if only! Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 Does anyone know anything about the Paris Conservatoire with regards to Ballet/Contemporary. My DD has found their Junior Ballet onYouTube and really likes the style, (to me it looked like Contemporary en pointe, but what do I know!) It's something she's now pondering over as an option in a few years time. (Not sure, though, whether it's the prospect of Paris that's the allure!) Is it similar to Laban? Or Rambert? 16 or 18? etc. Not sure whether anyone knows anything, especially those based in France. Any insight much appreciated ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afab Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 (edited) You can go on their website and have a look at http://www.conservatoiredeparis.fr/ Do you read French? It's the highest school after POB. Kids come from all over the world to study there. You can audition only 3 times and you must be 14 at least on October 1st of the year you audition... That is to become a dancer... The audition last year cost 84€ and for the ballet part, it consist of a ballet class where you must get a mark of 10 out of 20 to be allowed to do the rest... Very difficult to get apparently... Then the audition starts... I can fish out my papers from last year to see what was actually asked at the proper audition... but things might change between now and a few years time! After finishing the 3 years of studying dance, you can try the Junior Ballet: http://www.conservatoiredeparis.fr/etudes/orchestres-et-compagnies/junior-ballet/ Hope it helps a bit! Let me know if you need more... Edited March 29, 2013 by afab 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
if only! Posted March 29, 2013 Author Share Posted March 29, 2013 Chouette! Que vous savez beacoup a'ce sujet! On peut auditionner avec 16 ans? Ou c'est trop tard? Vos filles ont auditionne? POB c'est le ballet classique mais le conservatoire est plus comme Rambert? Et il' y a des ressources pour aider l'etudiante? Je crois c'est "un pont trop loin"!!!! Merci beaucoup afab, je suis tres reconnaissante! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
if only! Posted March 29, 2013 Author Share Posted March 29, 2013 Ok, that was my husband (bless him, redundant/retired language teacher... and over-enthusiastic linguistic daughter). Both dictated to me, my reply!!! My french is tres appalling, tres franglais. Husband is now totally perplexed at what is "a bridge too far" in French. Perhaps you can help?! Thank you afab for your answer, I thought you would be able to but didn't want to ask directly. So the Conservatoire sounds a bit (understatement)... difficult to get in. Looks impressive though. DD very keen to audition, (thankfully her French is not like mine!) but... There's funding issues (but we have those here, BIG time) and I'm not sure I understand the entry age. I thought it was like 6th form/up. Not quite ready for dd to leave home yet! Is the emphasis on Classical or Contemporary or mix? Do they audition similar times to UK, (i.e. Jan/Feb)? Sorry for all these questions. This is 2 years off (she's 13 at the moment), so not urgent as such! Merci beacoup again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afab Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Hi if only Here's something for your daughter and husband to work on... http://www.conservatoiredeparis.fr/uploads/tx_sacparisblocs/Guide-Lmd2012_01.pdf I'll get back to you on the exact audition process later. DD1 wanted to apply, last year. We paid the 84€ and she decided the day before not to as in between she had made up her mind to study Musical Theatre and there was no point doing CNSMDP then... DD2 wants to apply when she older... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afab Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 No CNSMDP is not like Rambert. You have to choose between a Contemporary or a Ballet major and you do mainly the one you were accepted in. It's not half and half like Rambert. It's more like ENB and The Place in the same building... I'll ask DD about the audition process when she wakes up! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afab Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 (edited) That one is for Junior Ballet and in English http://www.conservatoiredeparis.fr/en/etudes/orchestres-et-compagnies/junior-ballet/ Applying procedures in English http://www.conservatoiredeparis.fr/en/concours-dentree/ Edited March 30, 2013 by afab Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
if only! Posted March 30, 2013 Author Share Posted March 30, 2013 Afab, Thank you very very much for your detailed reply. Sorry if I'm being dense but one can apply at 16? (Doesn't have to be younger?) Not quite sure how the French further education system works. Just read your 1st post, and yes one can audition at 16, if they had their first go at 14, (being tres dense now!) Do they have open days, (though a bit of a trip) or does the Junior Ballet ever venture across the Channel? Or Summer intensives? And I'm guessing they still have a few Classical classes if they chose Contemporary? Is the audition Ballet or Contemporary based or does the prospective student decide beforehand? Don't mean to bombard you with these questions, (sorry). Perhaps these are things my husband could enquire about. So they're the highest school after POB? Yep, a bridge too far, maybe. BUT... CNSMDP looks an amazing place to study, particularly with all those disciplines/influences. What an environment! Afab, do you know anyone who's there? Thanks again! (don't envy having 3 dds, one is hard enough!) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afab Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Gosh so much to answer, I'll get back to you soon... Yes we know of a boy who was there doing ballet. He left for School of American Ballet (New York City Ballet School) though about 2 years ago. He wasn't too happy at CNSMDP. Not sure why. We also know a girl who is auditioning for the second time this year. I can tell you more about her experience later... You enrol for the audition in January or February but the audition itself is end of May. One is allowed to try 3 times only by the way... More later... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afab Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 (edited) Sorry if I'm being dense but one can apply at 16? (Doesn't have to be younger?) Not quite sure how the French further education system works. Just read your 1st post, and yes one can audition at 16, if they had their first go at 14, (being tres dense now!) Yes one can apply at 16. There is a age limit but I think it's 19 or 20 not sure... I don't know if you've read the link I sent you but you can apply when you're still at school or else to do a BA degree... You also have to have an official level of French. I think it's B1 in the European levels. Not idea what it means though! Our kids have dual citizenship so we don't need to prove their levels of French nor English... French school system not the easiest... The pupils go to school in the morning or afternoon in the Lycée next door and dance the other half of the day... They live in the CNSMDP with chaperons if under 18, completely free is over 18. If they go to school still, they have to sit all A'levels subject. You can choose a little bit but not to the extent you can in the UK. You must sit at least 7 A'levels all linked to each others with a weighing depending on your main choice (economics, literary or scientific). I hope it's clear... Forgot to say that the boarding facilities close at the weekend (same thing at POB)... Edited March 30, 2013 by afab Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
