Jump to content

Ballet training in the UK


balletla

Recommended Posts

With reference to the early morning classes in Australia that I mentioned - this was some years ago now and I'm afraid I don't remember where this examiner taught, but she said that the really keen ones did extra classes before school lessons started.  So yes they definitely would be the serious ones!  

 

Look I think the UK vocational schools are excellent, but because the vast majority of British kids go at 16, I think that they are often at a disadvantage because their local private schools don't offer enough classes.  The RBS picks the top of the top and can't be bothered with those who don't fit that description.  I had a student who attended 3 RBS summer schools, but when it came to full time training, they wouldn't accept him.  Luckily Elmhurst took him with alacrity and he had two wonderful years of training there and has been dancing ballet professionally for some 6 years now.  I have a student who moved to London and tried to find the same amount of hours of training that we had given her and in spite of going to three different schools, she can't get enough hours.  Without enough high quality lessons, you can't fully develop your potential. 

 

When I was accepted many moons ago to the RBS, I came from a full time arts school, but even so it was easier to be accepted because in those days you had to be British.  The "foreigners" were put in separate classes and the level was lower than the rest of the school.  So why is the situation so different nowadays???

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 307
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Dance*is*life, do the vast majority of British children go to vocational school at 16? I thought that the ones who got into a classical school at 16 having trained locally before then were relatively few. There may be more places at 16 but more international students come at 16 as well. Let's not forget that in the past the RB could only employ British and Commonwealth dancers and so there would have been no Asian, American or East European dancers in the company and, presumably, this rule made the RBS a less attractive place to train as many students coming to train there do so with the aspiration of joining the RB.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The majority of the students at RBS, Elmhurst and ENBS (I can't speak for the others as I've not looked closely enough) have either come from full-time vocational school, or are international students, with a minority coming from a background of "regular" UK schooling (there are quite a few, but definitely in the minority in most years).  However, more options open up to them at 16 as there are more schools to apply to if you include all the classical schools in with contemporary and MT/other dance based courses.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I suppose when I started this thread I was looking at the standard achieved in the UK by the age of 16 when auditioning for 6th forms versus the apparently higher standard achieved by those in other countries, particularly Asian countries. This then carries on to a higher standard of achievement at company auditions 3 years later.

 

I assumed that the reason for this was the training systems we have for under 16 vocational ballet training (not necessarily just in vocational schools). So it seems that although the training provided is generally good within the schools and in a number of local ballet schools, the key difference seems to be that other countries seem to put in more training hours at a younger age, rather than a different system of training. 

 

I suppose this is consistent with all other pursuits as well - how often have we seen musical 'prodigies' at the age of 4 or 5 from those countries? I can't remember which book it was but I think it was Malcolm Gladwell who said that these musical prodigies are no more talented than in other countries, its just that by age 4, they have already done hundreds of hours more practice than an equally talented British child and this means they are way ahead.

 

I'm not suggesting we all adopt this intensive tiger-mother approach, but maybe there is a case for more hours at age 10-15 than is the current norm?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To be honest,  I think most of those child prodigies - be that music, dance, or sport - grow up to become "normal" or average citizens.  Often one never hear of them once they are past 16.  I knew of a few local prodieis (music) myself, and I am saying this from my experience (my mother teach - still!- piano).

 

We don't  know what will happen to this Korean girl in 5 years time.  And surely she is being talked (watched?) about because she is a rare case?

 

Carlos Acosta did not start ballet at 3. In fact many winners of Prix de Lauzanne, including Tetsuya Kumakawa (who was already at RBS before entering and winning the Prix) did not start ballet until aged 6-7.  This years' 1st Prix de Lausanne winner (17 year old) started ballet at 7 and took ballet lessons only 2 days a week until he turned 15 (assuming that google translate had done the decent job!), although since then he has been taking classes and coaching 6 days a week after school (normal school, that is, not ballet nor art school), at a private ballet studio.

