hfbrew

Sounds as if it was Mark Annear who is head of outreach events at RBS. i really enjoyed a talk by him about the teaching of boys last year.

I couldn't go but one of my students missed her ballet lesson to see this- with my whole hearted approval!

Everyone's support is much appreciated although I should like to put on record that I was very impressed with the high standard of this company before my ds joined it. I'd already recommended it as a good touring company for my young students to see! Premier is tonight, its a shame I can't go. Monosyllabic replies to my texts- ds definately nervous. The joys of professional life!

People may be interested to know that Jeremy Kerridge was invited to coach the new Scrooges but unfortunately didn't have the time although he woulld have liked to. Northern Ballets Christmas Carol is available on DVD, I just love it. But I feel that I must point out that Ballet Theatre UKs version will be completely different (different choreographer and music for starters) and is not intended as a copy of Northerns in anyway. Obviously I haven't seen it yet but I suspect that it will be as different to Northerns version as Matthews Bournes Nutcracker is to everyone elses. Anyway I do hope that those going to watch Ballet Theatre UK enjoy the performances, I know that the young dancers will really appreciate the support. Its brilliant that Ballet.coers are so interested in supporting a new British touring company that is going to places that don't get that much professional ballet, which really isnt easy.

When my ds auditioned for 6th form he was disappointed that they didn't have time for the jazz class he was expecting!

It always makes me quite cross when schools insist on a monopoly of their students in this way. One of the schools Ive taught at have lost a few students this way, we were happy for them to do subjects such as tap that we didn't offer, at other schools, but unfortunately some insisted that they had do the ballet with them also. Yet sometimes a busy parent may find the timings of classes are such that it would be easier if their children were able to attend different places. Fortunately a lot of the schools where I teach elsewhere are all friendly with each other and are happy for students to mix and match as it were if that is best for the pupils concerned. We've even met with each other to support ex pupils at Vocational school events. But back to original topic. I agree with other posters about doing a variety of dance genres but only if the child is willing and able!

If your dd wants to give it a go then let her. I always say to my students that if they want to dance as a career then they should be prepared to be versatile- there are very few companies these days who are only classically ballet based and even top ballet students are finding it difficult to get work whereas there are more opportunities for all round dancers. So I too encourage my student to do more than one genre if possible and I don't mind if they have to attend another school in addition to do this. One of my biggest regrets was that I took up modern and tap far too late to really be good at it and being classically certainly restricted me when looking for work as a young dancer, it was sheer luck that I got a contract fairly quickly at the time.

This tour starts Friday in Cannock and then goes to Theatre Severn for two performances this Saturday 20th October. Rest of tour dates are on the company's website BalletTheatreUK.com. These talented dancers have been working very, very hard so please support them if you can and report back. I'm going to have to wait a couple of weeks before I get to go! By all accounts the costumes and sets are as stunning as usual!

Yippee! Thanks Janet, there are a couple of venues there that are possibilities!

Just to say that I googled Royal Academy of Dance adult classes to get the education and training page on their pretty extensive programme for adults of all levels. Too far for most people to attend on a regular basis I know but they do run a summer course in July. At the moment if you click on holiday courses you only get the information for this year but at least anyone interested for next year can get an idea of what it entails. There is a contact telephone number and e-mail address on there too. Sorry I don't know how to do links! Stress that this is not a plug as I retired from teaching there some years ago (15 was enough!). But I remember someone asking earlier in the thread about whether there was a holiday course for adults so this might be of interest.

Spanner, that has made me chuckle!! Off to my nice private gym now- I personally go to the ones not on public view. The safety of my students is paramount especially as most class sizes are small, a group of half a dozen students can be easily identified. Now I actually don' t mind parents taking the odd peep through the window and I have also made recruits this way from interested students attending the same venues for other activities. But there is a vast difference being able to see who is watching than not knowing who might be viewing on camera. And if students, like my boys are disturbed by onlookers, I draw the blinds- reluctantly but I have to respect their wishes. It does make watching weeks special though, I really enjoy showcasing them. Ballet is a performing art. The skill of performing is learnt by communicating to a real audience that you can see- knowing you are being watched remotely is not the same at all.

Yes, and I know of a handful of students who would also do this. But you are talking about an environment that is only assessed by the ballet school. There are very strict rules about use of cctv in the UK- users have to have a licence and there are thousands of dos and don'ts. And I know for a fact that the vast majority of students value their privacy, and would be very unhappy if they felt that their dance lessons could be viewed in this way. My boys make absolutely sure all blinds are down for example. Its interesting that you say that the cctv is switched off for rehearsals or exams anyway, quite right too.

You are so right Janet. i love watching company classes whatever the company but nonetheless they deserve prvacy. Students even more so. I actually think they'd prefer people actually watching class rather than by remote cctv. Afterall that is how they get used to an audience! As for public swimming pools, well I am sure that swimmers are only too aware of the public nature of these places (I actually use ones that are not as exposed, my choice) . But lets face it, once a swimmer is in the water theres not much to see! And its their choice to use such places. The only merit I can see with cctv for dance classes is if a teacher is on her own with a room full of students but I am very rarely in that situation. I absolutely agree that ultimately dance students should aim to appear publicly but this has to be done by being viewed at open days etc by real people not a camera! The vast majority of my students are just your average youngsters learning to dance and they need to be able to do so without fear of intrusion. Now I actually enjoy watching weeks and consider sharing students progress with parents an important part of my job. But I have met mums who do nothing but criticise their dcs on open days, openly telling them to get shoulders down, turn out more etc to the extent that I've had to gently remind them that I'm the teacher! I would hate it if these dcs had to put up with this every week because a parent was watching them in the waiting room.