if only! Posted March 30, 2013 Author Share Posted March 30, 2013 Thank you for your reply. If you can think of any other useful info please post- it is really appreciated Your kids are lucky with their dual citizenship- must come in handy! Will look into what B1 means for French. The A level bit is a bit unclear. In UK we do 3, sometimes 4. So 7 seems a lot! I'm off North now, visit to Granny (def no internet) then Leeds for Easter Intensive (didn't fork out for wi-fi in room). So if I don't post back please don't think I'm not interested I am- just no internet access. Thanks again et Joyeuses Pacques!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afab Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 (edited) What I mean about Baccalauréat is that in the UK your A'levels are independent from one another. In France, it's a package. You either pass everything or fail everything and your scores are weighed and complement one another... Happy easter to you too! Edited March 30, 2013 by afab Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowan Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Level B1 is roughly equivalent to AS level. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of_Reference_for_Languages 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afab Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Do they have open days, (though a bit of a trip) or does the Junior Ballet ever venture across the Channel? Or Summer intensives? And I'm guessing they still have a few Classical classes if they chose Contemporary? Is the audition Ballet or Contemporary based or does the prospective student decide beforehand? Don't mean to bombard you with these questions, (sorry). Perhaps these are things my husband could enquire about. Open days yes even though DD tells me they hold some sort of internal audition to decide who is allowed to dance on open days!!! That doesn't sound too "open" to me! Junior Ballet venturing, I have no idea... Summer Intensive, not that I know of... Audition based on Ballet mainly for Ballet and Contemporary mainly for Contemporary... The students have to decide what they want to apply for... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afab Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Finally found what I was looking for! To audition for Ballet, one must be between 14 and 17 and for Contemporary between 15 and 18 on October 1st. In the Ballet course, one does mainly ballet and some contemporary, repertoire, improvisation, music theory, history of dance, anatomy... and in the Contemporary course, mainly contemporary... The audition process is an elimination based ballet class where one must have a mark of 10 minimum out of 20 to be allowed to go further. Then the ones who did get more than 10 do another class mainly in the centre (the mark for this is multiplied by 2), a solo (mark multiplied by 3.5) and an interview (mark multiplied by 0.5). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mola Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 Hello, if anyone knows, I would like to find out how to apply, not for Junior Dance, but at 14-15 years. I searched the website, but unfortunately haven't found anything, except that one must apply for a file in order to get more information. Or maybe is not the time of the year when they post this information. Anyway, I wold like to know in advance, as this may be one of our options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afab Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 Hi, it's not the right time... Sometime around January, there will be a link on the website to apply. You can't miss it as they are very strict about dates... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mola Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 Thanks for answering. However, I would like to know the conditions at least. Should I send an email? I just want to know what are their requirements for 14-15s. Maybe someone here has been through the process or knows more... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 Welcome to the Forum, Molarescu. I can't help with your enquiry but I am sure someone will be able to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afab Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 (edited) Have you read all the posts before this one? There are quite a lot of answers... What do you mean exactly by "conditions"? We have been through the process... Do you read French? Edited June 29, 2013 by afab Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mola Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 Hi Afab, I read everything you wrote, it is very useful. However someone mentioned to me earlier than you need to prepare 2-3 variations for audition. This is definitely something one can't prepare just 1 month before so I am wondering if the person was right or not. Also if coming from abroad, one might need an auditioning DVD with a ballet class - this is again something useful to know in advance. Thanks for sharing your experience! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afab Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 Hi Molarescu, as far as I remember there is one variation to prepare only and there is also an interview. You get marks for everything you have to do. A mark for the preliminary class, a mark for the real audition class, another mark for the variation and a mark for the interview. They are weighed differently. For example, the interview I think is multiplied by .5. This gives a result order and they will take say the first 5 ones... No DVD audition. You are tested on the spot on the day... How's your DC's French? You have to remember she/he will have to go to school to a regular French school following the French curriculum and system of exams... If you have more questions, let me know... