glowlight

A great start. Congratulations to her @balletbean.

Happy birthday @balletbean. Hope the audition went well today. And if it didn't...just as with all the auditions she's done before it is practice for the next one.

When my dd was at vocational school (post 16) she used to do one 2 week intensive during the summer hols, and sometimes a few classes with local teachers just before going back. Generally summer was about resting the body and mind, relaxing, earning a bit of cash. When she was working on ships they usually at at least a month (often longer) between contracts with the expectation that they would rest during that time. Obviously resting includes rushing round the UK (sometimes round the world) catching up with friends!

Exciting to see that Matthew Topliss is moving 'across the road' to Phoenix Dance.

How wonderful that your dd has an idea of what she wants to be when she grows up. My thoughts on this...ballet is the foundation for all forms of dance so it would be a good idea to be qualified to teach ballet if she wants to run her own studio, or work in a private studio. Whatever syllabus your dd currently follows for ballet - I would look at that organisations website to look at the different pathways to becoming a qualified teacher. For teacher training, passing exams is probably more important than it is for those seeking a performance career. eg https://www.royalacademyofdance.org I would suggest talking to her current dance teacher about dd's aspirations and how best to achieve them given your location and personal situation.

Congratulations @primrose

I think it's caught up with itself. This morning when I looked I was a Rookie and had just won my 1 year badge (I've been on since 2011) but this evening I've progressed to Proficient and have 7 badges!!! I think once we get used to it the rankings may be a useful visual clue as to how long someone has been active on the forum when you look at something they post.

Café lunch for me today

Congratulations @Dancers Dad on getting this far without social media! I think it is very likely that once your dd moves to Manchester she will start to use social media of her own accord...so perhaps better to get her used to using it now while you still have her at home and can keep an eye. I would encourage her to become friends with you, as many relatives as possible, and any grown up friends you/she may have who use facebook. That way there is a whole network of people keeping an eye on her. In the past I have picked up 'crisis' moments with some of my friends' children. Sometimes you can help with just a simple personal message (the young friend who had got of the plane on her first business trip to US to a message that her best friend had died ...she just needed someone to chat to until she could get hold of her Mum). Sometimes advise (block that looser who was being mean to her on facebook and report the posts). And on one occasion, contacted Mum because I was really worried.

When my dd was young and wanted to be a dancer, I felt that the only shot she had was while she was young. Very few people can switch to a dance career if they haven't trained from a young age (I know ...there are a few exceptions). We instilled in her the importance of school work, and getting good GCSEs, but beyond that were happy for her to pursue the dancing dream, in the knowledge that academic studies can be picked up when you are older. @Lusodancer - what a wonderful Minister for Culture and Arts your dd will be, because she will know the issues from the inside.

I don't have experience of TLBC, but my dd did various associate schemes and also a Youth Ballet company during her training. Yes she benefitted from them in terms of training and experience Yes she made friendships, some of which resurrected many years later when they met up again at auditions and through work BUT the timetable has to work for you and your family otherwise it will drag you all down.

The impression that I gained over the years is ...if the student has the ability and they are in the right school for them then they will excel. I know of students who gained places in 'top schools' but the environment wasn't right for them for one reason or another. When they moved to a different school, maybe not one of the top 3 or 4 in the ratings, they were happy, they excelled, and went on to successful careers in classical ballet. It really is more about the right school for the student.

@Beezieit sounds to me as if you are looking to move schools because the schedule at your current school doesn't work for you. I don't think it is unusual for schools to want students to 'try out' to join at 9 or 10, and I think that's simply to make sure that the student will be able to fit in, to assess which class the student needs to be placed in to make sure they are out of their depth. It works both ways - it gives you a chance to see if the school works for you as well. I would treat it as a 'trial class' and I wouldn't get too hung up on the idea that they are looking for physical attributes at this age.

I am definitely more bold this time around. Went inside 2 different cafés the first weekend we were allowed to, and planning an indoor meet up with by parents this weekend. I think it is partly that I, and most people I meet have now had at least one vaccination, and I know that many people are taking regular lateral flow tests. I am also watching the stats very closely and making personal 'risk assessments' on this basis. I feel I missed out last summer - I could have had more of a life but chose not too because I was ultra cautious. I think that has particularly had a negative effect on my parents because they have become very socially isolated so I am determined, if nothing else, to spend time with them.