 

I really think this "3 year-olds being pushed by mother to do ballet" is bit of a myth - is this because of Miko Forgarty (who by the way is actually British by nationality, though being Swiss as well) in the film "First Postition"? It is a sort of myth Hollywood would like to promote, but in reality I think it is a very rare case.

 

I do agree with Ribbons that training between age 10 - 15 is cruicial.  I am very curious to know what sort of training children (with adquate apptitude for ballet)  all over the world is recieving.

Edited by mimi66
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

'The RBS picks the top of the top and can't be bothered with those who don't fit that description. I had a student who attended 3 RBS summer schools, but when it came to full time training, they wouldn't accept him. Luckily Elmhurst took him with alacrity and he had two wonderful years of training there and has been dancing ballet professionally.'

 

 

Surely we expect the RBS to pick the top of the top? I'm uncomfortable with the statement that they 'can't be bothered with' those students who aren't the best of the best - they have to make a choice, as does any selective school and will naturally choose those they think are most suited to their training for full time places. Other great schools no doubt have different criteria and may choose those who aren't successful at RBS - or vice versa. That is the good thing about the larger number of schools available from the age of 16, compared to the 4 lower schools.

 

It must be especially difficult for students who have been RBS associates or have attended the RBS summer school to be unsuccessful when applying for a full-time place, but there won't be full-time spaces for all of those who have previously been identified by the RBS as having talent and being suitable for part-time RBS training.

Edited by Legseleven
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A lot of successful male dancers did not start ballet early. Even some successful female dancers did not start ballet (and that was probably only weekly ballet classes) until they were 6 or 7. I'm quite surprised when I read how late some principal dancers started. Having said that, I think that the world of ballet is even more competitive than it once was, for a variety of reasons, and so you probably can't extrapolate and say that the training which someone received 20 or 30 years ago would be adequate now. My feeling is that even though students abroad don't start early once they start they train more intensively; they would not be doing one 45 minute class a week at 10 as many UK children do. There will always be some exceptions where someone with incredible talent and a perfect physique can be exceptional even with limited training, and I suspect that more boys than girls fall into this category.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Legs Eleven - I agree with you entirely that we would expect RBS to pick the best - I didn't mean to sound critical of this policy.  I was only stating the fact that even though my student was invited back three years running to their summer school, when it came to full time training he was rejected, because he  still had technique issues that needed strengthening. However, considering that after a year at Elmhurst he got Distinction (82) for his Advanced 2,  the potential was obviously there, which leads me to wonder if by always focusing on the elite, the RBS is missing out on potentially excellent British dancers, who need more work than the already professionally trained overseas students that they do take. 

 

Also to clarify my remark about the vast majority of British students going to vocational schools at 16 - perhaps I should have noted instead that this is the age when many British students who study in local schools apply for vocational school, but unfortunately it seems that they are not being accepted.  All of which brings me back to the premise that if a child is talented, but only takes one or two classes a week, he or she is unlikely to be accepted for the vocational schools. 

Edited by Dance*is*life
Link to comment
Share on other sites

To say it seems "they are not being accepted" seems a bit of a sweeping statement. If no non-vocational students have a chance of getting an upper school place, what would be the point of 11+ associate schemes?

 

Plus there is a huge gap between a non-vocational student who takes "one or two classes a week" and one who is an associate and manages to fit in 10-15 hours a week while juggling full time school and homework.

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

At 16 there are still far more applicants for places than there are places so it stands to reason that there will be many applicants who are unsuccessful and I suspect many of those unsuccessful will fall into the "one or tow classes a week" category.  Quality and availability of training for the non vocational student varies considerably and so does the readiness for going to a vocational school at 16.  I deliberately use the word readiness as I know of someone who auditioned and was told precisely that : "that they clearly had the potential but should go away and get another year's training as they were just not ready for the demands of an upper school course at this stage"  This person had about 5-6 hours ballet training per week at the time. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Plus there is a huge gap between a non-vocational student who takes "one or two classes a week" and one who is an associate and manages to fit in 10-15 hours a week while juggling full time school and homework.

