Ruby Foo

I think the RAD junior summer school is still open until the end of today! Its non competitive but good teachers.

I'm intrigued by this. Do you mean leave the establishment they are currently receiving the pressure/ abuse? Or leaving the profession altogether?

There are many dancers who don't have those incredible arched/ big instep feet. But what they have instead are flexible/ workable feet. In a class at a top vocational school I would estimate just over a third will have the banana type feet while the rest have a good pliable foot that has some instep and arch. A pliable foot can be worked on with the correct exercises to develop and strengthen. The foot is always developing and changing anyhow as the training progresses.Without seeing your daughters feet it is impossible to tell where she would be on the scale of possibly workable or a definite not possible for classical while still being suitable for contemporary or other genres. A completely flat, inflexible foot with no instep would not work for classical. What I have noticed is that many yr 7s have the banana feet but by upper school there is very few.

I find that incredibly insensitive of the RAD. When putting pupils in for exams we were always taught to arrange them in suitable groups - children with other children of similar ages or maturity as far as we were able. No wonder you felt the way you did afterwards.

The Aveda Botanical intensive repair is good especially if you sit with it on under a hot towel ( microwave) for a while. It is much more the thing NOT to scrape your hair back these days. Some vocational schools are being much more proactive in changing hair positions, not putting your hair up too early and sitting in it for academics, and encouraging a slightly softer look than the gel/ egg head, purely because of the damage and fall out - literally.

I recommend checking out Sarah Toner school in Finsbury Park. Sarah does a class for 14- 24 yr olds who don't want to be vocational but still want to be challenged. Sarah is lovely and technically focussed. Sure she will be able to accommodate your needs.

It was the same for us. Missed a year of her education. There's no allowance or exceptions from the vocational schools unless they decide themselves that an already existing student should repeat a year.

Maybe the first hurdle would be, what do people want to watch? what would motivate people to part with their hard earned cash? Not easy at a time like this, when many people can't even afford to heat their homes. Only understanding this, would lead to running a completely sustainable company, not so reliant on grants and funding and sponsorship which can never be guaranteed. Traditional companies are struggling. Thinking out of the box in the way that someone did when they realised we didn't need expensive estate agents to sell homes. Maybe something more interactive where the audience are in the driving seat. Something different and risky and courageous, but without giving up the core values of dance.

It definitely won't affect her application so don't worry about that. I would give them a phone and check they received the other photo and email. Not sure if they are on Easter holidays now, so maybe check when back after Easter.

Well done to your Dd for being able to complete her exam. She will have gained so much more than a mark ( whatever it may be) going through that experience. Finding it within herself to do what was needed, when everything was against her, is what every professional dancer will come up against in time. Whether it be carrying on in a performance through a malfunction of the music, costume, nerves, lack of rehearsal, an injury or because you've just had traumatic news given to you etc, it's a sign of strength and creativity to be able to see it to the end.

Sorry, meant to say 3-4 Not three quarters, which would be nice but definitely not true!

