Sheila Beelam

Sorry, link wasn;t working - is now! http://www.justballet.co.uk/shop/bags/just-ballet-tutu-bag/

Ah we have them!! Black or purple approx 105cm wide, with silky lining, internal pockets and internal strap to hold tutu in place. http://www.justballet.co.uk/shop/bags/just-ballet-purple-tutu-bag/ Can't complete purchase via website just yet, should be live from this Sunday..but PM me if interested!

Phew! Great news Fran and well done to your DD for persevering! Sx

I had an ingrowing big toe nail, but found strapping the toe daily to "pull back" the skin from the side of the nail helped. Hard to explain in writing, but I bought some zinc oxide tape from the chemist (non stretchy tape) and put a strip across the top of the nail, whilst pulling the skin at the side of the toe away from the nail, then wrapped tape around the toe to hold ithe skin back. Reapplied daily for about 10 days and all sorted..think I found this method via google..!

Best of luck to DD for grade 8 - a lovely grade With DD1 and a "NonDD2 sports fiend", luckily we have had no conflict... BUT NonDD2 gets huge conflicts within the PE dept at school to be at netball training, sprinting, field training and football,.,all at the same time... Usually in her 1hr lunch "break". Luckily her form tutor is sympathetic & let's her eat her packed lunch in form time, after break, but the PE dept all want first dibs on my daughter and tell her not to go to the other training as their's is more important! She's 13 and at borough level in a competitive school..but I feel the school is pulling her unfairly in too many directions? Any similar experiences? Though I appreciate this maybe should be in "not dance!"

I would agree with spannerandpony A/B is probably you best choice. Given the strong elasticity in Danskin rights I doubt you'll have problems with them falling down

Danskin M/L girls go up to 5ft and 95lb and adult A/B then take over, so she's on the cusp!

Thanks Aileen & Fiz, I'm just amazed that they came out like this and different styles too, so not a one off production line fault. Another brand we're stocking had a QC label on each shoe with a checker's stamp so any problems could be traced back. And yes, no problems with any of their shoes, which were actually cheaper! It's a mine field out there, but the satisfaction will be a shiny new website and perfect shoes Sx

Absolutely! Thank you all - this is a premium world wide brand but their sales rep will get an ear full on Monday! I can border on obsessive about ballet things...everything on our site had to be just right!

I've just taken delivery of a large order of ballet shoes - but they are far from perfect.. The supplier is one of the biggest in the ballet world but common faults are: ~ Glue marks on satin on pointe shoes... ~ Paper(?) left in between folds of satin under the toe of the pointe shoe... ~ Where the maker have stamped their brand in black on the inside of the canvas shoes, at the side by the heel, a dark mark can be seen on the outside of the shoe... ~ Holes in satin!! ~ seam on the instep of canvas shoes fraying ~Yellow glue marks on canvas shoes I was frankly shocked that I'm going to have to return about 40% of the stock...needless to say I am also stocking elsewhere now! However, as a consumer I am fussy about my shoes. Clearly holes or fraying fabric must be rejected but having seen my ballet shoes after a couple of classes OH thinks I'm toooo fussy about marks... I know the shoes will be marked after their first use, but there is something special about a brand new pristine pair of shoes...isn't there??

Hi spooky Yes, it's like a mini waistband around the hole Spannerandpony put me on to them - I bought some to sample for our new site and I was hooked We'll be stocking them when the site goes live in July 12, but in the meantime if you search for "just ballet" on eBay, you'll find them listed there, as we're trying to drum up some awareness via eBay. Sx

I've just discovered Danskin convertible tights & love them! Soft waistband that doesn't roll or dig in and reinforced hole for converting, to reduce chance of tearing or laddering when you roll it over your foot.

Good luck to your daughter Primrose and thank you for posting the video link The twinkle in the eye of the young ballerina and wonderful smile, as she came on stage, 3 minutes in, has made my evening - to have that feeling is why we dance!

Had a fab night on the sofa with OH and girls...and dogs & cats, messing about...laughing...until we cried....but not sure why...and singing along to the jubilee concert...a thoroughly enjoyable evening just so nice to all be together & not working/dancing etc! BBQ fancy dress at friend's tomorrow, so fingers crossed for sunshine!

As a mum of a "hobby" DD I can only wonder at the sacrifices a parent makes financially and emotionally in supporting their DK - helping them follow their dreams...hats off to you all and a very well done to Heather...and family

Lol same here! Sooky my OH used to work in Drury Lane and I used to phone Dancia up, place and pay for my order, then txt OH and he used to go in and show them what he was here to collect I used to just pray they never showed him the prices Sadly his office has moved to Camden now

I've gone from inter to adv 1, it is a bug jump, but after a few weeks I did notice it getting easier - even for my old bones

My Dd clicks all the time too - raises her hands over her head, leans back and her back clicks all the way down...she also clicks throughout her arms and shoulders just moving normally, none of this causes pain. I spend long periods at my PC and I usually need to clicking lower back before ballet, to get my nose on my knees in a port de bras - hmmm it's a nice click OH does the freaky end of the finger thing ewwwwww!

Ha! Laughed out loud at the hair pins in the car..so true & drives OH mad!! Mine would have to be the rows of "pinkish" tights permanantly hanging in the bathroom...

Will be thinking of you xxx

That's my experience of the shop too...and DDs friends bought the soft blocks from porselli as they were only £15, but they looked awful... Any opinions on other soft blocks? I use grishko & DD uses Bloch...

What are people's experience of Sansha pointe shoes? I've never worn them, but looking at their Euro Store catalogue there are lots of different styles, including some rather pretty floral ones! Www.eurostore.sansha.com Any recommendations?

I'm nosy too!!!

That's amazing All4dancers and a tribute to the determination of your DD!

Exactly pups_mum! I get asked the same, DD was never going to be a ballerina, she enjoys dancing, but that's it. Her fellow dancers are all looking for careers in perf arts and do all styles of dance, whereas DD floats in, does her ballet and floats out again. She's very academic and although she has long legs and beautiful port de bras, no natural turnout, flexibility or arched feet - dancing just makes her happy and as pups-mum says - that's good! actually, anything that gets a 16yr old out of her room, off her phone and moving, is good! To be fair, there are transferable skills - competition and the possibility of failure, whether against your own expectations or against peers, is rare in the current PC education system. Edited to add "and the possibility of success!"