Tulip

A damming report that makes me feel very sad. I myself had deep concerns in the past, My husband and I raised some serious concerns, afterwards our daughter suffered the consequences. Other dance teachers were very supportive and would comfort and reassure our daughter, who worked very, very hard. People May wonder why we allowed our daughter to stay there, she herself felt she needed to carry on to become a professional dancer, and also coming up to GCSES and during them is a very difficult time to move anyone. As soon as she got to sixth form she secured a place at a well known ballet school in London, which was totaly different. I am very pleased that serious issues have been identified and are now finally being addressed. Safeguarding is a huge responsibility with a lot of branches eg, emotional, neglect, abuse etc, professionals must adhere to rules and responsibilities. Adults must not presume or cover things up by saying ‘Oh a lot worse will be done or said in the professional world, best toughen up to that’, or ‘ its just another bad day again’. Let me also add from an experienced mother of a now professional dancer, that in the professional world dancers work hard, they are determined, they accept disappointment that’s the nature of their job. What isn’t normal in the adult world is emotional abuse, which can come in many forms. (Or perhaps thankfully my daughter hasn’t experienced it yet). Tring will now hopefully go forward in addressing these serious findings on their unannounced inspection.

Does anyone have a link to the Ofsted or Isis report please?

Did Rist’s sebaticle follow directly after Ofsted or Isis inspectors had been in, has she been back on the school premises since? Before anyone jumps in about making assumptions, these are reasonable questions.

Don’t worry about exams. Priority is to get a very good teacher, it’s all about technique and expression. You will probably already know some good dance schools from the competitions you do. Perhaps start auditioning for associate schemes, elmhurst, Central school of Ballet, Royal etc. Dance X in Birmingham during school holidays have fantastic classes with professional dance teachers from ballet companies, some of them even offer privat 1-1 Ballet classes. Does your daughter want to take her dancing to vocational level?

Good for you 😂😂😂😂 but what has that got to do with Rist?

I’m intrigued

I thought that Rachel Rist was a physiotherapist originally??? I totally agree that anyone preparing students for the professional world especially 6th formers, needs to have experienced it themselves, not just for dance, but for the emotional preparation of it, living the life of it etc.

I’m pleased to say that no names have been mentioned in this thread.

Schools, nurseries, colleges, nursing homes, children’s homes etc, all must have a robust whistle blowing policy, it is there for a reason, to safeguard children, young adults and staff. Without a robust whistle blowing policy toxic behaviour is allowed to continue without being challenged. I’m glad that Tring is now developing this policy that should have been in place years ago. That is down to the head and governors of the school.

Some students will have had a tough time because they were emotionally bullied Harwel, by a senior member of staff, other staff knew about it and were upset, but nothing was ever done. Children should never ever have to deal with that, that is not the dance world, I know this because, my daughter left to go to Central and is now in the professional world of dance, she has never been bullied like she was previously. I say this because parents need to know the difference of a disappointing day, to one where your child is being emotionally bullied, in any school. I am so glad that Ofsted have finally identified areas of failings at the school, and that FINALLY the school is working to put things right.

Miss Jones was lovely as well as a few others.

Perhaps they will be awarded more DaDa’s in the future. Are there any DaDa’s available this year?

Sorry but this woman needed to go years ago. The school will thrive with a new director of dance.

The report does not surprise one little bit.

When my daughter was at Central School of Ballet four years ago, they had shorter dancer right through to tall dancers. All professional dance companies require a height to replace a height when employing. Centrals aim is to make their dancers employable and nearly all of them are. The Japanese students tend to be shorter.

Try Dance Xchange in Birmingham Hippodrome. Lots of open classes there with teachers who have also danced as professional dancers. If your son really wants this then he will need to stay very fit, gymnastics is also fantastic for any dancer, having that undervyour belt when looking for professional work is another string to your bow, and fun.

