Peanut68

So does that mean Elm/Hammond/other’s have had to send students home already? My heart goes out to all....especially those leaving at whichever year end to graduate or move to new schools etc....just so so sad when you know the challenges faced by all to get to the point of putting a show on....& that’s in normal times! With this last year & a half? Hats off to all - pupils, staff (& yes, us long suffering parents too) for keeping going, keeping smiling & (to be cheesey) having the shear determination & passion to - as a certain show says says - ....keeeeep Dancing! Bravo to all.... your time will surely come x

I wonder if the latest new trade deal with Australia will actually mean no more import duty (plus the unfairly high Royal Mail handling fee they outrageously charge) due on those Claudia Deans in future....🤔

Has anyone had any success at booking anybif these adult classes? I’ve tried several times including on the first day booking opened but I get right to the point where the next step must be payment & I just get a screen saying session is timed out!! Very frustrating....it saves elements of my application but never have I got to confirm booking & pay....& I have raced through to prevent session being too long!!! I phined the telephone number (just got answer phone at RBS CG) Left a message several days ago but no response unsurprisingly. Has anyone booked? It doesn’t say sold out at all but if that’s the case why on earth wouid tgd site still let you go through the whole apply process? AghhhhhhhHHH!!!

If you have more than one dependant under 18 (a policy might even cover up to older ages if still in full time education) it could be worth looking at a personal policy (or family policy) & adding on kids. I have an Aviva policy which then cost me about an extra £22 a month to add DD onto it but it then covered all other kids in family for free....I only have one other bit even if I’d 10 more they’d be covered so great value for larger families! It’s also worth cross reffing the level of cover & also if you have a preferred physio or other treatment practitioner as some may be covered by one insurer & not another. A London practitioner we were recommended to wouid be covered by Aviva but Nit by AXA. Also, recently found DD could be covered for local physio during lockdown for up to 20 appointments via Aviva but it would only have been 10 sessions maximum with AXA. But - I think - AXA better if consultant appointments required.....it’s not a science this insurance business it seems! good luck!

Don’t be put off by the extreme perfection but rather look at the new product.... I had a mailshot email today but have deleted it so can’t find perfect link, but it’s about new Releve ballet shoes which are designed for maximising opportunity for toes to spread on floor for maximum stability etc. Could be worth a look at? https://www.instagram.com/p/CP-XJechrgZ/

It so saddens me that still smoking & illicit drinking seems to be seen as a teenage ‘right of passage’.... I remember a 9 year old boy relative hassling his Dad to not smoke...yet the minute he was under peer pressure at school, there he was aged 15/16 smoking away!! Now aged 30....he’s swapped his cigarette addiction for vaping....it looks like he’s puffing on a catalytic convertor leaving a massive plume of smoke in his wake...and you know an added tracery? The 40someting Dad then re-took up smoking with his teen in what? An attempt to be ‘cool’??? Oh dear..... As an aside....I do wonder the longterm consequences of putting water vapour (so water) with chemical flavours & scents in it into a pair of lungs... Isn’t that what drowning is caused by...water in lungs? And another thing that amazes me as not having heard been raised in discussions in these covid times...the additional geographic spread of any virus by the excessive pushing out of exhaled breath that these devices seem to cause....I truly hate it when walking down the street you are suddenly plunged into a sickly smelling dense cloud of vape exhalation with no chance to avoid it. Seems accepted as ‘the lessor of 2 evils’. Well, for the converted ex smoker maybe but it’s so anti social & I wonder if also an enhancement to spreading of viruses of all kinds that can affect anyone innocent person in its wake... yuck. Especially worrying for babies & young children....as many are also high in nicotine, couid this not be leading to nicotine being inadvertently regularly inhaled by them? Mind boggles....

Very astute observation that has really got me thinking.... trouble is, it does rather firmly & painfully point a finger at me as having been weak, indulgent & continuously on a guilt trip as to wether I’ve done things right or for the best... Out of interest, do others feel lockdown & home schooling has exacerbated these ‘push the boundaries’ & rebellion issues? I feel they have all been stuck at home (& almost locked in when back at vocational school) with minimum social contact that once they have the opportunity it’s all far more exaggerated in trying to grab that ‘good time’ moment. Also, as a parent of a DC boarding from age 10, I have over the years consciously tried to ensure any time at home (exeat/holidays) was relax time. It was ok to sleep in, to veg on the sofa in PJ’s the whole time, be rather slack at completing any schoolwork (didn’t even really pry that much as to wether they had any), to give any dance opportunities a miss unless they truly wanted to do them, stay up late, eat crap, be a phone addict (oh boy, was THAT ever my biggest error!) etc etc. So of course, all those weeks that turned into months of time at home meant it was nigh on impossible to redefine the boundaries from pretty much zero to ‘this is a school day’ . I cannot tell you how helpless I have felt in all this...

