JulieW

The Bolshoi seem to be looking for a particular "look" (along with the ability to be trained of course) - the schools in the UK are also looking for the right physical attributes, but have more of a variety of shapes and sizes to a certain extent. They're all looking for students who they can train to be employable ballet dancers at the end of the day. (But having also just watch the YouTube clips I'd say that that's the kind of standard you need to be for any of the top school's whichever country they're in)

Haven't got time for a comprehensive reply so I'll come back another time - but just wanted to say that the entry details for YBDY won't be available until the end of the year (if my memory serves me right). Someone at the RBS upper school organises it.

Just been investigating the Parents Area - so much easier to find stuff you're looking for than having to keep old emails!! Shame we're leaving

It's case sensitive by the looks of things Kathy

Meant to say that although neither hubby or I danced - he's got great strong feet and good turnout which both of them inherited (and the musicality). I always fancied doing tap when I was a child but our local dance school would only let you do other dancing if you did ballet, and there was no way you were going to get me to do that (I was always a bit "dumpy" and the only girl I knew who did ballet, was quite stuck up!!)

Two different but related stories for my two dancers (there was a third but he only danced because the others did, and despite being really good at tap, gave up when he was about 12). DD start ballet at 3, just really because it was an activity to do. My sister-in-law owned her own dance school at that point (not locally) so I asked her advice and she told me to look for an RAD school, which I did, and found one only a 10 minute walk away (and we're still there 14 years later). We're all fairly musical in our house, and she took to dancing quite easily. Even as a very young child, she always looked more like she knew what she was doing when they were on stage than some of her friends . She was asked to do a ballet solo at 7 and around that time she also took up tap and modern. Went on to be an RBS JA, but then hit puberty and that was that. Has carried on with festivals - does groups and solos (and occasionally duets) and used to spend almost every night at the studio (but only a couple of nights now!). DS used to quite enjoy watching dd dancing so I gently tried persuading him over time to give it a go. We went to see Cats and he said he wanted to be able to dance like the men in that, so I again mentioned the idea of ballet, and soon after he saw RB do Nutcracker and thought the children looked like they were having fun, so he decided to give it a go (he was nearly 8 and dd is 16 months younger than him). Joined his sister in a Grade 1 class, took his exam almost straight away; moved up to Grade 2 and took his exam very quickly (before his sister); somewhere in all this the teacher suggested he tried for RBS JAs. I'd never heard of it, but off we went - didn't get in for year 4 but got in off the waiting list the following year. He LOVED JAs (fortnightly) and after being persuaded to audition for a part with the RB in Cinderella (I think I had to bribe him - he was always wary of new things at that age) there was no turning back. He loved being on that stage . Did Sleeping Beauty the year after and also danced with NYB - he really loved dancing at Sadlers Wells with them. It was a steep learning curve all the time as everything was new to me. We did know someone with a daughter at WL, so she gave us a little advice along the way, and I met a lovely man at the RB rehearsals who had two daughters at WL, so a friend and I used to take him for coffee (or wine, depending on the time of day) and grill him about it all. So all a lot of luck really - no grand plan - we just enjoyed each step as it came. I am eternally grateful to his teacher who suggested JAs - he'd never be where he is now if that hadn't happened (unless you believe in fate I suppose).

Apart from a few people on here I don't know anyone who has done Advanced Foundation - it takes quite a long time to learn Advanced 1 so personally I think the time's better spent doing that, but I suppose if you took Intermediate at a very young age it would make sense to put Adv Found in between

Fortunately our girls wore blue at the time Josh started (good job too, my dd hates pink!) so that didn't put him off

Make her pay for them....

Lots of dd's friends do panto - they have a great time and audition (and usually get in) year after year, but it does require quite a big commitment with rehearsals and performances at a time of year when we like to be chilling out with the family.

Beware of Birkenstocks (depending on what's wrong with your feet). I used to love them but had to stop wearing them due to quite bad plantar fascietis. I swear by my "Fit-flops" - expensive but worth every penny.

It has been talked about, but it's very hard to be allowed the "Royal" part of a name. Hopefully in the future.....

I'll ask him whether they've been given any "official" exercises, but he's done lots of press-ups (I have noticed they do those in every class), free-weight work, and he has a pull-up bar in the flat. I think he was given exercises to do while he was off dance last year. And it's important that they work on their core muscles too.

From a purely personal perspective I'm convinced my ds would not have done as well as he has without going away to vocational school at 11, but that's mainly because our options for boys' teaching would have been extremely limited at that stage. If I'm completely honest, he wasn't one of the most naturally talented students (although I do have to remind myself that he did go to WL for 3 years, so he's not bad ) so it's taken great training and a lot of hard work for him to achieve as he has. One of his friends who he's graduating with started school with him at 11, but left very soon after, but then joined them again for sixth form and has a great contract, so it's very individual isn't it. As for partnering Aileen, ds did virtually none (especially no lifting) until the end of year 11 and it has been gradually built up through sixth form. Partnering seems to be his forte as he has great upper body strength, but that's because he's had trouble with his lower legs for a couple of years so he's been concentrating on his upper body My dd is 17 and she's never had an opportunity to any partnering as they haven't got any boys at her school (she's not going to be a dancer, so that hasn't been an issue).

Perhaps we get more for being "staff"

You're staying in your 18 year old son's flat, when you exclaim "Oh no, I've left my make-up bag at home" and the reply comes from ds in the next room - "That's OK you can borrow mine"

I have boys' leather character shoes in various sizes to sell. If you would like details please contact me and I'll go and rummage in my box of stuff!

I agree with the above - I think having your appendix out consitutes special consideration!! Don't leave it there

Thanks for keeping us updated - we're all behind you and your girls Good luck for the next bit....

Wasn't there a whole thread on the use of split soled shoes in RAD exams? Too tired now - will have a look tomorrow if I get the chance (dance showcase so might be a bit busy )

One of our friends from Elmhurst is in NEBT with a couple of others we know from other schools. They and BTUK seem to be doing well at the moment - should definitely start a new thread with some reviews (not in the "doing dance" forum)

That's true Gingerbread - we'll keep it here - but we might consider a "spin-off" forum from Doing Dance depending on demand. Incidentally - for anyone interested - there is a "group" on Facebook called "Dancewear to buy or sell" - which you might find useful. I don't know whether you need to be added by someone, but worth a look.

I've got chatting to many a ballet parent by spotting the girls..... Good luck everyone

That's exactly why we never went to him! And now her feet have stopped growing she barely does any pointe work and found a comfy pair of Grishkos so we'll stick with them

Absolutely agree with the idea that the very flexible students (and especially if they're properly hypermobile) should be doing strengthening exercises, not trying to further increase their flexibility. I've seen lots of hypermobile students at vocational schools who have had to work really hard to improve not only their core strength but general strength to be able to hold their turnout for example (my own dd has wonderful turnout but has never been any good at holding it - we've not bothered about it too much as she's not destined to be a dancer, but would definitely have gone to a dance physio if she was!). They need to work hard on their weight placement and my ds tells me it's a completely different kettle of fish doing pdd with a hypermobile partner