Lisa O`Brien

Oh, and "break a leg" for your exam. ( Not literally though, obviously).

Have you tried dampening the soles of your shoes with some water beforehand? This should make them grip the floor better. Also, if you tie your shoes accordingly then hairspray them to death in place ( the ribbons, that is), that should hold them. You might have to cut the ribbons off afterwards to get your shoes off, but at least they will stay in place while you need them to.

18 minutes ago, JulieW said:

Getting there..... She's passed all her practical exams/assessments and has permission to sit her finals!!

Many, many congratulations to your daughter, Julie. x

I'm sorry  but is your huge, in-your-face logo really necessary on this Forum ?

I agree with Dr. Dance. She doesn't want to just have a fixed smile throughout the whole thing, as this would just look silly. In quieter, slower adage, a look of thoughtfullness and expression should come across. Think of Giselle in Act two. How mad would she look if she were grinning?!!

Has your daughter looked at any of Katherine Morgan's videos on You Tube? I recently watched one of hers which was specifically about multiple pirouettes. She said it really helps if you count them backwards. For example, if you want to do three, say to yourself, "three, two, one". She said psychologically this is much easier than starting off at number one and then striving to get round another two times. I know what she means and it makes sense to me, so it will probably make sense to your daughter too. She might have developed a bit of a mental block about them, so needs to approach them with a different mindset.

Just hearing that TV presenter Dale Winton has died. He was 62. RIP.

Sorry to bore you all. I keep seeing job adverts saying ECDL, the European Computer Driving Licence is needed. Our local college offers this course. It is listed as a Level 2 course, which is what I am currently doing ( We've moved on to Microsoft Outlook now). Is the ECDL the main qualification people have nowadays? ( I think it used to be CLAIT, didn't it). Thanks. The course I am currently doing is 1 evening a week for 16 weeks, but the ECDL is 1 evening a week for 30 weeks.

1 hour ago, Viv said:

On this one I think it really depends on who you ask and also the degree of hyperextension, age of the student, level of experience. For example, there is a 10 year old at my studio (grade 4 RAD) with extremely hyperextended knees, and my teacher has instructed her to stand with an inch between her heels and given her exercises for the inner thigh muscles. The eventual goal for this student is to build up the strength in her VMO and external rotators so that she can stand with her heels touching without having that bent, overlapping knee look. It's only while she lacks strength that she is permitted to keep her heels apart. It may be that one teacher recognises your DDs age and perhaps a lack of strength to activate the muscles she needs to stand correctly with the heels touching?

 

I am a late starter (24yo) with a horrific amount of hyperextension (about 7 inches or 18cm between my heels with my knees still touching!) and my teacher has continuously assessed my strength to stand with my heels together. She says by my level (advanced foundation) she expects her students to be strong enough to have their heels touching and their legs straight. For the hypermobile dancer it seems impossible to have their legs 'straight' and their heels touch but it really is possible. One exercise I found helpful was to sit on the floor with my legs in front of me. When I first started I would straighten my legs fully and watch my heels pop off the floor. I then had to learn how to straighten my legs without letting my heels come up by 'pulling up my kneecaps' or activating the VMO. Once I could do that with control, I moved to doing the same action in the mirror standing in parallel, and then in turn out. Now I keep my heels together in flat shoes but keep an inch of space in my pointe shoes, because I lose a little bit of control of my rotation en pointe. This is something we're still working on.

What does VMO mean?

I understand where you're coming from in wanting to get Distinctions, but in the great scheme of things, they are not any massive indicator of talent. They merely "examine" your teacher; if she has taught you well, or not. I achieved Honours in every RAD exam i took ( Back then it was Pass, Pass Plus, Commended, Highly Commended , Honours). So did most others who entered the exam. Which is exactly why they were entered when they were by our school. The Principal knew full well more or less what grade (mark) we were all going to get months before taking it. No company; be they classical, contemporary, musical theatre or music hall, is going to ask anyone auditioning what grades they achieved for their exams. Try not to worry about it and just let your love of dance shine through; together with a solid, clean technique and a lovely sense of performance.

Just read via an online Daily Mail post that the Italia Conti School is in deep financial trouble. They are having to sell their property, and staff , who apparently don't exist, have none the less still been "paid". Others , who have been hired to do work, have been paid cash in hand.  It's the oldest stage school in the country, and has been in operation for over a hundred years. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/Mystery-missing -millions-vicious-family-feud-breaks-Italia-Conti.  

God, I love this Forum. So many wonderful people. Once again, thank you all for your advice and help. xx

3 hours ago, YorkshirePudding said:

I completely agree with this - I don't know you Lisa but it is clear just from reading what you write that you are articulate and literate, that you are happy to offer well reasoned opinion on areas where you have knowledge and expertise, and equally happy to seek help if you have identified areas where you can improve your knowledge. Add to that the dedication, self discipline and team working skills required of a professional dancer, and the resilience and interpersonal skills developed through travelling and working abroad, and raising your son I think you potentially have much to offer an employer.

