Lottie

Yes, thank you he has. When he started at Central in 2011 there were several young students from a non vocational background who had been to various associate classes and not just RBS Saturday classes. You can look through previous threads about Central as I've posted quite a bit over the past year or so.

Watching yesterday was lovely to see but tinged with sadness at this was DS last YBSS after 5 years of having a great time there. Like Seagazer's DS mine was from a non vocational background and YBSS originally gave him a chance to see what those from vocational schools were like and to live, eat and breathe dance for a week or two and to know that he wanted to go on to apply for 6th form to dance professionally (all being well after his 3rd year at Central, in this coming year). Margaurite said that YBSS would be moving 'down the road' in York but didn't say where. DS says YBSS will supposedly 10 mins or so from where it is now and to possibly accomodate more students but was not 100% sure,

If you camera has it then put it on sport mode as that helps for fast moving things I find.

A different company seems to have taken the pictures this year as in the past Ian McMillan Photography has done them. No password needed, as posted above.

Usually a pass-code goes up on one of the boards at YBSS with some photos that have been taken and then you can go online to access them.

I'm sure it would be fine to watch tomorrow. It's not as if you have to say in advance that you're coming.

This will be DS last year at York as he's gone since Year 9. RAD DVD - Last year DS had a letter from them asking him to go to an audition for the new RAD DVD's that have now been produced. He wasn't keen to go so didn't take it any further. We thought that RAD had asked him because he had achieved high marks in the Graded exams he'd done. They had got in touch with him through his old ballet teacher who passed the letter on to us.

In previous years there have been groups A, B & C. Group A are usually those aged 15/16 plus, Group B 12/13 - 16 'ish and Group C the younger group. Group B might be split into 2 as it can be quite large. I'll be there on the second Friday. Hope to meet some of you then.

Of course it doesn't compare to the cross stitch that I started before I even got pregnant with dd and she was 19 a week ago!! Mind you I have completed a few other cross stitch projects during that time. A similar thing for me as I have recently picked up a tapestry again this summer, after a 21 year break, that I only managed to complete about a quater of before my children came along! It's mostly green in colour as it's a cabbage and I need the summer light to work out which green to use where. Over half done now then it will be made into a cushion. I've given my Non-DD who is now 21, a tapestry to do as well as she wanted to have a go. It's the cauliflower that goes with the cabbage. (Kaffe Faucett)

Rules on bonfires. https://www.gov.uk/garden-bonfires-rules http://www.gardenlaw.co.uk/bonfires.htm

We have our chimney swept twice a year, in February and September due to the amount of soot there is, as we burn both coal and wood.

When DS spent his 16th Birthday weekend in 2011 having Central's final audition on the Saturday and then on the Sunday he took his Grade 7 Ballet exam.

When you spend years getting up at 5am on a Saturday morning to catch a train to London at 6am to get to Associate dance classes for a 9am start.

All4dancers - hopefully your daughter will recover well from this and congratulations to her for getting a first.

Non DD has just heard that she's got a 2:1 in Economics and Management from Royal Holloway University. All those years of hard work has paid off for her. She's got a Summer internship with Centrica at Windsor/Staines then she can have a break/holiday before applying for graduate jobs in accountancy.

We didn't use an official passport photograph where you can't even smile but I easily cropped a photo on the computer that I had taken on holiday to get a head and shoulder of DS looking good!

I don't believe that you have to a have a job contract in order to graduate from Central. They have a Graduation Performance/Ceremony on a Sunday in July where they dance their solos to those invited guests/parents. I haven't heard of dancers having to repeat the 3rd year unless it's been due to injury/illness. Someone might know otherwise. I also believe that the degree is the same as if you've studied at university and have not been told otherwise. It's a BA (Hons) in Professional Dance and Performance. http://www.cdd.ac.uk/ba-hons-professional-dance-and-performance/# Still waiting to hear about DS. He says they'll be told next week. It would have been good to hear this week to share his joy or disappointment together and to sort out course codes and finance details with Student Finance (England).

DS says, about his 3rd Year Audition, that there were 11 young men from Central's 2nd year auditioning and the class was taken by an external dancer, Kenneth Tindall. There were over 11 people on the panel watching which included the 1st, 2nd & 3rd year tutors and teachers and that he'll hear soon. 'There were more people watching than auditioning', were his words. We're not worried if he has to repeat the 2nd year as it will show that he's not ready for the 3rd year. Things happen for a reason. If he does go through to the 3rd year he will be one of those young one's with a degree at 19. There are several others of the same age as my DS in his year so it will be interesting how many go through to the 3rd year.

I've no idea. Looking at Ballet Central 2013 Company details there seem to be 10 young men and 20 young ladies. http://www.balletcentral.co.uk/thecompany.php

veryskint - at least you've had a text! I hope DS has his phone on this evening so can hear how it went. If not, then will have to wait until tomorrow when he arrives home for the week.

No one knows! We'll we don't. If & when I can remember how to PM you I will! Having a 'senior moment'.

Thank you. Have been thinking about these auditions today as DS is there doing them. DS doesn't know when or how he'll be told if his got into the 3rd year. Hopefully they will give more details today.

These UCAS points will only be useful if your daughter/son applies to a University that offers places on points eg.300 points and not on A level grades eg.AAB. It all depends on where you apply. Don't forget to put something about dancing in their personal statements as it shows thay do something outside school. 'These conditional offers are generally made based on: UCAS Tariff points qualification grades a combination of 1 and 2.' Have a look at: http://www.ucas.ac.uk/students/ucas_tariff/

on the day you take your small child to their first ballet class... that you would have had to say to your husband that our son has asked to go and is starting ballet lessons...waiting for his response when you told him. (I did have a knife in my hand at the time as I was chopping vegetables up and his reply was 'Oh, OK, why?').

About balletcoforum.com and all the great advice available here. That when your DC started their Associate classes where that road would take you both. That you'd be talking to your DS about dance belts and make-up.