Applying for yrs 9 and 10 in my opinion is the best option both from a dance and mental health perspective. From a dance perspective, the new candidates are full of vitality, eager to begin their new life, full of determination. In contrast to the students who began in yr 7 who can be a little worn down and jaded by that time. From a mental health perspective, it's relatively obvious. The students starting in yr 7 will have had 3 years of the dreaded assessments hanging over them... it is a niggling worry that youngsters don't need if they are to produce their best without fear. They have also had to deal with leaving home very young age and all that entails, which is huge. On top of that, they will be dealing with favouritism and other confidence busters. How to get to a year 10 standard without the whole family dying of stress, exhaustion and bankruptcy? I know for some people what I'm about to suggest would be completely out of the question financially, and for that, I apologise. I can not solve the bankruptcy problem. Firstly, you need an extremely good and patient dance teacher who can offer 1st class training which builds in hours and standard. The teacher should be well versed in the very high standards needed for a yr 10 entry. This teacher may be able to offer some free or discounted tuition once the lessons become a daily event and they are hopefully onboard. Hopefully the school might offer Pilates or other strength training or, at least be helpful and supportive in finding contacts. The school needs to be close enough to enable the student to incorporate travel and the time to deal with the increasing academic work load, otherwise the student will be exhausted. Second, a private lesson teacher ( once a week) who will give a different perspective. Maybe try to locate a RAD or ISTD examiner who offers private lessons or an RBS associate teacher. Some people will prefer an ex classical company member for lessons but caution - not all great dancers are great teachers! Whoever you choose, the student should feel it's really pushing them (in a good way) towards their gaol. These lessons will be costly, especially around London and you may have to travel a fair distance to find someone special. Associates will help to measure up the standards and competition and are also a valuable weekly lesson but I much prefer a long one to one lesson with an excellent teacher if having to choose. Summer / spring intensives will be very important to keep the international cohort in mind. Trying to get some intensives overseas would be a bonus because internationals are very, very strong en pointe. There are some cheaper ones around. My Dd did a RAD intensive in Italy and it was a very high standard but very reasonably priced. It also opens your eyes and mind to different teaching styles and keeps you on your toes. It's easy to get locked in with the same teacher, which is very important as a base in the early years, but different teachers pick up on different areas needing attention. Being creative with the training, changing it around and up and applying for scholarships and a reduction in fees wherever possible is the way to go. There are intensives all over France, Italy and Sicily, and Scotland which are excellent and much cheaper than going for the big flashy ones. We stayed in a campsite and combined it with a bit of a holiday. These are just suggestions. Everyone is different and will have different ideas of how this can be achieved. Although, it's incredibly difficult, it's not impossible. 3/4 new British students in RBS upper school were home trained in UK.

Such a wonderful post Notadancema. I would also add, try to take your dc out as much as possible if you can. Know it's so tricky when you live far away. You can always ask for special permission- a family birthday etc as an excuse to get them out. Sometimes they get so addicted to being in that environment it's difficult for them to understand there's another life out there and that's so important for their mental health.

My daughter is 3rd family generation of dancers/ teachers. I didn't want any of my offspring to dance knowing what I do about this profession but sadly she fell through the net and, as it's her passion, I didn't feel I had the right to interfere. It has been tricky but interesting being firstly, a mother to a dancer but also a daughter to a teacher, a dancer and teacher myself. We have all experienced so much in terms of training and training others. Many, many vocational schools. Many of these issues are inherent in Classical Ballet and go right through the training and into the companies. None of it necessarily stops when you get a contract. This is why having a forum like this is so helpful. You can see how much support IN EVERY AREA you need to give your children.... just don't stop. Keep it coming, even if they are silent and things appear to be going well. Bring the professionals in if you can, if you need to, and if you can afford it. Counsellors, physios, sports massage, nutritionists and other teachers ( for confidence) can all help when the training is letting you down. But you know your child better than them all, so you will be the most important source of support. You will be able to balance the books.As another poster said, don't leave it down to the school, no matter how solid it appears to be. The most frustrating thing about a classical ballet training is that many is that many of the issues which are so mentally damaging could be so easily be ever so slightly tweaked by the establishment to make them less so, but they just don't do it!

The point of a good ballet school is to ' train' the best dancers. A student was assessed out at age 12. She arrived at my vocational school where she trained for 4 years. She was then accepted back to the original school in US. She declined the place. My vocational school did the work the other was supposed to do. All that heartache for nothing. She went elsewhere and gained a Classical contract. Maybe this will give confidence to the OP