 

I don't know what sort of community you live in, but I wonder whether one relatively informal place to start gaining office and admin skills would be asking around amongst the small businesses you know and therefore who know you? So if there are people who know you and with whom you regularly pass the time of day you could ask if they know of anyone who might need a few hours of admin help, because you are looking for work.  They will already know how you conduct and present yourself and therefore may be more imaginative in their approach to recruiting. Your actual CV experience in that situation therefore becomes less relevant than when you are competing with others at an agency who may have taken a more direct and linear route to the same destination. It's just possible they may have something themselves, or if not that they can personally recommend you to someone they know and then even if what is out there is not what you originally were looking for it might enable you to gain experience and training to equip you going forwards. For example - you were a school governor - might your local primary school need office help or telephone cover for an hour or so across lunchtimes? Any small local independent shops/businesses you regularly visit, might they need help in the back office, phones answering or anything similar, or know someone who does?

 

A very good friend of mine who was left on her own in the lurch with her kids his debts and their mortgage by a disappearing husband, went out to a local café waitressing aged 50 after 20 years out of the workplace. She really believed she had nothing to offer an employer. 3 years later she has ended up in a creative head office role at the café chain because she did everything she did to the best of her ability, whether it was potwashing or stocktaking and somebody there was forward thinking enough to see the life skills she had gained could be turned into something really useful for everybody. So I genuinely believe that there are open minded employers out there  who want good people to succeed. You just need to put yourself in the way of as many as possible, and potentially be willing to kiss a few employment frogs before the right one comes along.

 

Very best of luck!

Many thanks, Yorkshire x

7 hours ago, Vonrothbart said:

I think almost everyone Lisa, has something to offer an employer, in some jobs basic life skills would be more beneficial, rather than a degree in something not relevant. I wouldn't over do it with your CV too, just be honest, as employers will usually find most people out if you are lucky enough to get an interview. I'm sure with your experience of the dance world alone, and your personality, you would make a great employee. 

Good luck. 

Thank you for saying so, Vonrothbart.x

I don't have a child who dances, but my son at his normal High School went through a bad time around Year 8. It passed, thankfully, but I think whether boarding or not, a huge part of it is just the age. As others have said, your son's happiness and well- being is more important than anything else. As for the stage fright; tell him it is perfectly normal to be nervous about performing in front of people, or even the thought of performing even when it is weeks ahead. He needs to assess for himself which is the stronger; the love of dance or the fear of being on stage. If he HAS to dance, as if his life depended on it and cannot imagine wanting to do anything else with his life, then he will find a way to overcome the stage fright. It might take some time, but he will get there, with yours and his school's support. 

Many, many thanks to you all. Some lovely, kind comments too.x

1 hour ago, Jan McNulty said:

So presumably you participated in meetings that followed an agenda and from which minutes were produced.  I don't know if you formulated an agenda or produced minutes but if you did that should most definitely be included in your CV.

No I didn't. I wouldn't have a clue !!

Many thanks. I suppose. I just don't think of myself like that I guess. I've just remembered that I was an LEA-appointed School Governor at both a Primary and Secondary School for around 10 months too. That might impress someone; although tbh I hated it !!

Welcome to the Forum, ParentalDanceTaxi.

Sounds lovely. I wonder how many little ones come out and want to become dancers when they grow up after seeing it? Perhaps there should have been flyers around the foyers advertising the Balletco Forum for any future stressed and bewildered mums and dads out there !!

Thank you 2dancers. That's just it though. Many jobs I see advertised tell you to upload your cv. But I would be like, what cv? Mine would be none-existent. I thought if I had completed some sort of admin/office course it would be at least something recent to write about. I literally have nothing. I last worked in Nursing Homes in the early 2000's. EDIT to add: Going back to that sort of work nowadays is impossible. Every home ( not that there are many here) and every Domicilliary care job state it is essential you have a car and a full driving licence. I don't drive, and i'm sure as heck not going to try and learn at the age of 50 just so I can work with the elderly.

Thanks for your help, Jan and Invisiblecircus. Much appreciated. 

Hi. I've been looking online to see what if any, particular qualification one needs to work in a office. I was thinking of Receptionist work. I assume you must be computer literate, and have at least a GCSE in English and Maths. I was looking at online courses offered by Reed, and there are plenty.  Are they a waste of money? Would doing an 80 hour one be beneficial? I volunteered in an office decades ago, but all I had to do was answer the telephone. There was no other work involved, so my experience is practically zilch. Any suggestions? Thanks. ( I might one day become the world's oldest office junior) !!!

Bless your heart, Dramascientist. I wish you and your whole family the very best of luck and happiness for your futures x

I don't understand how a person can CHOOSE such and such a school or apprenticeship. What if that particular school or whoever doesn't want to take that person?