Kat09

Thank you to all - so many lovely messages of support . This is a special forum - keep treating each other with kindness - I will be dropping in from time to time - maybe my addiction is balletcoforum 😛 xxx

4 minutes ago, Harwel said:

Thank you @Kat09 for sharing such a personal experience.  The dance world is tough and cruel and I am so sorry your dd had to experience it at its worst.  She is certainly not alone and with the support of a loving family she will again find her passion and regain her self esteem.  

 

I picked up a very distraught boy from school last week - heart breaking - I was all prepared to cut ties with dance on the spot but today he is back at school as he insisted.  I am on very high alert!! 

Thanks Harwel - high alert is a horrible place to be especially over an extended timeframe - I hope that all settles quickly for your lovely son xx

Spacy ❤️

Thank you 💕

6 minutes ago, Billyelliott said:

Thank you so much for sharing Kat09 - it’s so hard to listen to the realities of the vocational dance life and every experience shared helps us as parents to be prepared ....... even if we want them to live their dreams ........we have to keep our eyes and ears wide open!

Keep your eyes and ears wide open and prepare to do battle (and not be popular) if you have to - ultimately be prepared to walk away if your concerns fall on deaf ears and your dc are continuing to struggle.

3 minutes ago, angel said:

I wish so much that I could have talked to people like us, at the beginning of this journey and been open minded enough to believe how absolutely gruelling vocational training is and how damaging it can be to young minds and family relationships.

 

I wouldn’t have listened 😕  

I think we naturally are so proud and want to believe so much in the dream - it’s hard to walk in with open eyes and see the ugly side when there is so much beauty all around ,and, when your child has so much talent and beauty it is human nature that you will think that they will fly however hard it is .

i would love to roll back the years,  oh the benefit of hindsight!!

i hope that others can learn from our experience and know that each individual is following their own path which might be totally different to the child standing next to them at the barre.

Thanks Angel - what a path we have travelled together xx

Thank you for your good wishes Jan and for the link - technology so not my forte x

4 minutes ago, mimi'smom said:

I feel broken hearted reading both this post and your daughter's blog - she inspired my own dd hugely one summer school and we are both so very sorry she did not receive the support she so deserved. What a brave and resilient young lady she is and I know without doubt that her blog will help and support so many young dancers and encourage them to put their health, both mental and physical, above everything else. 

Wishing you both happiness and inner peace xx

Thank you so much and all good wishes to your daughter

It’s. Been a privilege and pleasure to be a part of this forum for the last 5 years. I’ve been from the trepidation of auditions for US, the thrill and pride  of acceptance into prestigious Ballet schools for my daughter and the absolute despair as the dream crumpled and fell away from us. Thank you all for sharing insight, wise words and for some (you know who you are) broad shoulders and comfort for me to cry on. 

I sign off with a blog post from my beautiful daughter for whom the path was just too difficult. She fell as many do however her fall could have had a softer landing had those who had responsibility for pastoral care taken their responsibilities seriously.

if you have a child away from home please follow your intuition and gut instinct - you will know your child far more than any school - never doubt yourself.

i wish all of you and your dancing children nothing but joy as you follow your paths 

best wishes

Kat

https://instagram.com/p/Bjifth2AvJA/

10 hours ago, anaballerina said:

These experiences coupled with the great all round training I have received over the three years I have been here gave me the confidence going into company auditions this year and just this week I received an offer of a contract from a UK company for next season. I have achieved more than I ever thought I could and have been pushed and encouraged to fulfil my potential even when I believed that I didn’t have any. 

 

Congratulations!! I'm absolutely thrilled for you xx

27 minutes ago, ArucariaBallerina said:

...... It was a no  the lady on the phone said "well, if it makes you feel better we'll put her on the waiting list but don't hold out much hope."

I don't expect to get in but ballet really is cruel sometimes. I've had 4 Nos and no Yeses yet this year 😓 Beginning to think that however hard I work and how much I love it I will never be successful. But at least I have Associates and my EYB audition this weekend . Thanks everyone. I am going to book a week at OPES and try to find another nice and small but good quality SS.

Have a look at Ballet Cymru -you'll love it

Only my opinion, as our problems surfaced much later, but if his emotional well being is being compromised by being away from home , maybe bring him home, let him continue to dance locally and with an associate programme and look to going away again at 16 ,when he will be more mature and possibly more in a position to know that this really is the life that he wants. Best of luck with it all.

We know of a recent Laine  graduate now dancing in 42nd street - the more versatile  the dancer , the more chance of work. Classical contracts are like gold dust whichever school you graduate from.All the best and congratulations to your daughter.

sorry - not needed

It would be interesting to hear if anyone has experienced excellent/supportive pastoral care within the UK vocational system .... 

5 hours ago, Sadielou said:

It is about time the boat was rocked and the authorities that be, are made aware of what is going on. It is wrong on so many levels, from first selection onward. 

It's knowing how and where to rock the boat and not to be a lone voice crying in the wilderness ..... 

If any of you are lucky enough to be within striking distance of this amazing  opportunity please do seize it .... Emma offers an environment and approach that will allow your DD/DS to flourish and achieve their potential - Emma will have total belief in your child - imo that is far more important than the Kudos of  attending  a big name ballet school, where you, the parent, is a lone bye stander to the regime your child has signed up for, where your child  might be struggling physically/mentally without you ever knowing ....  before it's too late..

As a parent, I come  across Emma when my DD needed help - It is my belief that had my daughter met Emma and trained with her from an early age, then she would now be following the career that she dreamed of.  I cannot recommend her or this opportunity highly enough.

Wishing you the very best of luck Emma - it is your time to shine..

22 hours ago, John Mallinson said:

Any particular date/cast/price?

thanks John - yes that would be useful     This Friday, 17th

SCS or Amphitheatre - looking for 2 tickets please

18 hours ago, Dancing2003 said:

Hi Balletbean,

DD is very much wanting to stay on the classical ballet route, so ENBS will be on our list, but it’s going to be a very long and hard journey, trying to gather as much information on courses/pastoral care and funding.

 

How about your dd, is she doing auditions now? 

 

Have sent you a pm Dancing2003

20 minutes ago, invisiblecircus said:

I don't know when her birthday is but she might be less than a year younger than some of the other students who will have only just turned 16 when the autumn term starts. Even 16 is very young to be living independently in a foreign country, or even in your own country!

 

In the article I read it stated that her parents will be moving to the UK to support her ... 

Reading this blog has catapulted me back into the nightmare that is vocational school , when things go wrong ..... more wine needed !!

if this is still available I'd love to take it

I would definitely go look and attend an open day - Paul , Ray and Gail are wonderful people. Your dancers will be in good hands both technically and most importantly the pastoral care is strong.