Peanut68

Possibly a contentious comment here....but with RBS Soring cancelled & Summer possibly in the balance... should applicants get the £36 each course application fee refunded? TBH, pretty much any other course/institution I would’ve dream of considering this but the Royal a) no doubtedly get more public subsidy than any other dance training institution & b) year on year thousands of us parents fill their coffers with these extortionate fees for them to merely look at photographs.... The return of those £36 fees I’m sure would be very welcome in these difficult times where to maintain dance many are having to invest in flooring/barre/online classes/tech to view these on etc. I do think it wrong frankly to pay merely to apply to any course, though I do appreciate there is a certain amount of admin required. The course fees charged to attendees I am sure could subsume these costs. I’m equally quite sure that for the £36 application fee, actual auditions for those that prefer could be budgeted & surely provide a better & fairer way to select attendees? Plus give many more the opportunity to experience the Royal in some small way..... Just a thought!

Are you talking about all exams - academic & dance & other’s? The year 11 cohort of which I have experience with are so extremely disappointed (& stressed) about not having the usual ‘right of passage’ revising for, sitting the exams, the coming out & chat chat & emotion after, then the waiting & finally receiving results! They feel cheated out if a very important aspect if ‘maturing’ into adulthood. I hadn’t even thought about what else they might be missing in completing beyond GCSE’s...& for many year 11/13’s vocational exams be they in dance, music, plumbing or hairdressing could similarly of importance for their next educational or career steps...I presume all these will have been cancelled or moved to either an online assessment/exam or awards given graded by current tutors based on previous exams/work? The long term implications of so much is great & we have to hope that it does not hinder this cohorts opportunities in whichever field they are striving to compete in. Similarly the following ‘exam’ years who are getting very mixed educational opportunities it seems - both in provision & of course what can actually be achieved based on their home environments. We are sadly going to see higher inequality going into the near future. To bring this specifically to ballet.... where many need say Intermediate ballet to commence a teacher training course but their exam was cancelled, will this be waived as an entry condition? Will we see a predominance if future vocational training places going to the lucky few such as those with ballet teaching parents & thus with access to ‘in the flesh’ teaching & possibly studios? And a greater disparity between achievement levels of rich & poor (which we know sadly already prevails in most elite activities)? The wealthier families are more likely to have the chance to create home opportunities to dance providing space /specialist equipment/pay for online tutors etc (this will of course be similar in whichever the now missing activity is, be it sport/music whatever). Will schools/bodies/government remotely be able to identify any of this and support accordingly to try ensure equality? It makes me desperately sad to think on this....though at the same time we must remain positive for & hugely admiring of our youngsters thrown into this situation. They I am sure will be ever more resourceful & empathetic young adults as a result. Bravo to them!

Quick W.... was that £12.50 each or for both? I can actually see ‘names’ keeping on with this after lockdown as could be a nice little extra earner & way to establish themselves in teaching for a post dance career....

Got totally sucked in to the point I found myself saying ‘use your turnout more!’ 😁

That roll up bamboo sounds great...wonder why no longer sold?

They (Harlequin) do a sprung floor system in various sizes which sounds similar; interlocking sprung wood base pieces in 1m x1m & 2m x1 m size so you buy to suit space then have a roll of the cascade or the cheaper option floor cut to size of total board area....but It’s pretty heavy (so perhaps not an ideal option for a multi use room as so many of us are now living!) & expensive...I was looking at a 2m x 2m option & I think with VAT & delivery (to doorstep) it was going to be well over £400

Not heard the word ‘Marley’.....yet! Hoping not to as whenever the pros talk about something or are seen in certain leotards etc it tends to mean more requests from Bank of Mum!

I bought the ‘professional’ or premium mat - paid c. £124 incl vat & delivery for size 2m x2m As said earlier a thin ‘top floor’ layer only wouid definately not work in our situation as I think - even if taped - could slide/raise etc. I don’t think I’d be placing even this thicker floor over a high pile with thick cushioned underlay carpet for serious dance practise.. I would instead be looking to carefully roll up some or all of the carpet & underlay temporarily. Am happy with the flooring - even if we’d had fairly even floorboards or Lino or similar I think I would have bought the premium more expensive product....