 

I so agree with this Spannerandpony.  If my DD had started Ballet sooner - it would be a possibility she could have studied Ballet rather than MT (if she'd wanted).  Even a year earlier would have made a massive difference (I look back and wish I'd listened more carefully; she might have made the same decision but she would have had more of a real choice)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Perhaps some students (and their parents) are very naive, or perhaps more lessons cannot be afforded, but *are* there students who expect to get into upper schools on the back of one or two ballet classes a week? Don't their teachers tell them that they are being completely unrealistic or has it been known for students who do a couple of hours ballet lessons a week to be successful?

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Perhaps it depends on whether they are taking any other dance classes too? If someone is doing a couple of ballet classes plus jazz, singing, contemporary, tap etc (and might be on a CAT scheme for instance) they would stand a good chance of being offered somewhere like Tring or Hammond, or one of the MT schools at 16.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I follow this conversation very carefully because I find it very interesting and close to my heart as most of you know our DDs are going to audition soon for +16 schools and even though they are British, they also come from abroad...

 

I wanted to say 2 things.

First to the question as why so many foreign kids try and come to the UK to train, I don't think it is only because the schools are excellent... I believe it could also be because schools like that don't exist where they come from. In France for example, for a would be professional ballet dancer, there is 1 school, maybe 2, one can apply for at 16. POB school is out by then and one is left with National Conservatoire in Paris where lots of foreign kids audition too.

France simply doesn't have the plethora of schools the UK has so for kids who haven't join the vocational system before, there are no real choice but trying abroad, in the UK but also in Germany or in the US...

 

Secondly, to the question of how many hours serious 10-15 years old would do, some of you know we have been trying to go back to the UK for a while and consequently, I'm always on the lookout for good local schools... I have rang a few, some very well established, and the number of hours a week offered to my 14 year old has nothing to do with what she does in France. To be able to match that number, she would have to join 2 or 3 schools and be an associate somewhere. The driving you all do to find the number of hours needed is staggering to me!

When DD1 & DD2 started ballet at 8 (one cannot start before in France), they did 3 hours of ballet a week and 1 hour of contemporary. Now that DD2 is 14, she dances about 13 hrs a week in a local school plus extra hours when needed for something special. DD1, who is 16 and in full time A'levels preparation, dances (ballet, contemporary, jazz, tap) about 25 hours a week in a vocational school.... I hope I am answering the question someone asked as to how many hours a week kids do in other countries. 

What we don't have in France though and which I'm very envious of are all the Youth Ballets and kids productions one seems to find quite easily in the UK. They are great!

 

Hope it helps the discussion...

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Plus there is a huge gap between a non-vocational student who takes "one or two classes a week" and one who is an associate and manages to fit in 10-15 hours a week while juggling full time school and homework.

 

Spanner, when you say 10-15 hours a week, do you mean those hours need to made up of just ballet classes?

 

My DD does 6 hours a week just ballet then another 6 or so hours of Contemporary, Modern, Jazz, Tap, fitness etc and around 6 hours a month at Associate classes. She does more ballet than anyone else at her school.

On top of that she does numerous extra hours on Festival practice classes, she dances every day and struggles to get her homework done.

She wants to apply for 6th form vocational ballet school, so I am now wondering if she should be upping the ballet and dropping the other styles? Would appreciate your thoughts on whether you think this is enough ballet? As she doesn't want to drop the other styles of dance in case she isn't successful in getting into ballet school and has to change direction.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would be interested to hear a dance teacher's opinion on that, Loulabelle, as I have often thought that students and parents may be lulled into a false sense of security regarding number of hours danced per week if they are aiming for a vocational ballet school. I have friends who have told me that their DD does 20+ hours of dance per week and that 'this should be more than enough to get her a place at a vocational ballet school'. However, that includes lots of festival practice, tap, jazz, contemporary, limbering, some acro and helping out with younger children. I would say that at most a quarter of those purported 20+ hours is ballet.