Realistically RBS don't have any other choice but to help with audition videos seeing as the students are at boarding school and wouldn't be able to do them anywhere else. Although that is helpful, this is not really what I mean when I use the word support. Support is asking the students how they're managing to continue in their day to day life ( ballet, academics, weekends, knowing that they will be leaving while many of their friends will be moving further up the school. Support for the end of the year when their friends are choosing who to share rooms with the following term. Someone to talk to when they are worried about uprooting once again and having to start all over in a new, unfamiliar territory. The first week back, standing on the barre in a school you love, knowing you can't stay. That's tough for some kids.... because that's what they are, just kids. The ballet training may or may not be great, but it won't change the natural feelings that arise in youngsters when there's uncertainty and worry. A cold email helping to find another school doesn't help when you need someone to talk to and listen. I disagree with all the posters, who say they have gone in with their eyes wide open. The adults may have their eyes wide open ( you haven't experienced it till it happens) but no child of ten, which is what many are when they audition, can tell you how they're going to feel 3 years down the line because they're still developing as people throughout the process. Plan b c and x is great and sensible but it doesn't take away the pain of breaking the bonds kids make when a boarding school becomes their 2nd home, and their friends and houseparents become their 2nd family.

I'm sure that no one is in any doubt that from a dancing perspective, being assessed out ( or not being successful in continuing in the training) can lead to a renewed energy and momentum and in turn, lead to greater happiness, fulfilment and success, possibly more than if the student had remained in the same environment. Many students who arrived at my vocational school, having been assessed out of another school, went on to have very successful dance careers, many in renowned classical ballet and contemporary companies. But let's not forget that having to change schools after 3 years, no matter how prepared you may be (how mentally prepared can you be at such a young age?) can be anything from a small trauma to something much more traumatic. You are having to deal with great disappointment, a period of low self esteem, uncertainty about where you will go next, will you be accepted, and what will the future look like? While saying goodbye to friends who have almost become brothers and sisters, knowing you have to start friendships all over again somewhere else. There will also be students who feel they have let everyone down, even if they don't verbalise it. I just felt I should mention this, as there is much more to it than statistics and success and having a great deal of support will surely help students with a smooth transition.

Any student who completes a single year of vocational ballet/ dance school should be extremely proud of themselves! But it doesn't alter the fact that it's the same process as it always was, but in a slightly more clever/positive framework, which will eradicate much of the criticism. However, It will take a while for the students to think about this in a different light, if at all.

Yes. She made all sorts of adjustments. I would advise you to leave a long time for the fitting ( much longer than Leanne says) because she is a complete perfectionist and has many, many different shoes to try for starters, even before she starts making adjustments. Her fittings get booked up months ahead, but there's always cancellations. Then there's the issue of Grishko supply....

I'm sorry, I can't give you all those details at present! My daughter will know and I can pm you later. Basically Leanne seems to be able adjust them to exactly how you need them to be! I believe it was a strong but slightly flexible shank to stop them dying. The first set were bending too low but that was adjusted. The second set were perfect.

I'm not sure where you're based, but a fitting with Leanne from Straight to the Pointe helped my daughter enormously. My daughter was getting through a pair of pointe shoes a day in yr 11 and after a 2.5 hour fitting with Leanne and an eight week wait for special order Grishkos, this problem was solved. She has very high arches and insteps plus doing many full ballet classes en pointe. Her Freeds ( which she loves) were dead every day. Leanne is based near Southend but travels about. Anyone who knows Leanne will tell you that she is an expert, extremely knowledgeable and takes great care. Sadly though, the factory she was ordering from was closing and there was no special orders being taken. I'm hoping that may have changed but it didn't look promising.

I was thinking that maybe a leotard like Gaynor Minden cap sleeve would be nice. It's expensive, but you could look for similar style in cheaper model. Medium coverage below but the style on the shoulder line would balance hips. A cap sleeve might work too, like the Just Ballet burgundy cap sleeve leotard. Something that draws the eye upwards and balances hipline. Again, very pricey, but the Bullet Point velvet trim would give a nice balance. A high neck and front zip would be good for a more mature dancer( Dansez) do a nice one) or a two tone like the Jule Luster where the bottom half is darker than the top. Personally, I would steer clear of thin, strappy leotards unless she loves them.

This definitely happens, yes.

Maybe not quite what you're looking for but Raw talent coaching ( Kerry Birkett and Jose Martin) are doing a one off Balanchine workshop in April at the Arts Depot in Finchley.

Just thinking, you could actually take her to a pool and see if doing some of her dances in the water might be a fun way to stimulate some sensitivity in her hands and fingers.