fairytoes

A very merry Christmas from me and my DD over here in Florida. We hope everyone has a wonderful holiday together and we are looking forward to another fabulous ballet co forum in 2013:)) Thank you to all you wonderful admin folks who make this such an enjoyable site to look forward to each day xxxx

Fabulous Christmas ideas, thank you Janet:))

Snap Spanner I was looking at 9501 for my DD who is 10. I actually called Degas USA yesterday and spoke to a lovely lady about sizing as I had heard they run quite small. She said they are absolutely beautiful and all the colors were stunning!!!

My DD was looking at the Degas leotards over the weekend. She has hinted that she would really like one for Christmas as her main present. The reviews on them read superb and I know it is something that she will get so much wear out of. I also liked the skirts that you can buy separately to match:))

Oh I am so thrilled to hear your great news!!. It sounds like you had an extremely positive experience at the school:) I hope your DD enjoys all her new classes & please keep us updated on how she is getting on. xxxxx

famcandance I would certainly consider trying the dance school that is further away. Yes it is expensive and extremely time consuming. As I mentioned in my above post we travelled 135 round trip 3 times a week on Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Fridays!!. Our thoughts were if we don't try we will never know!. It was the best decision we ever made even though we could only afford to do it for just over a year. DD knew from the start that it probably would not be long term. From the very beginning we explained to the school about the commute etc. DD was assessed by the school and then they bent over backwards to accommodate which classes she would be doing, taking careful consideration in the time it took us to get to the school to make sure we could get there in a CALMLY manner without running round like a headless chicken;)). hopefully that may help your decision a little xxxx

Just saw on the RBS website that they are holding a workshop at The Dance School Of Scotland on Wednesday 17th October & Thursday 18th October. Teacher & parent observation is allowed through the workshop. Maybe something to consider if your interested. I can't remember the closing date for applications you would need to look at the RBS website. Wish we were going;)).

I hope I can offer a little bit of advice as we were in a similar position to you last year. Not the vocational side as DD is only 10 and we are not in the UK but the local dance school topic. My DD is a very keen little ballerina and for her to attend a school that focused mainly on the ballet aspect we had to travel over 400 miles every week. As you pointed out this is extremely expensive, time consuming and having to finish school early to get her to class on time! Well we hung in there as DD was sooooo happy and she loved the school as much as they loved her. After just over a year we financially could not keep her there and had to leave very sadly:(( Unfortunately we do not have dance schools around us that really focus on the ballet aspect. Our decision was we either take what is on offer or she can't dance at all. We enrolled with a local school this summer. I am not going to say it would be our 1st choice for ballet but she is taking lessons again and is happy to be back doing her plies etc:))). It is very hard when you can't find what you know is right for your DD/DS but sometimes we may have to compromise a little, hopefully for not to long but until the situation changes and we can hopefully put plan A into action;)). xxx

Thrilled to bits your DD is so happy at Tring and settling in well and fabulous news to hear she is on the classical course:))) Well done Lildancer! xxx

To audition or not? Gosh it's so hard to know what's best for DD/DS especially when they are so young. Sometimes I feel parents have a little pressure on them at the start of the audition process, especially when your sitting in the waiting rooms at dance class / associates etc and everyone is chitter chattering about which schools their DD/DS will be auditioning for this year and you can't help but listen in:) Then the panic starts oh gosh should we be doing that!! I honestly believe in gut feelings. If you feel like its the right thing to do for your child and they really want to have a go then do it, especially if you have plan A and plan B in action like so many posts have said. It's so easy to get swept away I feel in the months leading up to auditions but at the end of the day it's what's right for your DD and your family. My DD who is 10 would love to have auditioned this year but we are in Florida hoping that our business will sell and then we can settle back in the UK once again:))) Lots of luck to all the DD/DS who will be going down this route over the next few months, smile and enjoy:)xxxxxxxxx

Done:)) LOVE THIS FORUM TO BITS!!

Morning all I have to agree with everyone's input on this topic the key word is ' potential '. From my experience and I can only comment on the RBS as that's where I trained they were not interested in what grades, exam results, festivals you had won its all about what they see on the day and if they feel the child has the key word ' potential '. Sometimes I feel you could run yourself round in circles if you try and analyse what the schools are looking for and it can take away the enjoyment of dance!! My daughter often asks me if I think she will be accepted into the RBS and I always reply I can't ever answer that question. What I can tell her though is how much enjoyment I can see she gets from her ballet classes each week and that is the most important thing. Everything else will follow if it's mean't to be!!!!!!

Thank you you lovely people for all your advice so far and thank you Spanner for welcoming me:) you have no idea how much this site has helped me whilst living in Florida. Whenever I feel a little homesick I just pop onto the site and I feel so much better just catching up with everyone's news even though we don't know each other I feel I have my friends back in the UK:)))

Thank you Tulte very useful I will have read:)

Thank you Julie any help is very very much appreciated, I love the new title:)

Firstly I have posted a couple of times but was so involved in my little post that I completely forgot to say hi to everyone and say how much I LOVE this forum and I can't wait to get up each morning and read all your news:) Anyway back to my topic we are currently living in Florida where we have been for the last 8 years. We may well be moving back to the UK sometime this year. We are British ( well DH is from NZ ). We have 2 children DD aged 10 and DS aged 17. DD is very keen to audition for vocational schools but my question is if we have not lived in the UK for a few years would we be entitled to any funding if DD was lucky enough to be offered a place or would we have to have lived back in the UK for a certain amount of years? Same question really for DS going to university, sorry he's not a dancer!!!!!!!!!!. Thank you all you wonderful people I hope someone somewhere has knowledge on this. Xxxxxx

Great famcandance2 I really feel that a teacher conference will help guide you in the right direction. It's so hard when you feel there's no light at the end of the tunnel and you really dont know where to go from here. Your daughter sounds so dedicated especially with her working on her flexibility at home as well as in her dance classes. My DD looks at me horrified when I mention that maybe she should do a little stretching during the odd evening, it's like I have suggested climbing Mount Everest or something!!!!!. Let us know how you get on and hopefully it will be great advise she gives you.xxx

Hi famcandance2, just wondering after reading your posts whether it would be possible for you to make an appointment with your DD associates teacher to sit down and have a chat about your concerns ie flexibility extra classes etc. I know at my DD ballet school ( we live in Florida though ) they welcome you at any time to arrange a teacher conference with any concerns you may have. I know you said she only does associates once a month but hopefully they could arrange something for one of those Saturdays, or if that wasn't possible maybe a telephone conference. Hope this may help you and your DD. xxx

Hi i am in total agreement. We live over in Florida but am from the UK.I can't wait to see what is happening each day with everyones news, it keeps me going living so far away & it was the first thing I would look at each morning.I am more than happy to pay a contribution to help keep this wonderful & amazing site going. Please lets all try and get some sort of a plan together before it is to late!!!!!!!.

Hi everyone, well after much searching around with the mouse i have finally worked out how to use this wonderful site. I just wanted to wish all who are auditioning over the next few months lots and lots of luck. All our fingers and toes are crossed.xxxx