sarahw

DIL When you say senior high school and getting into the dance stream what do you mean?

Great set up.

Yes I see that and agree it's not always so clear what is being done.

I suspect our town has a lot of dance schools per head and therefore smaller schools with less classes per grade. DIL which country are you in?

Yikes! I hate them. We lived in Aus for a while and I had problems sleeping- convinced they would come in bedroom etc. Spent months there walking in outback etc and never saw one in wild in the end!!!

I imagine that may be the case DIL. Your school sounds well set up for those continuing seriously as they get older. Most schools around us don't. I guess you have to have enough pupils continuing at that level to make it work financially. It seems to me that most teenagers around here do ballet only as a support to the modern and tap which they prefer. My dc loves ballet above all else but there aren't enough others like them to support the intensity of ballet classes you describe. DC would think they were in heaven at your school!!

I hope both dds are recovered soon - what a disappointing and stressful time for you all. So sorry.

Thanks for that. What is the difference between a grade class and IF?

This is a question which has arisen from the thread on RAD exams and age. I would be interested for your opinions on how many hours of ballet a week would be the ideal minimum for a 12 year old starting IF and who wants to retain the option of vocational training in the future. I know the answer is as long as a piece of string! !

Hi all Danceislife's set up sounds great. If you are at a dancing school that is unable to offer such a fantastic amount of teaching you are limited to syllabus only.

Hi Louise, I have kids that do both but am not an expert in either. I would say tumbling would benefit acro specifically but not very relevant to the rest of dance. However that doesn't mean I would rate tumbling as better or worse they are different. Both benefit kids hugely. Great hobbies. (Dc would kill me if knew had called dancing a hobby!!!!)

Sorry a bit slow on the uptake! ! My dd uses her nude body loads as well....

Katymac the link brought up a flesh coloured body leotard. ..

Hi grumpybearzuk Personally I wouldn't push her - it is likely she wouldn't dance her best if she didn't want to be at the audition. If you step back she may well change her mind- auditions go on after Xmas so no rush. Children get accepted every year at Elmhurst so it is never too late. The other issue in the longer term is that career opportunities are extremely hard to predict at 11 and will be tiny for most. Why persuade your child to go to an expensive school where academics may be affected due to dancing and career prospects are limited? I have personally only entered the audition process at request of dc. Wish they didn't want to! Finally she will almost certainly be sensitive to your current distress. So I would give yourself a break over this and put it on the back burner. Look after yourself, enjoy your daughter and her dancing. I found the whole process incredibly stressful and it must be awful to cope with in your situation. Hope you feel better soon. Xx

To be fair to Elmhurst however they did it someone would be unhappy! They were flexible as we know someone who moved group. But I agree with Angel that a combination approach of age/level may be better.

Hi Sorry I can't edit above for some reason. What I meant to say - as above looks as though I'm doubting Elmhurst's explanation. Is that in some cases I think individuals were maybe grouped not according to DOB.

My dc went and loved it - same last year. The group allocations were odd last year as well. Couldn't comment with certainty on if they were by DOB but knew enough people to doubt that. The staff are great, lovely atmosphere.

I would be careful about restricting a hobby a 9 year old enjoys because of a potential desire for a career in ballet. The chances of a career in ballet are so tiny for the multitude of reasons that are discussed here on a daily basis. Apart from anything else the majority of girls with a 'suitable' physique at age 9 will probably not have it at 18. Only a tiny proportion will still be skinny enough.

I haven't watched any of it but my impression from all these type of programmes is that talent or the level of performance usually loses out to 'entertainment'. It is good that performers such as Shannon and Peter enter but they must know on entering they are unlikely to win..... I can't watch these programmes for this reason- find them excruciating. ...

Congratulations aballetlife- what fantastic achievements. Your advice is very useful.

As a parent I think the quality of the individual teacher is most important. I would also expect them to have one of the major syllabus teaching qualifications. I am not a dancer so can't really comment on the quality of the different syllabi. My dc do BBO. When at Associates and on this forum most seem to do RAD. I guess this could mean that RAD produces the best dancers or maybe the best dancers or knowledgeable parents seek out RAD? I wouldn't change away from our fab teachers for another syllabus (although I would consider moving to get away from some of the awful BBO leotards!!!!)

Hi Lema, JA leotards are perfect- white RBS or royal blue Elmhurst- they will get you to wear them for their own auditions anyway....

If she is going into year 6 then yes audition for MA and WL. It's a good experience whatever the outcome. Northern MAs are Manchester and Newcastle.

Fantastic- kids are amazing at bouncing back aren't they? So pleased to hear that.

Hi We were advised coloured on the pale side for younger ones. They like belts as well apparently. You can go for a flesh coloured body underneath if reqd. If you have one already that does the job than use it. All the audition letters make it clear they don't want you to spend for the audition. Our uniform leotards weren't suitable so did have to buy. As an example we found the capezio 'princess' cami in white or pink did the job. DD very skinny. Used child medium age 10 and large age 11.