joyofdance

It was Manchester apparently. It is all very confusing.

Oh I see, I am sure she said Manchester but sounds more likely to be the Leeds one. Thanks, I will check with her.

I'm not sure Jan. I think he taught at Manchester but I could be wrong. I will check with my daughter.

Thank you balletbean.

Hi. My daughter was at a workshop recently and a dancer/choreographer who works regularly with The Northern ballet pulled her aside and encouraged her to audition for their summer school. She loves ballet and has a good technique but because she is more of a sporty/ jazz dance shape she has avoided applying for specialist ballet summer schemes as she feels that they are very selective when it comes to body shape etc. I just wondered if anyone has any experience of The Northern Ballet school in relation to this as I assume there is a cost involved in auditioning and it's several hours from where we live so I don't really want to go to a lot of expense etc for something that is very possibly a non starter. I know there supposed to be more of a move toward moving away from the classic and favoured ballet shape but from what I have seen albeit limited, ballet schools still do tend to favour a particular look and dare I say it (awaits backlash) this sometimes seems to be prioritised over talent and ability.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. We went for a piece of music from a repertoire piece in the end. We have chosen the music from the Spanish dance in Swan lake. It's very lively and will be fun to dance to.

My DD always had to wear the same Jazz pants when she did graded lessons. It was a dance school rule. They were expensive for one use and you would guarantee that she had grown out of them by the time the next exam came along. Like your DD she hated wearing them so they were only ever used once . A local dance costume maker might be your best bet. That way you could get them made to your spec and shouldn't cost much. Alternatively have you tried purchasing a second hand pair from the dance costume selling sites on FB? You could then arrange for the flare to be reduced.

That is one of my favourite pieces of music. I find it so moving, I initially thought that it might not be upbeat but I listened to the full version and it's really fantastic.

Thankyou everyone . Will have a listen and hopefully find something that my daughter likes.

Hi. I wonder if anyone could suggest some classical ballet music that has a Spanish influence. I'm not looking for a repertoire piece from any of the famous ballets but that's all I seem to be able to find when I search. Any suggestions of either the music or a good place to search would be very much appreciated. Thank you.

Thank you Scottishdancer mum and invisiblecircus two great suggestions. I will listen to them properly when I get a minute.

Hi. I wonder if any of you could help with some music ideas please. I am looking for a piece of instrumental music for a modern ballet/contemporary dance that represents being reborn or regaining strength after weakness. I was thinking it needs to start off quite slowly and then build up to a crescendo. I hope that makes sense. It can be classical or contemporary, we wont know what we like until we hear it. I've searched youtube but haven't found anything that really grabs me. It needs to be powerful but not necessarily too fast. Any help, thoughts or pointers in the right direction would be really appreciated. I am just not good at these things. Thank you.

My DD is a midlands associate. The training is excellent. My only complaint is that it is only once a month.

Thank you. I haven't managed to find anyone with direct experience, probably because its a new school. Their website looks good. I have emailed them.

Hi, does anyone have any experience of sending their child to the Kings International Ballet Academy summer school in Leicestershire? I am thinking of applying for DD to audition for this so any knowledge or experience would be much appreciated. Their information says for "pre vocational students" My DD has no desire to go to vocational ballet school but would like to attend a good quality summer school. Do you think that would be a problem?

We suffer the conflicting timetable problem too. DD doesn't do exams anymore so fortunately that isn't an issue. We manage it by trying to give equal balance to different classes. It does mean that she invariably misses the odd class with her associates and her dance school and we still have to pay for them but we don't have a choice. When DD did exams and festivals with her previous dance school I used to get really annoyed at last minute extra rehearsal demands. Apart from the time the cost was ridiculous. I am convinced that some dance school teachers decide that they need a little holiday money or want to buy something nice so will pay for it by dragging all of the kids in for extra exam or festival dance practice. Sorry if that is brutal but I have always had my suspicions

I do understand why he doesn't name the school and obviously this forum is not for that purpose. There are also potential legal ramifications, however it does frustrate me that these institutions and sometimes individuals get away with and are given licence to continue with this appalling behaviour because we are too frightened to out them. Raising awareness is important and it seems the best tool we have to inform others for now.

