Picturesinthefirelight

Hi Katy!

I turn up everywhere don't I?

Dd has decided not to audition for Hammond and has been offered a place at a selective academic school

She will only take 9 (or 10 depending on double or triple science) GCSE's as the school feel that's all they need.

I can only comment as an audience member but there was quite a bit if contemporary dance in the Hammond end of year lower school show and it was if a high standard. The teacher was very good. I didn't get chance to see the upper school dance show.

Dd did the summer school last year and had done very little if no contemporary dance before. She really enjoyed it but obviously she's a lot younger.

We had a very similar schedule to taxi

Dd did 1 class each of tap, ballet & modern plus Saturday mornings at her theatre school doing drama, singing and jazz

She has now added an extra ballet class and we've applied for monthly rad associates. She now also regularly has show rehearsals.

She isn't RBS associate calibre but us serious about musical theatre.

When did you find out your dd had a place tulte. Dd is not at ballet until tues as she had a rehearsal today so wondering if we will find out then.

Dd applied last year but didn't get a place. She then got a lead in a show with Sunday rehearsals which clashed.

She has applied again and we are waiting to hear. She is Grade 3.

Does anyone know what Ted Baker products are like for sensitive skin. Dd is allergic to most children's stuff though she seems ok with adult make up. We've not tried bath products at all since she was a toddler and broke out south she bled.

Dh has brought duck breasts in. I can't touch it. Dd wanted me to cook some for her tonight. I CAN'T.

I want it OUT of my fridge.

Not sure that getting someone to cook would be that helpful. When I cook or prepare foods I don't like I am constantly washing my hands. Making one cheese sandwich. Will wash my hands maybe half a dozen times plus keep scrubbing chopping boards, knives etc. also the smell of certain foods cooking name me feel sick.

The worst thing is people fussing round you - just try it. You wish they'd just leave you alone. I always eat before going to a party/ wedding/ meal with friends

Cheese is my worst thing. The smell, sight, makes me feel sick. If I think anything has touched cheese u won't eat it. It took years to get myself to the point that I could make the children's cheese sandwich or sauce.

I'm also very suspicious of sauces in general.

Dd was mightily impressed with the lunches at Hammond on a taster day s d at summer school and dh who works there makes our kids really jealous when he describes the choice available compared to their rather awful sounding school lunches

I am a very picky eater almost phobic and totally understand the fear if being made to eat things. It prevents me going out for meals and as a child going on resudentisls

I'm sure at vocational schools there is a wide range of food available. Where I often fall down at places is ready made sandwiches with butter/mayo whatever. Dry bread and plain ham/chicken only for me!

Half ten was last week for dh but is this week for dd and ds

Totally agree. Dd hates pink but lives blue & turquoise. I emailed a co doing personalised pencil cases. One design had a funky dance logo on but was only in pink but the boy designs were blue and green.

They are offered by some employers as a salary sacrifice scheme do the value is deducted from your gross pay before tax & national insurance.

Brilliant.

I think the big difference between the performing arts and sport such as swimming is that in the former you bare your soul. You don't necessarily want people seeing the process that leads up to a performance - you want the freedom to take risks, to go wrong without an audience.

I remember talking to a mum whose dd was trying a class for the first time. She wasn't impressed as she had. Een watching a jazz class of 9-10 year olds. It was the first day of term after a show and they were beginning new except uses for the very first time. Several had just moved up into that class from a lower level and were attempting more technically difficult stuff. Of course they didn't get it right but the teacher gave encouraging corrections. I saw the same class a couple of months later and they had really progressed

The mum told me how she wasn't going to enrol her dd as she thought the teaching wasn't good ( her dd was age 5 by the way) as she used to dance herself. She then glanced across at the next class and said this is quite good though( a more advanced group of 12-14 year olds) who were quizzing through a quick jazz warm up it was a warm up they had done many, many times before. They were performing in a local festival the following week so the teacher wanted to get on with polishing up their routine

I know which group of children learnt more in those classes.

As a teacher (drama not dance) I wouldn't be happy with this. Young people should feel confident that they can take risks without feeling foolish. In the classes I run parents are welcome to watch twice a year. Once is the actual show and once is an open class for which the children are prepared in advance.

Parents who are interested in entitling their child are welcome to observe part of a class as part of a guided tour.

As a parent myself of a dd who dances I would live to look in on her classes but I won't. In fact I never even watched a class at her current ballet school as I trusted the reputation of her teacher.

Dh teaches at a vocational school NAND in the past has taught at other vocational colleges (voice not dance) and he agrees with this especially as students are often very nervous in his subject.

Last year in my area there was a huge discrepancy even in the same LEA as to Christmas break up dates. Dd broke up a complete week before her cousins.

Michelle being new on the board you won't have seen Fiz's previous threads where she was basically told that as an adult she was not allowed to perform in the show and by the way her classes were stopping whilst the rest if the school rehearsed for said show.

From what I gather the only problem with the new dance school is one of distance?

Anjuli has said many many times on various threads that as a ballet teacher she dies not reckoned anyone practising without a teacher due to the reasons outlined of ballet being do very technical and there being such a capacity to do damage.

Dd would definitely prefer not to do sport - lol- she hates it. Her current school is very sporty. I've had a prospectus and been told that Mr Alkins will be in touch. Thanks for your help.

It looks great.... There's just the slight issue of it being a lot more expensive than her current school & it's quite a bit further away. What's the entry standard like?

That's sort of what I'm after. A school that offers good academics do that dd could aim for university if she wanted to but where she could study dance drama & singing to a high level to give her the option of drama/mt school at 18 if she chooses that route.

The school she is currently headed for next year is an independent selective school but dd us a bit of an oddball there. A lot of the other kids don't understand her passion for performing.

My daughter wants to audition but I don't think her dance us strong enough. If only there was a musical theatre school close to us.

Some local authorities interpret the laws differently but in my area & the two neighbouring authorities licences are needed for rehearsals involving time off school.

Dd's show was subject to a spot check inspection. They came in on the wed lunchtime & inspected all the licences etc. I was chsperoning that day.

Otherwise yes most groups would try and get a body of persons.

True but Only if they are in year 12. You need a licence until the last Friday in June of year 11 regardless of actual age.