Legseleven

Yes, spannerandpony! The 'Ballet Shoes' illustrations and the descriptions of 'Wintle's Wonders' troupes from 'Dancing Shoes' ...!

Happymum, I really would try not to worry (far easier said than done, I know!) Your DD has chosen to do the summer school and to stay there and she knows that you and her dad will be staying close by - that will probably be an emotional crutch for her, in that she knows that you are near if she does need you. I am sure that she will be very well looked after by her peers and by older children and will have a ball! I know how you feel as my DD is also lacking in confidence, but the fact that your DD has chosen to be a residential student is a real plus. She herself obviously feels she can cope and I am sure that she will! Try not to let her see how anxious we parents get...;-)

I totally agree with spannerandpony and Pups_mum, although if it were my DD I would withdraw her from troupe (that sounds very Noel Streatfeild, doesn't it?!) and duet pieces for future festivals if clashes with associate classes were a possibility.

We have experience of the Yorkshire Assembly (York Scholars - apparently because it started as the RAD Yorkshire Scholars scheme?) summer school. It has a lovely atmosphere and they seem to have I would think at least half, if not a majority, of children who don't aim to attend a vocational school at any stage but who simply love dancing and want to spend 4 days doing just that. Equally I think there have been children from Hammond etc who have attended and they have announced places secured at I think Bird and Laines by some of the oldest students at the end of the display on the last evening. Brenda Last has taught ballet to the older/ more advanced groups (my DD thought she was wonderful) and Gill Caplan also teaches ballet. They also have great contemporary and jazz teachers there. A great plus is the beautiful setting at Queen Margaret's school, Escrick - very peaceful and very Hogwartsish buildings! Activities such as swimming in the indoor pool, discos, barbecues etc were planned for the evenings. Younger ones (up to 14 I think) share in dormitories of 4 and older students are in twin rooms. Friendships were easily made with dorm-mates and with classmates alike and you can request to share with a specified friend or friends, so your daughters would be able to share a room, dancetaximumx2 ;-)

DanceisLife, I so agree with you on most points! Loved Hugh Jackman full stop. I too found Anne Hathaway's descent into the underbelly of society rather too graphically depicted - certainly not unhappy that my 12 year old didn't want to accompany us to see the film....and while it was refreshing to see someone actually acting 'I Dreamed a Dream', unfortunately for me her constant bleating about having her hair cut off (which she chose to do) and losing weight for the part detracted in a big way. As a professional actress, paid an awful lot for what are often not particularly stellar performances (although she was very good as Fantine), doing what is necessary to play a part realistically is her JOB. Mind you, the constant whingeing paid off with her Oscar....;-) And Russell Crowe was a travesty; a teeny tiny singing voice for a big man and a resolute lack of emotion, even for 'Stars'. I did wonder whether he was acting as much as a statue to convey his character's 'heart of stone', but I think I was being too charitable. Mind you, his Thunderbirds style costume for the opening scene can't have helped him get into character, ha ha! This is possibly a better acting part than Valjean, though and he wasted it.

It may be that places become available for those on the SWL for mid associates more often than junior and senior associates, as some children offered places will choose to go to vocational school?

What wonderful news, if only! And a reminder that 'no' may indeed mean 'not now' - so impressed at your DD's tenacity!

I think Yorkshire Assembly will also clash then. I hope your DD enjoys Ballet West, it looks lovely!

Yorkshire Assembly, held at Queen Margaret's school near York - 4 days, children from 9 I think to ?17 (the younger ones share dorms of 4, older ones from 14ish are in 2 bedded rooms) - ballet, contemporary, jazz. Brenda Last teaches the more advanced/older groups, other teachers include Gill Caplan.

Good news, Dancer's Driver? (love the name, by the way ;-))

What a horrible thing for a so-called friend to say, Ecarte! It is undoubtedly because she is jealous of your daughter's offers. Unfortunately this does happen when people are successful - it happens everywhere, not just in the dance studio. The awful thing is that it takes all the joy out of successes. If your daughter is upset and feels unable to hold her head up high, could you perhaps ask her teacher to congratulate her publicly on her successful auditions and on her 2 DaDa offers and to mention that one was made before your financial circumstances were disclosed?

Thank you 2dancersmum, we will have a look for Adagio Alison as well then ;-)

Thanks Spanner - the mysteries of leotard sizing and shape continue.....

Congratulations to her, Julie! It's a great university and, I understand, a great veterinary course ;-)

I don't suppose it will matter that the Freed Alice C is an RAD regulation leotard, will it? I thought they just had a Freed label visible on them, rather than an RAD one? If so then I suppose it's only like my DD's Plume leotards which have their label on the strap. Did you find the Alice C is particularly short in the body, Spannerandpony? It seems odd to have a size 2 Freed leotard the same length as a different style of size 3 Freed leotard! My DD also has a short body and long legs so it may be worth trying for her if so. (Slightly off topic Spannerandpony - did your DD try the Freed Jane leotard at all and if so how did you find the fitting on that one?)