Thanks for sharing this annaliesey. I have seen a few of his blogs before so have an idea of what he has been going through with his son. I must admit even though I know that this type of bullying exists at vocational schools and general dance schools I still find it incredulous that these institutions get away with it. It goes against everything we know about safeguarding children. There really needs to be more done to take these vile people to task and hold them accountable for their actions. I wish he would name and shame the school, they totally deserve to be outed for such horrendous behaviour and arrogance. At the very least it might make people think twice before enrolling their children there.

muddledMama, although it's possible I doubt our daughters went to the same dance school. I say this because sadly the type of dance school that both you and I have experienced are far more common than you would think. I could (but obviously won't) name at least six or seven well known and well publicised dance schools like this all within a short geographical area. Have you thought about your daughter not doing exams at all and just concentrating on enjoying dance and improving her technique? My daughter did all the usual exams from the age of 7 onwards and she always did well however her current ballet teacher doesn't do exam classes. She feels that the syllabus often just teaches children how to pass the exam and doesn't necessarily teach them how to dance well. Not everyone will agree with that but for some children exam syllabus classes are not necessarily the best way for them to learn. I am happy to be corrected by anyone on this forum however my understanding is that when it comes to the dance industry (future work etc) that employers will be more interested in how well someone dances rather than how many distinctions etc they have. It very much sounds to me like your daughter (and you of course) need to find a dance school that suits her. I know this isn't easy but it would be worth the extra effort if your daughter is really serious about being a dancer. X

Hi LinMM Grooming takes many forms. It is largely associated with the exploitation of children however It is a way people (including some dance teachers) play power games with parents and children. For example some teachers will gush all over parents about how talented, amazing etc their child is however they manipulate the parent in to thinking that only their dance school can teach them/help them improve. ( not unlike the Abbey Lee style of teaching) With children they will behave similarly as well as pit the children against each other, show favourites, accuse some children of not being loyal/dedicated etc and generally behave in a way that leads the adults and children to believe that they must stay at the particular dance school. Not a great explanation sorry but I am at work and sneaking in the odd email so a bit rushed. Generally speaking grooming is manipulative exploitative behaviour designed to gain power and control over people and situations. Anyway I hope that answers your question, if not I am happy to elaborate and give examples when I have a bit more time as it is something I feel very strongly about.

Hi MuddledMama I'm sorry to read how your daughter has been treated. I can't comment or advise on anything re improving technique etc as I do not have a dance background so no knowledge there unfortunately, however what I do have experience in is a situation not un-similar to yours with my daughter. She is now 13 and started dancing at 7. As a result of some very unpleasant teachers and teaching styles we moved her to a different school that was recommended. Unfortunately although my daughter got on ok there, it was still a school with a bullying culture who used undermining tactics to supposedly encourage their students. My daughter does not respond well to this style and responds much better to positive reinforcement. To cut a long story short I became quite experienced in reading between the lines with dance schools as well as sussing out dance teachers who groom parents as well as children so was able to eventually find a school that suited my daughter. Alongside that she goes to a very good ballet teacher (not connected to her dance school) who is an excellent teacher and very calm and encouraging. My daughters technique is now excellent although she isn't the classic ballet shape, she has more of a sporty body.There are disadvantages of moving schools a few times but while some people may disapprove of that I have no regrets and my daughters technique, ability and self esteem have improved greatly. She is now settled and happy and has regained her love of dance. Nothing is more important than a child's mental health.

My DD took part in this performance for the first time. We and she loved every minute. and I can't praise The English Youth Ballet company enough. All of the staff were lovely and very professional. The theatre was a lovely venue. The dancers were all amazing and the performances were stunning. As an experience my daughter gained in confidence, had great fun and met some lovely friends. We will definitely look out for other opportunities with them. I know a few of your DD's and DS's were involved, were you as impressed as I was?

My DD loved it as well and is looking forward to the rest of it.

Thank you , I will have a look at them.

I was wondering if anyone knew of a similar forum for parents of children who also do Tap, Modern etc and in particular where I can get advice about festival/competition dance/music/outfits. I have found one but its American so cant quite relate to it in the same way as I would with a UK based one.