Peanut68

4 hours ago, DanceMum_UK said:

 

Hey everyone,

 

Just wanted to pick your brains on gift ideas for aspiring dancers. A few months back, I got my daughter the Solo Studio Pro home dance mat for her birthday to help her practice at home and she absolutely LOVES it! Definitely recommend if you're looking for a home practice mat https://solo-studio.uk/

 

Now, I'm in search for another dance-related gift for Christmas. Any suggestions?

 

Curious to hear your thoughts.

 

 

It would be helpful to have an indicator of the age of the recipient!

I’d suggest this is actually a positive approach to bring all parties around the same table creating open communication links & less chance for ambiguity or questions pupils or parents may have being missed…

I recently heard that they are back using Hampton Lodge after a full renovation & all new furnishings…. Kind of pleased that the legacy of the original school building does live on! I had wondered if covenants/trusts would actually make it very hard to sell…. Pleased in a way it’s still part of Hammond!

I do hope staff changes etc are not negative & do hope the Carols in Cathedral return for all… was the highlight of year & one to take a grandparent too! (Book Xmas lunch beforehand in the cathedral restaurant - really good! ) 

I’m intrigued - need to Google these! 

I’d meant to suggest the gel super strong spray they tend to use at school to get the super slicked ‘not going anywhere’ hair look!!

Oh dear - I have no idea how my post above somehow merged two lots of typing - clearly ignore the last sentence as does not relate to the heel slippage at all! Tried to edit but clearly spotted too late 🤷🏻‍♀️

A generous spray of super firm holdhairspray to back of heels/

 & inside back of shoe is a good trick to  help hold heel

of shoe in place useful for other parts  of costume era). A full on spray on ribbons/shoes before performance might really make a difference & directors may make adjustajebrd based on weather/light 

Think I do need one of these!!! But then also someone to wield it as I imagine it’s quite hard to get to just the right places at right angles & right pressure yourself….

It’s hard to let dreams lead the way but better to try to follow that path when passion is there than to look back & wonder ‘what if?’ Academic ambitions are far less time/youth dependant to achieve success & often passion for this may return later on & then studying will no doubt be happier & more successful! (I was given the chance to follow my dream as long as I took A levels too…. The latter diluted the dance content & frankly both ended up pretty much a failure…. This was in the 1980’s so different times….I did then - in my mid 20’s - return to education to take 2 more A levels in one year when I was keen to study & enjoyed doing them!) 
good luck all!

I’ve never before heard of a massage gun….am intrigued!! Can someone please post a photo or link to item/video to show what one is/does… would be really helpful! Thanks 

For age 6 by ‘intensive’ I am guessing you perhaps rather mean seeking additional fun workshops? Lots of local theatres will often offer a fun family workshop event linked to a dance performance… pretty sure the ROH offer events suitable for a six year old linked to Nutcracker…& possibly so too do BRB, ENB & Northern….

RAD, BBO (& possibly RBS now with their new affiliate initiative & primary steps)  also may hold workshops for the younger dancer too.

Maybe I’ll add taking my grade 5 theory of music to my ‘bucket list’…. I ticked off  taking RAD Intermediate ballet a few years ago (almost 35 years after doing the old elementary 😮😂) so perhaps this could be next 🤔

My point is that any element of teaching music should involve sharing the vast array of genres, instruments, composers, performance styles, delivery methods (eg. radio, records, digital, live performances from busking to Opera - again so many places to discover music!). And maybe enable pupils to select area of their preferred interest to delve deeper into for project based work perhaps….?

I know my own musical endeavours got curtailed by the insistence to continue beyond grade 5 instrumentally you had to take grade 5 theory… and I hated the dry teaching then so stopped the lot!! Regret it deeply now of course….

37 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

the GCSE and Key Stage 2 syllabus have now been altered to include pop music as well! I know of pupils who have dropped GCSE Music as a result, despite continuing with their grade 8 and diploma level music studies.

Well I wish that were true & that schools would offer an option of pop or rock music as part of A level music. One of my offspring sadly dropped A level as it was ‘too dry’. They are accomplished with Grade 8 in Trinity Rock & Pop one instrument Grade 5 several others in ABRSM and plays with Jazz & Swing bands & Orchestra but over emphasis on very intense classics left him very uninspired & so he dropped the A level. If only schools & teachers could embrace a wider variety & tailor teaching on a more individual level rather than just making each student do exactly the same… and in a class of just 5 disappointing it was not even discussed….sigh 

2 hours ago, Scheherezade said:

 

I loved this, Sebastian: the musicality, the wit and, my goodness, those lifts and throws! Thank you so much for posting.

I agree! And love you using word ‘wit’ - too often missing today & worse if replaced with base slapstick (like horrid ‘sisters’ interactions in RB recent Cinderella…IMHO anyhow) 

I actually think intensives that are NOT aligned to a school perhaps a better option as the competitiveness perhaps a little reduced? Although it’s always there let’s face it in some form or other in this game!! YBSS years back had the while ‘this is the Royal barre’ thing going on which was rather intimidating to non RBS kids but at least it wasn’t seen as an audition for any school place. Malvern I think a happy balance between great training & happy & friendly downtime! 

Tickets just gone on sale for first performances! Theater Royal, Bath 17-20th July....I've booked mine!

https://www.theatreroyal.org.uk/events/london-city-ballet/

Curious why no longer Goddard? He is a truly amazing & charismatic dancer 

6 hours ago, FionaM said:

Alina is in pointe shoes in these trailers 

I think my phone was only showing half the screen as could never see feet!! 

Lovely acknowledgement email for joining as a ‘friend’ with a newsletter to soon follow - am getting such a good feeling about this happy re-addition to the ballet world! 🥰

Was trying to see if danced em pointe or not? Anyone know? Thx

I’m guessing it’s a paragraph outlining a dancers personal artistic aims/goals/reason to want a specific job type of stuff… so not restating what’s already in cv but additional info an applicant might want to share/tailored to specific job…

Others may have better more specific advice 

The dance programme in Bath & at Sadlers Wells are different I think…. Anyone recommend which I should bust a gut to get to as both not achievable!

16 hours ago, Raquelle said:

Quick question.....does going to rbs/enbs/rambert etc intensives give dancers an advantage in getting in at upper school to these schools? My dd is vocational and we were planning on doing intensives at the schools she would apply for upper school but can't really afford them on top of school fees (even with mds...)....might just have to stick to one or two local courses that aren't quite so pricey but don't want to disadvantage her....x 

There might still be time tk apply to attend a YBS scholarship session…. We benefited from these several times as otherwise attending was not possible & RBS intensives have a means tested funding which I think if you get offered a place you can automatically apply for & get as long as below income thresholds (think it’s a sliding scale as to what you get but seems a fair way to do it) 

Also look around gif local arts charity organisations in your home area as there are often ones that may assist with things like summer courses, dance kit etc…. May only be bursaries of £100 up to around £500 but every little helps in this game & again, this helped enable offspring to do intensives 

Really don’t understand why the top Uk upper schools are not coaching older students towards this…afterall, they are supposed to be getting them industry ready & if this is a good route in (& you only have tk read the biogs in any RB programme to see how many dancers benefited from PDL) surely it’s a must? Yet schools seem to act hush hush if they do enter one or two favourites.. surely they should want almost a whole year group to at least aspire to enter?