Balletchick

Ahh, my dancer is just a smidge too young. Next year!

What's the age for juniors please? Group D.

I am also struggling with this, although we have a little more time on our hands. DD is, on paper, a reasonable prospect. Good turnout. Very flexible. Nice feet. Good musicality. Skinny as a rake. But I don't know what she'll be like in 5 years time! She wants to dance. She's (at the moment) not sure about going away to school. I'd like to keep her home until 16 at least. We have a decent dance school and are close to intensives and associates schemes (geographically). My question is - are these as toxic? Is auditioning for RBS JAs, or Northern CAT likely to expose her to the same sort of toxicity? It would be mitigated by her being at home, and at her normal school, but I'd still rather have my eyes open. What about summer schools? If I send her away to RBS or Elmhurst for summer school, will she be exposed to harm? What about the programmes like Northern, Moorlands, etc?

I would also avoid the Ibis - it's a haven for stag and hen dos, and once you cross over the (many!) roads, you're not the best part of town. I wouldn't want a teenager/young adult wandering there at night. The Travelodge would be a much better bet, or there is a Jury's Inn near the train station, which is about 15 minutes walk but a much busier and safer area to be in.

You are right about the advanced class. I think because they call them Beginner - Improver - Intermediate, in my head that translates as Beginner - Intermediate - Advanced. Apologies for any confusion. I must admit I have found that the intermediate class at NB is good for setting down and maintaining technique - the exercises may not be flashy or overly complex but they certainly allow for you to focus on technique. I know a few post vocational school students (or holiday vocational school students) who have attended and haven't found it worthless. Yes - there's no pointe, but the class is still valuable IMO.

I'd second both Northern Ballet - sounds like the advanced class would best meet your DD's needs, and KNT where Karen is fab. There is also Dance Studio Leeds just outside Leeds City Centre (it's walkable but a stiff walk and probably not one I'd do alone after dark) and Yorkshire Dance (near Northern Ballet) - although I don't think YD have ballet on any more due to the proximity to Northern. Their lyrical and contemporary classes are nice though.

Smile! If you love to dance, show it. I've always been told to show your love of dance in exams. It is however worth thinking of the style of the dance. I'm not sure if it's RAD Grade 5 you're doing, but assuming so - the tarantella for example is a joyous dance, so it would be utterly appropriate to grin. The adage on the other hand is more delicate, so I'd settle for a serene but not wildly enthusiastic facial expression. Does that make sense at all?

Deborah Coultish School in Alwoodley (about 15 minutes outside Leeds/from NSCD) has an adult ballet class on a Monday night where Advanced 2 is taught. It's a bit of a mix of abilities but at least 2 students seriously setting themselves up for Advanced 2. It's split with the flat work taught from 7.30 - 8.45 and then pointework from 8.45 - 9.15ish. Deborah is fab, and very experienced.

This might sound crackers, but my multiple pirouettes really significantly improved after I took a heel work class - it turns out that by wearing heels (not even particularly big ones - 2' - 3' would do) I could get my weight into the right place, and turn far better. Could your DD try ballet pirouettes in heels, as bonkers as that sounds? After a few weeks of turning triples in heels, I was able to work out where my weight needed to be and translate that back into flat ballet shoes.

I know two Rambert graduates - one is dancing with Phoenix Dance in Leeds and the other with National Dance Company of Wales. I know one Laine graduate - she is working in Dubai as a teacher (I think for the RAD) - but she graduated some years back. Both are great options!

I think it can mean something to the individual person, but it's hard to generalise what that meaning is. For example, the majority of people at my dance school wear the classic pale pink ballet tights - I imagine because that is what you come up the grades wearing, so you have plenty of pairs and feel comfortable. My friend and I were discussing recently that we'd switched to black tights upon becoming pregnant - because as the body 'swells' we were less self confident. However, amongst the intermediate foundation and intermediate lot (age 11/12/13 so neither 'swollen' of body nor pregnant!) it is very trendy to wear black tights for any free classes to show that you are 'cool' and have moved onto the vocational stream (where free classes are more prevalent). They swan about like they are Margot Fonteyn feeling awesome. So in both cases, wearing black tights is saying something about us, but VERY different things. Us oldies are saying 'uh oh, we're getting a bit old and fat'. The young, trendy whippersnappers are saying 'we're SO cool and SO advanced that we're too grown up for pink tights'.

I sadly can't go to this one but have been before and would echo how fab they are! I did Romeo and Juliet with Jane Tucker, which was a lot of fun and definitely a good day to improve technique. Plus, everyone at KNT, without exception, is absolutely lovely!

It's in one of the allegros in Advanced 1 (I forget which one) - so that might help the case for it not being a baby step!

I'm well past university myself, but your post cheered me so much! I am a Warwick Alum and loved the Classic and Modern dance society (I taught the intermediate ballet class in my day!). They were a lovely, caring bunch with some really talented dancers - the advanced ballet was on par with the advanced class I have been to a Northern Ballet, as an idea of standard. I also spent a lot of time with the Warwick Devils cheerleaders, who have a stunt team, but also always had a strong jazz team too which repeatedly won competitions. You can easily clock up the hours of dance. I also have a friend who was at Birmingham - she is a gorgeous dancer and found classes to suit there too. I think they also compete and place well, if that is what you're after. I know Gill Caplan (of York Scholars/RAD examiner) used to teach at Leeds Uni too, so I assume they are a good standard.