 

I am not saying that festival practice or other dance styles should be dropped - and we know that contemporary at least is important in vocational ballet schools - but I would be interested to know how many hours of just ballet are recommended and have been sufficient to gain entry to vocational ballet schools. As you say, other styles will be important for MT schools - although I would think that a well trained ballet dancer could pick up most styles (possibly excepting tap) at a later stage.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Loulabelle, what school year is your dd in?

 

Mine is in Y10, and has now dropped everything else and now does only ballet and contemporary (& associates). She really loved her jazz class, but at least she now has one free evening to do her homework!

 

A friend of ours goes to a 'festival' school, but now only does solos so that she isn't letting down everyone in a group dance if she has to miss practices or a festival.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Aileen - I think there are indeed some 'naive' students and parents out there and they do not necessarily consult with teachers as there is this expectation of "what the child wants" - when they are a big fish in a small pond and have not swum outside of their pond it is easy to be unrealistic of what is required to gain a place at vocational school.  We have come across this sadly as DD went to a small dance school and was the 'big fish'.  A few years on and some have tried to follow in her footsteps - currently big fishes but dancing 2-3 grades below where my DD was at that age and not doing associates, summer schools etc but expecting to get offers because my DD did.

 

Taxi4ballet - I'm not sure that doing only a couple of ballet classes plus other dance styles would necessarily give you a good chance at Hammond, Tring or the MT and dance colleges as ballet is still a major part of the audition process and from experience most of the auditions were pitched at around advanced 1 standard.  Yes, the singing etc would stand you in good stead in the audition but for Hammond for example, there is a cut at lunchtime so if you have not met the standard in ballet, you do not even get to do the monologues or 2nd vocal solo.

 

As far as hours of ballet - quality is just as important as quantity.  My DD did not manage 10-15 hours of ballet a week (or when she did it was by taking extra classes below her grade) but she did supplement her regular training with workshops, summer schools, associates etc.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Crikey, I don't mean I'm an expert - just that some people seem to be assuming that if you're not at Vocational school you must only be doing one or two hours a week. My point is that there are non-vocational students out there doing much more than that.

 

Also we need to remember that it's about quality not quantity.

 

If you want to take my dd as an example, she has (split between local classes and associates): 6 ballet classes a week (including 2 syllabus), separate pointe class, 1 character, 1 contemporary and 2 Pilates. Every other week she also has a ballet and a pointe class at her other associate class. She no longer does tap or modern.

 

But this is what works for her - fitting around masses of homework. I'm not saying this is what anyone else should be doing; it's personal and your child's routine should be decided between you and his or her teachers.

 

Let's also remember that training hours are only *one* element of who gets an Upper School place - let's not forget physique, strength, musicality, effort and determination, love of dance, turnout, grace, the "look" that schools are looking for at the time....the list goes on and on.

 

What will be will be. All you can do is try. But the point I was trying to make was that it IS possible for non-vocational students to get an upper school place. Yes, there are loads of students trying for places but there are also more places than at lower school. And most importantly, don't make the mistake of assuming that all non-vocational students are only doing two classes a week. Never underestimate the competition - whether the competition has been away at vocational school or not.

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Quantity of training is not as important as the right type of training. I seem to be saying this over and over at the moment but it doesn't hurt to cross-train with other styles of dance, as long as the student gets to the required technical level in ballet, to be accepted at a vocational school at aged 16. If they have faulty technique, then increasing their number of classes is only going to cement their faults. If they are not learning to appreciate music, more technique classes won't suddenly develop their musicality. 

