Kate Simmons Dance

[MeganReid]

Recently I was browsing the web and came across a school called KS dance? KS stands for Kate Simmons and I believe she started the school. What I was wondering is if anyone knew about it's reputation, alumni, teaching standards etc?

 

Thanks!!

[Regattah]

Isn't that the lady whose pupil (a boy) has just got into Bolshoi Academy?

[Ecarte]

As far as I know she has a great reputation. I saw some of her vocational students perform at an international competition last summer and they were excellent.

 

 

[Ballet12]

My dd used to go there , we thought it was a good school but the classes at pre-vocational level were large and noisy, so we moved after 12 months to a school with much smaller more intensive classes which suited her.

[petipacat]

I have to admit dd has turned down tring in favour of Ksdance ,she has a great graduate record and is really passionate about dance and her pupils ,It may not be as pretty as tring but my dd thought the standard was fantastic .They have fabulous guest teachers and miss simmons has a great resume .

My dd friend is in the 2nd year and was a Cecchetti scholar she has blossomed there .You can see one of her shows (west end to broadway) on you tube.

The other thing that swayed my daughter was the fact you did your DDI or DDE teaching qualification ,this is usually taken in the first year ,and in these days of few company ballet jobs she thought it would be wise to have something to fall back onto just in case .

As well as contemporary and ballet they also do spanish with mrs hurst who holds the highest accolade .

DD goes in september I will keep you posted as to how she gets on lol .

[sugarplumsmum]

Hi Petipacat can I ask what a DDI or DDE teaching qualification is and once you have gained it, what it is used for?

 

Sorry if its an stupid question but my Dd is only in year 9 but want a dance career so need to start looking into things now so i'm up to speed when the time comes.

Thankyou

x

[glowlight]

I would say that Kate Simmons is a well known school in the North of England. They offer vocational training, and I understand have a particularly good reputation for teacher training.

[alison]

Even *I*'ve heard of Kate Simmons - and for all the right reasons

[Fiz]

KS to me means King-Slocombe school of Dance. (Cambridge)

[KathyG]

I can't see anything about cost on the website? Do they offer Funding?

[MeganReid]

Thanks everyone for your help, from what I'm reading it seems to be a good school! Does anyone know about where pupils go after graduation?

[Tulip]

Ni Fiz Kate Simmons is in Warrington M\erseyside.

[Fiz]

I saw Tulip, but my ex DD's school had the same initials and they were short hand for the school.

[Blondie]

KS Dance is in Warrington on the site of an old abattoir.The upper school takes mostly foreign students.Graduates have gone to Ballet Wales and cruise ships I believe.

[DarlingDD]

My DD has been at the school from the age of 3 and loves it there doing ballet, tap and modern. She cannot wait until she is old enough to audition and hopefully start at the upper school. The actual school may not look from the outside as particularly appealing but the standard of teaching is excellent. As far as I am aware, the upper school used to take a lot of Japanese students but over the last few years I believe a majority of the students are British.

 

The lower school and upper school perform in a show every year at the Brindley in Runcorn and I understand the the upper school also go on a small tour of schools in the area to gain experience in company life and going 'on the road'. There have been graduates who have been successful in ballet who are in companies in Wales and also Serbia but I think a lot of the students go on cruise ships and also teach.

[petipacat]

Sugerplumsmum,(sorry i cant work out how to do the quote thing ) DDI and DDE are diplomas in dance instruction and dance education ,once you have achieved these you are qualified as a teacher to enter pupils for exams ,I do feel that it is something good to have just incase my DD doesnt make a career in the dance world .

Pupils of Ks dance have gone on to english national ballet ,northern ballet, k-ballet ,adventures in motion pictures ,vienna festival ,phoenix dance company , cats and cruises to name a few .

I must admit I have been so impressed by the contact with the school ,they sent every bit of information that you could want ,i.e break down of the costs over the term ,then the year ,then the 3 year course ,also a list of uniform and where to get it . All those little things that as parents we want to know lol

Doesn't seem to long till september best make the most of having my dd here with me lol (I shall not moan about the cups in the bedroom !!)

[Anna C]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but KS Dance came up in conversation with dd's physio a while back so I wanted to do some research. I've been looking at the Classical Course and wondered about funding/DaDa/bursaries, and whether it says on the website where the Classical Course grads now work?

 

Have I missed this info on their website? Apologies if so. :-)

 

Petipacat, is your dd enjoying the course? The school does seem to have an excellent reputation.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

I only know of people who have gone their after attending other institutions or after their performing career has ended to get their teaching qualifications.

[Tulip]

Sent you a message spanner.

[LAWR]

Hi spanner.. Also sent you a message

[Anna C]

Thank you LAWR (and welcome to the forum!) :-) I have received your message and apologies for not replying yet.

 

Tulip, didn't receive one from you! Lost in the ether, I wonder? :-(

[cornishprincess]

I contacted them about the funding issue....as far as I understand it, there isn't any..but I am very happy to be corrected.

[Marianne]

Hi Spanner - I know of someone who auditioned there last year at 16 and was offered a scholarship (privately funded, I think). She ended up going to one of the 'Big 4' but was impressed with KS. Definitely worth further investigation!

[Wish22]

I contacted this school a couple of weeks ago whilst doing some early research for my DD who wants to audition for Upper Schools for entry in 2015.  The very helpful administrator told me that they are in the process of making inquiries for their course to be eligible for funding via Student Finance England (i.e. the same funding as you get for degree courses). It would be great if this is in place for 2015 

[cornishprincess]

That would be great!!!!

[Lifeafterballet?]

The very helpful administrator told me that they are in the process of making inquiries for their course to be eligible for funding via Student Finance England (i.e. the same funding as you get for degree courses).

 

I went to an open day they held in November - all the staff are very friendly.

[pastel]

This school truly looks excellent. 

 

Is there some reason it seems to be a little off the radar? Is it because of the funding rather than the teaching?

[afab]

To me, it seems like it is similar in level and work opportunities to Northern Ballet in Manchester, RCS, Ballet West...

 

I'd be happy to be disagreed with though...

[pastel]

Thanks afab

 

That's very helpful.

[JulieW]

I know of it as an excellent school - we see them at AED finals and they're very strong. But I wouldn't have considered it for upper school level for ballet. That's just my impression.

[cornishprincess]

for us it was the funding issue....

[Poppy]

My cousin went to KS Dance and really enjoyed it. Julie W are you referring to 'All England Dance'? KS dance don't compete there, Kate Simmons has been on the judging panel, the school did compete in the Molly Lake and had a number of pupils in the finals (my apologies Julie if you are referring to something different). The boy from KS dance got offered a place with the Bolshoi for Sept 2012 subject to funding which I know his parents were holding fund raising events so I'm sure they got the funding together xx

[JulieW]

Sorry I meant to add the bit about a Molly Lake - phone has a mind of it's own and deletes things sometimes :-)