I can empathise with all your feelings & situation...no idea if smoking has become a thing but I’m finding 6th Form a whole new world of asserting independence & (it feels) rebellion.... but as others on here say, it’s all part of growing up & maybe growing away from needing us mums quite so much 🙁

There are several dance colleges that offer degree courses alongside dance teaching qualifications I think... though funding may need to be checked as im not 100% sure where they stand for student loans etc... Thinking LSC does this??? There is if course the RAD but I guess the genre focus will be Classical Ballet. Am sure others here will confirm & add additional suggestions. Many insist too on an Intermediate exam pass as a dance qualification entry requirement so it probably would be a good idea for your DD to get Inter in her one or more of her genres Good luck!

Do check if the sliding scale might take into account your other children as I think there may be an ‘allowance’ towards each dependant (ie. an amount per child taken off the total household income that’s assessed for funding). You may find this could bring you into a lower Band & perhaps offer more? Best of luck

Always interesting to read of others experiences & comparisons!

Is this a placement within the ENB company itself or the School? My understanding is that the Vompdny or already established within its new London City Island home but the school plans to move were postponed & no dates yet for any move (but others on here may have more info they can share!)

Frankly I wish full time vocational schools would all catagorically ban their students from attending any regular classes (eg. a weekly/fortnightly/monthly held class....allow occasional holiday course as these do offer good opportunities to broaden horizons & friendships etc)that’s deemed an ‘Associate’scheme. Why would they want their students associated with a different school to their own? By allowing Associate attendance elsewhere doesn’t it kind of send out wrong messages? That they agree their students need more trining than they provide,that they are not covering all the training needed in the genre, that the other school is ‘better’, that students should ‘hedge their bets’ , that some pupils are worthy of having more training than others, that ever training is good, that having a rest day is not necessary or indeed is bad....etc etc etc.... it creates an uneven playing field too & that’s not fair. It also can further promote the imho already unhealthy hierarchy between schools & courses & kids & is parents. I speak from experience of eventually getting sucked into the whole ‘more is better’ & after years of not getting into a certain scheme that once offered a place you just ‘do not turn the hallowed one down’, worrying if one did it could prevent being selected there for any other courses ever again. etc etc etc & permission was granted by voc school. It was a huge mistake. Pretty sure lockdown did not assist as only one in person Class was attended but it was clear it was ‘more about me’ being part of the scheme than it was about being good for my DC. Hindsight? I’d have said thank you but no thank you (as originally trying for it was only ever intended as the Plan B.... to add onto local classes if unsuccessful at gaining a place in full time vocational training) Its also wrong for these institutions to promote these Assiciates schemes as such but to then allow them to filled by those students already lucky enough/talented/trained enough to gain full time (and often with government funding through MDS/DaDa schemes) vocational training places. I truly hope the place my DC very happily handed back has indeed gone to that dancer who didn’t get a funded vocational place but is still perusing & lovinv their journey in ballet & that this will enhance their training & joy!

Thank you Momapalooza for telling it like it so sadly is in quite a high proportion of circumstances!

The younger years are very much classical emphasis as a) that is pre-requisite to be a recognised school for government MDS awards....also a training that has strong technical ballet provides an excellent foundation for almost every other dance & performance genre (plus many many general life skills such as discipline, timing etc too!)

Shame this had not been the case back in our day when being realistically the only ballet focussed kid felt very isolated, unsupported (especially by peers), frustrating (for some staff too) & caused huge anxiety as it was clear there was nowhere near enough hours/focus/advanced training for Upper Schools audition preparation....particularly as Hammond US clearly had no Classical pathway necessitating being successful at auditions elsewhere. So pleased the school has addressed this as they have the facilities & the staff to provide the best for all their pupils with this new re-jig. Couldn’t agree more how having the great all round training is a huge added bonus for all in younger years (skills they will have for life) but do feel that by year 10 it has to hone in on specific genres to make the most of each individual’s talents. It sounds win win for Hammond & Pupils - so pleased for all now there & future pupils! Onwards & upwards! Good luck to your DD Margarite too x

Well, it certainly seems as though the school in a relatively short time has turned around really the only 2 issues that sadly were of concern to us when there.... The new boarding sounds exactly what was required & I recall a conversation where for older years, genre streaming was suggested! At year 7 so many start out with a ballet dream but by year 10 those wanting to focus in on ballet as a career were a very small minority & the timetable & then felt very much for the all rounder. No complaints at all about teaching or opportunities beyond those that have now been addressed it would appear so bravo to Hammond!

Wow, FlexyNexy, that’s some story & some daughter!! Am I right to assume she is studying in Russia? Good luck to her & to you, the support from afar!

