Peanut68

This will be my DD's 3rd year of going...has always enjoyed it & gained in performance quality each time. Groups seem large but doesn't seem to have been an issue. The pastoral care is great too which is nice for us parents to know! It seems too short each time but TBH that is one of the reason's my DD has only done this one...short = much cheaper than the week long summer schools elsewhere , another plus for us parents!

I am going to repeat here a comment I have made in another topic:-

Word of advice....take care when seeing professionals who have little/no experience of dancers/sportspeople. We saw a podiatrist when heel pain struck who basically said straight off don't expect to ever dance again. The fear & panic that a massive life change may be enforced onto a child was awful & incredibly tactless & inept I thought. However, a change of daily footwear (away from dreadful flatter than flat Velcro fastened shoes), paying more attention to stance, leg alignment & reminding not to roll all helped improve the situation swiftly - as did just settling into the new height/body shape after growth spurt. If we need advice/help/physio again I would certainly seek out a dance/sports specific professional & steer away from those whom mostly see Johnny Average.

I am going to repeat here a comment I have made in another topic:-

Word of advice....take care when seeing professionals who have little/no experience of dancers/sportspeople. We saw a podiatrist when heel pain struck who basically said straight off don't expect to ever dance again. The fear & panic that a massive life change may be enforced onto a child was awful & incredibly tactless & inept I thought. however, a change of daily footwear (away from dreadful flatter than flat Velcro fastened shoes), paying more attention to stance, leg alignment & reminding not to roll all helped improve the situation swiftly - as did just settling into the new height/body shape after growth spurt. If we need advice/help/physio again I would certainly seek out a dance/sports specific professional & steer away from those whom mostly see Johnny Average.

Interesting again to see how normal changes in a child often appear magnified in a DC due to the intense training & let's face it, frankly unusual positions/movements they do! 

Word of advice....take care when seeing professionals who have little/no experience of dancers/sportspeople. We saw a podiatrist when heel pain struck who basically said straight off don't expect to ever dance again. The fear & panic that a massive life change may be enforced onto a child was awful & incredibly tactless & inept I thought. however, a change of daily footwear (away from dreadful flatter than flat Velcro fastened shoes), paying more attention to stance, leg alignment & reminding not to roll all helped improve the situation swiftly - as did just settling into the new height/body shape. If we need advice/help/physio again I would certainly seek out a dance/sports specific professional & steer away from those whom mostly see Johnny Average.

I have only heard of supports for sue in 'normal' shoes/trainers/sports shoes but so far nothing for within ballet shoes so I'd be very interested to hear more on this too.....

Have not read all the comments here but have found fab new split sole canvas shoes - Chacott available in Freed London shop + elsewhere.... Reasonable price too. I have a narrow foot with high arch - they have pre-sewn elastics (woo hoo!) in just right place & perfect tautness & hug in all the right places. Lovely inside too with no uncomfortable ridges. Currently wearing hand me downs from DD but will need to buy my own now as she has overtaken my size 2! More durable than the Bloch which I too found baggy around front of foot. These are great & reasonable price too! 

I'd quite like to do an exam bit not sure teacher realises this and I have found out that the teens are entered....I've not raised the Q - neither has teacher & to be fair family restraints mean I miss class quite often. However, if I felt an exam was a possibility I would make it a priority to attend...any tips in how to propose this? In my youth I did RAD elementary which teacher equates to today's Inter but I personally in late 40's would get a huge buzz from doing either Inter or Inter F....

Still keeping those fingers crossed with a 'you never know....'optimism!

14 hours ago, Petalviolet said:

 

she is eating a curry pot noodle, watching the Simpsons movie and taking dainty sips of tonic water...still...no....ballet.

 

Well could be worse....could be you eating that pot noodle, watching the Simpsons & slugging back that tonic....with large measure of Gin to balance of course  :-) !!

Any good cake opportunities of late to share PV? Only plus side to the audition circuit years!!! 

So it does happen! Lovely news Coniger - and best of luck to your DS!

Along with asking if there is any bursary funding it travel assistance (I believe all RBS assoc can apply fir assistance?) them you could also look to see if there is a localised charity in your area which may help. Often small rural communities will have some such thing. Unlikely to help with fees for voc schools but there are those that would pay a few £100 towards a set course if training...we live very rural & have benefitted from small bursary from local arts club which has helped with cost if dance shoes....every little helps!! Good luck x

PV! You are back!! :-)

Have only read the last few posts here bit just to lighten the tone....my rugby Hubbie has never danced a step of ballet in his life yet has amazingly flat turnout & walks like a duck....I am always joking how he'd look great in a pair of white tights!!! :-O

I've been a bit confused by this one too....& my thoughts may be way off the mark but.....

My interpretation it that the nutcracker doll comes to life in Clara's dream, but it is she who shrinks down to the size of the Nutcracker doll when dancing with him...falling in love with him through his bravery slaying King Rat & willing him to become a real prince...hence the mask comes off & he turns into a life size Prince (in her dream). Not all productions follow my take on the story...I find it really confusing when they have separate dancers for the Prince & the Nutcracker....Surely the whole point is Clara dreams she has grown up & won her Prince so she is the Princess dancing with the Prince....& that she has 'freed' the Prince from a curse that made him a Nutcracker..... I thought perhaps the Prince was a poor soldier...deemed a coward who was thus cursed to be a mere Nutcracker Doll...then along comes Clara...he falls in love...has to show his bravery to rescue her from the Rats & so after all proves himself to be a worthy soldier & so can once again be a Prince. There are so many typical Fairy Tale themes translatable into so many ballet storylines!