We are using over carpet.... I called & discussed at length with supplier Dance and astage Flooring. No flooring product other than like a spring wood panel system would be recommended over carpet (this company soon doing, Harlequin already do -but hugely expensive) I felt after discussing it was worth buying to try as better than current dire surface the thicker (it’s quite solid & heavy, not squishy) the ‘premium ballet mat’ (2m x2m size c£124 with delivery) Our ‘carpet’ is very thin, no pile, without underlay so more like a carpet tile straight into concrete floor. If I had thick pile carpet with lush Cloud 9 underlay I’d be less sure placing over this would be a good/safe solution....rather would be tempted to try roll up carpet from an area large enough to provide at least a barre work area (2mx1m minimum is think needed) Wouid still then but this shock absorbing floor rather than the thinner if it’s into concrete. If wood underneath then the cheaper thinner options probably fine. DD likes the surface. Huge improvement to her working environment; able to do turns & pointe again now. Wish I’d got 3m x 2m....live & learn! Good luck! https://www.danceandstage.co.uk/premium-practice-ballet-mat (It or similar might be available from other stockists too - see back in this thread - hso could shop around...but I felt happy buying from a firm specialising in dance floors as I’d expect more ‘support’ if there are any future problems) Good luck!

Huge congratulations to your DD Lemongirl & uplifting to many of us I’m sure to hear of someone’s good news in these challenging times! Thank you for sharing it xx

Will do! I did the same & saw Lemark too but guess I was a sucker for seeing word ‘Dance’ in company name so only looked at products there & on the well known make Harlequin! Guess it’s only a small saving I’d have made...a rounding error in context of the huge grocery bill increase having all at home all the time & mostly using just the (very well stocked but yes, dearer....) village shop!

Which did you get? The regular or what they call the premium? The latter is what I am awaiting; I spoke & it has a certain thickness ‘shock absorbing’ cushioning....

I think I paid £124.....delivery 2-3 days....so you’ve scored a better deal! How did you find that company as the name isn’t one you’d think of for dance flooring!! Hope it comes Monday & will post DD’s verdict!

Ha - so many ‘brands’/suppliers suddenly emerging once we look for emergency homeschool flooring! The second link looks the identical product (& I think price though could not tell how much delivery cost would be without putting in info...) to one I just ordered from danceandstage.co.uk following recommendation from forum contributors (I think in Q about flooring in for sale/wanted section?) I ordered 2m x 2m & it should arrive mon/tues next week. If you can hold off ordering I’m happy to give you our verdict on product after first days use! I’ll be gutted if I could’ve got it cheaper.... The company I used were very helpful when I called with Q’s...

In addition could try The Dancers Room, Lichfield Dancing Boutique, Tunbridge Wells Dancemania, Poole Dancique, Birmingham not 100% sure all stock GM but gives you a few more to try as you are looking for a specific shoe from stock...am sure all will be doing mail out - I’ve certainly had quick service & items posted out by the first 3 suppliers in the recent past. Good luck!

A good idea in advance (though be wary of Summer growth spurts!)is buy in 2 sizes to return or swap the one that doesn’t fit! Becky always happy for that in our experience

Am pretty sure it would need to be the regulation school ones.... only available from school supplier. I’m guessing this is the cap sleeve modern leotard? Look on school website as am sure there will be images somewhere of relevant year groups wearing relevant uniform items

Please tell me it’s a static bike....or is your dining room one of those long galleries I jested about earlier Pups Mum???!!! Loving the image of the 14 ducklings & protective mother Duck....& you are right, we can all count our blessings as I’m sure we will all have it better than many others.... in lockdown & in ‘normal’ times.

That would be great Dr Dance - thank you! Good luck with classes & your empathy from a teacher perspective in another thread was much appreciated xx

My DD was horrified to see an old Sylvannian Families toy (one I’m ‘keeping for the Grandkids’...?!) was her backdrop! This had to get quickly moved!! 🤣

Thank goodness for the little moments of humour we can share on here! Thank you all!

Length of room gonna be key here!! If only we had a ‘Long Gallery’ or Ballroom.....🤔

Tap 😱🤣

I checked out & only £6! Quite low stock, so I’ve acted on your recommendation Dr Dance (in advance of a deluge of Balletic forum orders!) & have ordered 2 as think could help with online music lesson for son too...🤞🏻

A few years ago I heard of a girl getting the call with offer of MDS year 9 place (I think) literally on first day of term as another has a last minute change of heart.... this in turn freed up an MDS place at another vocational school so there were 2 happy outcomes....it’s quite usual for new starters (& occasionally drop outs) during first few weeks of Sept terms at all schools! Keep the faith & good luck all xx