Good luck to all awaiting results... I can’t tell you how wonderful it feels to NOT be in that position for once as no applications any! How much stress I have saved by not having the photo or video sagas to go through & how much healthier my bank balance is for not shelling out for applications to merely be looked at!! Looking back on the years of no’s/wait lists & the occasional yes I can’t help but think silly me banging that RBS drum for DD....I reckon I must have spent in total over the last few years well over £400 on Spring & Summer intensives application fees (where you get no class or audition to feel like you get something for the money....🤔) Then add on fees for all the RBS associate levels & WL & US auditions.... wow, RBS must have had easily way upwards of £1000 from us! Small price to pay to chase a dream? Hmmm.... I wonder??? BTW, RBS have proven success now st running online classes & form for offering places at courses from these. So why in future for the £30/60+ fees for applying for short courses don’t they offer several online classes run at different times of day to allow for timezone differences as auditions for these? At least the kids get a taste, we parents feel like we get something for the money & it would help alay some of the guilt & anxiety that it’s not an even playing field when it comes to photos as some have a combo of use of studios/dance teachers to help position/pro photographers & some are just reliant on a mum leaning as far back to fit limbs into picture in front of a bedroom curtain! Or even teens placing their phones on a chair to take them themselves!! Come on RBS - give people something for the money! There is some good then that could come from lockdown if it shakes this up a little!!

Now there’s an idea......🤔 I expect now there could be the necessary talent available to work to assist in establishing such a company with knowledge/contacts to secure funding (what about from the covid relief funds too?) Set up as ‘not for profit’ but paying a living wage to all workers (unless there are any philanthropic dance sponsors & professionals who choose to volunteer some services for free of course!) And to be run on truly ethical grounds in all ways.... Got to be legs in this idea?

And it’s starting to replicate the shameful system of unpaid internships or when people pay to join Chambers in Law....bit Dickensian having to buy your way into a firm....money potentially talking its way ahead of talent yet again. Sigh. Surely ballet companies could offer paid apprenticeship places under the government funded apprentice scheme? Why should job prospects in dance be so different to plumbing or accountancy? And there is a danger that training goes on & on. Also I am uncomfortable that it can become an income stream for companies (& limits the payroll costs). Where is Equity in all this? They seem to represent actors well & stamped out much of the unpaid work practises years ago. Are Dancer’s represented by Equity or another Union? If not, why not?

I’d like to see something like this that was for UK Dancer’s only if that’s allowed....???

Not all 6th form in new House sadly.... quite a few in Mansion which is a shame - particularly with the current covid restrictions which limits inter-house mixing especially at weekends. Self isolating at school due to cases was particularly challenging & depressing for those brave youngsters who stayed in school (rather than go home) in order to protect their families; can’t have been easy for them or staff whichever boarding house they were in (though sone rooms more spacious than others for trying to dance in!) I think the 6th form students around the country are so missing out on the experiences they should be enjoying. Goodness knows how high a price will be paid in the long run through loss of training, loss of socialising, loss of motivation & self believe & happiness. I could weep when I think on this....

Really good points! Sorry you’ve not had help from local dance school.... I must say ours always bends over backwards to support where they can....especially the boys!!

I have a theory here (happy to be lambasted over it!!) that as there are sooooo many more girls than boys ‘in the circuit’ parents become increasingly wary of sharing information to protect themselves/DC’s a little? To ‘cushion the blow’ of a no, & yes, avoid the snide (firsthand experience of this from parents, pupils & im afraid some teachers....)side remarks - I’m sure most of us on here have witnessed on some level of the bitchier side of this ballet world....& also we have to accept that competitiveness & sometimes undermining the competition is likely to be a part of life going forwards! Let’s not sugar coat the fact that not everyone all of the time is nice! Also another reason to keep quiet is to perhaps not encourage ever more to apply thus increasing the competition & shortening the odds for their DC’s? And so often we can work out who is who & maybe parents quite rightly wish to protect their DD’s from the inevitable comparisons & questions (such as why her & not me? Why is X better than me?) Etc etc....all very disheartening that can lead to anxieties, depressions & worse - other issues such as extreme dieting etc when one DD perhaps compares her body types of a no against a yes.... Not all are guilty I know if all or any of these suggestions I make BUT we all know that places & funding are limited & especially where judgements are made merely from photos (always nuts & unfair IMHO but presently now only options for a while?) or videos (again, never going to be a level playing field as some can - we’ll pre covid - access & afford to pay more studio hire time, & pay teacher time to guide & some are lucky with teachers who provide this free too - bravo...but again, I understand dance schools do have to run as economically viable businesses - so it’s never a truly as equal a playing field as them doing the same 1 hour auditin class can potentially be. More of my ramblings - sorry!