Dancing unicorn

What would we do without you Pictures!!!!! Xx

Ahhh bless him! I remember dd’s first residential! It was WL Summer School when she was just 10 the week before! We said to her when she applied ‘if you get in we’ll buy you a phone for your birthday’ not even thinking that she would get in! She got a place and her first phone! Fortunately for me being a teacher, (and hubby said a treat for me haha!) I booked the week watching. It was so funny cos we said to dd ‘now you must ignore mummy while you’re there, and just pretend she’s another teacher watching’. Well true to her word she completely ignored me the whole week! One day she came and sat opposite me at lunch, but didn’t say a word but just smiled and then looked away haha! She would phone each evening, and sounds like she had a fab time. At the end of the week we found her crying after the performance, she’d had such a fabulous time, didn’t want it to end but had missed me! It was so hard for her me being there but it really did prove to us that this was what she wanted to do! So it just shows that kids really will put up with anything if it’s what they really want to do! The following year she did 2 Summer schools!! I still watch at summer schools (when allowed, not all do!) even now, but she doesn’t ignore me anymore!

Sorry to say, whilst dd enjoyed YBSS when she went (3 times in total, 2 with scholarships!) she has preferred other summer schools as not enough classes, class sizes too big and not a lot of corrections either! Don’t know what the class sizes or teachers will be like now that it has all changed. We stopped going 2 years ago!

First year we went there were 2 boys. Last year there was one young boy! So yes boys do go I just don’t think that many apply! How old is your ds jay jay? X

Dar Danse in Morocco is AMAZING!! Good food, pool, beach, fabulous rooms, amazing teachers! We’ve been twice now and had an amazing time each time! DD absolutely loves going. They’ve even got their own camel for camel rides!! DD dancing and DH and I watching the whole week! Absolute heaven on earth. We’ve even extended each time by having another week in Essaouira in a Rhiad. Would definitely recommend 🌞💖❤️🐪🌴

Is this for lower or upper school? My dd at full time lower voc school and tends not to wear full face for classes/ School, just brows and mascara!

My dd wears Gaynor Minden extra flex sleek - they last round about 12 months with use every day! Just got a new pair as last pair absolutely dead. She decided to have a change last year as wanted a second make in case schools didn’t like GM’s - tried Freed Studio Hard - they lasted 4 hours and were dead!! Think we will stick to GM’s!! They are expensive but in the long run are well worth the money (only downside is sewing the ribbons on - it’s a nightmare!) There are so many variations as dd has very strong awkward feet - Dancique spent a couple of hours with her to get the right shoe and fit, so it’s worth the trip to get the right shoes. Hope that helps x

Yeh I’m hoping it’s sooner too! I know RCS were actually still in/working on good Friday, but students now off for 2 weeks but admin should be in!

When Dd’s friend got in to RCS last year, results took 2 weeks!!!

Hiya Welcome to the Hammond family. I think that more refers to auditioning for lower years! All yr11- students definitely audition for other schools for the next stage in their training!! A lot will be staying but there are a lot going too!

Look in your junk mail!

Very much so Pictures! I’m sorry but 2 schools could not be so different!! And I’d rather her be where she is now! We feel like we lost 3 years.

Exactly Pictures! The AD at dd’s previous school didn’t even know her name after 3 years of being there!! Every letter we received her name was wrong despite us saying or spelling her name correctly, and at their own Summer school he mixed her up with someone else from her year!

No Pictures it doesn’t and it runs perfectly well without one!!

Yes sorry Pictures I see what you mean now! Sorry x

I thought it was only ‘normal’ schools that choose options in yrs8/9? Or do vocational schools now choose in earlier years!

Royal Ballet is MDS funded in Upper School isn’t it?!

Definitely doesn’t include 10/11! Not sure about yr9! Apparently there were about 60/65 last wed for upper school funding audition!!

Dancermum2003 - know the feeling! Been there done all that got the t shirt! Dd still suffers now although we are in a much better school, the scars are still there and does raise its head from time to time! But this is what she wants to do even after all that’s gone on!

Mimi’s Mum - yes but you have to ask the question, why have they had to appointe a mental health nurse!!!!! I could say more about a lot of things about my dd’s previous school but prefer not to! Someone quoted in a thread, could have been further back in the original thread, ‘the grass isn’t always greener on the other side! Well I have to say in our case we found our greener grass, and would be more than happy for our dd to stay put and be happy!

It’s not just upper schools where pastoral care is abysmal!!!! But I do have to say I can honestly not fault the pastoral care where we are now!!!

No British girls were taken into 6.1 from the outside auditions last year either!!! And only 1 from the year before!

There were 2 girls from WL who were def there yrs 7-11! My dd was at the ss with them before they started in yr7 (Year above my dd!)

Yes Drdance - may be I should of been more specific and said muscles/ligaments/tendons and the bones in the foot! Sorry should of been more specific!! Only I get into such a flap when anyone even mentions foot stretchers!!! Haha

Would not recommend a foot stretcher for an 11yr old! You’re better using a theraband and foot exercises which her teacher should give her to do. At that age their bones are still forming and I would be frightened that she would damage delicate bones and then never be able to dance on Pointe! But then thats just my opinion!!