My advice is to tell your daughter that she is doing well, she was offered a place at her school because she was exactly what they were looking for, she must have shone. Keep working on her lines, with lovely stretched feet etc, lovely neck line and arms. There is NOTHING wrong with her body, make sure she know this, it’s very important. I hated the knocks that my daughter received along her journey at vocational school, something that I would not repeat twice if we had to go through it again. She flourished once she went to Central School of Ballet, For her far more supportive. Which school is your daughter attending, speak to her teachers if you can, simply to put your daughters mind at rest.

My daughter played one of the spinster aunts in the last cast of Ballet shoes, as well as lots of other parts. It was a fabulous experience with so many likeminded children. She later met up with quite a few of them at Central School of Ballet, others went to Rambert and ENB. Enjoy, and for the record, no audition is ever wasted, all excellent experience for the later years, in a very tough environment.

Can I just reassure you that a teacher will definitely not be looking at a body in a leotard and tights in any other way, than a torso that is trainable, correctable, strong and powerful for the demands of ballet. My daughter is now a professional dancer, when they look at themselves in the mirror, all they see is their flaws and faults, they use the mirrors for corrections. I can also honestly tell you from professional training to a career, very very few dancer develop a relationship with their male dancing partners. (probably a reason for that). Ballet dancers work so hard with good teachers that they have a totally different life to most children, teenagers and adults. I only mention the above just to give a small insight into what happens in ballet training. I really hope that you can resolve a uniform or dance kit that you feel comfortable in, because that’s so important, but a uniform that your teacher can correct and see your positioning and muscles. If you have a female teacher, how do you feel about being touched, eg leg to pull up, muscles that need squeezing etc, with permission teachers do touch. Ballet is stunningly beautiful, but the amount of hard work to get there and to continue to stay there is endless. Let us all know how you get on in your first ballet class, hope you love it.

A very important topic and one that shouldn’t be brushed under the carpet. So many of our dancers have eating disorders and/or body dysmophia.

I’m sorry but being a parent is a gift. To send your child to another country at a young age, regardless of what you are sacrificing financially, is no excuse not to visit your child, still parent your child, be their guidance, advocate, advisor, support, security and unconditional love. It is little wonder any child would struggle, especially a child with such a huge talent which is bigger than he could imagine. I don’t know what support was given and nor do I suggest that non was offered. From the film I can see clearly why this young adult did what he did. He definitely does not owe anybody anything, he should be allowed to change his mind as an adult.

I’m sorry but I saw an incredibly talented and gifted young man. He has been pushed his whole life, that soon his whole life is Ballet and nothing else. This young man was mentally in trouble, he was so young and promoted to the top, at the most prestigious ballet company, he had even more to give, but mentally he was going through a lot. So much was expected from this 22 year old, in my opinion he needed guidance and support. Someone should have been concerned when his parents were never at the ballet school etc. I actually believe this young man is one of the most talented dancers ever and I wish him well, I hope he finds happiness and fulfilment in life.

Yes it’s good to look at graduation lists, but those lists only tell a small part, some students gain s graduate place within a company for a very short period from the start, then can end up unemployed for a short while. Other students who won’t be on the grad list may get a job within a company, six months or even a year later for a much longer contract. Narrow the schools down and then audition. To get into any of these schools means a student has the potential, don’t forget though, there are hundreds of other students who have potential also competing for those places. Audition for practice, if you can afford it

My daughter attended Central School of ballet, so I can offer you some information on this school. Central take students from aged 16. It is a full on training programme in ballet and contemporary, heavily ballet. A student has to audition again for the third and final year, this is for their touring company, where top choreographers have showcased their work. The full time course is a degree course, so a lot of course work to complete. The teachers are supportive and honest, a high standard is expected from the students, no time for dramas etc, they are treated as adults. My daughter was a summer birth and had just turned 16 when she started Central, after being at Tring. She loved the school right from the beginning, she always loved ballet and that is what she wanted, but she also knew that contemporary was very important too, so she had a choice of auditioning at a few schools. All British students can have DaDa funding I think. You and your daughter are already narrowing down what you want, get auditioning to see what is out there and to gage if your daughter has got what the schools are looking for. Best wishes and good luck.

Dance xchange at the hippodrome is brilliant. Lots of vocational students used to attend, along with adults who danced recreationally and some students that were professional dancers in between contracts.