I myself would not want to attend a class that was being screened to all and sundry in a waiting room, I personally would think it an invasion of my privacy. I don't mind dancing in public but consider my classes my own. As a parent I would not have been happy to have my ds classes open to viewing in this way. As a teacher I know that many of my older students would not like it, particularly the young men who are sadly keeping their ballet classes quiet. I have personally allowed parents to film classes but only under certain circumstances and legally,if other students are involved I have to ensure that permission has been granted by them (and their parents.) These days we even have to ask if anyone minds the taking of photos on open days. Spanner is right, the vast majority of British dance schools hire premises so we have to be doubly careful about childrens privacy. I remember one poor child being sick as well as wetting herself, how mortified she and her mum would have been if this incident had been publicly displayed. Like Spanners dd s teacher I do allow watching at at end of term anyway and I too encourage parents to watch private lessons or coaching, especially if I would otherwise be the only adult present. (Most of the classes I teach have up to 4 adults present!)

I honestly don't know, but Tring should be able to tell you! Is it not on website?

Well in that case do the Easter course. My older students certainly preferred it terms of being challenging enough for them. The christmas one is lovely, my ds worked on it last time and said everyone seemed to really enjoy it but that it really suits the younger students better.

Saw this in Aylesbury last year (had pupils in it!) although I would have gone anyway. Superb. Shame I don't live in Leeds!

Never heard of students being assessed out because they can't act. At WL, the students study drama in the early years and expressive arts is a compulsory gcse, or at least it was when ds was there. School plays were always superb, my ds particularly enjoyed the role of Uriah Heap! At Tring my ds opted for theatre arts as an A level which obviously involved acting and they also got additional drama lessons. He particularly enjoyed dance acting lessons with the mighty Jeremy Kerridge.DS has to do a lot of acting in his latest roles so it is a vital skill. Good luck DavidW, enjoy the research into Don Q, the Danish version has superb dancers in it!

Incidently, out of the 12 boys who started at WL in my sons year only 2 have stopped dancing altogether, 2 were still training last I heard and the rest all have jobs. So pretty good odds. The journeys were all different but the end result was the same!

One of the reasons I was so against my DS going to White Lodge was precisely the fear of being assessed out. I wish I'd known at the time that actually being assessed out isn't the end of the road, just the start of a new one- I don't know of anyone who was assessed out who didn't then get into another vocational school that actually suited them better. I do know of some who decided not to continue with vocational training but this was their choice.I asked a WL teacher about the assessing out procedure before DS started and was told that they(the assessed out students) didn't have problems going elsewhere as they were still amongst the best of their age. My son actually survived the 5 years although we did get one cause for concern letter. I am so glad that I didn't let my concerns stop him from going as he was very happy there and it was the right place for him. As others have said, once you get to year 10,you are safe for two years. Then everyone has to start again with auditions fr 6th form!

I agree with the above posters, however I would like to say that it is possible to continue further training at 18 and some students may well, having got nowhere at aged 16 will be succssful two years later- provided of course they have worked very , very hard! Students who have not been vocationally trained from a young age may not realise just how high the standard needs to be when they audition for the first time (eg at 16) but having had their eyes opened, do the necessary work to be good enough later.(presuming the capacity is there in the 1st place). However I am talking about dance training in general here. Girls in particular who want to be classical dancers ideally should be at advanced standard when auditioning at 16. Nonetheless the potential to make the transition from student to professional should still be there. I remember one teacher telling me that she queried why a student she thought was outstanding didn't get a place at the school she was auditioning for. The answer was that it was felt that that student had reached her full potential and was therefore unlikely to benefit from the training they were offering. When is it no longer enough to just have the 'potential' to achieve? This was the original question. My feeling is that it depends on the individual circumstances. For example Rudolf Nureyev had very little formal training until aged 17 and was obviously selected more for potential at the time. Even now some places will take a chance on older students according to their backgroud/history of training. However someone who has demonstrated potential for years but not progressed despite years of thorough training will obviously have to reconsider trying to make it as a professional dancer.

We were encouraged to be at the Tring physio examination- sat in the year 7 one but not the year 11. DS would not have let us!

Just wanted to say that if you got a place where funding is via student loan (eg Central) then yes you do have to do have to sort out the financial side of things. Incidentally if you can't afford to go even with funding then its worth being aware that sometimes a very talented student may be discreetly offered extra help from a hardship fund or trust connected to the school that they've been accepted into. But I stress that this happens only rarely and only at schools discretion to students they really, really want. Nonetheless its a fact worth being aware of. Its always worth auditioning at places that you really want. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Sometime helps comes from the most unexpected sources!

Basically the "best" students get the first offers for dadas,scholarships mds, or whatever the funding options are. Many students do get accepted onto courses but don't get funding offers or are on waiting lists.Basically a yes is a yes and if you can afford it you can go! Incidently I know of at least two families who could afford it but their dds were unsuccessful despite being advanced standard. This goes to show that places are indeed awarded on merit but sadly there are not enough grants to cater for everyone. Some places ask you to fill in an income statement so that in the case of two students tied on points for a DaDa, the one least likely to be able to pay is awarded the grant. I've known students get offered funding midway through courses and they ve not necessarily been on the waiting list. Do bear in mind that different places look for different things- I've known students offered DaDas for some places on the day but not even get an invite to finals at others. The schools will pick those who they think will best suit their style of training.

. Before coming to work in Tartu in Estonia, he did not know much of anything. This has really made me and dh chuckle!