meadowblythe

Lin

Thank you for posting the original notice for this.  Have just received a photo of a very starstruck DS with Sergei.  It was an early birthday present from me, and I don't think there was a single thing I could bought him that would have given so much pleasure.

Hoglett

I suspect there are plenty of us who know, deep down, although our children may have a career in dance, the chances are they may never dance in the very top companies.  Speaking personally it doesn't lessen the joy I feel when I see my son dance, or make his wonderful life experiences  any less exciting.  Yes, you may need to think outside the box a little, and take a route less travelled, but it is still a journey worth taking.  

My favourite ever sports day quote ... after the father's race, a friend stood up and at a volume Lady Bracknell would be proud of, announced, "see, I've been telling my friends for years you are no good in the sack .."

surprisingly they are still together ..

I am making costumes for our school show, and am after a unitard or tights for Lumiere (Beauty and the Beast).  In an ideal world, a grey long sleeved unitard for a 5 foot 11 slim male.  If you've got size 11 (male) shoes, so much the better!

Condition doesn't matter at all ..

1 hour ago, taxi4ballet said:

The dance world goes out of its way to encourage boys to dance, one of many examples being the title of this thread.

I originated this thread.  You will note my original post also highlighted the positives of girls being offered cricket coaching.  However, this is a ballet and not a cricket forum which is why I came up  with that title.  You will also note that, despite the encouragement, only 1.8% of exam entries are from boys, which would suggest that despite all the encouragement, there is still work to be done.

As a pianist but not a dancer I am in total awe of this unknown teacher.  I can't even manage the pedals on the organ - musicalDD and I play it as a piano duet instead ....

The idea of dancing and playing the piano has just blown a few fuses in my little brain.

I do remember one of the EYB males saying he had to go en pointe to teach to advance 1/2 standard - I think - it may have been a long time ago.  Isn't it interesting that females can teach males to higher levels without comment?

Interestingly, I was thinking more of the practicalities of a male teaching presumably a largely female class, and the stigma had completely passed me by.  I was thinking more of issues around handling (for want of a better word) girls.   But that's as the parent of a dancer who has grown up in a very supportive village.  

I think we may be getting clues as to why so few male teachers!  Other than not enough taking ballet to a reasonable level to start with.

The teaching is a funny one isn't it?  I suspect my DS will go down the fitness/gym route later, although teaching (non dance) is in his blood, and he would be very good at it.

what are the particular challenges that male ballet teachers face?

Definitely worth a call to the school - I know both Hammond and Elmhurst have operated this scheme in the past, monthly payment over 10 months if memory serves .. 

Know DD's current school don't - were very sniffy when I asked about it.  As she had a scholarship why would I want help spreading the fees?  Some people have no idea ...

Interesting article on encouraging boys to take ballet and girls to play cricket.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40138653

I was really surprised at the figure given of 1.8% of RAD exams being taken by boys.

My son didn't train abroad, but dances in a country where he doesn't speak the language.  In fact any language - he is absolutely appalling at modern foreign languages.   They learn and adapt, and pick up enough take class very quickly.

I worked in a boarding school for many years, and the students, including Russians speaking no English, do pick it up very quickly.  Ironic isn't it, that so many German students come to the UK for a year to learn English.  Maybe we should start sending our children abroad for a year?

Meadowblythe

NB: after 10 months away he can now not only take class but order beer, coffee and food, go to the shops and play poker in the country's tongue.  Not that I am suggesting these for your son!

Like hfbrew, year 8 is maybe a bad year for boys?  My DS was eventually assessed out in year 9, and has never looked back ...  

If your son did leave, would he be looking to change vocational school or to step away from the whole ballet situation?  This may affect the path you take, 

The first time my son encountered one of the beasts was at English Youth Ballet - if any of your DS are doing this, they are the past masters of advice on the whats, wheres, and hows.

I think that he referred to it as jockstrap whilst still at primary, gave the illusion of sporting machismo ....

Must admit when my DS joined Hammond from another vocational school, he was very far behind in quite a few subjects.  Turns out previous school had been using supply teachers for up to a year.  Hammond really seemed to have the academics sorted, although there are always bumps and hiccups along the way.  Of course, this is a few years ago now and things have probably changed.

8 hours ago, Peanut68 said:

I've said this a few times....I do so wish they would schedule key dates around an exeat/end/start of hols or school....with a journey time of 6-8 hours & petrol cost of a round trip around £120...not to mention the Costa takeaways :-) it is just not viable to attend all the things I'd love to go to & DD does get a little upset at thought of being the only one who has no parent there....I was guilt tripped into trekking up (with logistics of sorting out home front a trial too) last year & it was lovely but by no means necessary to be there....& not all other parents were there after all! I did love going out for the afternoon with DD....one thing I do think the kids could do to help alleviate worries is sort out going out together....I'm sure most parents if they live quite close & can attend would be more than happy to take out friend/s with their own children that afternoon - I know if I can make it up this year I will suggest this to DD....

