Standards?!

[BadBallerina]

So at the moment I'm 14 but for next years summer schools I will be 15 (by one month, annoying!) Anyway, I was wondering what sort of standards would be accepted for a 15 year old at a good summer school (rbs, elmhurst, enbs)?

 

Also, the last exam I've done is grade 5 however I will have done my inter f before the summer school but after the forms have to be sent in. I know that no where is going to accept me with grade 5 what should I do?

[Circe]

My dd was 14 and inter f level when went to elmhurst ss and Enbs spring course for first time. There were plenty of more advanced dancers but there were also some at similar age/ stage and she enjoyed and benefitted from both courses.

[BadBallerina]

Thank you! I'm still really worried about getting onto any summer courses, I think I'm going to an audition workshop for enbs at January , and might be moving studios in order to get better training. All a bit up in the air at the moment but thanks!

[Kat09]

My daughter had only taken grade 5 when she attended Elmhurst ENBS and YBSS summer school - also attended Associate programmes and was successful in gaining a place at upper school - she took her RAD Intermediate this past summer. I don't think your grade will decide whether you are offered a place or not, so just send in your applications regardless.

[BadBallerina]

I've been on this forum for 2 days and everyone is SO HELPFUL!  Kat09 how old is she?

[primrose]

A dance exam result does not say how good you are as a dancer just how good you are on that day and that syllabus. Many schools do not follow exams and produce some of the most talented dancers. Submit your ss applications and continue to work on your tecnique. Enjoy what you are doing and try not to compare yourself to others and where you should be.If you feel you have more to give and are not reaching your potential then seek training elsewhere. Good luck.

[Kat09]

Hi BB my DD is 16 now and attended SS when she was 14 and 15. There were both more and less able than herself and the schools adapt to the participants as needed.

[Harwel]

Hi BB. Have you considered OPES summer school? Mixed ages and standards but a very good summer school. I think the reason they ask for standad is to make sure you are in a class which you will benefit from, not to exclude you.

[Jan McNulty]

Hello BadBallerina and welcome to the Forum!  I am glad you are finding it helpful.  Please let us know how you get on but please, make sure your parents are aware and are happy that you have joined us.

[BadBallerina]

Thank you, right now I'm considering all classical ballet schools in the uk to attend next summer. Unfortunately most of them clash but ill still send on applications for all and see which ones i get accepted into!

 

Thank you Janet, my parents are aware and are just as keen as I am to see what happens as they are rather clueless too!

[Lisa O`Brien]

Welcome to the Forum,BadBallerina

[CharlieChuck]

Welcome

 

From what I gathered I would assume it would really go by your audition and which level you are at physically. For example you may have done your grade 5 but to an examiner you maybe higher in their view of technique. I would advise you to apply for as many as you can and give 110% at each audition as that is what they will really want to see. 

 

It's not something I am familiar with but I would assume it would go on your actual technique in the audition than anything else. 

[BadBallerina]

Thank you I'm going to try to get as much audition experience as I can in the next year before I apply for full time training. The problem with the Sumer schools is that it's done purely on photos! I live in Scotland so I can't really get to many workshops and stuff in London easily but I'm auditioning for scottish ballet and ballet west associates I think! Thank yous all!

[pas de chat]

My advice is to find a summer school where the classes are smaller (limited) so you are not lost at the back of the class.  Some schools have very large classes and this forum has been excellent letting us know what other students/parents think. 

 

If you want to work hard, improve your performance and technique then OPES really stood out for us last year

 

If you want to have fun, improve your confidence and experience lots of different forms of dance then somewhere like Tring or Harpenden are both excellent but not residential.

 

Also ask your ballet teacher as they might have some sound advice that is suitable for you.

[Circe]

I expect you know about it Badballerina but there is a good spring course in modern ballet at the Conservatoire in Glasgow

[BadBallerina]

Yes chaperone although I am not so interested in contemporary/modern ballet!

 

I am currently looking at all of them really although if I get a place ballet west ( small) will be my firs in the summer and then hopefully I can build up. Also thinking of applying to RBS, Elmhurst, ENBS, Central, Moorelands, OPES, Dance summer school (one in Scotland) and a few others. Any comments on any of these would be really good!

 

Talked to my dance teacher today and she is going to talk to her sister (retired professiona ballerina with Birmingham ballet and guest principal wth royal ballet!) and see what else I could do and how to improve chances of getting into these places!

[CeliB]

My DS hadn't taken any grades since grade 1 when he applied to RBS summer school (and he'd only been in vocational school 6 months when we took the photos for the application). So I wouldn't get too fixated on grades.

Don't forget Yorkshire Ballet Summer School - lots of people on this site have recommended it highly (Kat09 mentions it in her post above).

