dancingmuppet

Well, I've taken my dd to see the dance physio who was lovely. The physio gave my dd a complete screening, and felt that she has a good natural facility and that there is nothing wrong with feet, even went as far to say she couldn't see what dds teacher was talking about, although she did say that maybe dd doesn't use her feet as much as she should and stressed the importance of doing tendus etc properly (dd got a mini ballet lesson!). One much happier dd and a happier mum, although not sure where we go from here.

Hi, my dd only did year 6 JAs and she attended a 2 day workshop in the October half term. It was for all the year 6 JAs from all the centres, it wasn't compulsory but nearly all of them attended, think only about 7 didn't. I'm pretty sure there are workshops for each year group at some point during the year. She also had the opportunity to watch a Royal ballet company rehearsal at the opera house, this was open for all the associates, certainly mids and JAs and I think seniors as well.

Wouldn't have thought the strong contender for mids would go on every letter, but I think it might be new this year because as far as I know it wasn't on any of the children from my dd's JA class last year. My dd didn't get a mids place but she was put on swl so I assume she must have been considered for one.

Looking at her on pointe she looks to me like she is fully on the platform with straight legs, she has sway backs but tries to use them correctly. I got her to do some tendus tonight and I don't think she always works though each foot, but when she did them slowly she could although one foot was better than the other, it was the same with rises, on her stronger foot the toes were completely flat but had a tendency to scrunch on her weaker one, but again with concentration she could keep them flat. Think the towel exercise might help. I'll post an update when we've seen the physio!

Thanks everyone. It was her associate teacher that told us. She seems to be getting over the platform completely although she doesn't do a hugh amount of pointe, she does do it at associates as well as her normal class. I've just left a message on the dance physios answer machine, hopefully they'll get back to me soon! It is a physio that specialises in dance and has worked for quite a few of the big vocational schools so I expect they'll be completely honest with us.

We have just been told that my 11 (nearly 12) year old dd may not have flexible enough feet for a purely classical career although if she continues to stretch and exercise her feet in a safe way they may give more? I don't think it's her ankles that are the problem but her toes. She has been doing feet exercises given on her associate program for about the last 2 years and her feet have improved a lot, she can get onto a nice high demi pointe and when she stretches her toes on one foot they are completely straight and they seem to be getting there on the other foot although she still has to concentrate not to scrunch them slightly. She has also gone onto pointe fairly recently and doesn't seem to be having problems, but surely if her feet aren't flexible enough she shouldn't be up there? I'm wondering whether to take her to a specialist dance physio for a complete screening, as we have one near us that offers this. At least then we would hopefully know exactly what facility she has or hasn't got. Has anyone done this and found it helpful? Thanks

Hi Rushed, they're held at Yorkshire dance which is very close to Northern ballet at Quarry hill. My youngest dd might audition next year, she's doing the associate experience in February to see if she enjoys it first. My eldest dd really enjoyed being a JA.

It's these ones that I've found goodhttp://www.the-emporium.co.uk/product-detail/229975/sistema-460ml-twist-39n39-sip-squeeze-bottle-785?gclid=CO3Qv-HLtLoCFVMdtAod4VMAXg. The other shapes by sistema I haven't found as reliable.

I've found the sistema twist 'n' sip ones great, think we've only had one leak and that was due to dd not closing it fully. We use them for school and dancing.

As an adult, who as a child went to vocational school from the age of 11, I don't feel I have any issues, abandonment or otherwise. Yes I got homesick initially and again when I was doing my GCSE's (think the pressure of them). But I loved being away at ballet school and it was a relief to feel understood by other children about my love of dance, where at home I'd always felt slightly like the odd one out, even with friends that I danced with because they were doing it for fun where I was doing because I needed to (hope that makes sense), I knew that dance was what I wanted to do as a career. I made some very close friends whom I'm still in touch with now, I don't regret going away at all and never felt that I was sent away, I was there because I wanted to be.

Mine did want to take them, but to be honest they weren't ready to take either, we only bought them on Saturday and I've darned one but not the other, her old ones are to small, her feet seem to have had quite a growth spurt over the holidays. Think my dd might have meet yours afab

My dd is 11 and is on pointe, but I didn't put her shoes in for Elmhurst as she's not been on long and I didn't want her trying things that she may not be ready for, which I knew she would be tempted to do if her shoes were there!

Dd is in group E too

I'd love to be a fly on the wall. Just had another text to say they learnt the hours dance from Coppelia.

That sounds lovely, dd will come back wanting to go to vocational school!

Just had a text from dd to say they're watching Coppelia tonight. Have no idea what else she has done but it sounds as if she's enjoying herself.

My dd is in 22 in Park. The drop off went very smoothly, she'd gone from being nervous yesterday to very excited by this morning, hopefully she'll have a lovely time, haven't heard from her yet. The hoodies were really small don't think they match the measurements given on the website!

Hi, I should be at drop off and pick up (unless just dh does it). It is 11am for drop off isn't it? For some reason I had in my head 9.30am, not sure where I got that from! Dd is very nervous as she hasn't done anything like this before.

Thanks everyone, I've managed to contact her teacher by text and she's not a fan, so I guess it's another trip to the shop!

Thanks Taxi, phoning the shop is a good idea. I must say the shoes do look lovely on her feet.

My dd has just had her 2nd pair of pointe shoes fitted today (her dad took her, so I wasn't able to ask questions!). She has been fitted with a 3/4 length shank, not really having heard of this before I googled it and it would seem that they are better for more advanced dancers? She has only been on pointe since January and has grown out of her old shoes rather than breaking them, she does about 10 minutes a week although this will gradually increase over the next year. Will a 3/4 length shank give her enough support at the moment or would a full shank be better? I will ask her teacher when she gets back from holiday. Thanks in advance

Auditions for Northern ballet are over for this year, but there may still be places in the open classes, is this what you meant by Saturday classes? My dd hasn't done the Saturday open class but has done them on other days and has really benefited from them, they are very different to RAD, also at your dd's age she would be expected to attend at least twice a week regardless of what classes she does elsewhere. The associate classes are labeled junior, intermediate foundation, intermediate and senior but this has nothing to do with the RAD grades, I think the children are grouped by age and how advanced they are, my dd at 11 is starting the inter foundation class in September but a friend of hers who is the same age is starting the junior associates.

Having said that my 11 year old dd would be reluctant to wear the startrite ones, this is what she has just chosen! http://www.shoesgb.co.uk/Product-5825-

Don't think my 11 year old would wear them willingly. Know I'm going to have a battle in the next few weeks when I take her for school shoes, and she wants ballet type pumps for starting high school and I don't! When I started vocational school, Start-rite came to the school and fitted us at the start of every term, it certainly stopped any worrying over the style of shoes!

Could be that, dd's is a freed.