Peanut68, I have spent the last 10 years feeling guilty about not being there for key events.  Musical DD has a wonderful houseparent who once rung me after a particularly memorable concert to tell me how brilliantly she had played.  I then burst into tears - fortunately she assured me that, as a mother she had been through exactly the same thing. 

They survive.  It is worse for us than then.  And it doesn't get any better - I now feel guilty that I have only seen my son dancing once this year as he is abroad and my finances just don't stretch to school fees, conservatoire auditions and trips abroad.  

Our solution,  they have been through a cycle of the school year, is to decide at the beginning of the year, which are the key events that she would really like us there for.  We generally identify 3.  These do change - one of my "reserved" days is for a concert she won't be in, as she has a scholarship to America for a month.  She got an opportunity that she wasn't expecting earlier in the year and I moved heaven and earth to be there.  But it puts a stake in the ground, and also encourages her to think about what the important events are.

Chin up!  

Meadowblythe

Just had a quick check and Easy hotels are opening in Manchester.  Very basic but clean and as cheap as chips - about £25 for a night.  I can't imagine that they would have a problem with you checking in at 12.30 am, but you could always check.  

Hands up anyone who hasn't felt like a bad mum.

Anyone?  Anyone ???

Ah memories of an impromptu rendition of an EYB solo in the glass section of Ikea ..

Last year I had the surreal experience of watching two of  my children's events simultaneously on television.  Non dancing son was under the stage at the RSC on Shakespeare live, Dancing Son was being livestreamed on the Glasgow celebrations.  As dancing son came on stage I got a text from the RSC ... "does that child ever put any clothes on?"  as Ballet4boyz says, I could "see" the eyes rolling.

Also watch out for the scuffing to the top of school shoes - tap dancing, ballet dancing ..

My son is older than his sister - he went to tap (and then onto ballet) with a group of friends who were girls.  He gloried in being "different" - dropping into flat splits in goal in 5 a side football, and memorably being sent off from a netball match for gross intimidation.  You can't move with the ball but you can pirouette with your foot at face level of their goal attack.  Well that was his logic ...

I would say don't force it - there are plenty who start ballet at 8/9 and still go to vocational school at 11.  Or start at 12+ and have professional careers.  You don't have to start at 5.  It has to be enjoyable.  There are plenty of RAD/Tring type events he can join in with later.  Put him off at 5 and you may put him off for life.  

For my son, what made the difference was being told that footballers do ballet for warm up - by an ex-Chelsea player.  So that's what he did, went to ballet and then on to football.  We also went to see Northern Ballet's production of Beauty and the Beast which has the most athletic male lead imaginable.  Oh, and Romeo and Juliet with the sword fighting (although it's quite a long ballet,you might want to leave that until later).

If you search, you may find a thread on accommodation for Under 18s.  I had some very helpful responses trying to find rooms for my 16 year old musical DD.

We have found that if you ask the hosts, many Air BnB will accept 16/17 year olds.  It's worked incredibly well for me, preferable to hotels.  Premier Inn and the Youth Hostel Association both accept 16+ students, although yhA ask under 18s stay in a dorm room.

I've also read that you have to get on and off at exactly the station specified.  If you buy one from further up the line and get on/off earlier you can be penalised.  This is to stop people buying cheap tickets but travelling from "commuter" stations.

Slightly off topic, but fond memories of my DS scaring the living daylights out of an NQT when going into year 6.  First English homework of the term "What I learnt in the Holidays."  Following an EYB course, he wrote in great detail about learning to put on make up for himself, and the difficulties encountered with mascara and his success with lipstick.

Apparently she tottered into the staffroom looking for guidance on how to approach this from a child protection point of view- only to be told not to worry, he was a dancer!  By Christmas, when he proudly announced "tonight I meet my father ... " she asked how rehearsals for The Nutcracker were going without batting an eyelid.  She went on to be one of the finest heads in the county.

Hi Kate (and others!

Well, my daughter managed to raise a decent amount of sponsorship and pledges, so we're lending her the last few pounds.  And there was a very reasonable flight into RR, changing at Newark with a 3+ hour changeover we've gone for that.  The orchestra were very keen on them all arriving at RR.

Many thanks for the heads-up on humidity.  She'll be spending a lot of time in the Kennedy Centre (they have orchestra, ensembles,lessons with orchestra members and also enrichment activities), but I think there will also be some sight seeing and evening activities.  Just such a wonderful opportunity for her and a chance to see if she would like to apply for American Conservatoires.  

I may be asking for advice on what to pack!  Especially for the theatre outings and the like.

Good idea - co-incidentally I am seeing the community rep for our local supermarket.  Maybe she could busk there?  As they say, "every little helps .."

The organisation meets students from DCA.  The vast majority of the students are American Music Conservatoire students, they take very few international students and certainly very few under 18 so presumably that's why.