 

If you're that worried about the number of ballet classes your DD/DS is doing - talk to their teacher, or seek advice from someone who knows what they're looking at! I don't want to be rude or insult anyone as I know some parents do know the requirements but it seems like a lot of parents are worrying about 'whether their DD/DS is doing enough' but not consulting the people who know the answer!

 

What is right for one child is not right for every child as there are so many other factors to consider (eg quality of teaching, age, stage in puberty, diet, other activities, physique etc etc)

  • Like 14
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The whole training issue is a minefield for me as a non-dancing Mum.  My DD goes to a local RAD school that isn't a vocational school feeder and most of what I've been able to find in terms of Associate schemes and Youth Ballet Companies has been self-researched.  

 

I do believe that children who have schools / teachers with a vocational background and knowledge are advantaged to begin with and a lot of that is the luck of where you live geographically or who you know.  For example, I didn't even know about JA Schemes until my daughter was 9 so already late compared to those who had been attending JA classes from the age of 8. Consequently, we auditioned for a yr 6 place but as everyone knows, unless they assess out, there aren't places available by then and DD didn't get a place.

 

Having said that, we did find out about EYB through our local school and it was doing that in Nottingham 2 years ago that really lit the spark for my DD and prompted me to research what else was out there.  And I'm glad I did....it opened up a whole range of additional ballet training opportunities which we've been able to take advantage of.  

 

DD takes syllabus class with her local school (G.5 RAD - 1.5 hrs per week), Inter Foundation Class with her local school (1.5 hrs per week), she attends Midland Theatre Ballet (1.25 hr class then 1 hr rehearsals per week), RAD Associates (1.25 hrs per month) so approx 5 hours of ballet per week.

 

On top of that, she does tap, modern jazz, acro, MT and Festival classes (all approx 1 hour per week).  She has a 1 hour private for Festival solos and recently has had a few extra private ballet classes to work on technique.  

 

Non-dancing classes include singing, drama, gymnastics and piano lessons.

 

DD did 2 summer schools last year, a Day of Dance at Tring, a 4 day workshop with NYB and various festivals leading to All England Finals. 

 

All of this involves some form of activity every day of the week (Mum's taxi never rests) and this was all done because she has a dream to dance and be a ballerina with one of the major UK companies.  

 

I agree that only the exceptional few will manage to succeed on just an hour or two of training each week and do believe that effort results in reward (obviously given the physical constraints, musicality and artistry that must be there naturally).  

 

My DD works hard and has been rewarded with places at Tring and The Hammond.  I wonder if she'd been working with a vocationally minded teacher whether she could have made RBS finals?  Who knows...but as her Mum I've tried to facilitate the best opportunities for her that I can and I'd agree that we are fortunate in this country that so many schemes exist - even if it is only accessible if you're prepared to travel and can afford all the extras!!

 

It's a scary road that we're embarking on and we're under no illusion that the hard work is just beginning and even going to a vocational school will not guarantee a company position later on...but it's a risk we're taking head-on :) 

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Taxi4ballet - I'm not sure that doing only a couple of ballet classes plus other dance styles would necessarily give you a good chance at Hammond, Tring or the MT and dance colleges as ballet is still a major part of the audition process and from experience most of the auditions were pitched at around advanced 1 standard.  Yes, the singing etc would stand you in good stead in the audition but for Hammond for example, there is a cut at lunchtime so if you have not met the standard in ballet, you do not even get to do the monologues or 2nd vocal solo.

 

Oh I agree with you, and of course you are right, it would depend on the quality of ballet training and the level. I was kind of assuming that anyone auditioning for full-time vocational ballet training at 16+ would be taking ballet classes at advanced level by the time they are that age.

 

The exception here might be for boys, many of whom don't start ballet until later on anyway. For a boy with the right physique and natural talent, then perhaps it might be less of an issue if his training in ballet was at a lower level. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well I have been quizzing my Japanese dancing friends.... and I have found out that:-

 

-There is no vocational school for ballet in Japan. Ballet is taught at various private studios, some with own company, some without. There is no national ballet company in Japan equivallent to RB, ENB, or POB etc in a sense that they are all private entities. No public funding at all. So children attend those studios after school in the late afternoons to early evenings.

