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Newbie Mum - RBS JA questions?


BalletAbbiesMum

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Hello! 

 

My daughter is 9 years old and a ballet addict! I've been reading this forum for a while, as whenever I google anything ballet related, the answer seems to lead me here  :)

 

Abbie auditioned for RBS junior associates yesterday, for the first time, and it's all I could think about all evening! I think I was driving my husband mad with my 'wondering', so I thought I would join here and hopefully find some people to talk to who undoubtedly know a lot more than me!

 

I know we'll have to wait about 6 weeks to hear if she has a place; and I know it's extremely hard to get in so I'm not getting her hopes up; but I have read different things regarding the yes/no letters. I read there were 3 types of letters - yes, not but thanks, no but please try again next year. Is that correct? I've read something about call backs? Also, she auditioned in Bristol, does anyone know approximately how many children are trying for each place? How much importance is placed on 'body type'? 

 

I know these are pretty pointless questions when I can't change the outcome, but I'm just curious and would really like a better idea of my daughters chances. Naturally, I think she's amazing so I can't help getting my hopes up a bit... I have to keep reminding myself of reality. 

 

Thanks for any help or info! 

 

 

 

 

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Hello BalletAbbie'smom and welcome!

 

With regard to letters, you were spot on but there is also a waiting list letter. Numbers of children auditioning and being accepted onto the JA programme can be found on p11 of the Royal Ballet School annual report. In 2011-2012, for Bristol 84 girls auditioned and 14 were offered places. I'm sorry I'm not sure if this is just for year 4 or for all JA years. The link is below:

http://www.royal-ballet-school.org.uk/media/dloads/RBS_Annual_Report_2011-2012.pdf

 

There was a thread on this wonderful form last year about the perceived preferred physique for the RBS, but if you read it, you will see so much of it is speculation! We have all asked ourselves exactly that same question! Here's the link:

http://www.balletcoforum.com/index.php?/topic/176-what-does-the-rbs-look-for/?hl=%2Bbody+%2Btype#entry1652

 

Hope your daughter enjoyed the day and fingers crossed for a yes letter. It is a brilliant scheme and a wonderful opportunity. But if it a no (as it was for my dd first time round) please don't be down hearted - there are lots of lots of great associate schemes out there (and there's always next year!)

 

Good luck to you both x

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Thank you for your reply, very helpful. 

 

She's in year 4 at the moment so I assume she's auditioned for a year 5 place. I've prepared her for a 'no' and I'm trying not to talk about it as I don't want the weeks to drag for her (as it already is for me and she only auditioned yesterday! lol) I've told her we'll try again next year anyway  :)

 

We saw it as an achievement that her teacher wanted her to audition even, so we really spoilt her yesterday with 'Good Luck' cards and we bought her RBS 'souvenirs' from the shop they had set up... so she had a really lovely day and enjoyed the audition, that's the main thing! 

 

Thanks again for your reply and welcome  :)

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Hello,

 

From previous experience the no letter is very much, not this time and do audition next year, we look for musicality, flexibility, etc.  I have not heard of a no thanks without that.

 

As JAs is years 4/5/6, it is much easier to get in at year 4, than 5 or 6, as the year 4 class of approx. 16 are assessed and most move up into the next year.  Therefore, there are often only 2/3 spaces in year 5/6, so tougher to get in.

 

The same again at MA level (years 7/8/9) and SAs (years 10/11).

 

Having said that my daughter did get a space in year 6 JAs, did not get MAs in year 7, waiting list in year 8.  In MAs in year 9 and then SAs for years 10 and 11, so who knows! 

 

It is very hard to second guess Royal Ballet School!

 

Good luck with it all. 

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Thanks balletmadmom, that's interesting because I had actually read the opposite - that it was harder for year 4's. I think I really need to lessen my hopes a bit and prepare for disappointment  :rolleyes:  I don't think my daughter will be too disappointed if she doesn't get in this year... but she would be elated if she did and I want that for her so badly! 

