vocational school and doing other ballet ?

[Ellen]

I have a question sorry if seems daft ... but I don't know much about ballet world learning all the time  !!? 

 

 

I'm just wondering once you have secured a place at a vocational school are the pupils then not able to participate in events such as EYB or festivals etc ? 

 

 

 

Thanks 

[Kat09]

 At my daughters school, any external dancing activity must have the approval of the school. Possibly the same at all, and I am sure that others on the forum will advise. There isn't actually much time for extra curricular dance as there is Saturday school and days are long. Early days but my daughter says she would be too tired to do anything else 

[Picturesinthefirelight]

At my daughters school you are allowed to do certain summer schools (with permission) but no time off is allowed for external productions in term time which would pretty much rule out EYB.

 

Festivals would be pretty much impossible (unless you arranged private lessons on a Sunday to rehearse a festival dance but I really wouldn't advise it - they need Sundays free for relaxing & homework)

 

I believe that certain more senior students (yr 10/11 I think) are allowed to enter Janet Cram/Genee

 

The children are at school Mon-Fri 9am - 6pm & Saturdays 9.15am-12.15pm. Long days.

[invisiblecircus]

Don't quote me on this, but I think that in the past, some pupils at Tring have performed with NYB.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

Would that be because NYB takes place during the holidays & is therefore classed as a summer school whereas EYB rehearsals are often weekly at a weekend with perhaps an intensive at half term/Easter often with performances in term time?

[Pas de Quatre]

NYB has always had a lot of Tring pupils and the school is very proud of their participation - not done in secret at all.

[Pups_mum]

I know of vocational students who have participated in EYB productions. It perhaps depends on the timing of rehearsals and performances. I also know that a couple of girls who have left our area to go away to full time schools have continued to do festivals in the holidays,but others have stopped straight away. Possibly different schools have different rules. I would have thought the holidays are important times to rest and spend time with family and friends,but that said,there is a big social element to festivals so maybe that's the reason that some want to continue?

[amum/Cathy]

I'm fairly sure some Hammond boys did a local(ish) EYB a few years ago when they were short of boys for a production. They may have been called in/offered places without an audition. Don't know the details.

[2dancersmum]

I don't think EYB expect vocational students to be doing their productions to be honest.  When you read the information on their website it talks about many of their participants 'going onto vocational training' and the EYB experience as an opportunity for them to be assessed for suitability for vocational training.  For most of their productions also, they recruit from the local area of the theatre to a certain mile radius.  With the majority of their productions having rehearsals part in term time and part in holidays, it would make it very awkward for any boarding pupils at vocational school to take part, even if schools were happy to give permission.

 

Now that NYB do their rehearsals as an intensive week/10 days in the summer holidays I think that is more open to vocational students these days.  I'm not sure how many would have been able to do it when it was every weekend for 2-3 months like it used to be.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

I have heard of more drama based schools being approached to loan boys for non dancing acting roles in EYB when they have been short on boys for a particular production so it wouldn't surprise me if a vocational school was approached also.

[angel]

My DD was given permission to do EYB and/or NYB. I can see NYB working but with EYB it depends on when and where the production is

[Ellen]

Thanks everyone for your comments - all very helpful and interesting    love this site