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Extra-curricular activities

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Original poster

Full-time Ballet School for 12 years old

29 replies

NeleusTheStatue · 29/12/2018 16:05

A friend of mine is considering a full time ballet school for her talented 12 years old DD. They are not in UK so DD has to be a full boarder. She asked me if I could help her find more information of available schools but I'm afraid I know nothing about the ballet world (she asked me as I live in UK). I can think of Royal Ballet School though suppose it's a top-end ballet school and very hard to get in? Would like to provide her more choices to consider. Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated!

OP posts:
NikiFree · 29/12/2018 16:07

Elmhurst
Arts Educational

1busybee · 29/12/2018 16:11

Tring park

Original poster
NeleusTheStatue · 29/12/2018 16:16

Oh, great, thanks. What's the difference between those schools? For instance, my DS does music and I am vaguely aware of the difference/strength/weakness etc of each music specialist school. Is there any reason why one should aim at Elmhurst over Tring Park, etc?

OP posts:
Original poster
NeleusTheStatue · 29/12/2018 16:21

I had a quick peep at the websites and it seems Elmhurst is only one that's specialised in ballet like Royal Ballet School? Other two seem to be more of performance art school?

OP posts:
dodobookends · 29/12/2018 16:43

There are 4 main ones which usually have an intake age 11 (Year 7) for full-time training. They are - in order of prestige:

  1. Royal Ballet School
  2. Elmhurst
  3. Tring Park School
  4. Hammond School

You don't choose the school, they choose you, and to say they are hard to get into is the understatement of the century.

Tring and Hammond do have ballet courses, but also do musical theatre courses as well.

Auditions are held at the beginning of each year so your friend has probably left it too late now for 2019 entry. Applications for RBS have already closed, I don't know about the others.

The chance of getting a place aged 12 is pretty low, as there would need to be leavers in that year group to make room. There may be the odd place for Y8 & 9, but that is all. There is a bit more room for manouevre for Y10 entry.

Original poster
NeleusTheStatue · 29/12/2018 16:57

Thanks, dodobookends. Music specialist school takes any age year as long as you are under 16 and they have more flexible deadline for application so I thought it would be the same but it seems ballet school operates more rigidly. I checked RBS and the video audition/application is open till 8th Jan so I'll let my friend know that. I may also warn her 12 may be too late...

OP posts:
NikiFree · 29/12/2018 17:22

I would ask ypur friend to consider that there are virtually no opportunities for a ballet career.

How often to ballet companies take people on. Most of my old class mates ended up teaching ballet or dancing on cruise ships for the entertainment aboard.

Make sure the school also has sound academic results.

dodobookends · 29/12/2018 17:24

They do take pupils into years 8 and upwards, but as I mentioned, someone has to leave for a place to become available. RBS usually has only about 12 boys and 12 girls in each year group. and well over a thousand applications per annum. So you really do need to be exceptional to be offered a place.

Applications for vocational dance school auditions are usually made in the autumn term, the auditions are usually held early in the new year, with finals in the spring.

user1471539385 · 29/12/2018 17:35

Overseas video auditioning is still open, as far as I know. RBS, Elmhurst and maybe YDA for classical. Trying also have a strong dance strand, and Hammond also good. 12 is late, as the main intake is at 11, but not impossible. RBS have a fixed intake number, but I think the others are a bit more flexible. RBS is lovely, of course, and Elmhurst is wonderful, and their facilities are purpose-built. I have less experience of the others, but collectively they are the Big Five for training at this age. Fees are eye watering if non-UK, as I don’t think they would be entitled to funding. But if they can do it, and their child has what it takes, it is an incredible opportunity.

user1471539385 · 29/12/2018 17:36

*Tring, not ‘trying’

user1471539385 · 29/12/2018 17:39

Actually I’m not sure YDA offer boarding, but full boarding is the norm at the other four.

dodobookends · 29/12/2018 19:58

I believe YDA uses host families for students who need boarding.

PaquitaVariation · 30/12/2018 04:25

Why does she want her to come to the UK? There are lots of schools all over the world, especially since she won’t get funding. However, the fact that she would be paying for her place might go in her favour, IF she is up to the required standard.

Elmhurst always take pupils into all the year groups. My ds’ class has had pupils join or leave almost every term! Tring and Hammond are also ballet-based, although do have more of an all round dance focus.

