Billyelliott

It's very hard indeed to have your firstborn little miracle live so far away , when they have been your ray of sunshine for so many years and after spending every spare minute getting them to classes , shows and competitions ....to have silence ! Just when they are becoming old enough to share more grown up conversations and be good company ! But then it would be harder still not to let them follow their dream and so sad not to give them the opportunity to be the best they can be ..... It does make the little time we do have together more precious and meaningful ....

Safe journey to everyone xx

Thanks for sharing your story ! I also have a small for age and slender DS - hoping for a growth spurt one fine day ....most encouraging to hear about his Journey xx

Inspiring ! Thanks Janet????

So we are back from our long drive up and back to west Yorkshire for Tutugirls summer school ! I echo everything sais by Harwell, Dancingfeet and Stardancer ! It's the first time DS has asked to go back next year and he has said it was his favourite summer school ever ! Plenty of ballet , but also loved the tap commercial, contemporary and took part (with my persuasion ) in the singing ! DS was definitely challenged and stretched as requested! The show was super - watched it twice ! DS loves to perform and I could see that every one got their chance to shine and do whatever they did best !! So lovely to see such an enjoyment of dance ! It was well worth the drive and good to see all abilities included ! DS also loved staying with a family especially one who also has a dancing son ! Looks like we will be back next year space permitting !

We are still on our way home from the above summers school and I'll give my reports later on - enough for now to say that he had a fantastic time and was quite exhausted so we stopped at a travel lodge ! Now I figured out at last which is your DS Harwell !!

My DS as also just returned from this summer school at Rambert . He generally enjoyed it but as he is very small for his age he was in group one .He did not feel that the ballet challenged him enough . The contemporary was also easily within his grasp although he plainly enjoyed the performance. All in all it was a good experience for him and he made lots of new friends . I think it also made him aware of just how good the teaching is at his current vocational school !

Good gracious !!!! What a fiasco ! I hope they get what is comming to them .

The other one is purely contemporary and doesn't take place @ the school , but seems to be organised by the company !

DS is doing the school one I.e the second link - the one that is full!

Will do ! I can't stay either so DS is in a police checked Homestay

Any other ballet co dancers doing this next week ? It looks exciting !

Quite so ! I was wishing everyone well for the long awaited shows and not expecting negative reviews , though constructure criticism is always welcome ! Thank you Nana Lily for your super and detailed and accurate description of the performances - there was a lovely sense of family about it all as well . I love seeing the progression year on year .... I was far to tired to describe the show on both nights after travelling long distances and packing up rooms and organising extended family .... A huge well done to all staff , musicians and students for the hours of rehearsal blood sweat and tears ! Your love is dance, music and performance was evident on your faces Thank you xxxxxx

I enjoyed it very much of course , but then I have a personal interest ! I watched it twice - different casts ... It was a bit too long to hold my interest 100% when very tired on the second viewing , but still many of the performances were outstanding and most of it very enjoyable . Glad I saw it twice as some of it was so fast I'd missed bits !

Apparently the show is 3 hours long ! Hope they get a lie in tommorow ! Better get myself to bed so I can get there in time for all the proceedings tommorow .....

Opening night tonight ! Toi Toi all you wonderful dancers xxxx????✨????

I had a form with last years figures highlighted - saying that they were yet to be confirmed !

Just the roll of flat elastic by Korobond from Tesco , tie on while foot in shoe , check they are tight enough not to fall off , but can be slipped on then tie a good knot or bow snip off and burn or sew over the ends ......if there's only one set of eyelets perhaps pass the elastic round twice !

My DS also used black ribbon elastic and threw the laces away - easier for a quick change !

My DS was a chimney sweep skipping to work ,spreading out a cloth to cover stuff and jumping to push the brush up the chimney , getting covered in soot and of course getting covered in soot , and of course made a mess and gets a telling off and runs away home !

Water bottle , snacks spares of whatever might break or get messed up and a needle and thread in case elastic pings .....perhaps a book or small game or music to distract or relax . Arrive undercharged with track suit on top in case there is no where to change or you are delayed .... Knowledge of the whereabouts of the nearest coffee shop! !

Piepie I do sympathise with your difficult situation. The decision to send and keep a child at vocational school is always hard and a trade off between dance opportunities , academics , family life , career prospects and finances ! I made a list of pros and cons and decided as long as my DS wants to stay we will find a way ....but I think the decision is easier for boys as normal school is harder in terms of bullying and high quality dance training for boys harder to find locally and more career opportunities as well .... Holidays are one of the many things we've sacrificed all birthday and Chrismas presents go towards dance and luckily he only has a low maintainece brother . As to academics DS Is well motivated to study and brings home lots of prep , though I do keep a eye on what he is doing as far as I can! I know that he is bright enough and curious enough to research extra on his own so I hope he will get the requisite number or GCSE's to give him a reasonable academic base to go on to A level whereas he would not be well motivated studying at a mainstream school without others who are obsessed with dance ! If he were a girl however I would have more doubts !