Tulip

Is it therefore an audience who is playing a guessing game, rather than knowing true facts. I said earlier, some parents need to take a closer look at themselves, judging children’s size and proportions, deciding if a child is talented enough to have earned themselves a place at that school. So much mental damage is done to these children, but it is not just done by their establishments, it is also those that think they know more, looking that child up and down, whispering that that child made a mistake and was too slow to pick up, she’s only there because she is skinny etc etc.

But they were still initially taken on by the school, because the school was able to identify their potential. As I said earlier, once inside the schools it is a whole different story, and not always a nice one.

Possibly, but haven’t you seen so many succeed and do well. How awfully sad for the students who appear to have ‘fallen flat’, instead they may simply of had enough. Unless you have had a child go through vocational training, or have worked in a vocation ballet school, you really can’t know what these students actually go through, not just physically but mentally ever day.

In the UK we have hundreds of students from all over the world applying and auditioning for places at our top schools. They won’t know who has the most talent, they are not looking for that and they will actually tell you this. They tell us they are looking at facility, long achillea tendons to jump, natural turn out etc etc, musicality. They are not choosing the thinnest child. These children once selected are under close scrutiny and are regularly assessed and can lose their place at a drop of a hat. Children at UK vocational schools are different heights and different shapes, but they are chosen for potential to become professionals later on. The schools in the UK are not necessarily looking for soloists when selecting, that will come soooooooo much later if ever. We do see festival children who are absolutely beautiful and competition winners who are wonderful and beautiful, I don’t know why schools won’t take them, but if that student has applied to lots of schools and they’ve all said no or not yet, then sadly somewhere along the line that student has to either keep trying or re-avaluate. Getting into the schools and selection is one topic. Once chosen and what happens along the way is a whole new topic. I hope your daughter succeeds and becomes a professional dancer, she sounds like a determined beautiful dancer, strengths she will need to succeed.

No company is going to take any dancer who can’t dance to a high standard, or one who can’t pick up choreography. Companies choose dancers from all over the world, they choose the best of the best. Schools especially at 16, are selecting students who are trainable and employable.

I’m just reading this thread, so so many true comments being said. BUT so many critical judgements being said too, the skinny dancer this and the skinny dancer that, she’s weak because she’s too skinny, she makes mistakes, she’s slow to pick up etc etc. let me just point something out, not only is that poor child being mentally tortured by her school, but also some of you parents are also watching her and criticising her too. These parents are saying ‘but she is so thin’, NO you go on to point out this poor child faults too. as my daughter said to me, and unfortunately I have to use a swear word to quote what she said, ’To survive the ballet word we all end up being a little’fu***d up’. Even now in her professional life, as part of her contract dancers have to line up in a sports bra and either knickers or high shorts, to prove that they are the same visual shape they were when they started their contract. A photo will then be sent to the directors to view. The dance world must and needs to change, but parents and spectators need to look closer at themselves as they openly criticise these young children during their training. These poor students are going through absolute hell, they hate letting you all see them in leotards, they torture themselves when they make a mistake in front of your waiting critical eyes.

To add further to my previous post, my daughter applied for Liverpool university to study physics, she was accepted, but now she had deferred it because she isn’t ready to give up on her dance career just yet.

I have just asked my daughter, was all that training worth it for your dance career, she said absolutely and she wouldn’t want to do anything else.

I’m not throwing in the towel, I just feel that there is no point in trying to tell people, because it’s so difficult not to tell the truth without breaking the rules. It’s also important to try not to scare people as it’s not all bad either. There are lots and lots of good points, but there are so many bad points that should never ever have happened and is so unforgivable, especially when you are talking about a child, a long way from home.

Very sad, and I hundred percent appreciate what you forum moderates do for this forum. However I won’t be contributing any further on this subject, I’ve tried to offer advice and support for future dancers and parents, but I appear to unwittingly break the rules, it’s hard to stay to the rules when you are trying to guide or offer advice. sometimes I would have liked a shoulder to cry on, especially during some of the times when certain situations were wrong very wrong, but you had no where to turn to. So I don’t want to break any rules, or upset anyone, I’d best just keep quiet.

That is absolutely shocking, these dancers are young, vulnerable away from home, I’m horrified to be honest.

