SE13

My DD did the PDTD (professional dance teachers diploma) classes last year (and met Darcey Bussell) and is doing them again this year. I originally found out about them on the RAD website but was e-mailed direct this year. I'm not sure about the higher levels but it seems as though they are often in need of students for the examination weeks. Kerry Dignan is the programme manager and, as her emails tend to encourage people to circulate the information to interested parties, I'm sure it's fine to put her name on here.

One of the boys in group B was awarded the junior scholarship at the end of their final (modern) class. DD was thrilled it went to him; said he was amazingly talented at dance, acrobatics, being friendly and not being a show-off! She's had a fantastic week and is already saying she wants to go next year. Her group didn't do ballet today but, according to DD, ranged from grade 2 to 4. There were some children who were doing repeated pirouttes whereas DD hadn't done one before this week.

The function is the filming of Avengers 2, apparently!

Are all of you intending to be there for 8:30am on Friday? And watch classes until 3pm? The e-mail seemed to suggest that was the expectation and although I don't want DD to be the only child there without a fan-club, I can't imagine she'll want me (and DD2!) watching her for the whole 6-hours!

My DD just rang...to speak to her sister! She's in orange group, and the 10-yr-old she hooked up with has moved into DD's dorm so they are now not the left-over ones. Modern then ballet this morning.

DD has been delivered, was thrilled to be in the long queue next to someone who has been on lots of residentials and will be going to Tring full-time in September and is delighted with her lanyard and timetable! She's looking forward to the dancing tomorrow having been a bit disappointed to discover that, in a dorm of 5, she's the only one who hasn't come as part of a pair. It would seem as though she's not the only one in that position though as a 10-yr-old from the dorm opposite is the only one who came alone too! It strikes me as an odd way to allocate dorms. DD and the 10-yr-old have apparently paired up so hopefully neither of them will feel too left out of their own dorms.

The Slug & Lettuce at Clapham junction isn't far...and on Mondays all food is half price. There's a Pizza Express opposite the art college and places along the river just past the heliport (where the staff will merrily wave and chat to small children... I'm not sure how young yours are so that may be highly uncool). Have you ever taken your DSs geocaching? There are some good finds in the area around RAD and lots in Battersea Park.

Hooray for uncoolness! DD is a fairly proficient trumpeter but I doubted it would be a welcome addition to the dormitory!?

We've just been having the character/not discussion and have decided to leave her character stuff in her ballet bag on the off-chance that it suddenly becomes essential! DD is soooo excited it's untrue-Monday before 5pm is going to be hard work. She's got a song extract up her sleeve for the talent show in case she wants to take part-we had to persuade her against taking her trumpet. Her only concern now is that, "everyone else might have One Direction duvet covers and I don't even know the names of them all!" Hopefully there'll be at least one other 9-yr-old who is as uncool as mine....

That's helpful to know, thank you. DD can't wait to go & talks about it constantly.

I like the possibility of DD returning with bun skills! Do the children live in tracksuits and leotards for the whole week?

My 9-year-old DD will be going too and she doesn't know anyone either although she's not that worried as she seems to make friends quite quickly at ballet things. Her main concern is having to do her own 'neat' bun. My main concern is that she won't want to leave on the Friday!

I've just booked DD onto the Tring Easter course-she's just 9, has been doing ballet for nearly 2 years and is about to take RAD grade 2 (having passed grade 1 with distinction last May). Her ballet teacher recommended the course as DD has been lapping up every ballet opportunity she is offered; being a student for the PDTD at RAD HQ during August, auditioning for the LCB (got through to the second round but no further) and the Junior Associate classes at HQ. She does musical theatre too but has never done tap so I'm hoping she won't be the only 9-yr-old who is in the same position. She won't know anyone else who is going but she's desperate to board so that's what I've booked her in for. Do any of you have 9-yr-olds who will be there alone (at the start!). Also, do any of you know about the t-shirts? Do they get worn throughout the week or are they souvenirs in the main? Apologies for all the questions, I've been lurking for 18 months but always found my questions have been asked previously.