Tulip

A very wise daughter and supportive mother, well done Lena.

Just go for it, if you never try, you will never know. All the very best of luck ????

I find your comment very insulting Harwel regarding Central not delivering students as well as they used to. I know of lots of students who have managed to secure contracts, some in their first year of graduating and others in their second year after graduation. The training is and always was of a high standard with excellent teachers. As you say the job market has become more tough, more companies want dancers with experience post graduation. My daughter graduated from Central last year, she secured a place with Norther graduate programme and has now got a job, most of her friends this year have also secured contracts. Well done to Central, ( good old British training )for making links with NA, it is a cut throat world out there.

Same to you Ballet4Boyz, enjoy life. I felt emotion writing the above piece, but I just wanted people to know that cures for cancer has come such a long way thanks to research. I applaud each and everyone of you who have lived through these journeys and kept it together allowing our children and their siblings to carry on living their lives to the full. I can't wait to see my daughter dance professionally, she deserves her success. I am nervous of this scan for my husband, because Elizabeth will be so far away this time, again she remains strong and feels ready to go. We remain positive that we WILL get good news

Big hugs Lisa x

When my daughter was in her second year at Central, her brother was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. It was an horrendous time, but our daughter would come home every weekend to support her brother and me and her father. She was amazing. Last year she started Nothern graduate programme and unbelievably in February her father was diagnosed with stage three cancer. She struggled and moved back home, commuting to Leeds every day by train and bus. It was a very difficult time for her, you have to dance with your heart for ballet. She carried on, including auditioning. Jonathon our son has gone into his second year of remission and has just achieved a 2.1 in computer science, but he wants to give back to teenagers and young people with cancer by starting his paediatric nursing this September, he is also getting married next August. My husband has just gone into remission, just another area to assess on his lung, but we are hopeful. Elizabeth as you all know has secured a contract with the Royal Carribene to Australia, Hawaii and Alaska. Me I am now an alcoholic he he, I'm not really but the potential is there, only kidding. So many challenging journeys on the forum, but these kids have a different kind of strengh and determination, when they have been faced with their own mortality, they grab every opportunity with both hands. Good luck anyone else going through illness and thank goodness to our NHS xx

I personally think the teacher should have remained professional at all times, regardless of how difficult this customer was. To get caught up with negative emails etc, wont do your business any good, people start hearing about it for the wrong reasons, no matter how good the school is. Everyone has to be very careful with social media, once it is sent you can't withdraw it. The principle had a very challenging parent, but by responding in the way she did, exculated the whole situation. Running a business requires you to understand emotional intelligence meaning stick to the facts and try not to let emotions over rule you.

Your son is a very strong and determined young man who doesn't give up, no matter what is thrown at him. His personality will be exactly what is required for his chosen profession. Massive well done coming out of remission, onwards and upwards with a bright future ahead of him. You and his father have done your son proud ????

Aw I enjoyed reading that MB, I love it when forum children achieve their dreams.

£25 hr for professional ballet dancer and teacher. She was amazing, This was in Birminham and in her conservatory.

When you come up North look up KNT Manchester and Liverpool, these are open classes. In the advanced class professional dancers Bob into these classes inbetween contracts etc. Regular adult open classes, with people who attend regularly may suit you best.

Some brilliant adult open classes up North, where there are male students. Would you not travel into London where there are lots of open adult classes with a good mix of male and female dancers?

Anna Deboison not sure of spelling, has an excellent reputation, look her up at young dancers.

How long ago did your daughter do festivals though Primrose, I think it was about 11 years ago too, times seemed to have changed it appears.

I have to say my daughters first dance school wasn't like any of the above. It was very traditional ballet school, which taught very strong technique. Any festival dances were age appropriate with no tricks. Ten years ago we didn't seem to see tricks and fake tans etc, bitchiness was there, but not loud and vulgar. It definitely wasn't like what we see on the TV. Elizabeth Hill School of Dance still promotes good traditional teaching, technique and work ethic. The school is well known locally and far wide, my daughter still respects Miss Elizabeth.

Joyofdance I applaud you for not getting sucked into a negative environment and removing your child. festivals are not what makes a great dancer, they can add to performance if they are not taught to be cheesey. My daughter did festivals and loved them. However some of the adults from our own dance school could get really bitchy, so I used to go somewhere away from the building inbetween dances. I thought my daughter got a lot from festivals but as soon as she started vocational school, they told them no festival type dancing, they were strict about that. Festivals should be fun but competitions being what they are can bring out the worst in some people in any field, that's life. Well done for doing what is right for your daughter and you. Before anyone bites my head off, I'm not having a go at festivals, they can be fantastic opportunities to get on a stage and perform, a real sense of achievement, team building etc.

Oops how did I do that?

It is Victoria and thank you MAK, she will learn so much including other styles of dance that she hasn't really done such as commercial. I haven't actually been on the Royal Carribean yet, done P&O and Celebrity.

I can't see her earning enough to save that much, be nice if she fed he he. I am seeing soooo many of our classical dancers from the top vocational schools now auditioning for cruise ships, a Royal Carribene being the main one, all I can think is that they are so well looked after and pay is good. My daughter still loves her ballet, but she doesn't want to dance pure classical anymore, that decision came about 10 months ago. So she still wants ballet, but with a mix. For me she has always been allowed to change her mind, regardless of how much money has been spent. Her work ethic and determination is admirable, she is also very realistic with her head firmly screwed on. Like I said earlier her dream since she was very little was to be the white cat in cats

Thanks Anna, she will now be able to call herself a professional dancer, a badge of honour after all the years of hard work and determination it takes to get there.

Anna the shoes are for the show but she intends to keep her training standards up, so will carry on doing point work inbetween rehursals.

Thank you Mak, I am so excited for her and best of all in one of the shows the dancers are en point.

Yesterday we had to pay for my daughters medical all the way to Hertfordshire, £425 plus petrol and premier inn. Next day into London £123 for her visa. All of this is before more point shoes and clothing some of which will be reimbursed. If we weren't able to financially able to do this, our daughter would have had to turn down this wonderful contract. Even when our dancers graduate, parents still need to financially pay until they can financially pay for themselves. Wish we had a money tree, fortunately the pay is excellent on the Royal Caribbean, tax free, and free board and food. She will be able to save for when she comes home to audition again.

Your mum was an exceptional woman Lisa x