RBS Junior Associates 2024

[ballet_mam]

Our class is online (got a yes) but haven't had any more info since our offer. 

[DancerEvaRose]

@DaintyBallerinaMum I wondered this because I can’t be the only one with millions of questions 😂 and also nice to find other families going to the same centre etc but I can’t seem to find any groups. Interesting you have the times in your handbook, I feel like if they were in ours they would be pretty clear obvious so I’m starting to think we just don’t have that information for Birmingham yet! 

[DancerEvaRose]

@ballet_mam maybe it’s coming in dribs and drabs!

[minnielovesalbert]

Does anyone know what the difference is between being offered 24 or 32 sessions? Is it a question of ability? Like the ones who get offered 32 are more advanced? Trying to make sense of it.

[BattementBatty]

18 minutes ago, minnielovesalbert said:

Does anyone know what the difference is between being offered 24 or 32 sessions? Is it a question of ability? Like the ones who get offered 32 are more advanced? Trying to make sense of it.

No. It’s just the number of sessions. Usually you can put what you prefer. I guess maybe the people they preferred got their first choice?

[minnielovesalbert]

4 minutes ago, BattementBatty said:

No. It’s just the number of sessions. Usually you can put what you prefer. I guess maybe the people they preferred got their first choice?

I did not put any preference... so when they are 2 year 6 classes, one 24 and one 32, there is not one better than the other?

 

 

[DaintyBallerinaMum]

@DancerEvaRose maybe I will set one up. I think I’m going to have loads of questions as we go along 😂

[DancerEvaRose]

@minnielovesalbert good question, I can’t remember but I think when we registered to audition I didn’t put any preference I just asked for any, and we have been given 32. I have no idea what the difference is apart from being more weeks! 
@DaintyBallerinaMum yes! I searched for a forum and I searched Facebook thinking there must be something and then I thought maybe they don’t allow groups on Facebook because there’s literally nothing! 

[Pointeshoesarethedream]

Re class times, usually with your email with the handbook you get a link to a shared drive, this has the handbook, class times and uniform lists etc… we get this for Manchester centre and I think got it when we were in Leeds in year 6 but I could be mis remembering that bit. 

[oceanspirit]

Bath centre for us - I received an email with a link to a folder with all of the information and links for the uniform. 

 

The dates are on a separate pdf file with the location and time of the lesson. 

 

Does anyone know when the Bath centre changed from Radstock to actual Bath? It's being held at the University of Bath sports centre. Another dancer at our dance school stopped JAs after two years and both years they went to Radstock. 

 

I have soooooooo many questions, but I am going to write them down then give them over all at once. 

 

Such as: Are we allowed to buy any kind of canvas ballet shoes and socks or do we have to get the ones on the uniform website?

[Pinkshoes]

6 hours ago, minnielovesalbert said:

Does anyone know what the difference is between being offered 24 or 32 sessions? Is it a question of ability? Like the ones who get offered 32 are more advanced? Trying to make sense of it.

 

From experience of the London classes,  and in my opinion, the stronger dancers most suited for WL finals are usually taken into JA5. Statistically, most WL offers have come from the 32 week London class, at least over the past few years. 
 

What class will your daughter be joining? 

[academicdancer]

@DancerEvaRose BRB is based at the Birmingham Hippodrome. It's a big building! Thorp Street is where the specific BRB entrance is. So they are probably waiting for BRB to give them dates, as someone said 😊

[minnielovesalbert]

In London, which classes are year 6? Ja2 and ja5 I get but are there any other year 6 classes or are those the only 2?

[DaintyBallerinaMum]

@oceanspirit we’re at Bath too! I was aware that they had moved venues starting from September. Luckily it is nearer for us. 

[BattementBatty]

14 hours ago, Pinkshoes said:

 

From experience of the London classes,  and in my opinion, the stronger dancers most suited for WL finals are usually taken into JA5. Statistically, most WL offers have come from the 32 week London class, at least over the past few years. 
 

What class will your daughter be joining? 

I'm not sure this is entirely accurate.

 

Most year 5 JAs who continue to year 6 are offered a choice.  Most pick 32 even if they did 24 in year 5. Lots of people select 24 for many reasons before auditioning - travel time, missing classes at their current dance school etc.  Less sessions does not mean its a worse or weaker class - my daughter was new in year 6 and selected 24 as we had no idea if she would like it and we wanted to see what it was like.  She got WL finals, subsequently MAs and now SAs.  Girls from her 24 week class also go elmhurst and WL.

