All4dancers

When we visited Dancia in December, the fitter, who was obviously experienced and was in fact training another assistant tried to sell my dd a pair of pointes that were clearly not a good fit. She said to the girl she was training, "well they're not completely ideal, but that's about the best fit you'll get on her". When I said that I wasn't really happy with them, she asked dd if she had considered wearing more padding! We left without buying the shoes. My older dd however, was served by a different fitter and was quite happy.

In the age of transparency in exam marking etc meaning people can see which areas they did better on/worse on it would surely be useful to know these? Or do the schools still want to keep an 'air of mystery'?!? the assessment was very clear and was in the following format, each criteria marked out of 5 with 1 being the highest. There was also a comment section that outlined strengths and areas of improvement. Approach to work: commitment, progress Artistic skills: technique/use of muscles/posture, projection/expression/dynamics, musicality, co-ordination/head and eye-line Technical skills: adage, use of feet/footwork, pirouettes, allegro Edited to say sorry I don't know how to quote using my iPad!

Just to let you all know, you now need to book an appointment to have a pointe shoe fitting at Bloch.

I completely agree Billyelliot. For me the biggest shock was the cost of travel every few weeks I think I had just about accounted for everything else.

I was told it was a standard fee of £25 last year. However when the Dr found out the school was very near where she herself had grown up, she only charged us £15.

You don't actually have to sing a solo for Hammond. Someone who was in my dd's year didn't feel comfortable enough. It's worth ringing for a chat.

I love reading all these posts. This time last year it was us. Dd loves the Hammond and is doing so well there xx

Have pmd you Chaperone.

My dd has just been accepted for their spring course. Very exciting!

dd is in Y9 and although has a couple of modern and tap lessons a week, has more ballet in place of pilates and stretch. I don't think any of the schools do pure classical ballet all the time, I am sure (although I am happy to be corrected) even WL do National dance. I think dancers need to be very versatile today, even if their heart lies with classical.

Just to say that my dd is primarily a ballet dancer and I feel the ballet training she is getting at the Hammond is excellent. She has absolutely no interest in musical theatre and goes to vocational school purely for the dance.

I know someone currently on the pre-voc course at LSC and she told me that they were told around 75% who apply are taken on the degree course. However, she said it's a much smaller number at similar schools.

My worse day was yesterday. When I left for work in the morning, dd was snuggled in bed asleep. When I got home, she had gone. Four weeks seems an awfully long time right now, but even though it's hard, I'm happy she is away at school. Trying to keep her here with me would be like trying to hold on to a butterfly.

Have sent you a pm Fiz x

£4.50 for 45 minute class here too.

Dance uniform is washed daily, so dd easily manages with 2 ballet and 2 modern uniforms and has a separate leotard for Saturdays.

My dd started having ballet lessons on her 9th birthday!

Our Council now no longer provides the free monthly 'three large items' collection and charged £90 a couple of years ago. Goodness knows what they would charge now.

My dd has had both. She is now in full soles and says it really makes no difference to her dancing.

I had to smile to myself yesterday, as first I had a phone call from my 13 year old at vocational school who was feeling a little bit down, then 5 minutes later a phone call from my 20 year old at uni, who was also a little bit down. The reason it made me smile was that they were both upset about exactly the same thing. To me, it doesn't matter how old they are, they still need me when they're down.

That's fantastic!!! Congratulations xx

Well done to both your daughters!

This is the first year my dd has a pair of school shoes that I have to hide from her for fear that she will wear them out before school even starts! They are Start rite patent brogues from the 'Angry Angel' range.

My dd (also year 8) was moved to A2 for the second week as it was felt that B group was not challenging her enough. She was one of the youngest and also one of only a very few that were non-vocational. I think she was a little over-whelmed on the first day in A2, but by the time I watched her in the morning class on the last day, she was certainly holding her own. I think it's hugely inspiring to be dancing with children who are more able than them. My older dd went in the middle of the week and watched her sister in a pointe class, where she felt that the length of the class was the biggest challenge as she normally only does 30 minutes max.

I've also found a few pictures of my dd now not particularly action shots, but beautiful artistic poses. Kiwimum6, I think YBSS should perhaps come with a warning - it's addictive!