hfbrew

Just wanted to say that all you adults are so inspirational. Proof that you dont have to stop dancing when you leave school and that Ballet can be enjoyed forever. You dont have to be a professional ballet dancer in order to dance! And I rather suspect some of you are having far more fun and getting far more satisfaction!

Think this is a valid question best asked in the new thread started by Ribbons about "schools are all looking for different things." Juliew has requested in post 89 that the topic stays on US schools and other overseas establishments.I thought the original question a good one as its good to hear about training beyond UK shores! Feel really sorry for our excellent moderators sometimes having to repeat themselves so much. I am sure others will join me in thanking them for working so hard to keep this lovely forum a civilised place to be. Now back to topic , please!

A late booking for Ballet Theatre UK. Brighton Dome has invited them back to perform Little Mermaid. Sunday 29th June 3pm. Casting not known at present. Tickets are available from the Brighton Dome website. Damn and botheration that I am conducting mock exams that day!

I am sad that you ended up a bit overwhelmed and judged over what to me was just a straightforward question! For what its worth I cant blame you for feeling that way as some of the posts perhaps could have been more sensitively worded although I am sure no one meant to be anything other than helpful. There have been responses on other threads like the lady seeking advice about her performance shy dd that perhaps could have been more tactful and Ive noticed that some people have stopped posting after the odd disparaging comment which is a shame. Wishing you the best of luck on your audition adventures and I hope you continue to post and let us know how you get on.

[quote name="Anjuli_Bai" post="92642" Stupid, silly, ignorant old woman, that I am. Can we replace these words with intelligent,inspirational,knowledgeable ever young woman. Please! And I hope the fires are under control soon.

Well I can help re ballet teaching as I can remember the 1980s when the RAD first introduced registration. To become registered you had to prove that you had teacher training and pass the teaching certificate. Without registration you could not enter students for exams. The ISTD did the same. Prior to that anyone could merely learn a syllabus and enter students for exams which unsurprisingly meant very varied standards. Good teaching courses did exist of course but there was no requirement to attend them or proper recognition of those that did. These days you can still legally teach dance even if you are not qualified and have not undergone thorough training. However the dance societies insist that only recognised teachers (those qualified and registered) can enter students for exams. Obviously then, as now, the vocational schools would often employ ex dancers as teachers to pass on their extensive knowledge. They did not necessarily have formal teaching qualifications and this is true now too. However a dance teacher graduating from the RBS was sure to get work as were those ex dancers training on the RADs professional dancers teacher training course.

How I wish I had your way with words Anjuli!

Well 2 years ago this particular class had 21 ex associates in it. Im sure some of them must have made it especially as Ive heard that its been a very good year for progression to US!

Yes and Northern too.Edited to say its Teo, and dont forget Matthew Ball! or Claire Calvert.

Spent ages editing above but got timed out do just left the quote I was trying to respond to. To keep it brief, Julies figures are more accurate. And we should both know as parents and friendss of dcs in very recent years. And "between half and two thirds" would be 12-16 LS students at US anyway as there are rarely more than 24 each year at WL. And as for 2 years ago well, there are now 2 of that years graduates in the Royal Ballet company. All of that year got good contracts in a year that there were fewer than usual jobs available. Edited to say im referring to the post 326 i was trying to do!

Unfortunately I cant go but best wishes to your dd and all the students,hope it goes well and that the performances get good support. Certainly think that it would be good for students to see who are thinking of applying for the school. Good luck!

Cast for both Crewe and Margate as follows, Mermaid Helena Casado-Cortes Prince David Brewer Witch Claire Corruble Princess Ines Ferreira Enjoy!

Thank you so much for sharing your story. And congratulations to your talented son. You are right, its not an easy ride for anyone let alone someone with ASD and I can well imagine how hard it must have been for you as a mum at times when people failed to understand. How lucky your ds is to have had your support and belief, I hope others in similar situations will take heart from your story.

This is true and vindicates their decision to come to the Uk to finish their training.Ive just doubled checked my facts by looking at recent graduate successes at various schools. And yep, I was right a substantial proportion of contracts have gone to students who I know personally have trained in the UK from an early age. Its extremely hard to get into a company and all successful graduates whatever their nationality should be applauded!

Yes and those who still wish to dance usually get multiple offers to train elsewhere even if they dont get into or chose not to attend the Upper School of the establishment they are in at year 11.Its true that some overseas students do a lot more hours and is probably the reason why Ive seen many overseas students come to the UK needing to work on placing, plie control and musicality due to too many hours working incorrectly.They may be able to perform multiple pirouettes or fouettes but these do not a dancer make!Quality is always better than quantity! We should be very proud that so many want to come to the UK to train. And people may be interested to know that over 50% of the original students in my ds year at WL are now professional dancers worldwide. As are many others the same age who trained at other UK institutions and/or joined RBS later.

