BalletBoysDad Posted July 15 Share Posted July 15 (edited) On 13/07/2024 at 05:34, taxi4ballet said: Interesting that he says 'the boys showed more confidence and individuality than the girls'. One can't help wondering whether that may be down to differences in the training methods, and that boys are actively encouraged to show individuality, whereas the girls are mostly drilled in corps work from dawn to dusk, which suppresses their individual artistic expression. Just a thought. My assumption is that individuality and standing out are extremely undesirable qualities in the younger ages. Conformity seems to be preferred, as well as visual height/age appropriateness. Had I have known this, I almost definitely would have made very different decisions. Edited July 15 by BalletBoysDad Missing subject matter 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HopelessMummy Posted July 15 Share Posted July 15 3 hours ago, BalletBoysDad said: My assumption is that individuality and standing out are extremely undesirable qualities in the younger ages. Conformity seems to be preferred, as well as visual height/age appropriateness. Had I have known this, I almost definitely would have made very different decisions. Are you able to clarify what you mean by this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerfuffle Posted July 15 Share Posted July 15 In my ancient book written in the 70s “Life at the Royal Ballet School” the writer states that boys have more chance to be individuals. I think this is very interesting, we seem to be at an odd crossroads where in some ways we are being inclusive but in others it’s as narrow as ever and girls still in many ways are the victims of this. From what I’ve seen with boys at my DD’s upper school show there isn’t a shortage of male talent or “lost generation” at all, they are fabulous and confident. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted July 15 Share Posted July 15 9 hours ago, BalletBoysDad said: My assumption is that individuality and standing out are extremely undesirable qualities in the younger ages. Conformity seems to be preferred, as well as visual height/age appropriateness. Had I have known this, I almost definitely would have made very different decisions. I think the article mentioned is talking about senior students and/or upper school level? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glowlight Posted July 15 Share Posted July 15 7 hours ago, Kerfuffle said: In my ancient book written in the 70s “Life at the Royal Ballet School” the writer states that boys have more chance to be individuals. I loved that book. I still have it somewhere ...unless my daughter took it with her when she left home! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerfuffle Posted July 15 Share Posted July 15 I loved it too. It was quite quaint! Darcey Bussell had it and refers to it as The Book in her autobiography - she had to persuade her mum to let her go there, she was so obsessed ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doing Dance 1 Posted July 22 Share Posted July 22 (edited) Changes to audition process. ‘We will no longer accept students to join the School in the final year of either the Foundation (Year 9) or Development (Year 11) programmes. This decision is made to prioritise students’ well-being and avoid disruption to their academic education, allowing them to settle into school life and develop in the School’s System of Training and style before being asked to audition for the following training programme.’ https://www.royalballetschool.org.uk/2024/07/22/changes-to-the-royal-ballet-schools-auditions/ Edited July 22 by Doing Dance 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted July 22 Share Posted July 22 Hopefully that means they won't assess anyone out of those two year groups either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BalletParent123 Posted July 22 Share Posted July 22 58 minutes ago, taxi4ballet said: Hopefully that means they won't assess anyone out of those two year groups either. Those are the two year groups when they do have to re-audition for the next programme, so they are saying that from now on they won't take anyone as a new starter into Y9 or Y11 (as they would then have to re-audition along with the rest of their year group a few months later). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted July 22 Share Posted July 22 (edited) I thought they already no longer assessed students out of years 7-9 just that at ALL have to re audition to continue at the school at end of year 9. I don’t know though whether they have to be offered an audition by the school or all can just take it. This makes sense Education wise as if have to change schools then it’s usually at the point you are choosing GCSE subjects. I think it’s also a good idea to have no disruption in the next two years when studying for GCSE in years 10 and 11 Many non vocational kids have to change schools to do A levels at Year 12 as not all schools have sixth form departments and there has been a trend for sixth form colleges. So if unfortunately you should be assessed out at end of year 11 or just have had a change of heart by then it should not be so difficult to fit into another school environment. This all seems good to me. Edited July 22 by LinMM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pas de Quatre Posted July 22 Share Posted July 22 It seems a logical move. I just wonder if they are planning to make the auditions earlier in the academic year, so quite soon into Yr 9 and Yr 11. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted July 22 Share Posted July 22 I imagine would have to be by Easter at the latest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BalletParent123 Posted July 22 Share Posted July 22 The internal audition to move into the next programme (for Y9s and Y11s anyway) is in February each year. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted July 22 Share Posted July 22 53 minutes ago, BalletParent123 said: Those are the two year groups when they do have to re-audition for the next programme, so they are saying that from now on they won't take anyone as a new starter into Y9 or Y11 (as they would then have to re-audition along with the rest of their year group a few months later). Yes, I meant that they wouldn't assess anyone out at the end of Y8 or 10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BalletParent123 Posted July 22 Share Posted July 22 (edited) Sorry I see what you mean now @taxi4ballet . They don't assess out anymore in any other year at White Lodge. Everyone has the option to audition for the next stage of the programme in Y9 and then again in Y11 (if they want to of course - some might decide to move on by their own choice, as is the case in any year). Edited July 22 by BalletParent123 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neverdancedjustamum Posted July 22 Share Posted July 22 3 hours ago, Doing Dance 1 said: Changes to audition process. ‘We will no longer accept students to join the School in the final year of either the Foundation (Year 9) or Development (Year 11) programmes. This decision is made to prioritise students’ well-being and avoid disruption to their academic education, allowing them to settle into school life and develop in the School’s System of Training and style before being asked to audition for the following training programme.’ https://www.royalballetschool.org.uk/2024/07/22/changes-to-the-royal-ballet-schools-auditions/ I wonder if this means there will be completely no new students joining these two year groups moving forwards, even those from say, the summer intensives or competitions, often young dancers from overseas. Or just that they won’t be holding auditions for these year groups. