lisadebs

Hi SPD - are these tickets still available? If so, please pm me

DD was a party child in year 8 and party child/rat in year 9 (which involved some rapid costume swapping). No Nutcracker in Year 7 as it was Peter and the Wolf/Beatrix Potter. It really is a magical experience to be part of - although logistically it can get tricky! Crazily DD is off to Upper School in Sept - does anybody know if first year girls in Upper School are used? What year are the 'shuffling angels' as we always liked to call them ?

Spanner - this implies the thread should be locked, is this going to happen? As another year 11 parent I am unhappy with the nature of this discussion - I don't mind the school being discussed, or its policies examined, but please don't discuss the year group.

Hi sarahw I can't confirm or deny it but speaking from our experience over the last 5 years at WL our dd has never come home every weekend. We live a fair distance from the school and it just wouldn't have been practical or financially possible. DD's staying at school has never been mentioned as problematic and there are a number of others who stay too - maybe a question to ask them at the auditions?

Hi again SP - just seen that they do a dance degree at Coventry Uni (looking at website as middle dd wants to study photography there) am guessing Coventry Uni is not too far from you? Might be worth going to an open day?

Sorry - not sure why the text jumped about like that Just a word on MT courses - have a think about how much commercial dance you want to be doing and also about the type of drama you really enjoy. Eldest dd's course really favoured those who were strong at commercial jazz (think X factor dancers etc) and tbh there was very little drama taught (and what was taught definitely had an MT 'look' to it). Again - there are lots of courses out there and they will all vary - enjoy looking around at all the options, you've still got plenty of time. Have fun doing some research and all the best with your decisions

Hi Swan Princess - Have you ever thought about doing a degree in dance at University? That way you could put your passion for ballet and knowledge of the dance world to excellent use and you still get the opportunity to dance - as you would be able to train, choreograph and perform. There may even be the option of working collaboratively with a drama department Maybe have a look at Surrey University or Roehampton - a quick google should give you a number of options. Just a thought - and looking at what else is out there is always interesting

Hi Sugar Plum 64 - just wondering if these are still available?

It does sound like an exciting event, but lots of young dancers will be disappointed by the lack of YBDY next year. Especially those who missed out last year by being just that bit young...

Hi grumpybearzuk, try not to worry too much. It may seem reading through this thread that bullying is a common occurrence at vocational school and I know it does happen, but its not something we have experienced. We have a dd who is naturally quieter and more reserved than some and we certainly never expected her to be boarding from such a young age, but she has coped very well. Quieter children can sometimes turn out to be more resilient than those who are always at the centre of the social groups

Bit of a plug for a favourite singer/songwriter of mine - Freewheel by Duke Special - well worth a listen to on youtube, really beautiful lyrics, stick with it for the very uplifting section in the middle

Happymum - so sorry that it was a no for your little dd, perhaps they just felt she was a little on the young side this year. The experience won't have been wasted, next year she will know what to expect and go in with all guns blazing . It is an increasingly popular course and competition is very fierce - she did brilliantly to take part in a class of older girls, I am always amazed at how brave our young dancers are in pursuing what they love to do.

Not annoyed about BMI Swanprincess - just concerned, as I know how quickly young dancers make comparisons and was worried that some of these comparisons might be unhelpful. All the very best for your audition - we will all be cheering you on from the virtual sidelines

Dear Swanprincess, I really feel for you and hope too that you make a continued recovery, I can imagine how the stress of this year is putting added pressure on you, but please believe that a healthy dancing body is your main goal. Just want to reiterate how important it is to fuel your body well and not to focus on a specific weight. I know this is easier said than done... at WL they talk a lot about the need to 'fuel the machine' as this fuelling will give you the vitality to let your personality and love of dance shine through. As an aside - I am feeling a little uncomfortable with all this talk of BMI and specifically with dancers BMI numbers being given out. Can't help wondering if other young dancers will be reading this and making direct and maybe unhelpful comparisons. A body is not a number - it is a moving, communicating, energy driven gift. Tamara Rojo has written very powerfully about the need for ballet dancers to be strong and vital artists and athletes - I do hope all our young dancers are encouraged to focus on this in their training. Sending you very best wishes Swanprincess and thank you for sharing so honestly.

Fantastic news angel! So pleased for her