Original poster
NeleusTheStatue · 30/12/2018 10:24

Thanks all. I'll ask my friend to look at RBS, Elmhurst, Tring Park and Hammond. Her DD is into classical ballet so I suppose Arts Educational should be omitted and she ought to be a full boarder so YDA may not be ideal.

I don't know why UK. Her DD had a holiday course in UK so may feel familiar with it. She's a lovely girl. I can tell she dose ballet from the way she moves and stands but I've never seen her dancing so not sure about her standard.

OP posts:
Northernsights · 31/12/2018 07:31

Legat ballet at Bedes?

dodobookends · 31/12/2018 11:22

I was just thinking about Legat at St Bedes as well, and also Abbots Bromley. It's taken several days for the names to filter through my memory!

Original poster
NeleusTheStatue · 31/12/2018 13:19

Thanks, Northernsights and dodobookend. I'll look at Legat ballet and Abbots Bromley.

OP posts:
reallyanotherone · 31/12/2018 13:29

Fairly sure RBS also gets phenomenal academic results too.

If I were her I’d go through the application process and see what happens. For me, to consider something like that it she’d need to be talented enough to be accepted into RBS. Otherwise good local tuition will be enough.

user1471539385 · 31/12/2018 13:45

That’s what we did reallyanotherone, RBS or Elmhurst or otherwise carry on locally. It’s such a big step, and if they don’t fit the criteria for one of those two, staying where they are may be the best bet for the time being.

Lara53 · 01/01/2019 16:28

Somewhere like Frensham Heights May fit the bill, though it’s not a dance school. The creative arts stuff is amazing. My sons friend is a very talented ballet dancer and he started there last year age 11.

AlexanderHamilton · 01/01/2019 19:46

My daughter attends one of the four named schools although she has now moved into Upper School where she can choose between Dance or Musical Theatre.

Those four are the schools that offer funded MDS places. Your friend would need to check whether they are eligible under residence conditions and any changes due to Brexit.

There are also a few other schools that are fee paying. These include Moorland School in Clitheroe, Abbott’s Bromley in Staffordshire, Beds/Legat & YDA in London.

Most MDS awards are given out in Year 7 but it is possible together in other years. If you are not dependent on MDS then both Hammond & Tring don’t have set numbers of pupils per year, they can be more flexible than Royal who have a certain number of boy beds and girl beds per year. The schools also assess out with the end of Year 9 being a year of change for many.

Original poster
NeleusTheStatue · 02/01/2019 11:42

reallyanotherone, user1471539385, I understand what you mean about aiming at the top school and if not successful stay where you are. But it sounded like you were saying other schools were not worth attending (apologies in advance if you didn't mean that). I assume not all young dancers are aiming at the same goal therefore different types of school cater for different needs. My friend thinks her DD would be happier being with like-minded DCs in the environment full-time dance school can offer. It depends on why you wanna go and what you like to gain by attending such school?

OP posts:
Original poster
NeleusTheStatue · 02/01/2019 11:48

Lara53, thanks for the info. My friend said she would also consider school with strong dance dept, though DD seems to prefer full-time dance school at the moment. I'll forward the school detail to her.

AlexanderHamilton, thanks for the detailed information. I think MDS is very attractive and preferable but she is open to other options so I will let her know all the schools you mentioned.

OP posts:
AlexanderHamilton · 02/01/2019 11:50

I totally agree Neleus. My dd didn’t even audition at RBS or Elmhurst. And I can name several dancers who have moved between the schools either around Year 9/10 or for Upper School. Dancers from Tring & Hammond have ended up at RBS/ ENB and with classical careers & other dancers started off at RBS AND Elmhurst and had a change of mind or puberty changed their body shape and they have moved to musical theatre colleges.

My own daughter was struggling to fit in the right level of classes locally and as we also live in an area with poor state schools it was a no brainier.

AlexanderHamilton · 02/01/2019 11:55

Several of the non MDSschools alsooffer scholarships.

I’m not sure of the monetary value of Tring’s scholarships. Five years ago I was told £1,000 off the fees but that may have changed. Hammond offer up to 50%. Dd was offered 10% at Abbott’s Bromley but up to 20% is available plus bursaries.