Ruby Foo

I can’t answer all your questions but my Dd loved the Spring Intensive. She has done both Summer and Spring and enjoyed both for different reasons. The Summer tends to be mainly foreign students ( only 4 British students in her group) and the classes were technically a little more challenging. Spring was easier to make friends as more home students. Think this is possibly due to the spring Intensive in Hong Kong which obviously attracted the Australian and Asian students. Not sure if this is the situation this year though. I’m not sure how old your Dd is but 1 week is plenty as the day is long and challenging, happy and tiring. I think it will be separate applications and fees. They are usually pretty strict and organised about these things due to the huge numbers of applications. Good Luck

Central School of Ballet and the London Russian School If you’re keen for your daughter to stay in London.

As far as I understand, it will be much the same as choosing the 2 week option this year. Classes are Monday to Friday. You do as you wish during the weekend and there is no provision of a canteen. Packed lunch needed each day although I believe there is a fridge and microwave. Majority of participants were from abroad this year, staying nearby and wanting to sightsee over their weekend.

I wouldn’t worry about your daughter ‘ not being up to standard’ at an audition. At this very young age they are looking for potential, physically, mentally and musically rather than a certain standard. The way your daughter responds during the audition will be more important than doing the splits, which most children will probably achieve with time and practice anyway. Taking her to an audition workshop is a great idea and will give her confidence to let her joy of dancing show on the day.

So happy to see how much progress you have made already! You have been very courageous.

I’m fairly new to this forum and have read your heartbreaking story and signed the petition. Hard to believe that while most of us were troubled about the mundane stuff surrounding dance training, you were going through this terrible trauma. My advice would be to write to members of the House of Lords. I’m thinking particularly about Lord Saatchi as a starter. He managed to change the laws regarding medical research of cancer after his wife died of breast cancer, he felt, unnecessarily. He put up a huge fight against fierce opposition but was successful in the end. Like you. he was determined that his wife’s death should not be in vain. He had his story in all the major newspapers - Times, Telegraph etc. Easy for him, I guess, when he’s surrounded by people in publicity. But if you can find someone who has similar passion and determination for change to take on your story and support you then I’m sure you will be successful. Happy to write too if you need additional back up. Good Luck.

The colour of tights ideally should match the colour of shoes in order to make one long, continuous leg line. Some shoes tend to be a very peachy colour and others more a baby pink, in fact every variation of ballet pink exists, and I swear we have tried them all! It’s a nightmare trying to match them together. Russian Pointe ballet tights are a nice, subtle, traditional colour... but then it would depend on your shoes.

We are very happy with the academic standard at Tring. Time is obviously an issue but they seem to maintain a good standard nonetheless. Dd was at a very good academic school beforehand but never seemed to be particularly passionate about any of her academic subjects. Since moving to Tring she has far more motivation and enthusiasm. Feel this is stemming from the teachers who believe in the pupils ability to do well regardless of the time limitations.