Calling all ballet mums!

[Tigerowl]

Has anyone got any knowledge on ballet classes, exams etc? DD age 7 has been doing ballet since the age of 2. Started with an ISTD class which she did to the age of 5. We then moved and she started two different ballet classes, one with a RAD teacher and another which does exams through IDTA. Now at a stage where I would like her to be doing just one ballet class - which one would you recommend for an avid ballerina?! Both teachers seem equally brilliant. I’m asking really because so many people seem to rave about RAD but I wondered whether it really matters where she practices as I would have thought it’s more about the individual child’s talent? Any advice would be greatly appreciated x

Does she like one class/teacher more than the other?
What is the schools focus, is churning out exam results, flashy shows twice a year or steadily working through the syllabus concentrating on technique and having a bit of fun.
My daughter was initially at a flash show/result churning dance school - not enough time was spent on concentrate on good underlying technique and it wasn't much fun either. There was intense pressure for the shows to be perfect with hours and hours of rehearsals.
We moved to another dance school whose teacher really worked on basic technique constantly going back to it, there was one small show a year which was fun and no stress to be perfect. Just showing off what you had learnt.
She has gone on to professional training now, they were not interested in exams, but underlying apptitude, ability to take correct and good basic grounding.
Choose the class which makes your daughter happy she will do best there.

The syllabus doesn't matter.

What does matter is the talent and expertise of the teacher, and at this age, to be honest it needs to be the teacher your dd likes and whose classes she enjoys the most.

Something you might want to look at is the track record of the teacher/school in getting young dancers accepted into full-time ballet training or into associate programmes at the major ballet schools. That will give you an indication of the quality of the teaching.

Sorry, forgot to answer this bit:
I wondered whether it really matters where she practices as I would have thought it's more about the individual child's talent?

The more ability, facility and natural talent a young dancer has, the more important it is for them to be receiving top quality training. A solid grounding in good technique is essential, and ingrained uncorrected bad habits will actively prevent a dancer from achieving their full potential. They are also a nightmare to unlearn.

This is the thing - she seems to like both teachers the same! The RAD teacher is a bit younger and on the cusp of qualifying (she basically took over the ballet school from someone else who retired) but she seems to get a good rapport and I did notice a girl who has just gained a space in a prestigious ballet school having private lessons with her.
She did one show in the first year but nothing the next and now covid.

The other ballet school does other forms of dance, modern, tap etc. She did one show (but doesn’t do them every year) before lockdown and it was pretty spectacular but I think mostly owing to the different forms of dance. Daughter did one set of preliminary exams with the teacher but now due to Covid no set plans for anything else.

Tbh I really know little about ballet that’s why I’m asking - I didn’t do it as a child but it seems daughter has really excelled so I want to channel that. It’s just a case that you expose them to these clubs and they find ‘their thing’ isn’t it.

LCWK - thank you for this advice, I think focusing less on the exam board and more the teacher, might be key? That’s amazing your daughter is training professionally. How old is she - hope she’s loving it x

Taxi4ballet - brilliant thank you, I’m definitely leaning towards having a look again at the creds of the teachers... I need to do a bit more research into the schools and schemes that she could think about going for in the future, post covid. We are equidistant from Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, north Wales, Chester etc. The teacher at the RAD ballet school seems to be quite technique focussed and does private lessons - perhaps I should have a frank chat with her about daughter and where we should go with it.

Thank you again for your input x

Best of luck, it's a jungle out there!

There is a UK chat forum dedicated to all things ballet that you might want to look at for research into various aspects - if you look at the 'Doing Dance' section of balletcoforum.com there's loads of advice and information, and helpful hints and tips.

Wow thank you so much for that - will take a look x

@Tigerowl I like you was clueless ( I was cast as the soldier in the one ballet show I was part of due to my wooden dancing). Hence the mistakes I made.
My DD is about to turn 17 she is doing MT training so all forms of dance now. Whilst dance was the weakest of her triple threat all her dance teachers have always said she is really talented just her clueless Mum didn't quite get it. Now in professional training her dance is developing in leaps and bounds fortunately the basic grounding she had was so good that she has been able to blossom.

Thank you lonecatwithkitten, your daughter sounds like she’s really excelled 💖🌟 Can I ask how did you broached it with the teachers without seeming like a tiger mum?

If your DD is currently in year 3 or above, it’s a good time to start looking at associate programmes at the vocational schools. They take from year 4 upwards, and are a lovely way to explore potential in ballet. It sounds like you are well located to apply for Royal Ballet School and Elmhurst where you are. Both are excellent schemes. Associates were a game changer for my DD. She is now boarding at full-time ballet school.

@Tigerowl I didn't broach it dance teachers kept telling me she was very talented as did music and drama teachers.
Finally I found a tiny bit of tiger mom and entered her in a competition which she sweep the board in and I realised that she really was talented,

Another one saying the board doesn't matter, just the quality of teaching.

My DD is at a small school (operating out of the local village hall!) but does associate classes at the weekend. Having been through the audition circuit this year I would say they really are looking for potential at this age so exams/grades are of little importance.

Applications for RBS JAs and Elmhurst should open in January and so keep an eye on their websites. Tring Classical Ballet Academy has an audition planned for March and I think take from age 7/8.

Good luck if you go down this route! My DD is already getting so much from these schemes. Though I have waved goodbye to any sort of a weekend for myself

Thank you user14... I had diaried in to look into applying for RBS associate programme. She will still be 7 though so maybe thought about waiting until she was 8...

OBface - can I ask how old is your daughter? Did you chat to her teacher first? I chatted to her dance teacher yesterday (as trying to work out the schedule with school for next year) and she said she so much potential. It’s just quite a lot to commit to, as you say, at the weekends...
I thought Tring was all rounder performing arts so that’s interesting they also focus on just ballet, thanks for that and all the input xx

Tring has various different courses. One of them has MDS funding and therefore is very classical ballet oriented.

Their Upper School dance course too is all round dance but streamed and it’s posdibke to have a heavy ballet focus.

@Tigerowl The Classical Ballet Academy at Tring is their associate programme and runs fortnightly on Sundays.

Just to add the classical ballet academy at Tring is very competitive to get into. My dd wasn’t successful so tried for their Saturday associate programme instead. It turned out really well for her, she started tap and modern there having not done them before. The standard of teaching was outstanding. My dd is now 19 and on a full time training course specialising in contemporary.

I would encourage your dd to try other dance styles alongside ballet.