FlexyNexy

Congratulations, if I remember correctly, ENBS do offer contacts for home stay option. At least they offered us when we got offer. Sometimes homestay is another more cost effective option.

What about homestay? I understand some girls would prefer to stay with their friends, but sometimes it is hard for families. We are bus ride from central and 15 mins from covernt garden by bus and I used to offer my daughters room; while they have been looked after by me (washing, cleaning, cooking).... With current flight situation and my DD school still being closed, we are not sure about September so can not offer our room. But if our DD leaves, happy to offer place. Even if short stay while she finds something more suitable. Homestay could also be a solution.

Yes, they have sent email with attached letter thanking us for attending final audition and that she is put on high reserve list. They said they will be in touch should space becomes available after 1st deadline and then after second deadline in August.

My DD was on reserve list with ENBS couple of years back and I went through my emails to give you answer. We did not hear back until all offers have been accepted and 1st term payment received from all students that they have been offered place. There are two deadlines 30th March for them to accept their places and 13th August to make payemnt of 1st term.. She has been placed high on the reserve list and the deadline for the students to accept their places was 30th March and begining of April they have emailed us Acceptance Form, DaDA Self Declaration Form, Guide for Accommodation, additional compulsory school fees, Finance Sheet, FAQ and payment details to fill because if an offer comes through after 13 August (second deadline for students acceptiing their places) which was the deadline you will have a very short time to complete all the necessary paperwork for DaDA assessment By then she has accepted offer from another school anyway and we declined the space on reserve list.

I must be very lucky mum that my DD absolutely hates social media. She said she envy my childhood (80s) where kids talked and socialised properly. She had two instagram pages, one private with normal kids as she calls them and her ballet one. She has removed her ballet profile completely end of last year. She got fed up of circus like looking images, uber healthy breakfasts posts and one trick ponies. The day she removed it she came and said...."mum this is the best feeling ever, it's like being free". She is focusing her energy elsewhere and said that if her friends want to get in touch...they have her mobile number and can use what's up. I see on her that she is much calmer, her mobile is completely ignored on a table for days. She has signed herself to various pages where they email lessons, workshops and news, makes her research and update when she needs. On her private profile I know she follows professional organisations to be up to speed with news but that's all. I feel that social media can be great source of information but also a sentence for some. It's all about who and how much you follow and how mature you are to handle information seen. Between the smaller ones I see the trend of being used as marketing tools I.e. brand ambassadors ... influencer seems to be the job description of many. As for Zoom, I believe it brought opportunity to have class with various companies and teachers which you otherwise would not have or only during intensives. She has picked up new corrections and styles and even rolled out her dance floor for 10pm class due to time difference. I had to buy lots of chocolates for our down stairs neighbour so he ignores her jumping. But despite the convenience of zoom it can not replace teaching in person and corrections that are applied by teacher. I hope this will not become a norm or replacement and another money making tool.

No, it is not Russia...she is very tough cookie. It was a rollercoaster journey and I have grown few grey hair since.

