Picturesinthefirelight

Here's hoping your dd too is able to fulfil her dreams Katy. I will be watching her story.

I shouldn't say this as they'll all sell out before we have chance to sort dates etc but the premier inn nearby has family rooms for £30 that week.

Have a feeling the other one is same week that dd leaves junior school & final stagecoach show.

Which one? I'd like to see Millie.

I just want to say how incredible it is that strangers on the Internet can offer such wonderful and practical help and advice You're all fantastic. And I hope to meet some of you in person soon too. In the last two years I have learnt do much and received so much encouragement for dd's aspirations. Many of you might know that she has dreams to become a Musical theatre dancer/singer. After initially deciding not to audition we began to think why not, let's give her the chance rather than us for and tell her oh we don't think your ballet is strong enough yet. Anyway she obviously pulled out all the stops and starts vocational school in September. Thanks folks - despite all our experience & knowledge in drama & singing we wouldn't have done it without you.

Dd breaks up on 5th July! However in the next county to us done schools still have a 2 week half term so they break up at the end of July. Most schools are 19th.

We tried a gymnastics club about a year ago but they arnt interested in helping dancers as they have a 2-3 year waiting list for places. She is 11 I wouldn't know how to go about seeing a physio. She hasn't got an injury or any pain as such but following an audition was told this was the area she needs to work on.

Dd has been told she needs to work on her flexibility between now and September. She is pravtising the stretches she does in jazz every day plus a couple of others she has been shown but swerve not sure she's doing them long enough etc. I think she needs more of a structured plan. I've tried to look into a DVD but it needs to be for dancers. The bottom of her back is quite tight and her legs arnt naturally flexible. Everything at her dance school is on wind down to the show in July. We've arranged sone private ballet lessons but they don't really do much stretching in ballet. Does anyone have any recommendations , also she needs to keep this up over the summer alongside extra ballet.

Just in case I gave the wrong impression when I stretch dd I have been told she has to get into the position and stretch them I have to push her back a fraction (she tells me when) and hold her there She's nowhere near splits yet.

Oh dear at the moment I'm that mother stretching my daughter (though never ever at an audition ). She has been told that she has to work on flexibility over the summer though and given specific excercises and they have to be fine every day without fail. This week she's been performing in a show 2 shows a day so we've been doing them in the dressing room. But I veer off topic Lots if well wishes to those suditioningvsnd that description of the day complete with nosebleed is one of the best things I've read for ages.

He's going into year 7 isn't he? That really surprises me that's its that late. We have an electronics free time from 8pm with lights out at 8.30pm. Dd is 11 and in year. 6.

I believe that is correct. I know someone who had to move from Ballet Wst to Central to complete their degree as the validation was removed. Don't know all the ins and outs of the situation.

No, there are no dadas for the foundation courses as you have to be enrolled on the trinity diploma for a dada. I know more about the acting/MT ones than he dance though. Most people I know who have gone on them are already 18 and done A Levels or btec level 3.

The one year foundation courses I think the op means are not btecs and in most cases you don't end up with an actual qualification other than an internal diploma perhaps. It's courses such as these http://www.birdcollege.co.uk/courses_prevoc.php LIPADiplomainPerformingArtsDance.aspx http://www.mountview.org.uk/performance/foundation-musical-theatre.html

There is usually no funding for foundation courses so full fees are payable.

Foundation courses are for those who show potential but are not yet of the required standard for the three year diploma or degree course. They are quite common in acting and musical theatre courses where students need to mature a bit rather than dance where its best to start younger - though there are some dance ones. They aim to prepare you to audition forcthectheatee full 3 year course.

We do pay £7 per lesson but its free to attend a 2nd ballet class. The pianist is there on Saturdays but not always in the week. She's been the dance school pianist for years and years and years.

You have to be 7 years to take Grade 1 and 11 to take Grade 6

At dd's school they have a pianist most weeks.

Dd has spent a lot longer on this Grade and the teacher also recommended the Grade 4s who were the last cohort to take Grade 3 on the old syllabus take the Grade 3 class slongside Grade 4 as the syllabus is harder. Because of their biannual show they will be doing the exam in the autumn. She took Grade 2 two years ago.

Where you have to queue up in the street outside the theatre.

MT is Musical Theatre.

It wouldn't happen with ballet for dd as they do RAD but she always takes Modern & Tap together.

I've seen it happen in an 8 year olds drama class! Bendy kids like to show off. The worst offender was a freestyle girl. Dd does tend to warm up before auditions as she's used to MT auditions where there are no warm ups. She's not very flexible and so has been taught a routine to help by her jazz teacher. It starts with jogging in the spot then some floor stretches wirh one kwg bent behind then bending forward and only ends e with her seeing if she can get any further in the splits. There's more involved but I can't remember it all.

I doubt it. All her friends have tights. Only the little primaries and grade 1s wear socks