All About Ballet
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Porky Pig:
Oh my goodness, I have been paying $380 for 12 lessons at my DD's current ballet school. The one at the cc by Ms Blue is only $95 for 10 lessons. So much difference man.
You must know that it is CC rates versus ballet school rates. In a CC, the number of students are usually more than 15 versus average 8 in a ballet school. And if new students register, CC will continue to take in new students, which may affect the development of the existing students. Nevertheless, yes, CC is definitely more value for money. -
Oh My Gosh:
I was doing this analysis yesterday. In a CC, the max no of students is 24. So that means 24 x $9.50 per lesson = $228. In a ballet school, it is 8 x $31.6 = $253. Hopefully it will be more stable in CC meaning little disruption and changes to teacher and timing.Porky Pig:
Oh my goodness, I have been paying $380 for 12 lessons at my DD's current ballet school. The one at the cc by Ms Blue is only $95 for 10 lessons. So much difference man.
You must know that it is CC rates versus ballet school rates. In a CC, the number of students are usually more than 15 versus average 8 in a ballet school. And if new students register, CC will continue to take in new students, which may affect the development of the existing students. Nevertheless, yes, CC is definitely more value for money. -
Porky Pig:
In a Cc :
I was doing this analysis yesterday.Oh My Gosh:
You must know that it is CC rates versus ballet school rates. In a CC, the number of students are usually more than 15 versus average 8 in a ballet school. And if new students register, CC will continue to take in new students, which may affect the development of the existing students.
Nevertheless, yes, CC is definitely more value for money.
In a CC, the max no of students is 24. So that means 24 x $9.50 per lesson = $228.
In a ballet school, it is 8 x $31.6 = $253.
Hopefully it will be more stable in CC meaning little disruption and changes to teacher and timing.
Ballet Tr only earn 60%, while Cc take 40% : provide rental dance studio space, electricity, light supply, air con. -
Porky Pig:
Yes, CC less likely to make changes as will end up impacting more than 20 students. My DD has been learning ballet from CC for the past 5 years, at the same timing. So your DD will be joining Ms Blue class?
I was doing this analysis yesterday. In a CC, the max no of students is 24. So that means 24 x $9.50 per lesson = $228. In a ballet school, it is 8 x $31.6 = $253. Hopefully it will be more stable in CC meaning little disruption and changes to teacher and timing. -
Oh My Gosh:
Trial lesson on Sun 5pm. She does not take in anymore new students. She wants to see whether my DD can catch up with the steps or not. If everything goes well, I will sign her up for both regular class + coaching class. I am keeping my fingers :xedfingers: that both will like each other.
Yes, CC less likely to make changes as will end up impacting more than 20 students. My DD has been learning ballet from CC for the past 5 years, at the same timing. So your DD will be joining Ms Blue class?Porky Pig:
I was doing this analysis yesterday. In a CC, the max no of students is 24. So that means 24 x $9.50 per lesson = $228. In a ballet school, it is 8 x $31.6 = $253. Hopefully it will be more stable in CC meaning little disruption and changes to teacher and timing. -
Porky Pig:
if your daughter had been learning primary grade ballet since May, should be ok, because she had been learning all this while.
Trial lesson on Sun 5pm. She does not take in anymore new students. She wants to see whether my DD can catch up with the steps or not. If everything goes well, I will sign her up for both regular class + coaching class. I am keeping my fingers :xedfingers: that both will like each other.
your girl should have no issue catching up (since she had been learning her existing grade already), not to worry
Kids who have problem catching up -
are those who never learn ballet at all since May due to whatever reasons (after April exam ended : the next ballet grade or level start), & only want to start joining now, when extra coaching class about to start.
Ah, that's when they start to encounter problem, because missed out past 5 months' of learning the steps (5 months : missed out attendance from May to Sep), which is a lot, hard to catch up ! Unless they don't take exam next year, just attend lesson only, then ok.
in cases like this (missed a lot of lessons) -
depend on individual ballet Teacher.
Some Teacher very strict.
She may say : \"I will assess your daughter's performance, come next year.
It all depend on your girl's learning attitude and performance, from now until May next year\".
a) if pupil able to catch up
then I will let your girl take one level higher grade, next year.
example
say, a kid now learning Grade 1 ballet, but missed a lot of lessons, since May.
assuming that kid able to catch up, then come next May : this strict Tr will allow her to start learning Grade 2.
That means the girl did not take Grade 1 exam, but can still proceed forward, to learn Grade 2 ballet next year.
In ballet, can skip exam.
doesn't mean that if did not take Grade 1 exam, cannot go onto Grade 2.
b) But, if pupil unable to catch up
say, kid now in Grade 1 ballet.
assuming that kid unable to catch up, then come next May 2016, this strict Tr will only allow her to re-start Grade 1 steps, all over again, cannot proceed to Grade 2. -
phtthp:
Thanks for the detailed information above. I noticed that even within a grade say Primary if it is taught by different teachers, there is still different interpretations and it may vary as well. Why I said so. You see her current school closed down her current time slot and wanted to move us to a new slot. And so I went to a different slot with a different teacher. My DD was not able to fully understand this Russian teacher and certain steps were not executed well. So I hope that Ms Blue will not penalize her heavily during the Sun trial.
if your daughter had been learning primary grade ballet since May, should be ok, because she had been learning all this while.Porky Pig:
Trial lesson on Sun 5pm. She does not take in anymore new students. She wants to see whether my DD can catch up with the steps or not. If everything goes well, I will sign her up for both regular class + coaching class. I am keeping my fingers :xedfingers: that both will like each other.
your girl should have no issue catching up (since she had been learning her existing grade already), not to worry
Kids who have problem catching up -
are those who never learn ballet at all since May due to whatever reasons (after April exam ended : the next ballet grade or level start), & only want to start joining now, when extra coaching class about to start.
