Tulip

Nothing wrong if children are driven to perfecting their skills, utilising high standard training programs, as long as it does not impact on their health. unless your child has been to the Royal Ballet School, then you cannot compare experience and training. The Royal Ballet School has an outstanding reputation all over the world. My daughter attended Tring years ago under the old principle. I am so glad that the school has improved so much under the new directors of dance.

Prague international master class summer school is excellent. My daughter enjoyed Royal Ballet summer school but found Prague more professional. There were professional dancers attending this intensive summer course, good for students to look up to.

My daughter was a full time student at CSB, she previously attended Tring full time. Central’s training is very high standard. Those students selected they believe will make it into the professional world of dance. Students are treated like adults as the school starts from age 16 and up, which is excellent preparation for when they join the professional world. My daughter has worked as a dancer since graduating from Central a few years ago now. I would highly recommend Central, training is thorough and prepares them well for their future careers.

Very surprised Tring isn’t up there

Very well said Anna x

These children have been chosen because vocational schools believe that these children have the correct attributes for a classical career. However when children are going through puberty their body goes through lots of changes, their final body won’t be matured until much later. Some (not all) teachers are humiliating and body shaming these students at their most vulnerable and hormonal time in their lives. These children already have strong muscles in their thighs and calves, during puberty these muscles can shorten and bunch up, making the student think that their legs are fatter and bigger. children board at these schools, very often they do not tell their parents so to avoid conflict in school. I could right an essay from a parents view. I was one who complained, my goodness that principal made my daughter suffer. I wanted to pull my daughter out, but she begged to stay and it was right on top of GSCE’s. She moved schools aged 16 to another top ballet school in London where she thrived and gained a professional dance career.

It definitely is true, I whitenesses myself so many times. If you raise concerns, funding is withdrawn, parts in shows are removed, life is made uncomfortable for your child. It is difficult to take your child out because you are coming to GCSE time or are already in it. Also if your child is so driven, they will put up with that abuse, and will not forgive you for protecting them. Everything spoke about in that documentary is true and no doubt continuing. My daughter did make it and is still dancing professionally now, but she refuses to speak about her vocational school.

Well that might require naming teachers, then they could defend their behaviour, it certainly would be interesting to hear their side of events.

I’ve just watched the documentary and sadly everything the dancers said was true. Body dysmorphia, eating disorders, mental torture, all sounds very familiar. As a parent I heard it, but didn’t recognise the meaning behind the code words. My husband couldn’t watch this documentary, because we were all affected by it.

My daughter attends adult ballet classes in both Liverpool and Manchester in between her professional contracts, MdK something like that??? I’ll ask her next time she WhatsApps me.

My daughter graduated from Central and thankfully has never been out of work. During the pandemic she applied to universities to study physiotherapy and at one point her favourite subject physics at Liverpool university. She did GCSE’s and her degree at Central, she was accepted into all the universities that she applied for. She was about to start her physics degree, but she gained another contract dancing on The Royal Caribbean Cruise ship 3,900 dollars per month. Her degree was never wasted. Most people in her year gained contracts.

It is so sad. My daughter is performing and working with Ukrainian and Russian colleagues, all of them are good friends, no one wants this war, only one crazy man

It’s disgraceful that schools/summer schools are still requesting childrens weights. They can see from photos what a CHILD looks like, YES I use that word again CHILD. How does that child feel, being weighed to get accepted for an audition, what little voice is whispering in that child’s ear. This has gone on for years, and it’s totally unacceptable and out of date. My daughter danced in the senior royal ballet summer school a few times and loved it. I don’t remember weighing her, but she was already body aware for ballet by that point. During a conversation with her, now she is an adult and a professional dancer, I asked her at what point where you aware of your body. Shockingly she told me that it began with height, she was slightly taller than her friends at her non vocational school, meaning bigger not taller, she was six. Once at vocational school, weight was never hidden, but that’s another conversation. We shouldn’t be weighing our children for non medical reasons, it’s not healthy, be very careful with your beautiful, beautiful dancers xx

I’m late replying as I only dip in and out of the forum. Happy first decade and a huge thankyou to all you moderators, without you, there wouldn’t be this group. My daughter is now a professional dancer and she loves her hard worked for career. The dance journey is like stepping into a storm, with so many twists and turns. I had so much support from older members, do you remember ms Barghi, can’t remember the spellings now, was it Anjula????, I loved her straight to the point advice, she was amazing, I wonder what became of her? I’m happy to answer any questions if ever I can help. carol x