TooTu

I am looking for a Degas 9502 in child age 12. Would love the colour indigo but will consider other colours 

Is the ainsliewear leotard still available?

Ballet Boost run a on Sundays.

Is the grenat still available?

17 hours ago, Skibidi said:

How much ballet is too much? Dd (now suitably equipped with demis!) is just about to embark on what I think is a mental amount of ballet for a just turned 13 year old: regular class 45 minutes on Monday, 1hr 45 minutes on a Tuesday (45 mins one class, 1hr RAD int), 1.5hr RAD int on Wednesday and again on Friday, then associate programme on a Saturday (3hrs) and once a month for 5 hrs on a Sunday. On top of school. I'm worried... she seems to think it's all going to be grand! 

I have a dd of similar age & she is averaging 12-15 hours a week of ballet plus associates a couple of times a month. Like you I worry how she will manage it all on top of school but she seems to be coping well & doing well at school too. I think they quickly learn how to manage their time well, both in & out of school & the focus & discipline  they learn from ballet carries through into their school life.

i would echo what balletbean says about ‘scheduling’ downtime. My dd would happily do home practice or stretching & strengthening work every spare minute she has but for a healthy balance it’s good for them to have some downtime away from from ballet too. Every child is different but if it’s working for your dd she will manage just fine 

Does anyone have a copy of the RAD Advanced 1 syllabus book that they would be willing to sell? 

Thanks

Check out love lily dancewear. Dd loves their skirts. They are really well made & come in a beautiful selection of prints. I think they do one called stateside that is similar to the bulletpointe skirts. If it is bulletpointe that your dd wants though Just Ballet have started stocking it coz my dd has her eye on a few things there 

I think weeks 1 & 2 at Opes work with your dates. My dd done it last year & would really recommend it 

I'm soo deeply sorry for your loss. Olivers story is heartbreaking. Petition signed, verified & shared xx

37 minutes ago, dancertaxi said:

How Bizarre! Letter offering dd a place just popped into my inbox 📩 

Congratulations to your dd

2 hours ago, dancertaxi said:

I know even age 8-9 my dd knew her teacher was being emotionally abusive but at the time she says she was the only teacher that could give her festival dances and help her to improve her x style of Dance ( dont want to say too much!) 

 

When I started to address issues ( my 8 yr old dd being in floods of tears from being repeatedly shouted at then ignored for 3 hours the day before a national final ) the teacher started being off with me and gradually made things very difficult with others too. Lots of other parents felt the same but none would speak up or get their child out of there. 

 

When I spoke with the principal, who was of course a close friend of the teacher I was met with ' I m sure x was trying to motivate or dd must have mis understood' 

 

Its hard to hear some things my dd recalls now we have a fab teacher. For a 10 yr old to say its really nice in 1:1 not having to worry about what to say or how to give own opinion as now doesnt have to fear the teacher taking it the wrong way and being mean as a punishment. 

 

I hate this world sometimes! 

 

This is all to familiar unfortunately. I often wonder if this is more common in festival/competition style schools where any parent who questions a teacher is met with this reaction?

On a positive note is does make you really appreciate a good teacher when you find one.

The emotional abuse can be soo damaging to children's confidence but getting a teacher to admit to it is next to impossible & even if they do it's usually brushed off as they were only joking or it was a bit of fun. Unfortunately it is all too common & when our dc love dance as much as they do parents often don't hear about it Straightaway 

Unfortunately my dd has experienced teachers in the past who I would question having done sufficient CPD. Reading that teachers can self certify their CPD hours is worrying for parents who not only put their trust in a teacher but also in the organisation to which they belong to regulate this. 

9 hours ago, annaliesey said:

 

Listen to your instincts always.

 

I’m very distrusting of everything dance these days after finding out my dd was self harming age 12 and she was being hit by ballet teacher. Turns out no prosecution could happen as there’s no crime for common assault if the event was longer than 6 months, even for children. 11 families came forward to try and support a case to DBS but they weren’t interested. RAD and ISTD not interested either if no criminal prosecution and their grievances also time bound.,CDET don’t get involved “in things like that” ... so ... I’m saying it’s the industry as a whole not vocational only. Some are so crushed so early. 

 

Since then teachers banded together. People turn against you as think you are a trouble maker because that’s the lies told by the liars. 

 

The “dance industry” is full of two faced cowards who lie and manipulate to make a quick buck in my jaded view, some high profile. All whilst telling others “be kind” and “stand up to bullying” and “let’s change the industry”. Yeah - I personally envy those leaving too sometimes. 

 

For us we haven’t even got out of the gate never mind “almost ran” (love that analogy by the way) 

 

But I know this is what my dd needs to do. To dance. Either on a stage or in a hired hall she wouldn’t care where. I’ll be there ready to say “let’s try something else” just as soon as her love starts to fade because through everything so far she has never once said or shown her love for dance has lessened in any way and I’m looking out for that. She’s lost confidence and performance but not her love. 

 

Shes cried over friendships, over sacrifices, embarrassments, hurt from comments and actions of so many nasty adults/teachers and kids, exclusions, but so far has hung onto her passion and determination. 

 

All I do know is she tells me not even a quarter of it. I find it on her phone, her Instagram account, or witness clues. She just knows the sensible answer is to walk away and that would be my response so she hides things or down plays things and we keep on searching for better places to train. 

 

Luckily she’s got a couple of good constant teachers and schemes. 

 

I’ve been wondering over the last year .. Maybe vocational would have been better after all as surely it couldn’t have been any worse. I’m the opposite side to you thinking maybe I should have driven her to a day place when we had the chance. 

 

But whoever said it’s likely to be disappointing somewhere else is probably right.

 

good luck with everything 

 

 

 

Annaliesey my heart is absolutely breaking reading this. I have no advice but having a dd of similar age whose love of dance has brought me into such an uncertain & often worrying industry it's really struck a chord with me. 

dd is taking her RAD intermediate soon & wears soft blocks for the class too. In her school they are encouraged to wear soft blocks for all classes rather than flats. 

They do a full elastic ribbon that my dd loves as she says the feel supportive without feeling restrictive.

Russian pointe do ribbon to match their shoes. My dd wears Russian pointes & the colour difference used to drive her mad but the Russian pointe ribbons literally blend into her tights

As expected it was a no for us for year 8 from the Birmingham auditions. I don't think dd will be too disappointed though as she has Elmhurst finals to look forward to

Just now, Tippytoes1 said:

Our surname is W....does anyone know if results come out alphabetically or not?

 

 

I've no idea but we are at the start of the alphabet & haven't heard anything yet either 

We still haven't heard from Birmingham audition 3rd class either.  Have heard of others from Birmingham still awaiting results too

We still haven't heard from Birmingham audition yet either

7 minutes ago, Busymum said:

Boys London results are out. Wondering if they are sending boys first as audition is only 2 weeks away. 

That would make sense. At least that is the start of the results coming out. My dd auditioned at Birmingham so maybe we might hear at the start of next week 

Good luck to all of the dc's waiting & of course their parents

13 minutes ago, coniger said:

If they wait for two weeks that is cutting it close as the first final auditions are on the 23rd Feb

That's what I was thinking at the time they announced it. It doesn't give a lot of time to arrange travel

We were in Birmingham auditions last week & I thought they said they would get the results out within 2 weeks so I wasn't really expecting to hear anything this week. Aren't I right in thinking that the results come out in order of auditions?

Just Ballet. I recently ordered a leotard from them next day delivery & the service was fantastic. Didn't cost much more than normal delivery either