Minimum age / school year for Associate schemes (ballet)?

[NoParking]

Dd1 is 7, going in to Y3. Her teacher has mentioned auditions casually for 'when she is old enough' and I wondered when that would be, as on current form her teacher will be rather last minute about things and I like to plan! As in, next year or not until she's 12? I've googled but not got very far as I'm not at all sure what I'm looking for (I know v little about ballet).

[hoolaloola]

My ds is starting as an RBS and Elmhurst JA in September. He will be in the Yr6 cohort and auditioned in YR5. I am very new to all of this too so this maybe wrong but I think your dd will audition in Y3 for the Y4 cohort which will start the following September. The auditions we went to were in May and June and we applied around Jan/Feb. Good luck!

[NoParking]

Thanks!

And bother, I was hoping I had longer until I had to think about it and possibly say 'no' if it's all too disruptive or expensive.

[dodobookends]

You can audition for whichever year you like, so don't have to start early if you would prefer not to, and so leave it till she is a bit older.

There are more spaces at the beginning though, as in future years there will only be spaces freed up when people leave.

[hoolaloola]

It seems to be very disruptive and expensive! We have seen it as a huge opportunity for him and as he is YR6 it is only for a year at the moment (I think they have to re-audition at the end of YR6). He wants to audition for the vocational schools too so hopefully this will help him.
Our dance teacher has been hugely encouraging and has encouraged us to go to all the auditions just for the experience (we didn't actually think he'd get in).

[GraciesMansion]

There's quite a few different associates schemes but most audition y3 children in the summer term to start in y4. My ds did elmhurst associates and is starting the school full time in a couple of weeks, something we never thought about when he was auditioning at 7! It can become a bit of a rollercoaster but he very much enjoyed his associate classes and got an awful lot from them.

[hoolaloola]

Sorry to hijack but GraciesMansion how was the audition? Do you know what ratio they take of girls to boys and did being an associate make any difference? We are very new to all of this (ds only started to dance in Jan this year) and I have no idea what to expect.
Well done to your ds. Is he boarding?

[GraciesMansion]

hoolaloola The initial audition was a mixed boys and girls class, just a normal ballet class with the audition panel watching. Finals was just boys, there were about 25 boys at finals altogether and they've taken 11. Ive no idea whether being an associate made a difference to the panel but it made an enormous difference to my ds because he'd stayed at the school and danced in the studios, met the staff etc, so he was far more relaxed in the auditions than he might have been otherwise. They've taken 14 girls this year too, it's going to be a large year group! Yes, he's going to be boarding which is not something we would have ever considered but he's so excited about it. He did the associates residential as year 5 and the first thing he said when I collected him was that he wanted to come to school here. The audition process was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster but he took it all in his stride and we were very clear with him right at the very beginning of it all that his chances were slim and he would need an mds funded place or he couldn't go. I would say go for it if it's something he really wants to do.

[GraciesMansion]

Oh and don't worry about his lack of experience. At this stage they're looking for the right 'body' and 'facility' to train them the way they want to.

[hoolaloola]

Thank you so much for the reply. He is doing EYB at the moment and it has been a real eye opener for him. There is only a small group of boys but the oldest one is apparently amazing. I can see that see that he is in awe of him and I think he is starting to realise what this could all mean. We too have told him it is unlikely he'll get in but he does have nature on his side as physically he is very suited for ballet (based on what I have read and feedback from his teachers). Whether he has the other attributes I have no idea.
Good luck for September. Thanks again.

[GraciesMansion]

If he has the physical attributes then he's halfway there. That and musicality seem to be the most important elements of getting a place at 11. Hope he enjoys EYB!