Harwel

It is tough knowing quite when to encourage and when to hold back. The right path will unfold. My ds started Tring in year 10 and had passed RAD intermediate (just as a guide to the level required). Prior to starting there he was doing approx 4/5 hours ballet, an hour modern and an hour tap plus rehearsals for festivals. He had done associate classes with Northern ballet and Graham Fletcher. He was not dancing with any other boys at his local school (3/4 hour drive away to get the best teacher for him) but the teacher was great with him and got him doing double tours and the girls did the boys work too.

Look at Tring Park associated courses. They do kick start for boys, associate classes, boys open days. Their boys are fantastic. They nearly always take in an extra boy or 2 into 4th form (year 10).

Very much the perspective of the casual dancer, not the professional ballet student. Of course they will never air that in public, let’s just keep it all fluffy and PC.

Plenty from Tring too. Lovely opportunity for them all.

Thanks for all your suggestions. Seems slim pickings in Lincoln.

Thanks meadowblyth, yes it’s an adult and Jo would not be the correct teacher at all.

That’s great Fiz, thank you. I will pass that on.

Can anyone offer any ballet school recommendations in Lincoln for my friend who is a complete beginner but very keen to learn ballet? He has been recently inspired by Matthew Bourne. My ds is going to give him a few private lessons in the holidays but he will need a class and am sure would love some of the adult workshops available when he knows a bit more. Many thanks in advance.

Thank you.

What’s the payment?

Hello balletmum11. I am very busy right now but later today I will send you a pm. I have a son at Tring Park 3rd year upper school. I will ask him to seek your son out and have a chat. Your son is not alone.

Sorry @Piccolo I just can’t quite remember the timings.

As I understand it, DaDa schools reapply every 3 years for funding. The last time Tring had to reapply, someone missed a tick box on the form and so they lost out on their DaDa funding for that cycle. If memory serves, that was 2 years ago. The school have money set aside for scholarships and they used part of this for the dancers. Tring will also allocate MDS funding to the upper school students if they really want to - I am sure they prefer to allocate to junior school as it is their only means of funding. But current junior school students in receipt of an MDS are (upon successful assessments) allowed to carry it into 6th form. There have been occasions where new students into 6th form have been given an MDS - I am sure it all depends on numbers and potential of all new students across the school. I believe Tring will reapply for DaDa funding status in the next cycle and there should not be any trouble receiving it as the error last time was purely administrative.

Is she happy at school? Does she have a new teacher? Has her friendship group changed? All things I would consider first. I had 2 boys who did a lot of outside activities at primary school and the only time anything changed at school was due to school and issues within it.

Oh yes, I remember a few of the posts from ‘pro ballet dancer’, very similar tone. Gosh I hope it is the same one and not multiple equally disturbed posters! Thank you @Legseleven.

Thank you @ArucariaBallerina and @CeliB. You are both completely right.

I am fine, thank you Pointetoes.

Thanks Fiz. Yes it is a very stark reminder that this is a public forum and that there are some truly vile people out amongst us. I actually genuinely hope she finds some peace as all that hate just gets directed back to herself.

Thanks Anna.

She is no ballet lover, just a troll!

Just to let you all know what we are dealing with here. Lil miss ballet luva just sent me the following PM ‘Hey there you ****ing ****. may your children all get cancer and die screaming in agony you cocksucking pedophile ****. You truly are a cocksucking **** whore and deserve to get AIDS.’

Namaste 🙏 May you find peace.

Thank you so much for your incredibly rude, condescending and frankly childish response. I am sure from your responses that you clearly must have attended these fine establishments too, so that you can know for sure that all their practices are fully up to date and they don’t have any outmoded practices. I am sure you can also tell me with certainty that SZ is completely injury free and will have no long term physical repercussions from her dance journey. I also didn’t say she was going wrong, whatever she is doing works for her (not to be followed by impressionable young dance students who don’t have incredible facility and a team of dr’s, Physio’s and world class 1-2-1 coaches). If you could just lose the judgemental attitude and open you mind you might learn something. I shall not bother to respond further to the likes of you.

You are completely right DD driver. The dance world is catching up with the sports specialists in how we should be looking after our bodies. SZ is a unique, very amazing dancer how she stretches is part of the old school ‘if it breaks you you’re not right for this’ and while it seems to suit her we don’t know of all the hundreds of kids that were broken In the process. We also don’t know what injuries she is nursing or how her body will be when she retires (double hip replacements at 40??). For instance, It is absolutely right that you should not do static stretches prior to class as it makes the body more prone to injury. This is a VERY hard habit to break as it is so entrenched in the dance world. Anyway, it’s a massive.very interesting topic and I am glad that better knowledge is filtering in so that our dancers can sustain longer, healthier careers.

Now in my 50’s having spent my whole lifetime in and around the dance world - mother ballet teacher, me dancer, friends dancers, son at vocational school (other son drama/musical theatre). I do not have a moments time for any ignorant sole who denegrates the effort, talent, dedication or worthiness of any of the performing arts. Family, friend or foe will get the full force of my opinion on that before I walk away leaving them to contemplate their utter stupidity. Calling dance a sport tries to engage the ignorant into acceptance but in fact it makes it far less than it is. I admire sportsmen/women tremendously for all the same reasons I admire dancers but to then add in the added artistic requirements and sensitivities - dancers are rather unique humans.