Still pinning all hopes on a week 2 place.....hope you turned didn't DD's week 4 place for a happy reason twoballerinas0004

Lots of good points made....all food for thought! Apologies if I inadvertently took the thread off on a tangent & I hope the OP finds a happy resolution to their situation.

Thank you Dr Dance for your professional insight & yes, all good points well explained! 

Maybe what perhaps I feel children need is regular feedback...those in Voc school & probably associate schemes I am sure get this but I fel that many part time dancers & their parents would greatly benefit from an independent assessment which exam comments could possibly provide. Was not aware of the opportunity to purchase this from RAD for £40 (!!!) - how far back retrospectively can this be requested do you know? 

Very perinent points re: the issues that of course would be raised by filming exams....life is so much more complicated for our children's generation (but far safer & fairer too I am sure!) 

Don't know any history of your long running issue but just thought this might be an appropriate place to ask the Q if others like me as a mum are disappointed at the RAD exam system whereby candidates merely are scored with no critique & no feedback to either praise good areas nor give advice on where to improve. When exams last between 30-90 mins with generally only up to 4 at a time, surely there is time to actually write pertinent notes which can be invaluable in providing encouragement (might even keep kids dancing rather than giving up after an exam) and also providing constructive criticism - quite possibly reinforcing day to day teaching if same comment is on exam report....I know when I was a kid doing RAD exams we got a line or two for each section plus a general overall comment - I do recall along lines of "your X is lovely now try and work more on Y"

and yes Y was nearly always what the teacher was telling me in almost every class to do more of - smile more usually :-) !! 

When paying over £80 for voc exams I think just a point system is an insult, poor value for money & does not really assist teachers or students. Nor is it useful where one candidate deserved higher than another & this can lead to poor relationships on occassion....esp. when adults get comparing....I'm sure we all know what I'm taking about here!!

I have no experience of other ballet exam bodies but Trinity & LAMDA give a detailed written report as well as scoring for drama & music exams. Yes, candidates are generally examined alone but also for shorter time (sons recent grade 4 drum exam cost £61 and lasted approx. 20 mins.) So, maybe it's time RAD rethink....with so much done solo anyhow, why not see candidates alone (ok - maybe just for 'older' grades) and so examiners can give full attention & thus provide this invaluable feedback which adds value & can help inspire and motivate a dancer  in their further training. They are not GCSE's and yes, dance as an art form is always going to be slightly subjective - again, in this high tech age surely it is really easy to video exams for confidential RAD use should their be a question of discrepancies leading to candidates/ teachers challenging results. 

Saw the remarkable Stephen McRae of RB do a stunning self choreographed tap number at the lovely Anne Maguire Fundraising Gala at Sadlers Wells a couple of years ago....it was to live violinist playing Eastern European folk music......sorry not to be more precise but am sure if you google you'll get info....similar folk style music would work great for tap I reckon - almost any culture has fantastic percussive folk music to inspire tappers! 

Have come across over zealous exam mark sharing with not always accurate reportage shall we say.....can be demoralising for those who think others did better than them but surely far worse for those exaggerating as they know the truth....! I do think that when applying to Voc Schools or SS's , do they continue with the fiction when filling in the section that asks for latest exams taken & marks? In this day & age it is surely easy to check via RAD & similar candidate numbers or perhaps online applications should need to have attachments of exam certificates along with photos/videos etc...

Was in Port Sunlight the other day (& btw - wow! What a place & what a vision establishing it! And Lady Lever gallery simply stunning - go if you get a chance!) & on edges saw a whole street of devastation....now realise this was the scene of this explosion! Seems south worse seeing it for real (& only the edge) Amazing no one died 

To go back in & click or not to click? That is now the question! Of all the UK kids (these quite possibly fewer in number than overseas students?) who are going or have been in past, all have been JA's & now this year several are either at WL or joining in Sept (the new school policy it seems encouraging current & future pupils to apply with it would appear a guarantee of a place.....wonder if they still had to pay the £25 application fee? Can't help feel that SS at prestigious voc schools/colleges etc should be specifically for those NOT already there/going....they have their chance to experience these wonderful places/teachers...be nice to share it around more & surely long term gain would be more inspired & challenged children whose passion for dance grows....now far more dreams are being quashed & cynicism at the huge sum generated by applications of which most will be futile is understandable...I know this sounds a bit sour grapes.....I do not wish to take away the success & happiness of those lucky chosen few - all will no doubt have an amazing time at SS!

Well, plucked up the courage to bring up subject with DS in car on way to dance....deft deflection by way of rugby.....I casually (!!) asked if the coaches had recommended to the team that as they are getting older they wear "ahem.....protective underwear?" The eye roll & look back I got was just classic!!! I then went on to say how it was important to protect his "boy bits" (yes, I really did say that - cringe) just as his sister as she got older had to start to wear a bra to protect her "girl bits" ..."you mean her boobs" is what I got right back at me!!! Well, that told me!! So, now all eye contact ceased as I said "so, shall I order you something from the internet?" 

"Whatever" came the bored reply....and that's a wrap!!! Done! Phew! Well...until I now pluck up courage to buy & put in front of him!!!

I remember reading & re-reading it at the time & concluded that this year you clicked only to be removed off wait list....previous years (wait list veterans here!!) you had to reply to an email to stay on the wait list....I assumed that more want to stay on than leave list do they realised less admin to monitor if leaving required action rather than staying on list! Confused??? I know I am! Tutugirl - any chance you may know if your lucky wait lister with the place had done anything or had indeed just sat tight as the email wording instructions....my DD so so wants to just once live the WL dream & now am worried that my instinct to question the email instructions based on former years was one I should have clarified with a call/email....I didn't as I worried they by being an annoying question their email parent I might jeopardise her place on wsit list even!!! Oh the agonies of being a parent in this whole ballet-go-round!!