Tomorrow is Haircut Day. Wahoo

Wow - the resurrection of this old thread has made me realise...I miss @Anjuli_Bai

I'm thinking I might take up ballet again when I retire (which isn't as far away as it used to be!) I think you will have a wonderful time @Laura F.. There are plenty of people on this forum who have taken up ballet as adults and who love it. Just don't expect to be able to do what the kids and teenagers can do straight off. Take it slow.

My dd never achieved her childhood dream of joining a ballet company, but she did have a successful career as a dancer on cruise ships. This gave her wonderful life experiences and helped her to build a range of work place skills which are valuable to any employer. These included Team working skills Customer Service skills Organisational skills An appreciation that sometimes you just have to 'get on and do it' even if you don't agree with it! When she retired for ships she had a period of 3 or 4 months working in cafés and helping in our family business while she worked out her next steps. She ended up landing a job as a trainee in a web design company. They trained her in the technical skills and now, 5 years later, she is a Team Leader. She didn't do A levels, but that hasn't been a barrier to her building a new career outside of dance.

@Madmum - I'm so glad this was a 'false alarm'. I think we all have to be wary of jumping to conclusions on occasion.

I think the 'Managing your facility' section of this page covers what is required in terms of hygiene etc. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/providers-of-grassroots-sport-and-gym-leisure-facilities

Isn't it funny how subtle marketing has to be. I find myself put off by the slickness of the website. As others have said, I would be wary that the faculty is not listed, and there is no indication of the costs (although there is a link to their online shop which shows the price of the mandatory uniform). But all of these things don't mean that there's anything wrong with the scheme...it just doesn't tell you much about it. Maybe someone on the forum has experience of Penelope's Dance Studios and can shed some like. It looks as if it is a long established RAD dance school.

I know when dd did Northern Associates many years ago, quite a few did RBS associates as well. If you are lucky enough to have offers for both, it is very much a case of personal choice whether it will work for your child and your family.

@LM_Rose - I can see now that my earlier advise was way off for you Now we know a little more about your circumstances, I would suggest talking to your teachers to discuss with them how you might be able to progress towards being a professional dancer. If they know that is your goal, you might find that they have some suggestions to help.

@LM_Rose - I am so pleased that you have found your motivation again after a difficult year. It is not unusual for people to go through spells where they lose their drive for one reason or another, and this year has been a particularly tough one. I'm sure you realise from reading other threads on this forum how hard it is to get a job in a ballet company, even for dancers who have the benefit of vocational training from a young age. Having said that, if you have a strong drive and motivation then there is nothing wrong with aiming high. To quote a rather corny card that I bought for my dd once...'If you shoot for the moon you might land among the stars.' So even if you don't succeed in your dream to join a ballet company, the journey you take might open up exciting opportunities that you hadn't even thought of before you started. So - how best to go about it? 1. The key is good quality training. You say there are no great quality ballet schools in your area...but maybe it is just that you don't know about them. The best local dance schools sometimes don't advertise because they can fill their places through word of mouth. There are people on this forum from all over the UK who may be able to point you in the right direction. 2. Definitely apply for one or more summer intensives if your family can afford it. I quick search found several that are still open for applications. Some are online, some in person: https://northernballet.com/academy/workshops-events/international-summer-intensives https://www.yorkshireballetscholarshipcentre.com/summer-school/ https://www.elmhurstballetschool.org/en/dance/courses/ I'm sure there are others. 3. Have you considered Contemporary Dance? There are several 'Centres for Advanced Training' dotted around the country which have a contemporary focus, and offer excellent ballet training at the same time. Take a look at the CAT website for details of where these are. People usually don't start contemporary training until their teens, and most full time courses which specialise in contemporary take students at 18 which may give you a little more time! Finally, talk to your family about your dreams and why this training is important to you. Dance training doesn't come cheap and someone has to foot the bill unfortunately, so you will need their support. I wish you all the best.

Definitely do all the things suggested above. Apply for any DADA maintenance allowance you are entitled to Talk to the school and see if they know of any way to help Research whether there are any local funds in your area which might be able to help. Also consider that, depending on which school she is going to, your DD may be able take part time work to help support herself. As well as working weekends and possibly evenings, working during the holidays can help to build up the funds for term time. I know that when my dd was at Northern Ballet School (albeit many years ago) she had several friends who did this to fully fund their living expenses. There are lots of options as well as the usual shops and cafes option. My dd worked in the school's theatre. Call centres can be a good option. One of dd's other friends supported herself through university working in McDonalds.