balletla

It is sad that the gymnastic element of ballet has become a focus. If I wanted to watch gymnastics, I would go to the gymnastics events or the circus. Sadly all DDs friends try and copy the same pose that is on the RB product (before it came out) and they are more concerned with how high they can get their legs, how deep their splits etc than they are with whether they can dance or not. This isn't something they have just made up, it is influenced by the pictures they see on Facebook and the culture that comes from the companies downwards

Wow they look amazing

I think sometimes if the shank is wearing out/breaking down too quickly it can also be a sign of lazy feet that are relying on the point shoe to do the work for them rather than pulling up out of their shoes. Obviously this doesn't apply to older students like Primrose's daughter where it is just the amount of wear. My DD had one lazy foot for a while and that shoe shank always wore out in half the time of the other one. I had to keep getting the odd less worn shoes together to make new pairs.

I have also found exams to be misleading at times where many students who gain distinctions in vocational exams don't get places at vocational schools for a host of reasons, so it is not wise to use it as the only indicator of potential selection.

At this stage I would think about 'running' 2 pairs of pointe shoes and alternating them each time she wears them to give them a chance to properly dry out before the next wear. Also check that they are put out to air dry and not left damp in a bag or left with damp ouch pouches in them or anything like that.

I think what you're saying is that some dancers can compensate for lack of hip turnout but turning the feet but not the knee or hip which causes problems in later life. Is lying on the back with knees bent and letting them fall to each side (i.e. classic frog) a good indicator of available turnout? My little DD struggles to get her knees to lie flat in this position and has been told she hasn't much turnout.

Anjuli - are you saying that all dancers entering into the top companies nowadays have 180 degrees available and useable turnout? Are there any notable exceptions?

Just received joining instructions for the RBS Covent Garden summer school and have a few questions that I was hoping someone might answer before I burden the school: DD is staying in Upper School accommodation and it says that they have to be in by 9pm - does that mean they are free to roam around Covent garden until then? Also, on the middle week-end it says they finish at midday on Saturday with a free rest of the day off and a free Sunday - do they usually go home?

Robert Helpman was the child catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Was he a dancer before that?

All dancers feet sweat a lot in ballet shoes but I haven't come across anything like you describe. Your poor DD must find it distressing. You can get liquid high strength antiperspirant for feet. My husband uses something called Perspirex or something like that, on his feet in summer at work where he has to wear thick socks and heavy boots. It's been a while since he bought it though so not sure if it's still available. Have a look in Boots and ask the pharmacist. I also know a friend who had a problem with excessive underarm sweating and she had botox injections in her armpits to stop the sweating. I think you can also have some kind of electric current water therapy that works as well. Google 'hyperhidrosis'.

Well I think there is a clear message from the top ballet schools in England and France that they expect girls to be on pointe from the beginning of year 7 if they are progressing in line with expectations. RBS always say they expect auditionees to be at the same level as the girls within the school and Afab confirmed that there is a similar view from POBS.

Pointework is done in the RBS auditions for year 8 i.e. the girls auditioning for year 8 will be half way through year 7, so many not even 12 by then.

Good Luck Afab!! Fingers and toes crossed.

I also have to say that I don't even really like dogs but 'Pudsey' just has something irresistible about him.

Stiefel and Kobborg - both awesome!

Well I should eat my words - we have just had a week-end of the worst wifi service ever. The main computer is OK on the ethernet but the wifi to our mobile devices has been awful - speeds of 3 to 4 Mbps and that's been intermittent. We are into our 4th day of poor service so bracing myself to ring BT but I really can't face it today. I should say we have had our upgrade for about 6 weeks now, so well past the settling in period.

I know but the dog was sooooooooo cute and adorable. It wasn't just the performance, it was the love and relationship between the 16yr old girl and her dog that captured people's hearts. Yes the others were very talented but didn't give you that extra warm fuzzy feeling that makes a vote winner Did you see the footage of her opening her Christmas presents when she was a young girl and getting the dog as a puppy? Just heart-melting. Bless her - she's set up for life now with that £500,000 win. I didn't realise the winner got that. I turned round to my DD and told her she better start training the cat!!!!

We haven't got more than one entry point. I think he moved the entry point to the study because previously it was in the living room and now we only have one in the study. However, I am not the most technical person in the world so may have completely misunderstood what he said.

Ian, what a terrible and frustrating experience for you. I hate it when I have technical problems - currently having weekly visits from the boiler man. I have to say we were lucky with our Infinity upgrade as the engineer put a new phone point in our study next to the computer and we connected it to our desk top with an Ethernet. On wifi, the signal is OK but does start to tail off at the bottom of our 70 ft long garden sympathy ......

I have just been clearing out some of DDs books and found a copy of "Ballet School" by Camilla Jessel. I have never noticed before but on the inside cover is inscribed: 'To Shirley, With love and thanks for all your help with this book, much love Camilla 30.09.99" - obviously the author's note to Shirley. Then further down it says "To Louise, I hope you will get as much joy from your dancing as I have over the years. Good Luck today - enjoy the class, Best wishes, Shirley Grahame 29.05.03" - obviously the Shirley was Shirley Grahame the Royal Ballet dancer, but no idea who Louise is. I have a feeling we bough it second hand (obviously) from Amazon, and no idea who we bought it off. Can only surmise that Louise passed the book on at some point, or maybe she was the seller? Intriguing huh?

I have only just seen this and I think it's really good news. I have never seen her dance but she seemed to have a good reputation as a teacher at Elmhurst and she also taught RBS senior associates with Marion Tait at Birmingham for a while.

Does anyone know what vocational (boarding) school policies are on students having relationships with each other? Are they allowed and how are they 'managed'. My DD is at the age where quite a few of them seem to be pairing up and it would be worrying being at a distance, making sure she keeps focussed on studies and dancing.

Well busts are getting bigger generally as we are better fed nutritionally compared to our grandparents and in much better health! Kitshqueen - I would be interested to know if you have any recommendations for leotards that help disguise a fuller bust. My DD has a normal size one but it definitely looks bigger in some leotards than others and she would like it to be smaller (for ballet reasons) if possible. Edited for typo

I think this is a wider problem for society. People have forgotten how to eat normally and junk food is the norm. It is so refreshing when you go abroad, even to France or Italy, to see that ready meals etc. barely exist and most people shop daily for fresh food which is cooked that night. Something I would dearly love to get back to if me and my husband weren't both working for 10 hours a day to make ends meet!

I don't worry about the return on investment - I worry that if we spend all our money on dance training and it doesn't work out, we won't have anything left to support going in a different direction! Also as far as potential and development, it is definitely a marathon and not a sprint! Have seen so many 'young Darceys' reach the limit of their potential by 13/14 and others who have been slow to develop, come into their own at that age and continue to develop into late teens and beyond.