Anna C

Looked as if they had some guest performances from ENB too; did I spot Junor de Souza?

Both! :-)

Fair enough! :-) Could you put it quite diplomatically, something like: "I'm just trying to work out what level dd might be working at in comparison to RAD or ISTD?"

I don't know NATD grades. Probably stating the obvious, but could you ask your teacher?

Bloch has been a bit hit and miss since Tiffany left, and I always find Dancia hit and miss depending on who you get. On Saturday, Michele Attfield was fitting in Freed in Sophie's absence; she did a very thorough fitting. Dd now has some Freed Classic Pro hard backs which she is very happy with. We didn't have to wait at all. :-)

That's really good to hear, Two left feet - and welcome to the forum! :-)

Yes, you're right. Just one of those months ( well years, actually) when it feels like we're haemhorraging money! But she is a very good chiropodist and the nails do need looking at.

Dd seeing the chiropodist tomorrow. Interestingly enough though, although they look the same, the "bad" toenails have stopped hurting as much en pointe now. Very bizarre. Still, the chiropodist is less expensive than I remembered - "only" £28, and as this week I've had to shell out for glasses for dd, new pointe shoes, and tickets for me to watch various school events she's participating in, what's another £28? It's only money! *falls around laughing hysterically* But you're right, it is worth it, you can't be too careful with dancing feet.

Very well done to your lovely dd, Bankruptmum! :-) Are rehearsal hours similar to EYB?

:-((. Makes me glad I could only manage to produce one child!

In Puerto Pollensa many years ago I came across a sign outside a restaurant, advertising "Pizza with cheese and jam". I hope they meant ham! Oh, and "Fishcaks and chip's" - outside an English Fish and Chip shop. The wayward apostrophe was bad enough, but I don't even want to know what's in a "Fishcak".

We have 5 bookcases in our house, for 3 people. One each for my dh and I, two in my bookworm dd's bedroom, and one which is full of classics from my childhood - many original, but some bought from ebay because the originals have been lost. And the ebay ones have to have the "right" illustrations, otherwise they're not the same! Plus countless boxes of books in the loft....drives my dh mad!

My original Narnia Books, Ballet Shoes, Pride and Prejudice - all so well thumbed that several pages are falling out. Edited to add that my copy of E. Nesbit's "The Enchanted Castle" got so well thumbed it had to be replaced. :-(

I echo Pups_Mum's good luck wishes - let us know how your dd gets on if she auditions! :-)

Thanks for the update, CeliB. :-)

Capezio give 10% discount cards to Associates if the Senior School students get discount there. They are the only London dancewear shop I know who give any discount to Associates.

In a way I wish dd's school did do festivals because she so rarely gets performance experience. I'm sure the more you do something, the easier it becomes.

That's a good point. I asked dd's Associate Teacher about performance, as my dd is introverted and very shy, and finds it difficult to "perform" whilst concentrating hard on perfect placement, maintaining turnout, using all her muscles correctly etc. The teacher said that she was teaching the children the correct technique over and over until it becomes muscle memory - and it's at that point that the mind is freed up enough to "perform". That may explain why dd finds it easier to smile and perform Modern whereas in ballet she almost always looks very serious! I know there are young teenagers who love to "perform" ballet and are able to do so, but at the moment my dd finds it difficult. I'm hoping she will grow out of it! :-)

I've learned that many Ballet teachers are very understated. This may be partly by nature, or partly a desire to not put too many expectations or pressures onto a student. As a parent, it's important that the teacher is honest, and as has been said, there are so many factors which determine whether a student will be successful in gaining a contract with a classical ballet company - let alone whether they could be a Principal! I just want honest and constructive feedback from my dd's teachers. As none of them seem to think that post 16 training is beyond her reach, that's good enough for me. But we still take things one term or one year at a time because who knows what could happen?!

Good idea! Dd is doing GCSE dance like that; her school doesn't offer it so she and 2 friends go to a school in the next town and are doing GCSE there as a twilight course. :-)

Chuckling at this because it's just started raining AGAIN here, and having rushed back from her London Associates class, dd is just heading out to a camping sleepover! Not the best weather for it!

Excellent! Very well done to all involved. :-)

Excellent Seagazer! :-)

DD has always worn de-shanked Blochs so far but they were rather noisy! Teacher advised standing on the boxes and squashing them in a vice, which helped. They weren't too loose though, perhaps because dd wears Ouch Pouch pro pads, which only have gel on top, so it didn't make much difference to wear the soft blocks without padding. I have said that I'll buy her a "real" pair of softblocks in September, so now that Tiffany has left Bloch - and depending on how tomorrow's fitting goes at Freed - I'll probably buy her Freeds.

Fantastic! Congratulations to your ds! :-)