 

It sounds like your daughter has done really well! Abbie has been doing ballet for years but in September changed to her 3rd ballet school and finally we've found a good one! She's progressed so much already, so I think by the auditions next year, she'll have much better chances  :)

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At Bristol there are two JA classes, one for years 4&5 and one for year 6. It is not easier to get in at year 4 than at yr 5 as it so often depends on numbers of each age group taken the previous year. When my DD started in yr 4 there were only 4 taken at that age, 6 at yr 5 and only two existing JA's that moved up from the previous year. Then when my DD moved up to yr 5 they only took another 3 yr 4's and topped up the class with new yr 5's. I'm only talking about the girls here.

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Hi, good luck to your dd. My dd is coming to towards the end of ja's, it is a wonderful programme with fantastic teachers, and also opportunities to perform with ballet companies! I would say that it is harder to get a year 4 place, my dd was put on swl for year 4, then offered a place for year 5.

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Thank you Balletjack  :)  I know it's useless speculating and trying to work out the chances etc... but it feels like such a big deal! Is it because this is all new to me? Does it get easier? lol My DD is taking it all in her stride, but me - I'm a wreck!  :rolleyes:

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Hi my daughter is also 8, auditioning for a year 4 place, but she auditioned in Birmingham. I totally agree that the waiting is torture! I am avoiding mentioning the what ifs and trying to be patient. Posting here and reading other people's comments is saving my sanity (and my husband's :) )

 

Let's hope the results are early like last year and come in June!

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Thanks so much outofmydepth - it's good to know I'm not the only one! I'm really trying hard not to let myself think she might get in, because I know how hard it is... but I also think my daughter is amazing and the perfect candidate for JAs, so I can't help thinking that she just might do it. Though I realise I am perhaps a little biased  :)  

 

Definitely, fingers crossed for early results! If we're like this now, imagine in a few weeks  :o

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The odds do sound better then out of London.  In London at the time, there were about 16 JAs in each year in the weekly class and a further 16 in the fortnightly class.  The ones who had been in at year 4 had moved up to years 5 and 6 and maybe some were assessed out along the way and replaced.

 

However, of my daughter's JA class 4 were taken into year 7 at White Lodge and one turned down the place, one went to Tring, one to Elmhurst and my daughter went to YDA.  The others mostly continued with Associates and as the teacher said at the time, it is very much a pyramid, lots of JAs, fewer MAs and very few SAs.

 

Anyway, good luck.

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For future use, you have roughly 30 minutes in which you can go back and amend a post, using the 'Edit' button you'll find greyed-out at the bottom right of the post window.  Hover over it and it should become usable.  After that, the software will only allow a Moderator to change things.

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To answer your earlier question.... No, it doesn't get easier, in fact, I think it gets harder as there's more at stake. Trying for vocational school, yearly appraisals, trying for upper schools, trying to get a job..... All gets more "critical"

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To answer your earlier question.... No, it doesn't get easier, in fact, I think it gets harder as there's more at stake. Trying for vocational school, yearly appraisals, trying for upper schools, trying to get a job..... All gets more "critical"

here here!

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Hello BalletAbbiesMum,

 

reading your posts is like reading my own thoughts! (Except my daughter's audition is next Thursday morning) I asked her tonight how she'd feel if she didn't get in, she shrugged and said "fine. I just have another go another time". Cool as a cucumber! I think I want it almost more than she does! We too are trying to be realistic.

 

If you want more info and chat on JAs there's another thread going with some of us other parents who are going through the agony too! Good luck to Abbie! xxx

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I wondered about the height question for parents, my parents are 5'4 and 6'6 so I could really have ended up anywhere in between. My husband is shorter like me so on paper our daughter should be short but there is always a chance she could grown like her grandad, who knows. I think looking at centiles would be more beneficial. If they had insisted on asking weight I am not sure we would have applied :0

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On the question of height, my ds's older brothers are 6foot and 5ft 9! His sister's are 4ft 9ins, 4ft 11ins and 5ft 1ins, all grown up too!! He's already 5ft 3ins at 12, so thankfully will probably take after his brothers!! I am taller than my daughters and my husband is shorter than the boys at 5ft 8ins!!

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