tutuesque

That's great, hope you enjoy it. I'm really going to miss it this year. Hard work but great atmosphere and it's really made a difference to the standard of work I produce.

I thought I saw a post from someone asking about tutus and how to change the shape of a classical to a bell style but I'm unable to find it now. I don't know if it's too late or if it's something you want to get into or not but there are some tutumaking workshops coming up in the uk soon. I have attended these in the past and they're very well run. They do cover tacking, hooping and shaping the tutu skirt as well as making it but there's a separate workshop for decorating/embellishing a tutu as well. I found the workshops very helpful when my daughter was competing in festivals regularly - making the tutus myself was my way of being able to afford costumes. Nb I am not affiliated with Tutus That Dance - just sharing in case there are other dance parents who'd find this useful

Got the "no" letter from Tring for a 6th form dance scholarship yesterday. Not unexpected but such a shame for my DD who has worked so very hard. She's been offered a place at Northern Ballet School too, and although it looks cheaper than Tring in terms of tuition costs, when you add up all of the accommodation and living costs, insurance etc etc (plus the cost of a couple of A levels in the evenings), it is no more affordable for us (just the worng side of the divide to even apply for a DADA). SO that's that for this year. On to plan B. Best wishes to all who are trying to find a way to "do dance" this year x

also waiting to hear about 6th form dance scholarship. I just phoned to find out when the results would be available, was told next week because it is taking longer to due to changes to the DADA funding

Thanks for your comment Ribbons. We mentioned the reason when we emailed to ask if there was any point attending the funding audition since we would be ineligible for a Dada. They said to attend the funding audition in any case - so we did. At least it made my daughter feel she'd given it her best shot.

I'm another one joining the line of people standing on the edge of this particular fiscal cliff with a very squeezed middle. My daughter has successfully auditioned for a place at Tring Park 6th form, I can confirm that the paperwork we received said that evidence to be provided for income would be for the year April 2012-13. Mixed emotions really, thrilled that my daughter has had this recognition of her ability and hard work, sadness that she is very unlikely to be able to accept the place, frustration at the whole dance provision and funding situation and at not being able to even access a student loan for the training. Before embarking on the auditioning process we did discuss the level of the fees at the different places she was applying to with our daughter and shared the information about our income and expenditure with our daughter so she understands the situation and what it would mean if we weren't able to access any finance (by way of a student loan or funding award). When the Dada income scales were published it became apparent that we're a little over the threshold where any help is available even if she were lucky enough to gain an award. We discussed other options such as attempting to find a better paid job or selling/remortgaging the house (might pay for one year!). Obviously cutting expenditure back would be looked at but since we don't live an extravagant lifestyle there isn't a huge amount that can be pared back there (certainly not sufficient to make the fees affordable). Aside from being unrealistic, unsustainable, and unlikely to happen in the timescale required in any case, knowing what the sacrifices these measures would mean for the rest of the family would place quite a burden on our daughter. We also have 2 other children. She pushes herself very hard in any case; this would cause her to put herself under even more pressure. I'm not sure how healthy that would be. Because we've been honest all the way through she knew it was a long shot so she isn't completely devastated (she have a plan B and a plan C too!); however she is still only 16 and so feels the injustice of the current confused arrangements for access and funding for vocational dance especially keenly. I have signed the petition mentioned earlier in the thread. The whole situation must be very fraught and frustrating for the schools too.