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Extra-curricular activities

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Original poster

English youth ballet-is this a ridiculous idea

35 replies

Notaballetmum · 14/10/2018 18:18

Dd is 9. She does one dance class (45 mins ballet, 15 mins tap) a week in the village hall-it’s a lovely class but no exams or grades or anything.

There is an audition for the English youth ballet coming up locally and she says she would like to go to it. I’ve fully briefed her that she’s very unlikely to get accepted but she says she’d like to go just for the experience of being taught by ‘proper ballerinas’

From what I’ve read the audition takes the form of a class but I’m worried she will be completely out of depth. I imagine the other dancers /parents will be focused on themselves/their children so won’t be looking at her but I don’t want her to be ridiculed.

Would it be unkind to put her in that situation even though she says she doesn’t mind?

OP posts:
NigellasGuest · 14/10/2018 18:48

Go for it, EYB standard isn't all that high. NYB is harder to get into, but EYB gives more stage time to the kids that get through. Both my dd's did EYB twice and enjoyed it.

Original poster
Notaballetmum · 14/10/2018 18:45

I don’t think she’d panic and cry-more likely just look bemused and hop up and down a bit Grin. Neither would she expect to get in so I’m not worried on that front

OP posts:
BingerGeer · 14/10/2018 18:41

I’ll ask dd (I was watching but can’t remember!), but I think they were told the moves and shown them at the same time. But the ones at the back can’t have been able to see the demo, there were so many of them. On their other hand, they were able to watch the other dancers do it (so many dancers...).

Original poster
Notaballetmum · 14/10/2018 18:38

Seriously though-is she expected to know and follow all the French names of the moves? She could probably recognise the very basic ones but if they start asking for sequences without anyone to copy she’ll be screwed.

OP posts:
BingerGeer · 14/10/2018 18:36

My dd did it last year - the audition is HUGE, over 100 children just for the junior section. They perform in lines of 10 on the stage, in front of all the parents and the other kids, rotating so they take turns being at the front. If your daughter can avoid panicking in that situation, and can pick up steps quickly, and dance them with confidence even if not perfectly, that will go a long way.

But if you think she’ll panic and cry, then maybe not. Or if you think she won’t cope with not getting in (it’s all in public, they pick the ones they want at the end and the rest go off for a ‘maybe next time’ talk).

If she does get in, it is an amazing experience, dd absolutely loved it, but she does quite a lot of dance (not that much pure ballet, about two hours a week).

Original poster
Notaballetmum · 14/10/2018 18:34

If they could see the presence she has when she’s ‘performing’ in the kitchen they’d snap her up I’m sure Grin.

OP posts:
CherryPavlova · 14/10/2018 18:30

The auditions are quite fun - dressing up, lovely buzz but it’s not really a taught masterclas but lines of children on stage copying a few moves. The rows rotate so everyone gets seen. It’s often about stage presence rather than technical ability.
Go for it. If they get in, the training is then good.

Original poster
Notaballetmum · 14/10/2018 18:26

Haha I see what you mean but I just think we’d be taking the mick a bit rocking up just for the fun of it (which may well not be fun at all!)
Although I guess it may inspire her and give her a direction to work towards for next time.

OP posts:
eatingtomuch · 14/10/2018 18:25

Friends dd who had never done any ballet was spotted when the royal ballet did a project at her school.

She is now in their youth programme. They often look for raw/natural talent, it's not always the best that get selected.

elephantoverthehill · 14/10/2018 18:22

Would you rather a) mop up a few tears or b) have you and your Dd spend a long time wondering? Go for it, you never know!