 

-However there are many established ballet studios, the olderst with around 70 years of history. "Elite studios" (ie who regularly produce Prix de Lausanne contestants) are more or less spread around the country.

 

- The popular teaching methods is Russian based. This is becasue of first generation Japanese ballet dancers were trained by the ex-dancer Russian refugees (of the revolution) who settled in Japan via Sibria in 1920's. In recent years one sees RAD being taught, but this is more for recreational minded children.

 

- Class size varies, but normally up to 20 for those under 11 year old.

 

- Most bellet studios nowadays introduce pointe shoes for girls around 11, give or take 18 months depending on the individual child. General view over there is that a child should be doing at least 2 classes (60min upwards) a week for at least 2 years before they will be allowed to add pointe class. The pointe readness is assessed by the teacher and without her permission noone goes on pointe.

 

- Among the "good" studios it is generally frowned upon to entre children under 11 to ballet competitions, particularly to dance on pointe.

 

- 11 year old is more or less a cut-off point. Most of those children who does not want to/cannot pusue ballet seriously will quit at this point. If you are not ready for pointe by this stage, there are not many classes to accomdate them either, unless they attend classes designed for younger children.

 

- Over 11 year olds will gradually increase their classes, and by 15 those who will be aiming to become professional ballet dancers will be more or less taking 2 classes about 5 to 6 days a week. This will be decided by their ballet teacher. Also quite often at this point, some children will change their ballet studio if their current studio cannot meet their training requirments. This will often take a form of refferal to either to the studio the teacher was trained her/himself or to the studio of other teachers also trained at the same studio.

 

- Generally ballet studios will have a recital at least once a year, so every students get some performace experience. Post 11 talented children will start dancing adopted version of classical variation on these occations. Also after this stage the studio will start entering students to competitons. There will be extra lessons and coaching, plus reharsals for the performance.

 

- My friends wonder if Japanese system (or non-system) may be a bit more flexible due to the private nature of the studios, so talented children can be better accomodated.

 

The above is just a snapshot, and I am sure only a limited picture. But I hope it might give some rough idea of how they train in Japan.

 

Oh, about turning. I was told that it is not uncommon to do pique turns and Russian chaine across the floor in the 2nd years of ballet (those over 8). However, they do not intruduce pirouettes until students can hold decent turn out. They learn soutenu turns earlier on, though.

 

Also, I must add that, having looked up some bio's of prominent Japanese dancers, not all, but many of them are children of dancing parents. For example 2 current members of RB (both male) have parent or parents who danced professionally and later set up their own ballet studio's.

 

Edited to say that,  reliable public trasport (not cheap, though) and relatively low crime rate probably also helps - older children can get to the ballet studios and rehasals after school or weekends on their own with relative ease - mum's taxi only necessary to the nearest station in the evening to pick them up.

Edited by mimi66
  • Like 10
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hy everybody!

This is my first post, even though I have been following this forum since last year. I find it very helpful and I appreciate all of you for being so generous in sharing your stories, your lives, your anxiety, with other dancing parents! Firstly I apologise for my bad English and hope that what I'm going to write makes sense and doesn't sound rude in any way: if so,it is not my intention, it's only a question of my very poor vocabulary!!

We live in Rome, Italy, and even though I perfectly know that our country ballet companies and schools are not to be considered in an international scenary, I wish to share with you our personal experience, as I believe it can help to understand why many overseas students, including Italians, want so strongly apply for a place in UK vocational schools.

In Italy we only have 2, maybe 3 schools that can be considered vocational and have their own ballet companies; none of them is a boarding school, and none provides for academics. No funding at all, no scholarship offered by the schools or anyone else. If you want to get in, you have to pay the full rate. Unless you live in Rome or Milan, where these schools are located, you have also to find (and pay) an accomodation on your own, as well as an academic school.

