Does anyone know RBS height/weight requirements?

[pastel]

 

Hi,

 

sorry if this question has been asked before. I searched the forum and came up with no hits.

 

Does anyone know if there is a chart available on height and weight requirements for RBS? My dd dreams of applying and since she is 16 this year, the reality of auditioning is getting close, she would need to do the video audition at the end of this year. She is by no means over weight but also not one of the skinny girls who seem to be the only ones picked for Australian Ballet School. We figure the body type required for RBS would be similar. 

 

Is there a chart available? I have searched the net as well as RBS website and haven't found one. Alternatively, does anyone have an idea of what the measurements might be for upper school?

 

Thanks

[afab]

As far as I know, there is no chart...

[pastel]

oh....

[Lisa O`Brien]

From what I can gather from reading this forum,what they are looking for is anyone`s guess. !

[pastel]

so, does anyone know if they only take the super skinny kids?

[Lisa O`Brien]

Personally I would be really surprised if they took "Super Skinny" kids. You need a fairly healthy calorie intake every day to be able to get through that level of training. I think if someone was too thin, the school [whichever school] would have cause for concern. Unless,of course, someone was naturally very thin.There was a RBS  Prospectus from the 1990`s I remember ordering. Inside there was a photograph of what looked like twins, a boy and a girl. I say that because they looked so alike. The boy was partnering the girl.The two of them, well,they were like stick insects. I was actually quite shocked that the Royal would use this photo to advertise their School. But, having said that, you could sort of tell,from looking at both brother and sister, if that is indeed what they were, that they were both naturally built that way.

[balletla]

RBS take a wide variety of heights and physiques and are not prescriptive. They are more concerned with proportions i.e. long limbs, shorter torso but this is not prescriptive either as many amazing dancers at RBS and RB fall short of the ideal physique. Frankly they look at the whole package and make trade-offs. Sometimes they take children with amazing physiques who they think can become amazing dancers and sometimes they take people who are amazing dancers with a shortfall in some element of physique which they think they may be able to correct or compensate for.

 

I am always amazed by how many people try and second guess what schools are looking for and then make a decision on hearsay as to whether to audition or not. I find that even ballet teachers often base their advice on out of date assumptions.

 

The ONLY way to know if you've got what they are looking for is to audition. Please don't rely on other people's opinions!

[Anna C]

I agree Ribbons. I do however think that the RBS JA and White Lodge have a body type in mind when selecting - certainly for JAs and year 7s.

 

But by 16, although they do still seem to like the short body/long legs body type (the girls in the RBS ads in Dancing Times confirm this) the quality of dancing seems to come into play much more. All our schools seem to look for slightly different things and there is simply no point trying to second guess them. :-).

[LinMM]

Yes I would say go for it. Your daughter is 16 so although still young should be able to deal with the rigours of the auditioning process.

 

Out of interest when you apply via video do you just do the videoing yourself or are there sort of specialist dance video people who do it?! I imagine its not that easy to film someone dancIng.

[pastel]

thanks for your comments

 

We have been looking into the logistics of moving to the UK - the REALLY important things like how to get our dog there . Since my dd is aware of the body type preferences of some places, she said that we should find out if she is out of range before going any further. It is good to know they don't have any formal requirements. I did read somewhere that students are measured and weighed at the end of each term, so I thought there must be guidelines for that.

 

LinMM - the RBS website has requirements as to which exercises to show on the video, but doesn't say it has to be professionally filmed. I would do it myself but would need to use a larger studio than the ones at her school. It is hard to get far enough away to keep the entire body on screen for the whole time. We often buy videos of our dd at competitions and I'm continually shocked at how poor the quality is! They have loads of big expensive looking equipment and the videos are often shaky, blurry, poorly lit or over exposed and worst of all, they don't follow the dancer so you get blank viewing! I made a video for the POB summer school audition and it wasn't fancy but it was clear and quite adequate. I used a tripod. Because I made it myself, I was able to have full control of the editing which was handy. I think the main thing is that they need to clearly see what the dancer is capable of, I really don't think they are looking for Hollywood standard .

[LinMM]

Yes I suppose By having to do it oneself one becomes an expert at it! Seems shocking what you say about these professional videos though especially as you have to pay for them etc. My friend who has a DD (aged 13) lives in Sydney and may have to get into this videoing task. As it happens they are over for a visit this summer and DD is doing two summer schools here....the Yorkshire one and then ENB as never know when can come again!! In previous years she has done day courses at the RAD in London. But as both parents are from UK and most of other family members are located here I think they are keen on the idea of a UK company.....if it should all come to that fantastic conclusion! in the end though I suppose anywhere they can get a chance to dance for a few years would be fine too. They are in this position where they never know now too how long hubby's job there will last.....precarious times for all at mo in the job market...and harder in Oz I think because of the distances between cities etc.

 

Anyway hope your daughters audition is successful.....will she try anywhere else too?

[Nana Lily]

Hello Pastel,

 

If you are moving to the UK, don't forget there are other fabulous ballet schools at 16+ not just Royal.

 

At 16 RBS really does truly become an international school, selecting the "best of the best" from all over the world. If you DD doesn't make the Royal it doesn't mean that she isn't talented or doest have a body ideal for classical ballet, its juts the odd are very poor for getting a place.

 

I would send you daughters video to a number of different schools in the UK, if you already plan to move here and if she dreams of becoming a professional dancer.