Now sold and on its way to be loved by another Balletco member ????

For sale: black Gaynor Minden dancer's backpack! Barely used because I got a new dance bag as a present for Christmas! It has a big compartment for clothes, a net zip compartment on top which is great for drying out shoes, and a front pocket. There is also a sleeve on the back for a laptop. I easily fit in all my dance clothes and warmup clothes, ballet flats, jazz shoes and pointe shoes, plus water bottle and purse, phone, toe tape, etc.

Planet Dance were OK when I used them, but it was for something really basic (tights, perhaps). I have also had problems with Dance Direct not dispatching things and then saying they were out of stock. I used Just Ballet a couple of times recently and I honestly cannot praise them enough. On one order I'd forgotten to specify a size, and a lovely lady rang me a couple of minutes after I placed my order to tell me and help sort out the sizing. The order came the very next day! It's always beautifully packaged too.

I don't have super strong feet (sadly) so I can't comment from experience, but I know when I got fitted for my last pair of Merlets they had some hard shank and polymer (is that the right word? Plastic stuff?) shanked shoes akin to GM. I hated GMs, I twisted horribly in them, but love Merlets, so they might be worth a look.

MANCHESTER KNT Danceworks at the Northern Ballet School studios in the Dancehouse on Oxford Road has classes every day except Sunday. They offer ballet most days. There are three levels: beginner, mixed (or intermediate) and advanced. All the classes are taught by amazing teachers, and it's adults only (there is a separate KNT Kids school but the two don't mix at all). The main point of contact/owner is Karen Sant, and she is a wonderful teacher and dancer. They also have contemporary (beginners and advanced), jazz (beginners and advanced) and tap (beginners and advanced). The classes all have new exercises each lesson, so it's a true 'drop in' and you won't ever feel lost if you miss a week, save for feeling stiff and out of shape perhaps! There is no need to book in advance, just turn up. It doesn't follow a syllabus at all, although I believe they are going to be offering additional RAD syllabus classes from next year if there's the demand. There is a show put on each year, and rehearsals are out of class time so it's totally up to you whether you join. The classes vary in size but everyone is friendly. The studios are the Northern Ballet School studios so are well equipped, although get a bit hot in the summer! They are offering a summer school this year in August - three days each, in Beginners Ballet, Advanced Ballet, Beginners Jazz/Contemporary and Advanced Jazz/Contemporary. I believe the beginners ballet repetoire is Swan Lake and advanced is Giselle. The jazz is CATS. LEEDS Northern Ballet Academy offer adult classes in addition to their CAT classes and kids classes. Again, all the teachers are wonderful. The facilities are top rate and are the best I've ever used as an adult dancer. They have three levels - beginner, intermediate and advanced. Again, the exercises differ each week so it is a true 'drop in'. You call up the week/day before to book a place, but they rarely run out of room. I know they have done shows in the past, but I've never personally been involved in them, so I couldn't add much more information about their format. There's a shop and a cafe in the building, so it's easy to kill time if you're early for class. Again, everyone is very nice and there is a real mix of ages. Sometimes you glimpse the 'real' Northern ballet dancers which is quite exciting!

I have to say, I was taught by Mr Kidd when he was at Northern Ballet and he was a fantastic teacher - really patient and knowledgable, and with a great perspective on turning class dancers (ie RAD robots like me..!) into performers. I've not been to Moorlands, but I have every expectation that if the Kidds are teaching there, they will turn out beautiful dancers.

I was lucky enough to watch both the contemporary and the ballet finals, wow! Every single dancer was exceptionally talented, I wouldn't want to be a judge! I would have loved to know who had got through, but congratulations to all the dancers!

Depending on how near Leeds you are, and how many hours you want to trek about, and whether your DS wants more boys around, Northern Ballet do a 'Boys Only!' class on a Monday which might be worth a look. I've no experience of it myself, but if it's anything like the rest of the Northern Ballet programme it will be brilliant!

It was a few years ago, but I attended the Yorkshire Assembly and some of the faculty are the same. I cannot recommend Brenda Last and Gill Caplan highly enough. They will give attention to everyone and their corrections are very perceptive and helpful. I was a 'known' student and my friend who attended with me was not; we both got equal amounts of corrections and praise. I remember the contemporary classes being very good, and a nice release from ballet. The jazz was very fast paced and suited dancers who had some jazz/modern experience, so your DD might like that. We had pilates classes first thing on more than one occasion, but I can't remember whether it was every day. More recently I have been taught by Simon Kidd (now at Moorlands) when he was at Northern Ballet. He was very good, and in addition to technique he taught from a performers perspective - i.e. eyeline in pirouettes to connect with the audience. It was all very useful if your DD wants to perform, even if ballet isn't her chosen genre.

I have this problem with some pointe shoes, the only thing that works for me is putting elastic on too. I criss cross it exactly like I do with my flat shoes. You can get invisible looking elastic which just blends into your tights. I've taken RAD vocational exams with elastic on and no one commented that it wasn't allowed. (PS - Yay, my first post!)