Dance Apptitude Tests

[MombieMode]

Would anyone be able to give some insight into dance aptitude test for Y7 entry and specifically for St Marylebone, SMSJ and KAA all in North West / Central London? Friends whose kids are Grade 4 ballet dancers haven’t gotten through so thinking my daughter who has had no formal training but loves dancing and does drop in classes at local dance clubs (contemporary / street) doesn’t stand a chance.

Grade 4 is not unusual and wouldn't be considered exceptional for that age group, and I am guessing the schools are looking for young people with huge future potential, so I can't see any reason why they wouldn't consider someone with outstanding natural talent but who has had little formal dance training to date. Nothing ventured, nothing gained as they say.

The girls I know who got dance places at St M's back when DD was secondary application stage were all very serious about dance - and are now going on to dance colleges or dancing professionally.

G4 ballet was pretty standard, but they were spending all day Saturday at dance school doing contemporary, tap, street, lyrical etc, Sundays at MT classes and things like acro during the week.

That said, with all these things, it's just as much about untrained potential as the finished product. Royal Ballet Associates are often children who have the right physique and feet and who will excel with the right training that they have yet to have, and not always the ones who have been in classes since they were 3.

@MombieMode - Did you give it a shot and what was the result. I'm wondering about it for my DD. She loves dancing and goes to two dance classes a week (plus gymnastics) but no formal exams.

Not yet. She’s Y5 so just planning at the moment.