If you let me know date and venue I can let you know casting!

Thats such a shame, especially about the transport links. I am so lucky that where I live we have very good services to London, its just my teaching schedule that prevents me from seeing more Ballet. How I wish I could have nipped over the other night and taken you!

I think the average is 2 because of having to also fulfill all the components needed for contextual studies.(Dance diploma)However there can be flexibility if students capabilities and timetables allow. My ds started with 4, dropped one to get 3 respectable A levels and one of his close friends did 4 and is now an Oxbridge student. They were both on the dance course. But this is now going back a couple of years and so I strongly advise asking the school directly as to current situation. They will be more than happy to answer questions and the more parents ask for details directly the more the school will perhaps know to bring up the subject at future open days. As you say, you dont often think of questions until afterwards! Edited to add that Im talking about number of A levels. Also some boarding is off site, there was a thread about all this so its worth doing a search. Also do read the website if you have nt already done so. Cant help re photography Im afraid!

My dh in complete agreement with you!Sorry Janet...!

Tulip if I could give your last post 20 likes I would! Can anyone do the honours?

Yes. I did. And people do not necessarily declare their disabilities in case of discrimination. They do not pose any more risk than any other person. Extra resources are not needed if everyone is treated the same,hopefully decently! Everyone is an unique human being and performing companies have a great wealth of individuals which gives each their unique character. Some dancers need more support than others at times for all sorts of reasons.

Trying to get back to the original post. Students Ive known of at vocational schools with SEN do, by and large, get more support and understanding than in mainstream schools. How they actually cope depends on the individual, their peers and timetable. Socialising and interaction are probably the biggest issues but many people can find this hard even if they have no SEN. At least at vocational school a student is presumably finding solace in a particular talent and finding common ground with people in that field which makes for a more level playing field so to speak. Ive taught dance to SEN for over 22 years and have experienced a huge range of abilities, spectrums, physical and mental issues. And I can honestly say all are unique individuals. Whilst they may have a SEN statement (and it is actually unbelievably difficult to get one) it doesnt follow that that they will all need or use, the same coping strategies or be dependent all their lives. I do know that finding good friends is vital as is having the courage to be proud of ones individuality and accepting that not everyone can be mr or mrs popular. My sister ran a social group for teenage aspergers for a while which was a great success in helping them feel less isolated. My experience has taught me that yes it is possible to be a fine actor/musician/dancer/sportsperson if an individual is on the autistic spectrum (such as aspergers). In fact I have found many to be ideal students because of their abilities. One of the most moving portayals I ever saw of Macbeth was from a lad with aspergers. I am not sure this post really addresses the issues of coping as such if one has a dc with SEN but I am sure many of us have had problems with our dance mad children being thought odd because they didnt like football or the latest boy band. And my ds was very eccentric at times which did cause him problems, thankfully he had good support when needed. There seems to be an assumption that a dc with SEN would then not cope with company life. Yes a professional life is unbelievably hard and I dont believe that anyone doesnt struggle but, well, we are all different anyway. Its what happens on stage thats important. Off stage, well some will party, others will quietly go home... Sorry for the long post. But its a cause close to me. A family "friend" once suggested to my mum I was autistic. It turned out to be deafness with a speech impediment to match... Fortunately my family had a can do attitude as opposed to all those who said Id never make it through training,never talk well enough to teach and definately not dance. WRONG!

The Best of Times is Now from La Cage au Folles! And This is the Moment from Jekyll and Hyde. (Am afraid I do like my musicals!)

Well Id recommend arranging a visit to the White Lodge Museum too as there is a wealth of material to be found there and Im sure you will find there someone that will answer your questions or point you in the right direction. And do email the school, nothing ventured nothing gained! Many questions are best answered directly by the person or institution that one is enquiring about, third hand information isnt always reliable. And BD19 I do wish you would share some of your experiences as someone who has been through the system with all its highs and lows.I sense that you are only too aware of how hard it is not only to become a professional dancer but to remain one! Your insights could be very valuable to many on this forum who are perhaps still mystified by it all. One thing that Ive learnt from this forum for sure is that many people really do need help understanding the world of Ballet if they havent been immersed in it and trained from an early age. It has helped me as a teacher to be prepared for and answer questions from students and parents alike sympathetically rather than dismissively. Its very easy to forget sometimes that not everyone lives and breathes Ballet!