Dear parents of children starting vocational school. Please be excited, your children are about to experience a wonderful exciting adventure. Like in any school there will be highs and lows, that is normal. They will receive an excellent academic education, due to low class numbers. The things that you will be hearing in the news and more to come, remember there will be no place for these people to hide and get away with. The training environment will be so much healthier and more inline with normal schools in regard to safeguarding. Our elite dancers, athletes, gymnasts etc will be looked after and protected, now all this is coming out. So please be happy, excited and skint, your children are about to follow their dreams. My daughter has gone through vocational school from aged 11 to 19, she is now a professional dancer, and is absolutely loving her hard earned and worked for career.

No the school my daughter went to, the full fee paying students were treated as the ones who were less talented, even though obviously that wasn’t true. The ones on scholarships or burserys were the chosen ones, but these awards could be taken away by the principle at any point, even though colleagues would disagree.

On a positive note, and only talking for the ballet world, a lot of the abuse that was allowed to take place will now be stamped out. Your children about to embark on their well deserved places at vocational school, will hopefully never experience what we are hearing, the world is now watching

It’s just so very sad, parents trust these people, and we feel absolutely awful. My daughter didn’t go to that school thank goodness, but the emotional abuse from age 12 was horrendous and only spoken about bit by bit now

Anna, I have documented my personal experiences as a mother, I’ve spoken, I’ve not mentioned names or schools, and yet my post was removed. I feel like I have been slapped once again, just for voicing a personal experience 🤷‍♀️Here’s me thinking we were all here to support, guide and offer advice, no doubt this post will be removed too.

Sometimes when concerns are raised, actual parents can turn against the parent raising those concerns.

Please, as a mother of a now professional dancer, don’t allow your daughter to fixate on her body. Show her how strong her legs are and what they are capable of. Her teacher should be key to giving your daughter correct exercises to lengthen muscles. The dance world can be cruel , there are so many people out there that will be nasty, such as the feedback your daughter received. 15 is such an impressionable age, be careful, it would be awful if your daughter was to hate her beautiful legs.

Totally agree with Taxi4ballet. It’s horrendous to see young children being emotionally damaged, but other than removing your child there is nothing you can do. There have been so many discussions regarding this topic on the forum, but they can become very heated as emotions run very high.

My daughter is looking for adult classes to add to her skills. She is now a professional dancer, she loves how the professional ballroom dancers move and their wonderful technique. Whilst she is home waiting for her next contract she wanted to go to some adult ballroom classes. Unfortunately where we live it’s classes for elderly couples. We live in between Warrington and Liverpool.

I know this isn’t ballet, but does anyone know of any high standard adult ballroom classes in the North West please?

Nothing worse than poor technique and tricks. Get the scaffolding right always. Trained dancers will always spot poor technique and awful tricks.

My daughter is now a professional dancer. Throughout her training at vocational school they are under immense pressure to keep to the right weight for ballet. If you appear heavy you are told to lose weight at upper school, if you lose too much weight you are taken off dance. For quite a few students this really messes with their heads, they are at an age when their bodies are transitioning to adult. Consider if this environment is safe for your precious daughter and if it ever will be. I saw so many students with ED but no one said anything. I saw students gain hormonal weight and I know that they were told to lose weight. Can anyone imagine how that poor student felt having to wear a leotard everyday in front of a mirror with all her super lean friends. Thankfully my daughter survived her training but is left with the emotional baggage of always checking her weight. As a mother I feel awful that I was unable to pull my daughter from this environment, she simply lived, loved and dreamed it and worked super hard. I wish your beautiful daughter all the best of luck in her recovery, and very gentle hugs to you as her mother, you have some very difficult decisions to make alongside your daughter.

A huge congratulations to Primrose for fighting tirelessly to get this campaign firstly to parliament which is an almost impossible challenge and now the law has been passed that all NHS professionals must have mandatory training in autism, this is all in Oliver’s name. Primrose has fought so hard so no other vulnerable child or adult suffers in the horrific way that Oliver did. If you haven’t read his story, then please do. Primrose and her family are in so much pain to have lost such a kind and vibrant young boy, who had everything to live for. A huge congratulations to Primrose, I am so very proud of you.

What school or summer school is this? Why are we all protecting it? NO teacher should ever be allowed to emotionally bully or damage any young, vulnerable pupil. Why allow this toxic approach to teaching continue? You must report this behaviour, as adults it is our duty to protect young children and adults