Frogsmum

From memory, there were 3 groups of girls at finals last year- approx 15-20 in each group

I would totally agree with the other posters about Woodside and Ballet Boost

Try 'Sportscover Direct' which has been recommended by Moneypenny on another thread. They cover ballet specifically. www.sportscoverdirect.com

Woodside Dance Retreat is on Sat 25th Aug. They usually do 3 days, or you can do 6 days to make the week. It's in Kent and is residential. DD has done this and loved it.

Thanks Moneypenny. This is v helpful.

Any suggestions for brokers/companies who will insure a student travelling to an overseas Summer School unaccompanied? AXA and Post Office and a few others I've tried from the suggestions will not cover dance and/or travel without an adult.

She is astonishing! According to a recent article on Australia's ABC News, this young lady trains for 40 hours a week.

Demi pointes/Pointe shoe fitting (North East) By Sarah2203, December 27, 2016 in Doing Dance The above thread was started last year - may be of use. Sorry, not sure how to do the link properly!

Hi TwoLeftFeet Welcome to the forum! I know very little about ballet training in Ireland, but have some understanding of the education/Leaving Cert process. It looks like your DD is 14 and in the UK would currently be in Year 9. Year 10 and 11 are the GCSE years, so if you were looking to send her to a UK school, then she would most likely have to start in Sept 2018 (Year 10). There are often a few places available for year 10 - see the thread regarding breaking in to Yr 10/11! Is your DD set on a classical dance, or a broader range? You could consider schools such as Elmhurst, Tring, Hammond and Royal for year 10, which will offer a good education, dance training and there will be accommodation in a residence hall. However the audition process has already begun, and in some cases, applications may already be closed, so you would have to start now. To be honest, it is very difficult to get into a dance school in year 11. Alternatively she could complete her Junior Cert, and you could try for post 16 training in Sept 2020. There will be a lot more choice of schools available and this forum has a huge amount of info on the upper school threads. You don't say where in Ireland you are located or how much training/style your DD is currently doing, but I would try and make sure she has access to the best teachers you can find over the next 2 years - most likely Dublin or Cork in the south (I don't about the north). Could you also consider an associate scheme in the UK, where she may be able to come fly/rail over on a weekend to London, Leeds, Birmingham, Manchester to access more specialised ballet training? Although there are more choices post 16, bear in mind there will be an awful lot more competition for places, so good training now is very important. If she decides to do her Senior Cert as well, then you could look at training post 18 - again a wealth of info on the site about training then. Friends who are going through the education system in Ireland, highly, highly rate it, and as a dance career can be very difficult, I wouldn't underestimate the value of good qualifications. Everyone on the forum is really helpful, so ask away if you have more questions. I hope this helps a little.

I'd recommend Lucy Haith, owner of The Body Conditioning Studio in Gamlingay, near Sandy, Cambridgeshire. Details all on her website and the number is 07957 288 759. She was the Royal Ballet company physio for a number of years. DD has been to her studio on a few occasions and found her to be excellent.

Can highly recommend this Summer School (and also the Easter course). Teaching is really excellent, and DD has learnt a lot with regard to performing.Sarah makes it fun, but they do manage to pack a lot of dancing in and the performance at then end is so lovely.

Sarah Toner School of Ballet are running 'Back to Ballet', plus yoga classes in Highbury 10am - 1.30pm Mon 28th Aug til Fri 1st Sept. The Mon is optional as it's a Bank hol. There is a website and Facebook page

Pleasure to meet you too Janet! I have to say, I was blown away by the performance yesterday afternoon in Norwich. Janet and Jacqueline have already left far more eloquent reviews than I could ever hope to write, but just to add that you won't be disappointed Fonty, and I would encourage anyone who hasn't yet got tickets to go and see it. I love the fact that NB take risks, and show different styles. The set and lighting are so clever - simple, but you literally feel as if you're in a cathedral with the huge columns, and the beautiful glass mirrored doors of Casanova's apartment give a real sense of how lavish it is. The costumes and wigs were amazing and I thought every dancer gave it their all. Dreda Blow was particularly moving. I sat in the front row, and it was great to see the orchestra, and it wasn't too loud at all - maybe different acoustics in different theatres....

Really looking forward to the production today in Norwich!

Agree Sarahw!, Mind you when we were 18 it seemed such a laugh, and I remember the old N22 Putney night bus very well! Couldn't do it now though!!