 

I wouln't worry about it.  The standard of teaching will be the same and they don't prioritise those who go more often.

[minnielovesalbert]

5 minutes ago, BattementBatty said:

I'm not sure this is entirely accurate.

 

Most year 5 JAs who continue to year 6 are offered a choice.  Most pick 32 even if they did 24 in year 5. Lots of people select 24 for many reasons before auditioning - travel time, missing classes at their current dance school etc.  Less sessions does not mean its a worse or weaker class - my daughter was new in year 6 and selected 24 as we had no idea if she would like it and we wanted to see what it was like.  She got WL finals, subsequently MAs and now SAs.  Girls from her 24 week class also go elmhurst and WL.

 

I wouln't worry about it.  The standard of teaching will be the same and they don't prioritise those who go more often.

Thank you. That’s reassuring. How many year 6 classes are there in London? Only Ja2 and ja5?

[DancerEvaRose]

@academicdanceraah ok thank you for explaining that does make sense! I am not familiar with it or the building or anything so all very new to me! Yes it must just be that the dates and times aren’t finalised for Birmingham yet xx 

[oceanspirit]

Next question: for those who have had a child do JAs and festivals. Did your child get removed from festival dances because they were in JAs which took up Saturday time? 

 

I feel like my dance school isn't exactly happy my child got accepted to JAs. 

[Vocalista]

@minnielovesalbert I believe there are 3 London classes for year 6. My daughter is doing JA5 but there is a morning class and then two afternoon classes including hers. I think JA3, 4 & 5 are all year 6 and JA1 & 2 are the mixed Y4&5 classes. 
 

@oceanspirit my daughter still does festivals though JAs take priority for us. Some children’s dance schools aren’t as accommodating and they have to miss JAs for festival rehearsals etc but ours seem to be fine. If there was a rare occasion a group dance clashed with JA we may consider a one off absence from class but there wasn’t a single group dance clash for her last year thankfully! 

Edited Monday at 00:21 by Vocalista

[Jan McNulty]

Hello @Vocalista and welcome to the Forum!

[BisforBallet]

On 30/06/2024 at 22:15, oceanspirit said:

Next question: for those who have had a child do JAs and festivals. Did your child get removed from festival dances because they were in JAs which took up Saturday time? 

 

I feel like my dance school isn't exactly happy my child got accepted to JAs. 

No we didn’t get removed although it has been and continues to be a juggling act!

[Dancing_Mae]

@oceanspirit My daughter is doing another associates and is carrying on doing festivals. However, if she had associates on same day as a festival then we would prioritise associates and my daughters dance school is in complete agreement with that. Your daughters dance school should understand that associates is a lot more important than festivals and want her to have the best training over a medal in my opinion. 

[MissEmily]

@oceanspirit From a teacher’s perspective, I would not take away a JA’s festival solos or duets (if the festivals clash with JAs it’s unfortunate but maximum one other person is negatively impacted) however I would not have them in group dances if we were committed to festivals running over weekends as, understandably, JAs would need to be prioritised and it would be impractical, disruptive and unfair on everyone to have to call extra rehearsals to respace/ rechoreograph groups every time they clashed.

[AllAboutTheJourney]

We generally prioritised JA's over competitions although we would miss JA's maybe 2 times a year for larger events when my DC were in lots of group dances and pulling out would have meant lots of re-spacing etc (which seemed unfair on everyone else). I would also have tried to do duets as far as possible so their partners weren't unable to dance. 

 

I would not miss JAs just for solos - JAs would take priority. 

 

We weren't at the kind of dance school who did a huge amount of comps and festivals though so we managed to juggle it. 

 

[Dancing_Mae]

Just want to add my daughter only competes with solos so my answer is based on that. She does dance in the performance team but it’s only a few times a year and we know the dates for this months in advance. Her next performance hasn’t classed with JA’s luckily, but if any do next year we will prioritise JA’s and the teacher will have plenty of time to re- space the dance for that performance. If she competes in group dances, trios etc then I don’t think personally I would carry on with this, as it affects other people. We do have one big event we’ve committed to prior to getting a place In JA’s and will be missing one lesson for this. But won’t take part in any other events that clash with JA’s.