Ah, that's when they start to encounter problem, because missed out past 5 months' of learning the steps (5 months : missed out attendance from May to Sep), which is a lot, hard to catch up ! Unless they don't take exam next year, just attend lesson only, then ok.
in cases like this (missed a lot of lessons) -
depend on individual ballet Teacher.
Some Teacher very strict.
She may say : \"I will assess your daughter's performance, come next year.
It all depend on your girl's learning attitude and performance, from now until May next year\".
a) if pupil able to catch up
then I will let your girl take one level higher grade, next year.
example
say, a kid now learning Grade 1 ballet, but missed a lot of lessons, since May.
assuming that kid able to catch up, then come next May : this strict Tr will allow her to start learning Grade 2.
That means the girl did not take Grade 1 exam, but can still proceed forward, to learn Grade 2 ballet next year.
In ballet, can skip exam.
doesn't mean that if did not take Grade 1 exam, cannot go onto Grade 2.
b) But, if pupil unable to catch up
say, kid now in Grade 1 ballet.
assuming that kid unable to catch up, then come next May 2016, this strict Tr will only allow her to re-start Grade 1 steps, all over again, cannot proceed to Grade 2. -
Oh My Gosh:
Yes, the Teacher-student Chemistry, is very important.
Yes, the teacher-students chemistry is very important. Another important factor is take note is the students in the class. Many times, especially girls at higher levels stayed on with peer support, when the journey gets really tough. When your daughter is doing the trial, try speaking to those mummies who are waiting for their daughters from the same class. From the mummies, you can get a little glimpse of the students' profiles in the class. Some kids are naturally more friendly than others. After the trial, ask your daughter if she likes those friends in her class - she may not know them and they may not have accepted her into their group, but kids does have a good 6th sense if they like the atmosphere.
It is really tough to find a right fit. DD started ballet at age 4. She is 9 now, still with the same teacher and 80% of the class are still together. A long journey (more to come), training for her grade 4 exams next year, I am grateful amidst the training, she found good bonding with the teacher and her friends.
Good luck! Am sure you will find the right fit.
Not easy to find a right fit.
Why ?
particularly closer towards exam time, if a student weak in ballet steps, and if the class tend to get too big, sometimes the ballet Tr tend to focus more on the better, stronger students, instead of the weaker pupils.
Surprised to hear this ?
One would have thought or naturally assume that more often than not, Tr tend or should help the weaker student more to buck up, improve. The better student already know their ballet steps so well, they can dance on their own, independently ?
Well, it depend on individual Tr.
Some Tr, in their eagerness to market or promote themselves that they ever produce students in ballet before that scored distinction calibre, so that she is able to tell the next batch of parents that from her previous batch of students trained, got kids scored distinction, under her: tend to focus more on the stronger dancer. Particularly those new bird ballet Tr that come on board, to join the industry.
So parents, be alert esp. Closer towards exam time frame.
If your child doesn't know the ballet step well or weak, see whether Tr spend enough time on your daughter or not, trying to correct her steps ?
Did Tr show favoritism, towards any pupil inside the class, that dance better than others ?
Not all ballet tr are like this. But, some are.
Hence, the right chemistry fit is crucial, partcularly when class tend to grow big. -
Oh My Gosh:
Example
No, RAD examinations is not required at Primary level and the child can indeed proceed to take the RAD exam at Grade 1 instead. However, most mummies prefer to let their daughters take the RAD exams at lower level as the requirements is less stringent, hence a good avenue to let the kid gain some \"exams experience\". RAD Ballet is somewhat like ABRSM Piano, one can \"skip\" grades accordingly to the child's abilities and the teacher's recommendations. Only at higher grades, there will be imposed pre-requisites, as below:
Advanced Foundation (Pre-requisite: Intermediate)
Advanced 1 (Pre-requisite: Intermediate)
Advanced 2 (Pre-requisite: Advanced 1)
Solo Seal Award (Pre-requisite: Advanced 2 (Distinction))
At lower grades, kids are usually being restrained by the minimum age requirements which is a new rule set by RAD in 2013. So a child need to be 5 years old on 1 January of the year she is taking the pre-primary exams, and so forth.
If fail Grade 1 piano, no need to repeat Grade 1 exam, can proceed to learn Grade 2, take Grade 2 piano exam.
For ballet : can skip grade ?
depend.
Most of the time, if Tr not strict, Yes, can skip.
But, also got exception.
noticed that if the ballet Tr happen to be the Principal or owner or founder of a centre, after assessing a child, they may not allow to skip.
Example
Had a friend, whose daughter currently learning Grade 1, in Bishan cc.
She want to transfer her kid, to another ballet school.
After assessing her girl, Principal told her cannot take Grade 1 exam, but allow her to take Primary grade exam. (one level lower) -
Went for Ms Blue’s trial class yesterday. She looked friendly to me - not the least fierce. Her class was really big, I could see at least 20 students. My DD went in eagerly. While she is able to catch up with the steps, it appears that she wasn’t being taught those steps. After her class ended, I chatted with her teacher. Overall she was ok with my DD just worried that she may have to catch up all the steps quickly for the RAD exam. I pulled my DD aside and asked her how did she find Ms Blue and whether she wanted to join in. She nodded happily.
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