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yes please - and thanks for the info

Not heard of this one before anyone have any more info please?

I agree - no one is saying that it's easy or that they don't have to work every available hour, just that if you know it's (just) possible for you to pay then it must make the process easier. When you have to start out with 'should I even let my child try' because you know they can't go without a funded place and when you have to instill in your child that they may not be able to take up a place if it's not funded, it's very hard. For some of us a second, or third, job or the possibility of lots of overtime still doesn't get you anywhere near being able to find enough money. Edited for typo

Our teacher told DS that the when the panel are looking at all the dancers it's like having a box of yummy chocolate biscuits and only being allowed to choose one. It doesn't mean that the other biscuits aren't as delicious, just that you can't have all the ones you'd like!

Any suggestions for boys?

I emailed them about a year ago but never got a reply!

But surely the teacher should have been suggesting a different shoe and encouraging your daughter!

Thanks Lil I'll keep an eye on their web site

I explained the situation to the CAT but they said they couldn't offer an alternative audition and so that's that! It seems a bit unfair that they only offer one date as it's tough luck if you can't make it Oh well there's always next year..... And it's their loss lol

You should try shopping for shoes with a 13 yr old boy who is a size 10 - no available school shoes in his size other than a pair we ordered from Clarks, despite him swearing he would never be seen dead in them! He always used to wear startrite but they don't make them big enough! For some reason he always wears holes in the right toe and ball of foot area - I'm assured he doesn't spend every spare minute practising pirouettes. (I wonder how he manages to get away with them at school when he keeps very quiet about his dancing ) edited because it came out in an odd font!!

I've sent an email asking if they will still consider him, maybe see him at a later date, so I'll have to see what happens! Thanks so much for all your suggestions, good wishes and suppport. Where would we be without this forum

But he doesn't have any!!!!!! LOL

... when you have withdrawal symptoms when its the holidays and you don't know what to do with yourself with all the sudden free time

DS was 'spotted' dancing around when he was 5 by a dance teacher (not ballet lol)and we were told that he should be doing ballet. It never ever occurred to us and it took around 6 months to come round to the idea.I took him to his first class and when we came out he was upset that he would have to wait a week before he could go again. When I asked him what he had been doing he replied 'dancing'. I told him it was ballet and he said he didn't care what it was he loved it!

I spoke to the CAT team but all I got was 'thanks for letting us know, we'll take him off the list'

Thanks everyone. Cathy, he won't be at Hammond on 10th but is adamant he will be there on 24th! EYB should be ok . Jill

In the end there is no decison to be made! DS just home after surgery to remove his appendix - two weeks off school, six weeks of no physical activites but, after negotiation, agreement that he might be able to do some barre work after 4 weeks

I've been aware of the same 'pushy' mums at auditions - discussing all the things their children have done and dropping names and places into the conversation at every opportunity but I suddenly thought - if their children are so fantastic how come I see them at the same auditons each time, Surely they would have been snapped up if they are as great as the mums would have us believe

My sister is always telling me I should stop DS dancing as I am 'making him different' I possibly could stop his classes but that wouldn't stop him dancing it would just make him very unhappy ! His dancing is driven by him not by me

oh no why didn't my comment appear here ..... perhaps I was making myself different lol

Oh that's a tough one too.....

Oh well it's just bound to be at the same time. Oh and the trains will probably be on strike too lol! What is your clash taxi?

thanks for all the useful advice, I'll be brave and speak to the CAT team!

The CAT audtion is all timetabled with interviews etc and Hammond is an Associate class so not too bad to miss one. Oliver isn't unitl October so there's plenty of time to catch up. Realistically we should go to the CAT second audtion as that has the most potential for DS's dancing. I think I've answered my own question

Why does everything come in threes - sigh! In 3 weeks time we have a second auditon for Birmingham CAT, Hammond Associates and an Oliver rehearsal - which to do My head hurts lol What we should do (IMHO) 1 CAT 11.30 - 6.00 2 Hammond 10.30 - 3.45 3 Oliver rehearsal 2.00 - 500 What I want to do (but that's just me lol) Hammond DS Choice ???? Timings and distance all clash - even bigger sigh Now got to discuss with DS - even bigger headache Any one got a time machine I can borrow lol Edited because it kept looking peculiar