Billyelliott

Have been thinking about how that inner connection is usually apparent in early childhood - the infants face that comes to life at the sign of music ! It can be cultivated by playing music in the home and singing , but there are undoubtedly some children who just have to dance in response ! Though it may be genetic , there is a cultural aspect - the African Community choirs that have to move whilst singing .....it's rare to find someone that does not do so naturally . I have a DS who can't keep still in a concert - even a classical one - which is highly embarrassing - and has to dance when playing his violin , so it is hard to imagine that joy being driven from him , but I can see that happening to others as they get older and are so concentrated on the dance itself and not the meaning of it ! That joy of performing and expressing the music is also evident in a couple of biographies of famous dancers I've been reading - describing being taken over by the music and thereby giving an outstanding performance ! I do believe it can be cultivated if there is a spark present , and its infectious ! Perhaps "caught , not taught "

The information sent out to me by Elmhurst specifies that the name labels must be sewn in not iron on ! Is that old information since the technology of iron on ones have improved ? Or does that still stand ?

Wow so glad ours were on a Saturday - we would never have got away with that amount of authourised leave - especially with other dance / music exams and festivals etc !!!!

He is 3&1/3 to4 depending on make and they are split sole But i think we are winning as the soles are now black and the dye is on its way to me for tommorow evening !

Only found Jazz tap shoes and charachter shoes on the list ! Have used a black sharpie on the split soles to good effect ! We shall see if it rubs off !

Probably would be easier to get black ones ........ but since they will be worn only twice ( not likely to be used at Elmhurst next year)and were given to me for £5 thought I would give it a try ! Have got the dylon dye coming to me tommorow from helpful parents who are passing the fabric shop , now for the soles ! I will try out the marker pen ....... Thanks everyone !

I have been supplied a pair of new pure white jazz shoes - soft leather - capezio and asked to make them Matt black in time for the Dance World Cup rehearsals next week ! Should i paint ? Is there a dye? Or should i polish or felt pen ??!!! Any advice much appreciated !

Thanks - that's very interesting !

I note with interest that white canvas split sole ballet shoes are the ones required on the Elmhurst boys uniform list ! My DS has never worn either canvas or split sole before as leather full sole have always been required by his ballet teacher and I had presumed by the RAD examiner .

Do you have a link for the RAD Report?

Thanks ! Sounds as if they all made a splendid effort ! Hope all the Yr 5s enjoyed the experience

Evidently a large proportion of Balletco members were at the WL summer fair Yesterday and are still recovering as the forum has been very quiet ! Are there any reports of the day ? Highlights Please !

Wishing you all a lovely day , I hope the weather stays nice - last year it as blowing a gale and dancers had to dodge falling branches and twigs from the trees and sit on the base of the Maypole to keep it upright ! But they did famously ! It will be one of my favourite memories !

Billyelliott, do you mean that several Elmhurst students are leaving for places elsewhere? I do know from this wonderful forum that at least one student is leaving to join White Lodge. I do hope that most if not all of those students leaving Elmhurst are not leaving because they have been assessed out. I simply meant , as I said , my impression is that spaces are not due so much from "assesing out" as from spaces becoming available in other schools , perhaps nearer to home or in their original school of preference , and in some cases - perhaps - leaving having decided that vocational school is not for them . I know of one that have plans to relocate overseas ! So there is quite a lot of potential for movement , apart from the " assess out " option , which I got the impression was not something Elmhurst are keen on unless absolutely necessary !

Oh ! KatyCustard .....feel so sad for you and your DD , but also for us who will be deprived for the moment of the blog you would surely have written for us about the JA experience , however I just know there will be further instalments to this story ...... Take heart and keep dancing - there is plenty of time .......looking forward to the next instalment of the dance journey , from your unique experience ! :-)

Some lovely photos on the website of the Official photographer !

We turned down an MA place due to the offer of a yr 7 place at Elmhurst .....

I can't imagine that you would be turned away , If you have some connection with the RBS !

The fair is advertised in the notice board in Floral St for the JA's to attend with their families etc

Welcome to the forum ! Have sent you a message ,

I dont think its so much a out students having been assessed out - as them leaving for other opportunities , as spaces become available elsewhere Also a number of the final auditionees were offered places at more than one lower school , so that may have left gaps at the last minute , as well as folk not being able to secure the finances even for the contribution for MDS places ! As far as flexibility on bed space goes that only applies to the younger ones as the older ones are housed off site ! The children are housed in year groups and here is a finite number of beds in year 7, but one or two can be put in a different section if its necessary from time to time but its not that flexible as you can only fit 2 beds in a room ! That's my understanding from the tours we have had in the last few months !

Well well - so it is ! Come to think of it I was admiring her control in her dance ! Now Ii feel less bad about my DS specialising in Ballet when he is so good at modern !

When I mentioned we were surprised at the choice , of the over all junior winner , I was in no way suggesting that she did not deserve to win ! She was super ! I was siting next to a trainee adjudicator and we were trying to predict the results - we guessed the runner up , but were wrong about the winner ! That's why I say we were surprised . There was also lovely little dancer - Yasmin Li who had the most wonderful facial expressions , but didn't get a mention ! Having said all that I saw no evidence that the adjudicators - who were different for each section - favoured Gymnastics . All of the dancers were delightful and skilled and seemed to enjoy the classes very much , we were very impressed ! I would have liked to have understood more about the reasons for not awarding the boys overall winner , and why there was no boys winner for the seniors section though !

Juniors results- Girls overall winner Ava May Llewellyn Runner up girls Amelia Hawksby Outstanding dance - girls - Maya Horwood Special commendation Zoe Turner ,Lilly Whotworth , Erin Dallas , Olivia Flint & Lauren Woods. Boys - no overall winner - due to " inconsistency between class work and solo" Runner up -Jack Higgins Outstanding dance- Sebastian Newton Special commendation - Enrique Ngbokota & Sam Lake

Premier section won by Shannah Spry , runners up Jenna miles & Emma Jenkins , outstanding dance award Sarah Evans , Classwork award Lucy Renouf ! Hopefully I'm ok to mention names as its a published fact !