For us, the Accademia alla Scala di Milano wasn't a possible choice: my DD is just 11 and of course she couldn't live on her own in Milan. The only chance for us was the Teatro delll'Opera di Roma, whose training system has not a very good reputation.......I can't find even one of their graduated in the best international companies. All the Italian dancers who are or have been international stars, trained or at least finished their training abroad (with the only exception of Roberto Bolle,I think); some of the best students graduated at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma or at the Accademia alla Scala di Milano join the companies of those theatres, all the others struggle to find a job as dancers if they remain in Italy, many of them finish to teach in private schools (in Italy very few private schools have teachers with a diploma/certificate that allows them to teach). Even in the best case of joining the company......the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma has 3-5 ballet productions per year.....POB something like 150 productions per year!!!!! In Italy, ballet companies are going to die.....

We have been lucky enough to find a very good private school, whose director is a former etoile of POB, but my DD has to attend 3 different courses of classical ballet to reach a decent number of hours of training. The most of the students are recreational dancers, so their level can be very different, and even if the teacher gives more attention to the serious ones, I don't think my DD could have any chance remaining there. Add to this, she (and me) struggles every day with the huge traffic problem of Rome and the big amount of homework she has to do (in Italy academic schools are very demanding and the serious practice of dance, sport, music or art is not considered at all; the school is just in the morning and a lot is done at home). Luckly, my DD is very bright at school as well as determinated and focused in dance, so she manages, but I know what big effort it is for her: she wakes up at 6.30, then school from 8 to 2 pm, then a quick lunch in the car and one hour drive  to ballet studio (while she does part of her homework), she finishes at 8 pm, another hour of traffic (and another part of homework done in the car), she is at home at 9, then dinner and homework again till 10.30, sometimes 11pm. In the weekend she never goes out, never meets friends, as she tries to do the most of her homework in advance......and she is only an 11 years old child!

Having said all this, I think you can understand that for many overseas students, trying to go abroad is not only due to the excellent training other countries provide...sometimes it is just the ONLY choice they have: few (or none) vocational school, no funding, no boarding, few (or none) job chances, impossible everyday life.... I think many of you know very well how hard it is to let a child go away from home at such an early age....For foreign students and their parents can be even worst: the children have to deal with a foreign country, have to study in a foreign language, have to start a totally new life with nobody known to support them; the parents have to worry about all that, with no chance to help them, meet them, hug them for many months and have to make huge sacrifice to pay the full rate of the school....I think that if they could have the same possibilities (of good training and good job offer) in their own country, they would prefer much more to stay at home. Why so many choose UK? In France, POB is the only boarding school and it's very hard to get in, not only for the ballet requirements, but also because they pretend a very good knowledge of French language to attend their school; they also are closed on weekend, so it's mandatory for children to have a guardian in Paris that collect them on friday evening. In Germany, Austria, Russia, the language barrier is often scaring for very young students. UK offers a variety of good vocational school, some excellent or at least with that reputation worldwide, with boarding, good academics, and the English language is the only every child studies at school: even if their English is sometimes very basic, it allows them to feel more confident.

For all these reasons, we applied last year for RBS summer school (my DD was shortlisted) and for all these reasons my DD asked us to apply again this year for both RBS SS and full-time training.

I hope you understand we don't want to "steal" places to any British student, we are not enemy, we just want for our DD what all of you want for your DC.

 

Really sorry for the long post, hope nobody get bored!

  • Like 32
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Hello Zacharovitti, Thank you for your post. Your English was fantastic and your post was really informative. I agree with BillyElliot, even though the competition is so stiff, we are indeed very lucky to have such good vocational schools in the UK and also funding where needed.  Good Luck to your daughter x

Edited by Tango
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...