Will share some of our experience. Long story...very short. My DD has moved 4,000 miles away one month before turning 16 (August born). Important points for us: knowing and immersing yourself into community, making friends, being familiar with neighbourhood and for me as a mum having someone ”grown up” close by that you can trust to have on another line of the phone should you need. In my case it was next door neighbour I have befriended. Making sure she is comfortable cooking (I have made booklet with meals, how to do sauces etc.), planning for a week i.e. preparing food in advance should they have late show/ rehearsals…so she does not stress with household duties. Making sure she is comfortable with transport to and from school and that you feel at peace that the route is secure. But the hardest thing for me was her being homesick and shock from doing it all on her own. Be prepared to be more on the phone, messenger…etc. Be prepared for her low moments which under normal circumstances would not sound so dramatic. Due to the way how audition deadlines works, we have taken the gamble. Last set of auditions have been planned during summer just before September start. She has declined all offers received in UK and near Europe and flew off to complete her last set of auditions never knowing that the suitcase she will pack in July will have to last until December. So she flew, passed the gruelling 3 weeks of auditions, accepted offer and didn’t came back until Christmas. She had one month with me to adapt to new country, new language, new culture, and new system of life. No more Wi-Fi, internet, privileges, dance shops, shopping malls and mum just phone call away. Wi-Fi only in hotels or hot spots and so poor that half of the hour we spent talking was frozen, shops that have empty shelves and you often go to school with glass of water and 1 boiled egg J in your stomach. She laughed as when they jumped their stomachs sounded full of water. My concern was the distance traveling to school, shops that have some groceries in and being in community rather quite place. School boarding accommodation was in such poor state and so far that she decided to live alone, independently. She has moved to a large flat that we have owned but never used as we only visited the country back twice. First week I spent on my fours and cleaning, fridge arrived 3 month later and our lovely neighbour was doing our laundry while we waited for installing our washing machine that was shipped from EU. My holiday allowance was gone and for me was time to fly back after 4 weeks we landed. DD video called me 10 mins before school started as she found Wi-Fi hot spot nearby, then after school we spent 1hr daily catching up so she does not feel lonely. She spend weekends walking around neighbourhoods getting to know it, sitting drinking smoothies in small coffees and just observing people, finding what she can buy, where and when, then where she will pay her bills, what place is best to pick up “bus” or hike to location she needed to go. Most important thing for me was to create some sort of web of people she can rely on. We have visited all neighbours we had around us and I made sure they keep an eye on her. Well, they had 16 years old neighbour in a huge flat living on her own next to them. After couple of days she made friends at school and they showed her where to buy food, how the transport works (hiking mainly lol) and spend more time socialising with local peers to fit in the culture. That was I think the most important part which helped the most. She made her own web of people she can rely on. As a “foreign” girls she was popular (mainly for material reasons). She took copy of their school week planner and planned her household stuff around it. She cooked in batches and froze meals when she was returning home from 10pm performances. Shopping was done during Saturday for the whole week. She often got extra so she gave few things to neighbours. Often she bought cakes and gave it to neighbour kids and she has enforced the neighbour relationships 😄 On some days where food was scarce in the shops she just ordered meals from nearby restaurant. She learned quickly that when you see butter in the shop, buy in bulk and freeze it as you will not see it for a next month. Same with everything. School canteen was revolting sadly so she prepared her own meals/ Most of the kids brought their own. Next cultural shock is that there was no dance shop in the country (unbelievable but a fact), the students are given everything at the start of the year i.e. from 1 pair of tights, 1 leotard and 1 pair of flat shoes and pointe shoes. Forget pointe shoes fitting. You wear what you are given. The shoes must last whole season and are repaired in the company “repair shop”. She learned that from older students. Twice a month she hiked with friends to get her shoes “glued together” to the “repair shop”. That was another lesson for us…we not only had to pack hygiene products, medicaments, food and clothes, but whole case of ballet stuff in case she need during her next 6 month. December came and at the airport I was collecting grow up lady. No longer the teen that I have left to fight the lions on her own... She has changed so much and grow up fast. This would be the greatest change you will notice in her when she returns back. 1st year passed very fast for me. We saw each other twice a year, on Christmas and summer. Despite me being comfortable that she is now treating her second home like a home, being very street wise, the leaving always hurts. 3 days I am completely “out of action”, first year I even slept with her pj’s next to me. As the apartment we have is very large (2 very large double beds rooms), 2 baths, huge sun roof with stunning views (being converted into studio lol during lock down), she has thought she would rent her 2nd room to friends. The idea was great, small money from the rent for her daily household spending, BUT friends she has made are older (in year 3) and can have different interests. Most of them had a boyfriends that wanted to visit and this has disturbed the “peace” in the house. Even the agreement was not to have boys around or parties it was quickly out of hand as she felt overpowered. She wanted to sleep, but the music was too loud in the next room, food started to gone missing, friends spent all the water available in the water tank and she did not had enough for her washing etc. As you would expect. The friends graduated and left and she did not want to rent with anyone even if it would be her best mate. She prefers being quiet and rather live on her own no matter how lonely evenings can be. So her lesson was sharing is not always the best option. Let’s see what the final year has prepared for us. So far we are drawing a list what not to forget to bring 😄 and the above long story short? I have left out so much as you would need to lie down in a very dark room 😄

this is what we are feeling right now, "just graduate and leave...we are now advertising for new entries and how they will pay their fees"

I have opposite problem..my DD has EU passport but not interested in EU companies at all. I think she has a mental block against Europe and i struggle to convince her to apply. She is graduating this year and our conversation got heated so much that I made her to give up ballet as a career. We have calmed down since and she has mentioned post grad programs but I can not see myslef working 2 jobs again for another year just to chase this dream. I too think that there should be more transparency in upper schools about the reality. Only time will tell....

