How much ballet/dance training?

[Oakmaiden]

Starting a new thread, had one on a similar theme 6 months ago... But things have moved on since then, happily! Old thread.

I will start from near the beginning, though!

Following concerns about my daughter's slow progress in ballet, and desire to study ballet seriously, we spoke to her dance teacher. Now, to be honest, the result has been a bit mixed. Her teacher is absolutely supportive of dd's desire to go to dance school, although thinks that the time is not quite right for her as she needs to work more on her strength and flexibility, as well as improving technique. With her support we are considering looking at Yr 9 entry. However, at the current time all she is able to offer in the way of extra lessons is one private lesson a week, focussing on aforementioned strength and flexibility. I am a bit disappointed in this ,as it was intimated that dd might be able to join the grade above and below for classes, but apparently this is not possible.

That said, with the knowledge of both teachers, dd has started ballet with a teacher who comes into her prep school to teach - so she is now doing 2 G3 RAD lessons a week with her new teacher. So her current ballet is 3 lessons a week and one private strength lesson. She should be taking G2 ISTD in June, as well as G3 RAD and presumably will have an extra ballet lesson with her main teacher in the run up to that.

Alongside this she is taking G3 tap and modern next week, so has been doing 2 lessons a week in each of these, as well as having group rehearsals for tap and song and dance for the All England Regional finals.

Now I've typed it out, it all sounds OK, doesn't it? I think I am getting a bit twitch because until a couple of weeks ago she was having an additional 4 solo lessons every week (ballet, modern, tap and lyrical) but they have now stopped and won't recommence until August probably. And she has been making huge progress generally, but I am worried with the sudden drop in hours she is going to stall a little.

So, wise people who advised me in November, what do you think? This this sound better/sufficient for her to prepare for vocational school? How much dancing do children in the first year of vocational school do? Does anyone know?

We also are going to Cheltenham! Last All England Dd was in the first junior group our school had ever got through to the finals in London and came away with a third place medal. We used to be in the south west region but this year they have re-jigged the regions so we are apparently going to get to dance on a larger stage at Cheltenham.

Oakmaiden.... definitely twitching too much. As someone else mentioned, there are children who will get into vocational school not doing even half of your daughter's dance hours. It is tougher if they apply after Y7 it's true, but everyone's in the same boat on that one. The harsh truth is, that yes, they may give the place to the once a week girl with the perfect physique, over someone who has been drilled intensively for 20 hours a week. In reality, they often do.

Never forget that what vocational schools really want, is a blank slate. Even if they are auditioning for Y8 or Y9, the school will still prefer a child who has been neatly taught at a more basic level, over one who has been doing endless hours of classes, private lessons and comps to a high level. This isn't an opinion... this is a fact!

Over-prepared children become a hindrance, because they are too ingrained in their previous teachers ways. Whether the previous teacher is good, bad or indifferent is irrelevant, the child still has to go through the difficult, soul destroying and often futile process of being retaught to the schools own technique and methodology. In many cases, it's simply not worth the effort for the school to take them on. There are local dance teachers who can work to a technical standard that will satisfy most vocational schools, but they are very few and far between.

Then there is also the issue of whether the child is the right 'fit'. There is one student I know who was a RBS Associate from start to finish and also got places offered for Northern Associates and York scholars. She danced child roles with the Bolshoi when they toured to London amongst other things, passed every RAD exam with high Distinction marks and won at All England finals. Yet despite auditioning for RBS and Elmhurst every year, she didn't get offered a place. Now this girl is an undeniable talent, but clearly the ballet schools did not see her as the right 'fit'. This is a story that is repeated year in, year out, leaving many parents (and dance teachers) scratching their heads, wondering why.

The dance world is cruel... and looking back on my career, I must admit, it's worse for children now than in my day. The emphasis on conforming to a physical ideal is now always the overriding consideration. Potentially great performers and artists are being denied the chance of a career simply because, their achilles is a fraction too short, or their calf muscles are the wrong shape. In recent years I have encountered many young vocation school students who DO NOT have a burning passion for dance, they simply have the right body and are doing it because it's what's expected of them. That works for the Russians, but it doesn't work here!

Having said all this, the one thing I would advise, is that the word of a handful of vocational schools, is NOT the death knell for your child's dance career. If they have the talent, the attitude and the determination, they will find a route into this industry. It may just not be the one that they, or you, were expecting. Some of the most talented and successful people I have worked with, have had to battle very very hard to achieve that success and not all of them have got their by the 'conventional' route.

One note of caution for all dance mums... always be suspicious whenever the word 'POTENTIAL' passes a dance teacher's lips. We have many and varied ways of using this word, not all of them positive! In some cases it may be a genuine belief in the child's talent, but in others it could be that the child has potential, ONLY if they stop being lazy, get a brain in their head and have an attitude transplant. In the latter case, the word potential is used to placate the parent, ensure that they continue to come to class and PAY, whilst all the time knowing that the child hasn't got a snowball's chance in hell of ever becoming a dancer. Please note that I am saying this with tongue firmly in cheek!!!

Dtuk that's a fascinating and informative post!

That is really helpful, thank you DTUK. I do worry, because she is so keen on her "goal" and I want to give her the best chance I can to achieve it. Maybe I should worry less!

Dances - DD just has 2 groups going to Cheltenham - she was one mark short in every other dance she did! Not hugely concerned - this is the first time she has entered even the local All England Festival, and I think it is a learning curve. Her groups are Inter tap and Inter Song and Dance.

have you looked at London Junior Ballet? Their auditions are coming up. Classes are on a sunday.

Thank you for the suggestion, Tedd. Unfortunately we live in deepest darkest Wales, so a weekly trip to London would probably kill me!

Just read this !
oakmaiden we are in deep dark Wales too .
DD is 17 and is only on grade 5 RAD ballet , there just aren't the classes around here
DD is hoping to go off to Uni next year to do performing arts , with a focus on dance
She does ballet on Sunday (45 minutes ) then has various lessons 3 nights a week after school til 8 pm
I'm going to have so much more time in September when she's at Uni !