 

NL

[pastel]

 

Thank you,

 

we aren't planning on moving to the UK unless dd is accepted into a ballet school, that is the driving reason.

 

Which other schools should we be looking at? She is particularly focussed on being a classical dancer.

[Legseleven]

English National Ballet School, Central Ballet School, Elmhurst, Tring, Hammond, Ballet West, KD (Kate Simmons) in Warrington, Northern Ballet School, Royal Scottish Conservatoire - I can't think of any more just now but happy to be assisted in this!

 

The first three may possibly be seen as more classical? but all of them will have strong classical ballet teaching.

[Legseleven]

Sorry, KS in Warrington!

[LinMM]

There is also London Russian School in Clapham. They have a website so you can see what's on offer though I think this will have a smaller intake than others mentioned so am not sure number of places for 16-18 but you can email,them and they are usually very prompt in replying to emails. Other schools mentioned are probably more established. I think Central is a good option for more ballet orientated as well as ENB. It's the funding that's the big problem and presumably you would need this so competition is strong. After Central I would go for Tring but you probably as others have said just need to have a go at as many as you can rather than put all eggs in one basket so to speak.

[LinMM]

Pastel it has occurred to me to put you in touch with my friend in Sydney she is up in this sort of thing too(used to work for Australian Arts Council researching new Dance groups for funding etc) and has a DD in similar position but bit younger as mentioned. Perhaps you can have a good chinwag about the whole process of it all.....though people on this forum have good up to date knowledge of current schools in UK as some have children already at them so perhaps my friend for moral support and the forum for up to date advice!!

[pastel]

 

LinMM,

 

overseas students are not entitled to any funding at UK schools. The only school which is subsidised here is the AB, so we all borrow extra money on our housing loans to pay for tuition. If you send your kids to Uni, either they pay fees, or they pay the debt back once they start working, so education costs no matter which way you go about it.

 

Would you like me to PM my details to you to give to your friend, or is she ok for you to pass her details on to me? It always helps to be in contact with others in the same situation.

 

thanks,

pastel

[LinMM]

Hi Pastel have sent her an email waiting on reply but I'm pretty sure won't be a problem but because its via a third person(myself) why don't you wait to PM me till I hear from her I could PM you when I do etc!!

Yes fees fees fees their eldest boy is about to start Uni and she was worried about this just recently!! What with the middle boy wanting to audition for acting schools...possibly in UK too and daughter into ballet etc I don't know how they manage!

 

 

I didn't realise that non UK kids were not entitled to any sort of grant.....though understandable if UK tax payers money is paying it!!

But still not sure what this sponsorship deal is.....do they have to win a competition to get this.....and are all scholarships actually from the government directly.....if there was a private scholarship available maybe open to anyone....just not sure about these things!!

 

To get more back on topic thread about size and weight for ballet students I would assume if your daughter is a reasonable weight for height etc......there are online charts for general health purposes which give some idea for age etc.....probably better if marginally under the accepted healthy weight for ballet but not too much.....then I think she should fine for auditioning.....in UK. I'm sure they are more interested in dance talent and potential in the end.

[pastel]

LinMM,

 

I don't know about private sponsorship, grants etc. I guess that is the next thing we should look into

[afab]

LinMM, it's not non-UK kids who are not entitled post 16 (DaDas), it is the non EU kids...

 

Under 16 (MDS), you have to have been a UK resident for 3 years wether you are British or not to be entitled. 

 

In both cases, the funding is based on merit and income.

[LinMM]

Thanks Afab clears it up somewhat! But what about private scholarships etc(not from Government) are these open to anyone or subject to particular rules eg in France are there private scholarships available for either French only or anyone can apply sort of thing? I imagine private scholarships are set up by individuals in some sort of philanthropic trust but way out of my comfort zone here!!

[LinMM]

Pastel friend just emailed back and all is okay so I will PM you with her details in a while am off to France tomorrow got to get some Euros etc!! She can tell you her daughters school in Sydney etc....perhaps you have met in passing...it's often a small world!!

[afab]

Thanks Afab clears it up somewhat! But what about private scholarships etc(not from Government) are these open to anyone or subject to particular rules eg in France are there private scholarships available for either French only or anyone can apply sort of thing? I imagine private scholarships are set up by individuals in some sort of philanthropic trust but way out of my comfort zone here!!

There is no scholarship system in France or rather, as far as I know, anyone accepted in a state school like POB gets it automatically. Our top ballet schools are free, one only pays for boarding...

 

Have fun in France! Where about are you going?

Edited May 21, 2013 by afab

[LinMM]

I'm off to Nantes to see a non ballet friend there!!!....Though I did persuade her to do some Pilates available locally and she now enjoys that and she went to see Nutcracker in December when one of the smaller Russian companies visited and now wants to see Swan Lake so could become a ballet nut yet!!! I'm training it via Paris as Flybe not going from Gatwick this year which had very reasonable fares. Sorry way off topic thread......but to get back to it and mainly for Pastel my friend unlike me (so she's probably right) does think that the Royal like the Australian Ballet are into a certain proportional look and if you don't have this look thinks its not worth auditioning as there are so many good ones who do!! There is a girl dancing in the Royal now who went to the same ballet school in Sydney and seems to be doing quite well at mo but I personally wouldn't say she was particularly "royal" looking so I'm still not sure. Maybe if you are the one with the DD these problems seem more insurmountable!! And again a question of not wanting to waste money etc