ArucariaBallerina Posted May 30, 2017 Author Share Posted May 30, 2017 Thank you again everybody. Can anybody give advice on how to word the 'serious talk' with dance teacher? I love my main teacher, but she does scare me a little, so I don't know how to introduce the issue. I'm scared she will think I am ungrateful! I know what I want to say, but do not know how to say it! Can someone help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted May 30, 2017 Share Posted May 30, 2017 (edited) ArucariaBallerina I can advise on schools local to you by PM but are your parents onside to adding another dance school? Edited May 30, 2017 by sarahw 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MumToTu Posted May 30, 2017 Share Posted May 30, 2017 Would you be able to ask your teacher for a 10 minute appointment at a convenient time for her maybe ? And take at least one of your parents, write a list of questions to ask especially regarding your dance school helping you prepare for auditioning at age 16. Maybe ask her advice on the best route she thinks you should take and some kind of plan for progress. This could help reassure you whether or not are moving forward in the right direction and give you something to reflect on with your family? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted May 30, 2017 Share Posted May 30, 2017 I definitely think a good chat with your parents is the first thing you need. Assuming your parents are paying for your classes and driving you around, just out of courtesy you need to find out how much time and money they think is reasonable. Also, your parents know your academic workload, physique, other commitments, and logistics MUCH better than we - a bunch of strangers on an internet forum - do. After you've done that, perhaps you, Mum, and ballet teacher could all sit down together to discuss your aspirations and how best to work towards them. Teamwork is vital. ? 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate_N Posted May 30, 2017 Share Posted May 30, 2017 What AnnaC says - very wise. After discussion with your parents, maybe they could lead the conversation with your teacher Some things you or your parent/s could say to your current teacher: * that you are interested in a serious study of ballet and you are concerned that as a late starter, you have some catching up to do * you are aiming for a good Associates scheme, with a view to being ready to audition for vocational school at 16 * how would she advise you to prepare to the best of your ability? * is it possible to add some more or longer ballet classes with her? (I noticed you're doing very short classes which would be OK for 8 or 9 year olds but you need to be building stamina towards a full 90 minute class) * If it's not possible for her to offer more/longer classes, is there another teacher she could recommend to supplement her training? Make sure you are clear that this is not about leaving your current studio. You could ask about whether she thinks you will get in to a vocational school, but no-one has a crystal ball, and I really don't think that's a helpful question to ask - or rather, the answer you receive may not be helpful. Maybe the teachers on this forum could also help with rehearsing with you a constructive conversation. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArucariaBallerina Posted June 1, 2017 Author Share Posted June 1, 2017 Thank you for your helpful comments, really good advice! I will add that my parents are supportive and want me to achieve and be happy (within reason of money and time) and I know they trust my dance teacher, so whatever she says they would agree with! Slightly nervous in case my dance teacher says something like 'I think you're doing well and improving enough with the lessons you are currently having'! I will write a list of questions and find a time that we can all have a heart to heart! ome quick question... I've just finished my 3 day enforced 'rest' from ballet and started with a simple barre practice and some syllabus centre work. I'm terrified, as after a rest my technique seems to have fallen out the window! My turnout has shrunk, extensions are lower, grand jetés lower and not straight... List goes on! I have been stretching and conditioning over the days, but am really scared that my hard work this past half term will be ruined! Will my technique return? Sorry for sounding silly! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBG Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 I think you have been given some excellent advice on this post, but you definitely need quality and quantity to help with technique and stamina. I know its still a few months away but talk to the students /parents and teachers at the summer schools when you attend - there will be a lot of info available, especially if you are attending a relatively local one to your area - not sure if you are. Also, when you start your associate programme talk to the teacher/ students they may have recommendations of a dance school/teacher. Speak to your associate teacher about private lessons, financially this may be tricky. in my experience I would ditch the festival lessons ( only if you are paying for these outside of your syllabus lessons), to be able to accommodate some private lessons. I would also enlist the help of your parents as you are very determined and enthusiastic but with GCSE's ahead of you, 2 heads are better than 1, and hopefully they can take some of the stress away from you. Try not to worry about too much about your recent technique issue, you have probably had a growth spurt and this will have affected your muscles etc. Keep practising. As you are small and you start growing you will find that one day you can do the split then next day you can't. Perseverance pays in the end. Has anyone videoed you in class before? Maybe at watching week - I know teens don't like parents watching their class but this can be really helpful for you to analyze how you are performing. Good luck, and hope to see some positive news for you in the future. Xxx 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArucariaBallerina Posted June 4, 2017 Author Share Posted June 4, 2017 Do you think putting it into a letter will be alright? I will be able to be more honest, complimentary and less embarrassed I think, and then my mum can write/monitor stuff too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 A letter to your Mum? Or to the dance teacher? