Lottie

Julie2Milner - Glad you managed to complete it. Just Ballet - How are you doing?

Julie2Milner - have sent you a PM

Took us a while to work out the nuns. Then is was 'of course, it's obviously that.' - which it wasn't at the time. Would you like an obscure clue from me? I can PM you so not to spoil it for others.

Yipee. We've completed all 75. Non DD has been home from Uni for a few days and we've spent a few hours during the past couple of evenings finding the stations. It's been good to spend time together doing it. Having a large scale print tube map helped as I was struggling trying to read the lists of stations from a 'normal' tube map and the print is too small for me! Is there anything else like that on the internet that anyone knows about?

DS was a slow eater for years and took ages to eat his food. When he was back recently for his 'half term' (only four days including the weekend ), he's now a faster eater compared to my husband and I. He still dislikes getting his hands messy when eating. It was really difficult getting him to eat finger food when a baby/toddler as he would look at his hands and get upset if they were dirty. Sorry - gone a bit off topic.

The Graze boxes are £3.89 for 4 snacks. You can say what you like and dislike, have deliveries on days to suit you and stop when on holidays. DS has them weekly as it's something to have quickly between classes, not too filling, easy to carry round and gives you a healthier option rather than a chocolate bar/crisps. Since leaviing home to be at Central last year DS now eats almost anything. When at the YMCA Barbican last year, where it was catered, the only thing he didn't eat again after trying it once was goat. He said it was too boney!

DS has been to Yorkshire Ballet Summer School for the past four summers, either for one week or two. Covering Ballet and Contemporary. Residential at St John's University with the classes onsite there as well. York can be less than 2 hours by train from Kings Cross. http://www.yorkshireballetseminars.com/

amazing!

Big virtual hugs to your daughter, yourself and your family. As Pepitacat said above - things can happen for a reason, you might not know what reason yet but one day you'll be able to look back and see why. It must have taken a lot of courage to have been so honest and open on this forum. I admire you for it.

Central's Dance Day in London is on Sunday 9th December 2012. Have a look at http://www.centralschoolofballet.co.uk/ddcourseoutline.php DS went when he was in Year 10 which gave him an idea of the place etc ready for those Post 16 auditions.

Thanks for posting the link.

Have a look at my comment on the thread 'Central School of Ballet', reply #10. (I'm afraid I don't know how to do a link across to that thread.)

Have a look at http://www.centralschoolofballet.co.uk/ddcourseoutline.php For information about their Dance Days.

DS is in Yr2 at Central. He has commented to me before that the boys in the year above him are possibly stronger in Contempory and the boys in his year are possibly stronger in Classical Ballet. So could vary from year to year. They have 6 lessons a week for Classical Ballet (Monday to Saturday), 3 lessons a week for Contemporary, 2 lessons a week for Pas de Deux plus see below for other types of lessons covered. Day starts for DS at 8.45am but has to be warmed up before lessons start so trys to be there by 7.45am and finishes during the week between 4.30pm-5.30pm or later. Plus any AS/A levels studied are worked in around all the dance lessons. DS seems to survive OK. Choreography Spanish Dance Pilates Jazz Dance Drama Dalcroze Eurythmics Singing Contextual Studies

In Year 10 my DS went to RBS, ENB and Central audition insight/Dance days and found them very good and as Pas de Quatre said 'helps by familiarising the students with the staff and the venues' so when it came to the actual audition days in Year 11 it was one thing less to worry about as we'd seen the places before. Do try and go to as many as you can. Advice seemed general and not one to one.

They wear these 'all in one knitted things' at Central, even the boys. They get them from Capezio. http://www.capeziodanceeu.com/eu/item_detailBC/3/Bodywear/24/Harmonie-knitwear/G00CS500/Jumpsuit

famcandance2 If you live out of London perhaps give them a call about shoes and sizes to save you a wasted journey. If they can't help you, ask them if they know anyone who might be able to help as they might be able to point you in the right direction. (pun not intended!)

Famcandance2 - have you tried Freeds in London? Years ago I was in their shop buying some leggings for DS and on the floor were some size 12 pointe shoes. We made some comment to the sales assistant about not realising that pointe shoes were made in large sizes and she said that a male dancer had been trying them on. I can't remember if someone else has already suggested Freeds before.

Our children have definitely not followed in our foot steps. We're both in the medical profession and non DD is at Uni doing Economics and Management and DS at Central.

At Royal Holloway I think that you only had to audition for the show, if you wanted a solo/duet part. I don't remember my ex DD having to audition for the classes but I could have forgotten what she said two years ago!

My non DD is at Royal Holloway reading Economic and Management and belongs to the Dance Society, amongst other societies, doing tap and modern and they have a show to raise funds once a year. Other styles of dance are offered. Perhaps you should ask at the Universities when you go to the Open Days that they have. Ask the students that you meet. We started going to these Open Days early, one in Year 11 and several in Year 12 to plan ahead and not leave it all to the last minute and have to rush things, plus having to arrange days off work. Look on line at each University that your daughter is interested in and see when the Open days are as they seem to have them about the same time each year. Good luck. PS Pups_mum. Even though Royal Holloway is a London University it's just outside the M25 near Windsor/Egham/Staines and it is quite a small and compact campus. Daughter loves it there. London Universities don't all have to be in the centre of London.

Have a look at Dancing Boutique. You can always ring them up for advice, if needed. They seem to have a choice of leather, satin and canvas full sole ballet shoes - depending on what your school wants to be worn. DS wore the 'soft canvas full suede' (in white) by Bloch from them when at London Junior & Senior Ballet. They wash well in a normal wash and you can stretch them out when damp with a tea towel or something similar. We found the Freeds Aspire from the RAD shop did not survive long! http://www.dancingboutique.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=4&Itemid=4

Done. £10 seems the right amount. I get a lot of good information from this site so I'm happy to pay £10 to go towards keeping this site open. Come on everyone else, please try and donate something, if you can.

There is also Yorkshire Ballet Summer School to look at as they ask for 'students to have passed their 10th Birthday ...', if you were looking for a residential summer school. An application form, copy of last exam report and photo are needed to apply. (Plus deposit) Lots of students attend from vocational schools and some from non-vocational schools, who all go for a week or two. DS, who was non-vocational at the time, went for one week to begin with just to see how he danced compared to those at vocational schools. Then for a couple of years he went for two weeks. It gave him the confidence to apply for 6th form and is now at Central. http://www.yorkshireballetseminars.com/

Hope you are successful in finding something suitable and within budget. You'll have to tell us what you found and what it was like!