[Pups_mum]

I expect you know about it Badballerina but there is a good spring course in modern ballet at the Conservatoire in Glasgow

Sorry to hijack the thread, but do you have any more details about this course please chaperone? It sounds like something my DD might possibly be interested in if the timing is right.

[Circe]

Will pm you when i have a chance pupsmum.

[Kat09]

Hi Pups_Mum take a look here ...http://www.rcs.ac.uk/shortcourses/spring-modern-ballet/ .  The applications are on line

 

 

The Wallace Studios at Speirs Locks

210 Garscube Road

 

Glasgow

G4 9RR

For ages:13-17 years

7 April 2015 - 9 April 2015

Tuesday-Thursday, 10am-4pm

Application deadline: 9 March 2015

Tuition fee: £135

[Flit and float]

BadBallerina - RCS modern ballet is a classical ballet based course, although it's called modern ballet it's not contemporary in the sense that say Northern Collegd is, it's very much linked to Scottish Ballet too.

[Pups_mum]

Thanks for the info - that looks really interesting. I need to weigh up the practicalities, but DD may well be interested in that. thanks for sharing.

[BadBallerina]

Okay, might look into that a bit more! Taking some photos on Thursday, and might post them, would be grateful if people would comment on them too! Thanks all

[angel]

My advice is to find a summer school where the classes are smaller (limited) so you are not lost at the back of the class.  Some schools have very large classes and this forum has been excellent letting us know what other students/parents think. 

 

If you want to work hard, improve your performance and technique then OPES really stood out for us last year

 

 

OPES classes were as big as any SS, in fact that is one reason my DD will probably not do it next time

[BadBallerina]

What ones would you reccomend angel?

[Picturesinthefirelight]

My dd really wants to do OPES next year (they were full last year)

 

But I agree that small classes are good.

[angel]

It depends what you want to get out of it.  OPES teaching is fabulous but you do need to push yourself to the front (the same goes for YBSS and RBS). It's the same in a lot of places.  If your face fits fabulous, if it doesn't you have to take class correction rather than individual corrections.  I also found that the end of the week performance was too difficult for most of the Internediate group and I would much prefer to see progress in technique, which is my DD's main reason for going to a purely ballet course.  She goes to Tring to have fun primarily.

Young Dancers Academy give lots of individual attention to dancers and the classes are small.

ENB classes are big but the level is very high and there was a lot of opportunity for taking correction. 

[Picturesinthefirelight]

We were only talking about summer schools last night in the car on the way home.

 

Dd has definate ideas. She really enjoyed Moorland last year & felt it gave her confidence. I felt that she looked unsure during the end if week presentation but I found out that they moved dd up a group the day before as they felt she needed more challenge so she had 1.5 days to learn a new set of exercises. Which I guess is good & shows progress even if it didn't show polish @ performance.

 

I digress.

 

I pointed out to dd that money in not unlimited & she also needs rest & a holiday so she has to really think about the best use of her time. In some cases the odd private lesson is better value & more productive than a week long summer school but it is ok to do the odd thing for fun as long as it isn't detrimental or too tiring.

[meadowblythe]

If you might be interested in RCS post 16, one reason for attending the Easter course is that many of the full time students stay to join in and help with classes.  They are very happy to chat informally about what it is really like there.  My DS used the Easter course as part of the decision of deciding whether to go to RCS, especially as there is a significant overlap of holiday course tutors and full time tutors.

 

the Modern Ballet tag is a bit misleading - I think it is meant to imply ballet dancers ready for the modern dance world - skilled in both contemporary but particularly ballet.

 

Meadowblythe

[BadBallerina]

Thanks angel and picturesinthefirelight, unfortunately I cannot get private lessons at the studios attend so that isn't really an option for me all of you are suggesting more and more summer school which has been so good thank you! I will not be able to do the RCs one this year and I'm not in full time training or on an associate programme so I can't do their modern ballet course (I think)

 

Wondering if anyone can give me more information on DD's at RBS at all?

[Picturesinthefirelight]

The private lessons are not necessarily with a regular teacher. We travel quite some distance to see someone.

 

There are so many options & sometimes it's trial & error though I have been grateful in the past for a nudge in the right direction.

[SwaybackSapphire]

If it is any help OPES are extending their summer school to three weeks. DD attended last year and the class size was perfect, every one of the students got individual attention, the teachers are professional, well known and respected all over the world and certainly would not have the approach of "face not fitting"

 

For value of money and pure teaching, I would choose OPES over RBS, which we did last year as DD was offered both, I've already marked out two weeks for OPES next year.

Edited November 12, 2014 by SwaybackSapphire

[BadBallerina]

Thank you SwaybackSapphire. I'm definately going to go for one week I think and try for others as well. What age was your daughter and what standard for RBS???