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Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

Original poster

Any advice on RBS Junior Associates?

16 replies

bizzieb33 · 06/01/2011 20:55

My DD1 was told by her last ballet examiner that she should apply for JA's, is it difficult? does she need to be able to do anything in particular?

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elphabadefiesgravity · 06/01/2011 20:58

She should ask her ballet teacher for advice.

It is very difficult to get into JA's, it is seen as highly prestigious and the children have to be re-auditioned every year. I think the audition is in the form of a ballet class and they look for potential, not just aquired skills.

elphabadefiesgravity · 06/01/2011 20:59

She should ask her ballet teacher for advice.

It is very difficult to get into JA's, it is seen as highly prestigious and the children have to be re-auditioned every year. I think the audition is in the form of a ballet class and they look for potential, not just aquired skills.

ninamag · 06/01/2011 21:44

My dd tried but didn't get in. She enjoyed the day though. The fee is not much but you have to get photos done. It was a ballet class and they were lovely with the kids. They were very complimentary with the children thanking them for coming as they loved watching them dance blah blah...It took about 5-6 weeks to get the letter saying no.

A friend in her ballet class successful auditioned two years in a row, the little girl is amazing. At dd's ballet school there are about 500 kids has been going 30 years. In all that time she has only had 4 get through.

Are you in London? Look at the London Childrens ballet londonchildrensballet.com/
My dd has done this for the last two years and loves it.

Original poster
bizzieb33 · 07/01/2011 10:57

Thanks for advice I will warn DD1 not to get her hopes up!

ninamag- we are in Bristol catchment & DD1 goes to a small rural ballet school where no one has tried out for JA since the teachers child went about 20 years ago!!

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PixieOnaLeaf · 11/01/2011 14:13

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bambiandthumper · 11/01/2011 16:23

My niece has been asked to audition for the JA this year, but my sister is trying to work out which one to aim for as they are moving at the end of the academic year. She also wanted to do London Children's Ballet, but i'm not sure if they know if it will be feasible due to the distance.
Actually Pixie could I ask for my sister (I don't know if you remember but she spoke to you) which JA you did as in, which is closest from where you are?

She is however very good (I danced till I left school), and definitely has the right physique at the moment.

I second the advise to not get your hopes up, but she has nothing to loose, and it definitely would be a good experience!

Let us know how she gets on

PixieOnaLeaf · 11/01/2011 19:33

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bambiandthumper · 11/01/2011 20:11

Hi Pixie, I will let her know about that, she is very grateful to you for all your advice, and says she might be back for more soon Wink, though when I spoke to her on Sunday she said they had visits arranged at a few schools at the beginning of Feb, your recommendation being one of them :)

I think they are planning on getting a flat to use as a base, so she might end up auditioning for the London one as well . DN is also desperate to audition for the London Children's Ballet after I took her to one of their performances last year, and she has a far better chance of getting in to that than JA.

BundleBrent88 · 20/10/2011 14:37

My DD auditioned this past spring, and did not get in, but we were expecting that. Although she is an excellent dancer, were told by the head of her ballet school that they are mainly looking for the right physique which is: VERY flexible (hypermobile, the sort of children who can do the splits both ways/put their legs over their heads etc), short torso, very long arms, legs, neck, small round head. THEN, musicality, concentration etc. They are not concerned about current ability to dance, but the raw materials. The audition was a good experience, although she was a bit terrified at first, she is glad she tried.

Original poster
bizzieb33 · 20/10/2011 14:45

We got a no last spring as well but will try again...

How old is your dd Bundle & where did you try out?

My dd can do the splits both ways but is not quite into box splits fully which she is working on.
Her turn out also needs some work but I think that just takes time (I hope), she does the 'fish' stretch to help that.

I have no idea if my dd is that great a dancer as I have absolutely no experience!! We are just following advice of her ballet teacher & hopefully it will work out.

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Original poster
bizzieb33 · 20/10/2011 14:45

?? I meant where did she try out doh!

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Dancergirl · 08/11/2011 22:03

bizzieb33 - my dd is also trying to improve flexibility. She can't do the splits at all but she's now doing a stretching class at her ballet school which should help.

Can flexibility really be improved with time/practice? Dd's hoping to try for associate classes in the future but her teacher says she's not ready yet.

BundleBrent88 · 14/11/2011 10:13

Hi we auditioned in London, where we live. She's 9 1/2 and grade 4 ballet. Teacher says flexibility can be helped but some kids are just born super bendy (you know the type) and my genes are not helping! good luck.

Original poster
bizzieb33 · 19/11/2011 16:26

My dd just tried the splits every day pushing hard until she could do them!! It took her about 5 months to get into them fully!

She is in a really small rural school so only 1 class per grade per week and therefore is in a grade 2 & a grade 3 class at 9 1/2. The teacher aims them to be at Grade 8 at 18!!

Are your dd's trying again this year? if so good luck xx

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musicposy · 27/11/2011 19:43

If she's very serious do you have a bigger dance school somewhere? My DD1 has just taken Grade 8 at 15....18 sounds a bit late tbh. But we have to travel 20 miles to get to a dance school that trains to a high enough level. Does your teacher do majors? (Intermediate Foundation/ Intermediate? Advanced etc) These are the ones that train pointe work. A lot of dance teachers put them into Inter Foundation on demi pointe from age 10ish, as long as they are Grade 4. So it's not a world away from the age your DD is at now.
She obviously has talent if the examiner suggested this, but there are a lot of children in very competitive dance schools out there who will be in Grade 4 at least by your DD's age. We got to the point when DD1 was 11 that we knew we had to look elsewhere. It's been an expensive and time consuming decision, but a good one.

Original poster
bizzieb33 · 27/11/2011 21:30

She is serious but very short (2nd centile) so we don't know if that is why she didn't get in & then if we do let her try a bigger dance school & make it a big thing she could be very upset Sad

Her teacher is doing a intermediate class at the moment for a group alongside grade 5.

I thought schools/ associate schemes looked at promise for now so I hoped not to worry to much till she was yr 7!!

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