My daughter has done both and recommends them but does prefer Pineapple. I would suggest that as you are aiming to be a classical dancer, you do as much ballet and pilates/body conditioning as possible whilst keeping your options open with regard to other dance styles just in case you need to change direction. Hope I've said something which helps and I wish you the very best of luck. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie 2 Milner Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 Have you tried Northern Ballet? Also Legat in East Sussex.I was also going to suggest talking to the Russian Ballet School in Bristol. Good luck. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balletla Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 As I posted before, Royal Conservatoire Scotland, in association with Scottish Ballet do a post 16 course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janice Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 My DD goes to the CAT in Exeter as well as the classes on two Sundays a month the students also have access to a weekly ballet class in Plymouth, unfortunately we are too far away for Dd to get there. They also have intensive during the school holidays. i believe auditions are coming up soon. My dd is very happy on this course. If you would like any more info please message me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pointytoes22 Posted March 3, 2013 Author Share Posted March 3, 2013 Thank you, I didn't try northern ballet as my parents are not happy for me to be living on my own at age 16 so somewhere with boarding is preferable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie 2 Milner Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 Legats is boarding. It is attached to St Bedes school http://www.bedes.org/legat-school.aspx It has a very long history in this area but over the last few years has suffered frequent changes of head. Two ex Elmhurst people were heads at different times. But recently it seems settled. Others on here may know more. Also Hammond though maybe you have already considered that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mumofballetmaddaughter Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 Thank you, I didn't try northern ballet as my parents are not happy for me to be living on my own at age 16 so somewhere with boarding is preferable. I felt the same as your parents do as living independently seemed to be a big step at 16. I have to say though that my daughter managed really well (although she was a year older at 17 when she went) in the accommodation, New Medlock House, that most at NBS used at the time. It wasn't cheap but it was very secure and only a few minutes walk away from school. Most of the time the students walked to and from in a group so they weren't alone. There was a free shuttle bus into the city centre just across the road from the accommodation and there is a train station, Oxford Road, just a few minutes walk away from school so it is conveniently situated. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2dancersmum Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 (edited) Ballet Cymru associates have a senior group for dancers aged 16+, once a month in Newport Wales. We met dancers from the Bristol area that travel down to Duchy Ballet in Cornwall's summer school. I have no idea how far into Cornwall Duchy Youth Ballet are based but it might be something to look into - for performance or training opportunities. Aswell as the Russian Ballet School in Bristol I have heard good reports of 344 dance and the full time dance course, both run at the Dance Station in Bristol. Auditions are usually April for Dance Station courses and June/July for Ballet Cymru Associates. Good luck. Edited March 3, 2013 by 2dancersmum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aileen Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 Pointytoes, this may be an extreme suggestion, but if you don't manage to get into a vocational school this year is there any possibility of you going to live in another part of the country (staying with family friends or relatives) where you would have access to more and better training? It seems to me that if you don't have access to enough good quality training locally then you are unlikely to be successful in a year's time. If you are doing your GCSEs this year then I wonder whether you now need to prioritise your academic studies over ballet for the next few months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pointytoes22 Posted March 3, 2013 Author Share Posted March 3, 2013 It seems to me that if you don't have access to enough good quality training locally then you are unlikely to be successful in a year's time. This is what I'm worried about. Yes my GCSE's are this June so it's definitely a balancing act of trying to keep up enough dance without falling behind at school which luckily hasn't happened so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pups_mum Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 I'm sorry to hear about how sad you are feeling Pointytoes. We also live in a fairly remote rural area, and whilst it is without doubt difficult for everyone, I do think there are additional barriers for those who don't live within a sensible distance of a major city. I've not let my DD audition for any associate schemes, CAT schemes etc as I know that even were she successful, we just couldn't manage the travel. So I sometimes feel I've let her down. However, we are fortunate to have an excellent local teacher and as well as her normal classes my DD has 3 hours per week of one to one tuition. When she's moaning about missed opportunities I sometimes have to remind her that there are lots of other young dancers who would kill for that. Are you having any private lessons with your own teacher? Is there any possibility that you could start or increase private tuition. I don't know if it's coincidence or not, but my DD has quite a number of friends from her school who have offers and final auditions for next year, either at 16 or 18,at respected schools (not all classical though it's true) and none of them have been associates or done CATs, but they have all had private lessons on top of their regular classes. I don't know if it's feasible or would be right for you, but just thought I'd throw it out there as something else to consider. I hope things work out for you, even if it's not in the way that you currently envisage. Have you ever read "Welcome to Holland"? It's a short essay that was actually written for families coming to terms with having a disabled child but I think it has something to say for all of us, and I like to re read it whenever my life seems to be taking a direction that I didn't plan.http://www.our-kids.org/Archives/Holland.html 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legseleven Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 That essay is just beautiful, Pups_mum. Thank you so much for sharing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa O`Brien Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 Gosh,thank you so much Pups-mum for sharing "Welcome to Holland". I`ve never come across this before. What a fantastic piece of writing...Something for everyone,I think. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pointytoes22 Posted March 3, 2013 Author Share Posted March 3, 2013 Thank you pups-mum. I've had private lessons leading up to exams and festivals but I don't have them regularly. I think on top of my other dance lessons the cost would be too much to have them all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porthesia Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 Have sent you a pm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsapassion Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 Have you looked at http://www.ballaredance.co.uk/ cannot reccomend this teacher highly enough Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzpaws Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 That was just lovely Pups-mum. I have a disabled grandson and think Holland is wonderful 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulip Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 I loved reading that article pups mum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulieW Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 Oh dear Pupsmum - you've got me in tears (in a fragile state of mind at the moment!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dramascientist Posted March 9, 2013 Share Posted March 9, 2013 I have just clicked on the link you gave itsapassion and I trained with Laura Fleet at Laines. She was always a beautiful dancer with fantastic feet and such a lovely person. I am not surprised she has turned into a wonderful teacher! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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