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BalletParent123 Posted July 22 Share Posted July 22 That's a fair point and it will be interesting to see what happens. I guess they may invite those that they really want to join a different year group than they 'should' be in age wise, which is quite common. TBH I've always assumed that no one would take up the offer of a Y9 place without having had a pretty strong steer from the school that they will be successful in getting through to Y10 (and I personally think a y9 place wouldn't be offered if the school weren't fairly certain about that) but I guess this takes away the option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neverdancedjustamum Posted July 22 Share Posted July 22 2 minutes ago, BalletParent123 said: That's a fair point and it will be interesting to see what happens. I guess they may invite those that they really want to join a different year group than they 'should' be in age wise, which is quite common. TBH I've always assumed that no one would take up the offer of a Y9 place without having had a pretty strong steer from the school that they will be successful in getting through to Y10 (and I personally think a y9 place wouldn't be offered if the school weren't fairly certain about that) but I guess this takes away the option. Absolutely agree with you. It would be quite risky if there was a possibility someone could only stay a year. Yes, I’ve also seen dancers being placed either in year groups above or below what they would normally be had they been in “normal schools”. I guess it’s not so much of an issue if someone wasn’t in a U.K. school but I always did wonder how it works if someone U.K. - educated was placed in a year that they normally wouldn’t be in age-wise. Do they, for example’s sake, repeat academics they’ve already covered previously in normal school or do they maybe attend academic classes with the year they should have been in age-wise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunrise81 Posted July 22 Share Posted July 22 Just reading the email about this. Does it mean that for upper school my DC will do an in person first round auditin, and then a video if selected for semi final, followed by in person final? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garnier Posted July 22 Share Posted July 22 On 15/07/2024 at 12:56, Kerfuffle said: In my ancient book written in the 70s “Life at the Royal Ballet School” the writer states that boys have more chance to be individuals. I think this is very interesting, we seem to be at an odd crossroads where in some ways we are being inclusive but in others it’s as narrow as ever and girls still in many ways are the victims of this. From what I’ve seen with boys at my DD’s upper school show there isn’t a shortage of male talent or “lost generation” at all, they are fabulous and confident. I absolutely LOVED that book as a child! Would love to reread it now…I read it so many times (at our school library, not in the UK) that many of the photos are still etched in my mind! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruby Foo Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 On 15/07/2024 at 23:26, Kerfuffle said: I loved it too. It was quite quaint! Darcey Bussell had it and refers to it as The Book in her autobiography - she had to persuade her mum to let her go there, she was so obsessed ! I was at school with 8 of the students all photographed in the book, all assessed out. 4 in my own year and 4 in the year above, back in the day when they assessed out in yr 8 and 9. They felt very differently about the book. Interesting how the reality can be from the dream but also how the book was inspiring to many. One of those girls was accepted back to RBS at 16. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The red shoes Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 18 hours ago, sunrise81 said: Just reading the email about this. Does it mean that for upper school my DC will do an in person first round auditin, and then a video if selected for semi final, followed by in person final? It seems that way…. Very bizarre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The red shoes Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 4 hours ago, Ruby Foo said: I was at school with 8 of the students all photographed in the book, all assessed out. 4 in my own year and 4 in the year above, back in the day when they assessed out in yr 8 and 9. They felt very differently about the book. Interesting how the reality can be from the dream but also how the book was inspiring to many. One of those girls was accepted back to RBS at 16. Interesting they don’t want them in yr 8 or 9 yet will take them back at 16 in US when someone else has done the majority of the development training … 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhereToNow Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 19 hours ago, sunrise81 said: Just reading the email about this. Does it mean that for upper school my DC will do an in person first round auditin, and then a video if selected for semi final, followed by in person final? It was the same this year. In person, then if successfull a video is requested and then if successful again, Finals. London was covered by actual RBS Upper School teacher, Birmingham was covered by an Associate teacher 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruby Foo Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 1 hour ago, The red shoes said: Interesting they don’t want them in yr 8 or 9 yet will take them back at 16 in US when someone else has done the majority of the development training … Yes. Exactly. Yr8 she was assessed out. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerfuffle Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 The chapter on assessments is quite blunt, talks about growing into the wrong shape and no audience wanting to see “hefty” ballerinas. Also mentions that they used to check out the size and proportions of parents to predict the outcome of puberty. Lots of old fashioned expressions such as “woe betide” used too. It feels like it was written in a time when RBS had a stronger sense of itself, with Ninette de Valois’s vision of British ballet at its core. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerfuffle Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 5 hours ago, Ruby Foo said: I was at school with 8 of the students all photographed in the book, all assessed out. 4 in my own year and 4 in the year above, back in the day when they assessed out in yr 8 and 9. They felt very differently about the book. Interesting how the reality can be from the dream but also how the book was inspiring to many. One of those girls was accepted back to RBS at 16. So interesting to hear how they responded at a time when RBS was cloaked in mystery other than the book. The feelings of rejection were probably as bad and possibly worse as there were fewer known alternatives for training. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruby Foo Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 7 minutes ago, Kerfuffle said: So interesting to hear how they responded at a time when RBS was cloaked in mystery other than the book. The feelings of rejection were probably as bad and possibly worse as there were fewer known alternatives for training. I only know that the ones in my year were deeply affected for a long time. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerfuffle Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 50 minutes ago, Ruby Foo said: I only know that the ones in my year were deeply affected for a long time. Were you there right through to upper school and beyond ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts