Moomin

I would agree the money spent on a private physio (preferably dance specialist) is worth every penny as they are very thorough. I have Morton’s neuroma which is pain in a similar area but it’s not really responsive to physio, more about orthotics and padding the area etc. I had one very bad flare up and couldn’t walk for longer than 10 minutes without severe burning pain and was being woken up at night in pain (and I’m a deep sleeper!). In that case pushing through the pain just made it worse and because I was subconsciously walking differently because of the pain I had problems at the ankle etc too. I think you really need to find out what you’re dealing with but you may find there is no quick fix, it took more like 6 months plus of rest to get a big improvement for me. I wish I hadn’t pushed through pain initially as it undoubtedly made the recovery much slower!

It’s more like a demi- rond isn’t it as it doesn’t look like she goes to the back at all, and no beautiful back movement that you get in a renverse. Perhaps it doesn’t have a name, it’s just a piece of choreography!

Can do a renverse with grand round de jambe movement but you’re probably right with Italian fouetté!

Cecchetti runs grade 1-6 followed by IF. You definitely couldn’t work on IF in grade 4/5 or inter in grade 6. For example there’s double pirouettes in IF but grade 4 is the first time a proper pirouette is introduced. The exercises all build on each other from grade to grade so you really need to take them in order. The levels aren’t really comparable to the RAD as there is a lot more classical content. There are minimum ages but I think IF is 12 and grade 6 is 11, the syllabus used to be available on line

Yes sorry I meant to say that I cut them for soft shoes too but you can still line the ribbon up with the pencil line to give you the correct angle

i used this method for positioning the ribbons and it seemed to work just as well for flats. You don't need any elastic on them. In a pointe shoe sometimes the heel pops off because the sole resists bending but that doesn't happen in soft shoes. That size looks much better! The problem with satin is that you really can't get them with more than a couple of mm growing room

Are you wearing the narrow width (a) in the prolite? My daughters have had them and tbh I don't think they are that much less flattering than the split soles. Perhaps you need smaller/ narrower? I find the sizes on the large side

I have a 12.5 a in satin you could have but think they would be too small?

We've had Bloch satin in 1/2 sizes although I know they have reduced their range as they no longer do the 'a' width. She looks narrow, can the shop order the 'b' width? Or try and get an 'a'? Bloch also do a stretch stain which may be better? We've had the leather and satin from that range and the leather are shorter in length by at least 1/2 a size. Did she try the 13 on?

They look 1/2 a size too big to me. I think satin shoes tend to be a bit bigger than leather ones. The elastics are very far forward too!

Which Bloch can you get? although they have a number of different models here they are often sold out in various sizes, even at the Main Bloch shop!

Can you get Bloch pro-arch? They have mesh under the arch so hug nicely! I'd also check your width so that they are a neat fit

We find asics good and you can remove the insole and replace with an orthotic or just a thicker insole.

They are a capezio 4.5 which i think is more like a 2. I think they run small as my daughter has been in a size 6 since she was a 2 1/2 shoe. I can measure them if you like? They're the ones with the stretchy middle

I might have some in a 1 1/2

I've had a nice one from Bloch in the winter before now. Could she wear a small shrug? https://ids.co.uk/bloch-lydia-long-sleeve-shrug.html?sale

Is there a timetable somewhere for which additional classes are which days?

Yes I would get it checked. It certainly sounds like osteoarthritis (the blood test is for rheumatoid arthritis) or maybe even RSI related depending on your history. As people have said it's usually mainly treated with painkillers but you may be able to get other treatments like steroid injections into the joint. Also, there are loads of companies selling adapted tools/ implements for arthritic hands. I'd suggest you try and invest in some as it will take the strain off the joint. You need to cut down on the movements that cause pain and I feel sure there will be some sort of peeler etc to help you do this!

Also, some of these are 'styles' of ballet and some are syllabi. So Russian and cecchetti (which English ballet originated from) are styles of ballet to me rather than being solely a syllabus. the ones that are not teaching a specific style may update the syllabus more often. That can be a good/ bad thing depending on how you look at it. I find dancers who have learnt a specific style identifiable but I couldn't say I would look at for example, an istd imperial dancer and know that. Again depends on personal opinion whether this is good/bad

Maybe you could contact a range of teachers and ask if you could observe some of their classes? I wouldn't judge a syllabus by one particular teacher. A good teacher is a good teacher whatever method they teach imo and different people will prefer different syllabi. You'll hear most about RAD because that is most prevalent in this country, and the people who teach it will quite rightly believe in their method. Ditto the other syllabi. A good teacher will be aware of and incorporate different methods in to their own technique. and a number of teachers will have qualifications for more than one body. If you are Russian trained I think you may have a unique selling point that you could use to your advantage as it's more unusual here. There are loads of rad schools, might be better to offer something different?

Anything 1920s ish?

Yes standards are designed for children who only take one class a week. There's slightly less strict technique, the teacher goes in to the exam and takes the 'lesson' (not allowed to correct them though!), there are no questions or free work. They listen to 2 pieces of music and have to dance to them instead. Standard 3 isn't as high a level as grade 3

I think there might be some confusion with the other ISTD ballet. The cecchetti work is set apart from one jump sequence and one free enchainement in the exam and minimum age for grade 1 is 7. In my opinion grade 4 is well above the level that a 7 year old could do competently. For example they do slow lift and hold to arabesque, half grand rond de Jambe in the centre and pirouettes both directions. Standard 3 to grade 4 is a huge jump and I'd tell your daughter not to be too hard on herself. I tried to look up the syllabus online but it seems to have disappeared! I think there may be a minimum age to take the exam. Hopefully it will return to a grade 2/3 class in September and I'm sure she will be happier!

Also if you haven't got a copy of this book I'd get her one https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/cka/Creative-Successful-Dyslexic-Achievers-Share-Their-Stories/1849056536 there is a lovely piece written by Darcey bussell about her experiences.

Dyslexia does cause some problems with dancing and I think these are more pronounced in the grades rather than standards. For example, the working memory required to remember free enchainement and more complex exercises, greater need for changes in direction, more use of French vocabulary, greater need to listen etc. It may be that she is struggling but can't really articulate why! Perhaps it would be best for her to slow down a little for now? are the competitions she enters pre-prepared material? I think ballet auditions are particularly difficult for those with a slow processing time because of the need to immediately perform with no prep time!