Wow Seagazer, were you in the first Central cohort? How amazing to be there at the very beginning!

How about 'We Both Reached For The Gun' - Chicago. One could be the puppeteer and the other the marionette, ie the Billy Flynn and Roxie characters, but it lends itself well to a duet for two girls. Or 'Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer' - Cats. JulieW, that is a great point. I know that musical theatre directors get tired of the latest 'in' songs, although I don't know what those types of songs would be in the context of song and dance routines for festivals. I would have thought that most songs from 'Wicked' would fall into that category if there is any similarity between MT auditions and festival routines?

Can't believe I didn't mention 'I Can't Do It Alone' from Chicago - a real song and dance duet for two girls! ;-)

I have never been involved in dance festivals so might not be able to be of much help, but from musical theatre knowledge, maybe 'America' from West Side Story (basically a duet for Anita and Rosalia with the PR girls harmonising in the choruses)/something from Wicked - maybe 'One Short Day (in the Emerald City)''/ Fiddler on the Roof - eg 'Matchmaker'/ Oliver! - eg 'It's a Fine Life', 'I'd Do Anything' (although that is really for a young boy and teenage girl) or even 'Who Will Buy?' / Guys and Dolls - one of the Hot Box numbers could be done as a duet/ 42nd Street - the title number, 'Young and Healthy' (really for boy/girl duet), etc / Sweet Charity - 'Something Better than This', 'If They Could See Me Now'.

That essay is just beautiful, Pups_mum. Thank you so much for sharing it.

Break a leg for your DD, smallbythesea! She will have practised with you and as picturesinthefirelight says that the accompanists are good, neither she nor you need worry; they will take their lead from your DD and make her as relaxed as possible. It can be really good to choose a less usual song; your DD will stand out and be remembered - and for all the right reasons I'm sure, as she had such good feedback and the offer of a place from her Tring audition ;-)

I very much agree that it's difficult to transpose at sight, picturesinthefirelight, which is why I was dubious about relying on the accompanist being up to it - if they are used to playing for auditions then it's possible, but certainly not a given. (does your husband teach at a vocational school? How lovely if smallbythesea's DD might be lucky enough to have him accompanying her ;-) ) I agree that the song is an unusual choice for a 10-11 year old - and it seems to be in D flat major, from the small copy of the first sheet I found online. Not many accompanists' first choice I should imagine! Are there any other songs your DD could choose, smallbythesea? It may be easier to get hold of sheet music for another song she knows?

Sheet music is not always in the same key as the number from the recording of the musical. Could you find the first sheet of the music online (or see if you can borrow the score of the musical from the library - or from a local musical theatre group?), then borrow a keyboard and work out by listening to the recording then playing the music whether it's in the same key? Is her musical theatre teacher able to assist? Or is there a music teacher at her school who could help? The issue you may find is that the sheet music is written in a key that is accessible for all levels of pianist, ie it's often transcribed to the easiest key for the pianist - which isn't always a good key or the easiest key for the singer. Depending on the song, it may still be comfortable for your DD in a different key, but she would need to practice so that she is confident. (If the key is similar, she may not even notice that it's different from the recording.) If the accompanist at the audition is experienced, they will be able to transcribe the sheet music to the correct key as they play it; but that means that you will need to find out what key your DD is used to singing in and then rely on the accompanist being experienced and musical enough to do that... It may also be worthwhile asking if any of the accompanists for your local musical theatre or operatic groups would be prepared to help, whether by transcribing the sheet music if necessary or by playing for your DD so that she is used to singing with a pianist. A tip for her is to tell the pianist how fast she would like them to play, if necessary by singing the first couple of bars quietly to them and to let the, know if she would like them to slow down, etc, at any point in song - and to remember that the pianist should, if experienced, follow her rather than expecting her to adjust to their preferred way of playing the song. That's a big ask for a lot of 10-11 year olds, which is why a short run through with an accompanist, if at all possible, would be really helpful! Perhaps her musical theatre teacher knows of someone, or her school music teacher.

Well, the shoes are actually Classic Pro 90s - so many similarly named Freed models! They have been approved by two of her teachers so we will see how she goes. The teacher who is also an international RAD vocational examiner has told us to use vamp elastic though...and the other still thinks that Gaynor Mindens may end up being the only way to go...but at least we have suggestions of other possibilities from you lovely people!

Oh no pastel, Gaynors have already been suggested but we would rather see whether any of the traditional shoes will work for her first..! What features do your DD's Gaynors have? Thank you for the vote for Freeds, spannerandpony. Is it necessary to be within reach of the Freeds store in London for the full Freeds service, do you think? I am assuming that their makers are London based and of course their full title is Freeds of London.