My DD is graduating this year (studying overseas not in UK US) but not interested at all with EU companies despite having EU nationality. She never was. Where we currently stand? After long and mentally draining weeks, I have convinced her to give up dance as career and look at UNI course instead. We will fly over for her graduation and I am burning all her ballet shoes. I am unwilling to continue to finance the new trend of postgraduate training. They seems to be popping up just about everywhere and I do not believe in them.

If anyone is selling 2 tickets for Nutcracker in December please let me know. It would be as a present for 2 dancers. Thank you.

Hello Kirsty, the size shown as 9M (this is I believe Capezio Size?)

wobble board is now sold.

I believe this is old campaign from 2019, but why the pm would share it now on their Twitter? Sadly bad timing rather than intentionally aimed at performing art sector.

2 x Brand new canvas pointe shoes for sale, unworn, suitable to de-shank and use as demi or decoration purposes.Size 4.5 E - £10 each 1 x Capezio 610W Swag Flat Sole Combat Dance Boot - Womans - Black. Condition is used twice only. £25 Size UK 5.5 1 x Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina by Misty Copeland (Paperback, 2017) - NEW - £5 1 x Ballet Stories by Harriet Castor (Paperback / softback, 1997) - NEW - £2 1 x Les Ballets Bubenicek DVD, new, sealed - Otto Bubenícek,Jirí Bubenícek, Gustav Skál PRAGUE CZECH Ballet - £10 1 x We R Sports Wobble Board - like new - £5

My DD has narrow and very bony feet. She tried all shoes available but her preference is Grishko 2007 from start. For performances she uses Gaynors but training Grishko hard shank.

My DD uses moco de gorilla and it has been the best for her hair.

yes she was on the vocational program. I believe there is a section on the school website regarding the graduates and their placements. Any questions, let me know.

I was thinking more like having a day at school where they would cover fitness, body conditioning, character, modern, repertory not just coming for an hour class. All under 1 roof. Something that would equal day at her school. Having odd 1 hr class is ok during holidays but thinking being out of school probably until November is making me doubts if that is enough.

Thank you all for your suggestions. I was only aware of Danceworks where she used to do classes when over for holidays. I will definitely investigate other options you have mentioned. Thank you so much, my living room is just too small if we think longer term and it is getting to a point to give it up all.

I didn't want to open up a new thread and thought this heading is suitable for my question. We have been just told that my DD's school is not opening in September until the government get the covid situation under some sort of control. Borders are shut for my DD to fly back and we do not know when the school opens. She is in her final 3rd year and I just know that home classes are not enough for her. She has been doing well for all those weeks in my living room i.e classes and some body conditioning but i can not see this going on beyond September. She is in London at the moment and I am looking for ideas where I could sign her up to do some sort of normal "vocational" level training? Most schools I researched are only up to 16 years of age.

Happy to answer any questions. My DD was her student.

Thank you for your response, DD (90 miles from Florida) does want to stay...i guess it is me being little panicky regarding flights and closing borders.

I am aware that this is post about UK schools and apologise in advance for my question. But do any of you have currently your DD or DS studying overseas? What is your plan? Bring them home, leave them there? Especially if the school is still open and running?

When my DD was smaller we used to go every year...as the time has progressed Move It just lost the spark. In my opinion at least. Last year was my last time I have attended and if my DD was in UK I would not allow her to go. I am not panicky or hysterical person (I have only 4 rolls of toilet paper in my cupboard) but the environment is just too sweaty and messy. I guess it is going ahead and classed as "safe" because it is national event rather international so not many international students/families are attending.