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mola Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 Thanks Afab, this is really very useful. I saw you mentioned on an earlier post that boarding facilities close for the weekend. What do you mean? What happens with the abroad students? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowan Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 Afab is the expert on this topic but it looks to me that if you're a minor at the boarding house, you will be expected to go home at the weekends. If you're from abroad, I suspect that means you will need to have a guardian or someone in France who can take you in. I'd bet that there won't be that many students from abroad because of the language requirements, unless they are already bilingual, and those students probably have relatives/friends in the country anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitschqueen_1 Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 Thank-you for resurrecting this thread molarescu. My dd's two loves are contemporary dance and the French language; her CAT tutors are adamant that she should be pursuing a career in dance but just in case, her plan B is to complete a French and History degree at King's College in London. We have had discussions with them about combining the two, finding a contemporary dance school in France or French speaking country and the research is underway! Afab, I hope you don't mind me asking you but you are our resident French expert :-). It would be the contemporary strand she is interested in applying and auditioning for but would be completing A levels in the UK first (French being one of these) thus would be 17/18 when applying. I'm guessing at that age she would be able to rent/ share accommodation independently of the Conservatoire. Also could you tell me when the French schools and colleges finish for the summer? We are driving down to the Dordogne next Saturday for 2 weeks and are planning to visit Paris for a few days. Just wondering whether the CNSMDP would still be open & whether it might be worth contacting them or turning up for an impromptu visit! :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afab Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 Hi Kitschqueen, as for your first question, one doesn't have to board at CNSMDP at any age. You can decide to stay with a host family. That would solve the problem of weekends and where to spend them... Yes CNSMDP closes at the weekend so does POB school actually... Kids have to have weekend host families. France has no boarding school culture you see and kids who do board always go home at the weekend... The French schools and colleges closes at the end of June or even earlier for colleges sometimes. I'm not sure for CNSMDP. Classes will be finished when you get to Paris but you could see if the administration would still be open. Generally everything will be closed by Bastille day (July 14) and it could be earlier for schools... I'm quite proud of being the resident French expert, thank you! As Rowan says, not many foreigners will be studying there at 14-15 but after 17-18 many are. They still have to comply with the level of French that is asked though! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mola Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 Hi, my DD is 14 now, so boarding school would have been ideal for her. Don't know how host families work, I will try to find out and think more about this possibility. I will also try to find out more about French schooling system to see how she may fit in. Thanks everybody for your comment, this is something that you never find out straightforward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afab Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 If you have questions about something you don't understand in the French schooling system, just ask... Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitschqueen_1 Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 Also could you tell me when the French schools and colleges finish for the summer? We are driving down to the Dordogne next Saturday for 2 weeks and are planning to visit Paris for a few days. Just wondering whether the CNSMDP would still be open & whether it might be worth contacting them or turning up for an impromptu visit! :-) Just managed to find out the school term times on the very small bit of the website that is in English and they shut on Saturday, the day we set off for France! :-D. So typical but I know where it is now so it will be worth going to have a look as it does look an impressive place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mola Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 B1 in French is an intermediate level, it's not that difficult. I'll have to think over the hosting families. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afab Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 I agree that B1 is not that high a level and should be enough to dance. But schooling is compulsory, your DD would be 15 by then and if she was born in 98, she'd get in 1e, born in 99 she'd enter 2e i.e. lycée. Lycée is the last 3 years of school right after the French GCSE and when you start specialising in something more scientific, economic or literary hence a better level of French than B1 in my opinion. It's very easy for a small kid to learn the language when they come to school in France in the little levels. It's another matter when you are in Lycée and you have the "bac" zooming in the horizon... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowan Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 I think we should be careful not to think that just because the Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris doesn't exactly trip off the tongue - literally and metaphorically - in the UK, it is some undiscovered gem. It is very much a discovered gem and, as Afab has mentioned, extremely hard to get into. DD knows someone who has a place here, but this young person was previously at POB school. If children are assessed out of POB school, the conservatoire will often be their next port of call. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afab Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 I definitely back Rowan up there... The conservatoire has mainly ex POB kids especially at 14-15. They send a couple of older dancers to Lausanne every year! I know fantastic dancers who haven't even passed the first class as it is an elimination class... By the way, one is allowed to audition only 3 times in total... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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