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooTu Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 I personally think that it would be better if you & your mum sat down & had a chat with your dance teacher rather than writing it in a letter. You need to have a good chat with your mum first to make sure she is fully aware of your feelings & goals so that your mum can put that across to your teacher & get her advice. I think a letter may not come across as intended therefore it is much better speaking to the teacher in person. Maybe if you aren't comfortable with that your mum & your teacher could have a chat instead 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArucariaBallerina Posted June 6, 2017 Author Share Posted June 6, 2017 Okay, thank you for your suggestions. Had a lovely private with teacher yesterday, I felt like asking her to give me one every day, for free, but honestly, it felt so good and I feel like I am improving with private lessons! Slightly different topic, but the dance school newsletter has just come out, and apparently all Grade 3 pupils are going on pointe from September... This worries me! Some of them are elevenish, Elmhurst associates and have been dancing seriously for a long time, but others can be as young as 8, most of them only once a week dancers with (sorry to say it) not very good technique, no posture or turnout really, including those who only started dancing a couple of months ago! I'm scared for them in case they injure themselves, and also slightly miffed that it took me almost 2 years and hard daily home practice to get my pointe shoes, and look at them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted June 7, 2017 Share Posted June 7, 2017 That is very concerning. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MumToTu Posted June 7, 2017 Share Posted June 7, 2017 I am no expert, but my sister in law is a chiropodist and she said children in her opinion shouldn't go En Pointe, before the growth plates on feet have started to fuse around age 12ish, unless they are prepared risk chronic Injury in later life as the bones are still so soft. Are you sure the younger children aren't going to be getting soft blocks maybe? My dd got soft blocks age 11-12. I have never seen a child in pointe shoes age 8, it seems a bit young to me to take the risk even if small, you need a healthy body for the rest of your life, even if you choose not to dance! Just my humble opinion though of though of course ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArucariaBallerina Posted June 8, 2017 Author Share Posted June 8, 2017 I have the 'chat' scheduled now ? 2 weeks ago, I sent an email to Moorland enquiring about the possibility of funding... Have heard nothing still. I'm not sure whether to email them again, or have my mum give the school a ring at some point! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 (edited) On 6/7/2017 at 11:52, Snowflake said: I am no expert, but my sister in law is a chiropodist and she said children in her opinion shouldn't go En Pointe, before the growth plates on feet have started to fuse around age 12ish, unless they are prepared risk chronic Injury in later life as the bones are still so soft. Are you sure the younger children aren't going to be getting soft blocks maybe? My dd got soft blocks age 11-12. I have never seen a child in pointe shoes age 8, it seems a bit young to me to take the risk even if small, you need a healthy body for the rest of your life, even if you choose not to dance! Just my humble opinion though of though of course ! part of the reason IF/ Elementary (depending on awarding body) and subsequent awards have a minimum age limit is exactly that, every reliable source you read says 11-12 for pointe due to ossification of the foot bones ( little ones and even tweens still have a mainly cartiligenous foot due to the amount of gorwing the foot does between toddling and puberty ... even the graded syallbuses keep certain things 'back' because of either cognitive or physical development issues ... Edited June 8, 2017 by mph 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate_N Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 On 06/06/2017 at 16:31, ArucariaBallerina said: Slightly different topic, but the dance school newsletter has just come out, and apparently all Grade 3 pupils are going on pointe from September... This worries me! Some of them are elevenish, Elmhurst associates and have been dancing seriously for a long time, but others can be as young as 8, most of them only once a week dancers with (sorry to say it) not very good technique, no posture or turnout really, including those who only started dancing a couple of months ago! I'm scared for them in case they injure themselves, and also slightly miffed that it took me almost 2 years and hard daily home practice to get my pointe shoes, and look at them Arucaria, you are right to be sceptical about this, but I'm afraid there's probably not much that you, as another young student in the studio, can do. My advice would be to focus on your own training. Although I think a number of us here would be wondering whether the studio at which you're studying is the best available to you, if that is their policy about putting students on pointe (at 8 years old, I mean). But this announcement would start me wondering about the necessity of a move to a more professional studio at some point in the next couple of years. Different studios have talents for different things, or different levels in a student's training - the studio that starts off young "baby ballet" dancers, may not be the studio for the dancers who will graduate into serious training at, say 12, or into further more serious training at 16. And so on. This doesn't mean that the studio where children start is a bad studio. Just that sometimes one studio can't accommodate the range & level of students' needs as they develop & grow in their training. The studio I go to sends its children who want to make a serious study of ballet past the age of about 10 or so to other local schools where there is specialisation in the pre-teens & teens training, to get them to vocational school. I really admire my teacher/studio-owner for doing that, as she serves the best interests of her students, rather than her self-interest. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 Totally agree with Kate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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