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Opes v Yorkshire Assembly


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Dd had intended to apply to Opes summer school but something has come up & she is not available now for the second week & the first week is already full.

 

She liked the idea of Opes because it included things like Pilates as well as classical ballet. Ultimately dd wants a career in musical theatre but has been told that she needs to work on her ballet technique, strength & flexibility.

 

Having just read on here that Yorkshire Assembly is still taking applications we wondered about that as an option. I know the jazz teacher is an excellent teacher but don't really know much about the course, no of classes, it's four days not five so do they cover as much as other summer schools for example?

 

Any opinions welcome as I need to move fast on this.

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DD did Yorkshire Assemblies a number of years ago now - her opinion at the time was that the teaching was OK, she felt the children already known to the teachers got the majority of their attention (quite a few of the Yorkshire scholarship students attend).  Class sizes were also fairly large, but then this seems to be the trend at a lot of summer schools.

 

However, it was one of the most friendliest courses she has attended - she went on her own.  Also the school and grounds are lovely and they were fed well!

 

Can't comment on OPES dd trying that one this year.

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Dear picturesinthefirelight

 

Yes Yorkshire Assembly is 4 days not 5. The classes covered are ballet, Jazz, and contemporary.Children are put into groups according to their age and standard and class sizes will be between 10-20 depending on final numbers.I disagree that scholars get more attention as five out of the seven of the teachers this year do not teach at the scholarship centre.The children also go swimming in the evening and will be doing street dance on another evening.There is also a physio who is available and who attends.

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Dh has worked with the jazz teacher.

 

To be honest he has taught in some very well respected places & at guest glance some can seem drab, dingy & in dodgy areas.

 

But the work that comes out of there - amazing!

 

I'm talking post 16 training here of course it's different with younger children.

 

But I digress.

 

Ill have a chat to dd tonight when she gets back from school.

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My dd going for first time - as mentioned the teachers are all experienced (we googled them as had no personal experience with any of them). Location looks good too. Dd's friend going too, also for first time & both are looking forward to it.

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DD certainly didn't feel that the Yorkshire Scholars got more attention than anyone else. Her class was about 12-14 children IIRC and she felt that Brenda Last in particular - but to be fair all of the teachers (she didn't have Gill Caplan who was with the younger/less advanced groups) - gave extremely useful personal attention to each and every dancer. I don't think any of the classes were overly large - the largest was probably about 18-20 - and certainly we hear that RBS summer school and Yorkshire Seminars classes are much bigger.

 

I don't know whether Pilates is offered, PITF, so if that is something your DD has been advised to do then I would suggest contacting the Assembly organizers.

 

My view was that it was a very good summer school and is good value for money especially when you consider the magnificence of the setting. The children are kept busy throughout each day with various classes, they progress, they make friends easily and they are well fed and cared for. It is also attended by some vocational school students, so presumably the vocational schools must have no problem with its standard.

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Hi PITF

A dance teacher on this forum called tutugirl is running a ballet based week comm 18 August. Can be residential. One of the teachers is from Hammond so your dd will know her. Not sure if that would be any good for you? It's in Keighley.

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There is Moorland School in Clitheroe which has a new ballet school run by ex-professionals who have also taught at Hammond. It is the week before and £360 residential. We had already committed to others but it looks good.

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There is Moorland School in Clitheroe which has a new ballet school run by ex-professionals who have also taught at Hammond. It is the week before and £360 residential. We had already committed to others but it looks good.

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Keighley- there are 5 lessons a day. Mostly ballet but also jazz/ some costume work. May be worth asking tutugirl directly.

 

I don't know about Moorland. If you phone the school they will get Lynsey Kidd to call you. Again heavily ballet I think.

 

hth

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Dear Picturesinthefirelight

Yorkshire Assembly is not in my opinion just a fun summer school. The idea has always been to offer like minded children four days of classes in ballet, contemporary and jazz in a safe and happy environment where the children are taught by highly respected and experienced teachers who teach at the leading vocational schools and have been dancers themselves. Parents and teachers are invited to watch a demonstration at the end of the course in the theatre so they can see for themselves what their child has achieved. Children get the chance to meet other children from other schools and keep in touch after the summer school is over. I would recommend it to any child who is keen on dancing and could cope with four classes a day.

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Hope Dd can come to Yorkshire Assembly - the faculty is better than ever this year - I mean Stephen Williams & Brenda Last for ballet? And Tracey Baxter for Jazz? How much better can it get? And don't forget Brenda Last is involved with The Molly Lake Award!!

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Hi - thought I had better post . Class sizes at mine roughly between 9 and 13 . Natalie Leger from nbt is guest teacher. 5 classes a day - mainly classical . 4 age groups. Advanced. - full -Inter - 2 places gd 4 /5 full / juniors 2 places . Staff also from Hammond and Northern Ballet Manchester . X

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PITF, DD did both YBSS and Yorkshire Assembly last year and enjoyed both for different reasons.

 

DD said Peter Parker was at Yorkshire Assembly last year and was great - she really enjoyed his teaching, and says the contemporary teacher was great too (can't remember his name now).

 

Overall on balance, she said the standard of dancers and level of teaching at YBSS was better but the atmosphere and facilities at Yorkshire Assembly were better.

 

When asked which she would do again - she has just said she'd do both no problem - but if she had to pick one she would pick YBSS (I presume all the spaces there are gone now).

 

With regard to Opes - DD has taken class with Peter Parker, Shannon Parker and Olivia Pickford (not at the summer school but at another associate scheme) and would definitely recommend them as great teachers....

 

I realise the more I type the less helpful I'm being to you....;)

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It was a few years ago, but I attended the Yorkshire Assembly and some of the faculty are the same. I cannot recommend Brenda Last and Gill Caplan highly enough. They will give attention to everyone and their corrections are very perceptive and helpful. I was a 'known' student  and my friend who attended with me was not; we both got equal amounts of corrections and praise.

 

I remember the contemporary classes being very good, and a nice release from ballet. The jazz was very fast paced and suited dancers who had some jazz/modern experience, so your DD might like that.

 

We had pilates classes first thing on more than one occasion, but I can't remember whether it was every day.

 

More recently I have been taught by Simon Kidd (now at Moorlands) when he was at Northern Ballet. He was very good, and in addition to technique he taught from a performers perspective - i.e. eyeline in pirouettes to connect with the audience. It was all very useful if your DD wants to perform, even if ballet isn't her chosen genre.

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