TJleaps Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Hi all, as I've learnt so much from you all by scouring threads I wondered if you may be able to help me please with my own query. My son (8) started ballet in Sept in a class with 5-7yr old girls, lots of skipping and the like, but he quite enjoyed it. His teacher suggested he audition for RBS and also moved him into a new class they were creating with 3 other boys and about 3 girls - a non-syllabus class which the school thought would give the boys a chance to learn more turns and leaps (I'm sure I'm showing myself to be woefully ignorant of technical terms here). That's been fantastic and he's really enjoyed that. This class won't do exams and is the only class he's been doing. He did audition for RBS and got into the JA programme for Leeds and starts that in Sept. My question now is what else do we need to be doing? Should he be doing more classes than that now? He will have JAs for 2.5 hours on a Sat and the non-exam class for an hour in the week. His local teacher suggested he should also do an exam-based class in which case she said that would be grade 1. Does that sound right? Somebody on here on one of the (many, many!) threads I've read whilst trying to get clued up did suggest that some Leeds-based JAs go to Northern Ballet for a class in the morning before the JA class in the afternoon. Then that's 3 different schools he'd be going to.... Is that confusing, in terms of different methods, or brilliant in terms of broadness of learning?? How many classes should be doing a week in any case? Sorry for all the questions - just trying to find my feet in this whole new world and I want to make sure I do right by him. I have a feeling others in his JA class will be a whole lot more experienced than him! Would love to hear your thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tutugirl Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Hi there . I'm trying to pm you , but it says my quota is full , and I don't know how to delete !!! Perhaps a forum member can help me !! If you pm me with your e mail address ( if this is ok ? ) I will contact you that way . My DS started as a JA in Leeds - I might be able to offer some local knowledge and a bit of advice - as I have a dance school too . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulieW Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Welcome and congratulations on the JA place. Try not to worry about what others might be doing when you get there, but it might be a good idea for him to do the grade 1 calls too. It's good that your local school is doing the non-syllabus class, that option's not often to most. Have fun learning as you go - you're very lucky to have all this information available to you but remember everyone's journey (and destination) is different. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulieW Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 tutugirl - try logging onto the full site and then you can delete messages Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Welcome from me too Tjleaps. Tutugirl - to delete messages, open up the message you want to delete. You should see a red delete button on the top right hand side of the screen. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJleaps Posted July 30, 2014 Author Share Posted July 30, 2014 Thanks v much for the welcome! I've just tried to pm you Tutugirl but it says you can't receive new messages - would love to hear your advice. I imagine I'm not allowed to put my email address on here? Happy to - but seem to remember it may be against the rules Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulip Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 The Northern Ballet associates is meant to be very good. There will be more boys and male teachers, so with that in mind if I were you and you happen to be in Leeds anyway it seems too good an opportunity to miss, if that's what your son wants to do all day Saturday. These classes I presume would be more beneficial than exam classes, but if he had the energy and time he could do that one too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJleaps Posted July 30, 2014 Author Share Posted July 30, 2014 Thanks for your reply Tulip. I think that the junior associates at Northern start from 10yo and is on a Friday, or that would have been ideal. When somebody suggested the Sat morning classes in that other thread I looked at their timetable and they do a "Ballet 1" class which is for 8+. Perhaps that was what was being referred to? I'm just not sure what to do for the best!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulip Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 If there are more boys in that Leeds class then let him go, especially if it is taught my male and female teachers. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primrose Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 I would agree with Tulip in that Northern Ballet has a very good reputation. Good teaching is far more important than an exam class. Vocational schools and companies are not interested in what grades your child has done. If you are asked what level your child is at you could then mention JAs etc. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snape Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 I wouldn't worry about others at JA's being more experienced, It is all very simple and slow but done properly. In fact it might be better if they have done a bit less, as they want them to do it "their way" and they will have been picked for their potential. At my DD's JA's 50% are boys, I don't think Leeds has as many? But what I can say is watching at Christmas and then again at the end of the year, the children who were a bit behind at Christmas had all caught up by the end of the year and you would not have been able to tell which were which. Hope he has a fab time and enjoys the classes and jaunts to London! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJleaps Posted July 30, 2014 Author Share Posted July 30, 2014 That's very reassuring, thank you. Jaunts to London, you say? Will there be some of those? I'd sort of assumed that Leeds JAs did performances or whatever up here but do they get a chance to go down to London too?? That would be fab! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snape Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Hi, They usually get to watch a pre general rehearsal (fab), once a year at the Royal Opera House and they get to do a workshop at Covent Garden, once a year. One day for year 4's, a one day for year 5's and two days for year 6 children. Most of the performance opportunities are for London JA's from what I can gather, it is probably easier as they will be nearer etc. But you get to watch a class twice a year and usually you can watch the end of the workshop days in London, which is lovely! So save your money up for train tickets! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balletchick Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Depending on how near Leeds you are, and how many hours you want to trek about, and whether your DS wants more boys around, Northern Ballet do a 'Boys Only!' class on a Monday which might be worth a look. I've no experience of it myself, but if it's anything like the rest of the Northern Ballet programme it will be brilliant! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulieW Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Probably too far away from you, but Tring do some excellent boys only sessions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harwel Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Hi TJ. I took my ds to Leeds associate classes on a Friday night after school with the express purpose of him dancing with male dance teachers and having other boys in class. Unfortunately, he was the only boy there too and the teacher is female until they get a lot higher up. While the teaching is excellent my ds decided after a year that it wasn't for him as he got frustrated with the 'back to basics' approach. In my opinion, I would carry on with the free work class, add in a syllabus class and get used to the JA's, I think that's enough for an eight year old. Good luck though, it's a very exciting journey you are embarking on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJleaps Posted July 30, 2014 Author Share Posted July 30, 2014 Thanks everyone for your thoughts so far, really helpful. I've got the name of the person I need to email at Northern Ballet so I'll see about the boys class, thankyou Balletchick, or perhaps one on a Sat morning. JulieW, I think sadly Tring is too far for now, you're right - a shame because I understand they're really good. That's really interesting feedback Harwel - was that Northern Ballet associates class on a Friday or an RBS one? I'm really sorry to hear it put your son off. Has he carried on dancing? Snape, that sounds fantastic, I can hardly wait!!!! Thank you everyone, this is all great advice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harwel Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Hi TJ. It was northern ballet associates. It did not put him off dancing and he was lucky enough to have been chosen to dance in northern ballets production of Nutcracker. He is now 14 and starting at Tring Park school in September on their dancers course. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJleaps Posted July 31, 2014 Author Share Posted July 31, 2014 Wow, that must have been amazing to watch, how fantastic. And many congrats on his Tring place - it certainly didn't put him off!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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