Belljul

Thanks David. Will send an email. And Michelle...go for it. It looks like a great experience.

Hello Vaganova dancer. Thanks for all the useful info. I was trying to find some details about the scholarships for boys that you think they are offering, but I can't find anything on the website. Can you point me in the right direction. I've always wanted to go to Salzburg! Thanks.

Christmas wishes from me too. Hope everyone enjoys having a break from driving to classes or having vocational kids at home. I'm loving having my DSs home together for a bit. Let the competitive stretching begin! Thanks to all the administrators. Sometimes it's a thankless task, so please know that we appreciate you xx

Good point primrose. Will bear that in mind when my DS auditions for upper schools in a few years.

I can't believe that the cut off for paying full fees will be 50K. Fees for lower school at Elmhurst are in the region of £25K per year for lower school (with boarding) and I can't see the amount dropping hugely for upper school once you factor in rent or a place at Lyndhurst House etc. How can they expect half of your salary to go to a school?? Hope the facts come to light soon cos it's worrying me hugely!!

Ha, I could say my job is!!!! No, joking aside you are right. Dancers are under such huge pressure. Only the strongest and most talented will survive. And the ones with huge desire to push through the tough stuff. Whew!

I started off feeling very depressed after reading your list of requirements (and a great list it was too) Nina G, as I am currently supporting three children who want to dance. I then thought about how it would look if we listed all the requirements to be say, a doctor, or a manager of a business, or a teacher, or even my life as a mother and part time music teacher. I'm sure when all the skills required for many jobs are listed it all looks rather challenging. So I am choosing to see the list as a wonderful set of skills that my kids will hopefully develop over time. I have yet to watch the documentary but hope I can put a positive slant on that too :-)

Posted at the same time spanner!!

I think the moderators (volunteers) to a great job in their free time with the variety of discussions and personalities have on here so I feel it is below the belt to put blame on them. I am sorry if you have had an unpleasant or frustrating time on the forum but it is important to remember that your version of the "truth" may not be others. Best of luck in the future though.

So tough to get to this point but I am pleased that some of the stress is over for you all. I know how hard it is waiting for a call and hoping so badly that there will be a cheerful voice at the end of the phone. Better to have a happy healthy daughter who can sit at the kitchen table telling you about her day. There is always next year, and the year after that....xxxx

So tough to get to this point but I am pleased that some of the stress is over for you all. I know how hard it is waiting for a call and hoping so badly that there will be a cheerful voice at the end of the phone. Better to have a happy healthy daughter who can sit at the kitchen table telling you about her day. There is always next year, and the year after that....xxxx

We had a lovely morning too and my daughter really enjoyed herself. There is even a little clip of her on the news programme! Would have loved to have watched the other classes too. I have seen Jay Jolley teach before and think he is great with the kids. Also very pleased the classes were held at the Dance School of Scotland as it gives people a chance to see the fab studios.

I would say that by 16, if you have not been offered any places at upper schools for the dance training of your choice, then you can no longer manage on "potential" alone. Potential is the promise, if you like, of coming up with the goods, and if you are not coming up with the dance goods by 16 I would suggest it was time to look at other options as the competition is just so steep.

Lovely girl from Ballet West won the senior solo. Well done Bella!!

I have read this thread with interest and I have to say that I did find myself becoming more and more irritated by the list of irritations at the theatre and dare I say, see why Blondie has "had a go". Whilst agreeing wholeheartedly that manners and respect for the performers are so important, I was a little horrified that "being overweight, being wide shouldered, being tall, breathing too heavily, moving your head, taking in a drink, clapping in the wrong place, clapping too soon, daring to cheer made you an unpleasant theatre companion. I don't know when to clap. I try to work it out. I might clap too soon if I am moved to do so. Sorry. I enjoy a drink while I watch. I have cheered. I know we all need a good moan now and again so I am not taking this too seriously but I think I might rather go to the theatre with Blondie

It's such a tricky thing to weigh up isn't it? I remember being in your shoes a few years ago. Be aware that EVEN if your DD is offered an MDS, make sure you have done your sums well beforehand and know just how much your contribution will be. It can still be hugely expensive especially if you have other children, mortgage etc. Add in travel and it could make life very hard for the rest of the family even with the grant. We did not calculate our contribution properly and ended up turning down a place at Elmhurst as we were unsure about coping with the financial pressure. (My DS eventually took up his place but it has been tough to find the money!). Good luck making the decision.

As for associate schemes, Ballet West have a great teacher in Edinburgh once a month and you don't need to audition for the Edinburgh course. As far as I know there are spaces. Kids get to dance a short dance in their yearly ballet tour and that is great fun for them.

Meant to add, that's a shame about the Dance School of Scotland. I would audition every year though as things do change.

Edited to add another sentence.

Yes I was thinking the same. My son attends DSS and although the academics are part of a big comprehensive, the dance training is great with many students now at Elmhurst, Royal, English National and Conservatoire of Scotland. Ken Burke is also set to raise the standard even more. The musical theatre course is also very well respected and many end up in the west end. Kids happily take the train to and fro at weekends, some from as far as Aberdeen. And its FULLY funded by the government. I think it might be a solution! Worth a look at the open day in November.

Edited for predictive text errors!

Congratulations to dedicated dancers and their dedicated parents! Makes me choked up and my son is only year 8. Have a lovely day today. Xx

Wish I could watch it again!! I echo most of the comments above although want to put in my pennies worth to say that I loved "Alpha beat" with club music from David Guetta. I thought it was fantastic to see such bang up to date music being used and it certainly appealed to my very image conscious son who loves to dance but doesn't relate to classical so well at the moment. It has given him lots of ideas for choreo of his own. My older DS loves the new jazz teacher and thinks what she does is fantastic and I have to agree. I know what you mean Julie about the piece not fitting smoothly into the rest of the programme, but I have to say that that is why I loved it. It made me sit up and take notice.

I do hope the school considers splitting the show in the future as the kids do need so much more performance experience.

Thank you Kea. I will download your novel to take on holiday with me. Good luck with it.

Yes, you are right about the kids not being supervised all the time out of classes at Ballet West which I think is why my sons loved every minute lol! They loved the freedom on the Estate but I can understand that can be a worry. We looked at the Conservatoire too but if we were going to spend that money the kids all voted for Ballet West! They will have to wait til next year while I save up though. Good luck with your planning.

Hi ballettaxi. Sorry to hear you news. I hope your daughter has picked up a bit now. Another couple of summer schools to look at in Scotland are Ballet West (my boys have loved their time up in Taynuilt the past few years, and the training is fab, although quite expensive), and there is also one at Kilgraston (sp?) School in Perth and there are usually some great teachers there. I think there is also a Russian ballet summer school in Edinburgh too but don't know much more than that. We are doing the hip hop dance week at Dance Base in Edinburgh this year. Only for up to age 12 but my youngest son loves hip hop as well as ballet so we are having a break from Ballet West to do this one. Hope you find something. xx

Sorry to hear your news Grumpybearz

Yes for my little 8 year old too for Newcastle. We are delighted. Best of luck to everyone. A few posties will be accosted this morning!