dancefanatic

They have been running a trial scheme here at Swindon CAT for a ballet stream (they already do contemporary and street) but haven't yet made a decision whether to continue to offer it for the next academic year. Here's hoping they do as we badly need a ballet CAT in the south/south west!!

just found the link and, as Farawaydancer says, it was about Elmhurst. It was made by BBC Wales I think and followed four (I think) welsh students. The lad in question had to leave Elmhurst and eventually got a scholarship for The Hammond.

We're still on the search for an alternative to my DD's beloved Grishkos. She tried Gaynor Minden and that was a big fail. She hates the gel liner made into the shoe plus she couldn't get the right width as her foot is so compressible, she was falling down into the shoe as soon as she went on pointe, despite wearing her usual padding and the GM wing padding insert. This weekend she had yet another fitting and has decided to try a pair of R-Class RC22 with a hard shank. She's hoping they will last her as long as her Grishkos so between 2-3 weeks - I'll have to report back on that but when she can kill a pair of Freeds in an hour and Blochs in 2-4 hours, I'm not convinced! The R-Class are Russians but made in Bulgaria so not subject to any sanctions. Certainly Dancique in Birmingham report they have not had any supply issues with them. Perhaps worth a try for your daughter?

I agree. It also seems to be unfairly against both the Asian and Street dancers too this year. I preferred the previous format, even though the ballet students didn't win the overall final, but really really don't like the changes. Nor did I like the comment that "ballet dancers never choreograph their own material" as previous ballet dancers from the same school as this year's ballet student did their own choreography and performed it well. In fact, all students at the school in question are encouraged to choreograph material from Y7 upwards and there is an internal competition each year. Admittedly, mostly their peers perform their pieces but that doesn't mean the student choreographer can't perform their material. Personally, I feel the AD of the show this year is actually quite ignorant of some of the genres and the show seems quite 'dumbed down' if you know what I mean!

Hi, will try and give you some info based on my DD's experience (she's in Y13 currently) 1. Yes, I would say it is competitive to be offered a place. All prospective students have to attend a preliminary audition (or if overseas I think they can send in a video) and then the lucky few are invited back for Finals, with only a few finalists being offered places. 2. The students do two A Levels plus their Dance Diploma in years 12 and 13. This does seem to be manageable and they can choose from Maths, Biology, English or Art. 3. Best to look in the News section of the school's website for graduate destination news. 4. Elmhurst don't formally assess students out at all over the 3 upper school years. But some students do leave for a number of reasons ranging from injury to just not wishing to pursue dance vocationally anymore. 5. Elmhurst Ballet Company is the graduate year (Year 14) only. 6. There are some opportunities to perform with BRB although my DD's year have not had any so far, due to Covid. The current grad year have definitely had opportunities and Y12 are currently rehearsing for a production this summer. Y13 are to start a new project we can't discuss for the summer that does also involve BRB. On a different note, members of the company do come into school to teach on occasion, students get to watch a number of BRB performances throughout the year and sometimes get to go and watch a rehearsal at BRB's studios. 7. The Elms is a short walk away from the school and run by two houseparents who I think are great. The accommodation is mixed but the boys share the small flatlets (pods) on the ground floor and the girls are on the first floor. A common room with kitchen facilities is available on each floor and used by all the students. There is CCTV in the corridors. The pods contain two double rooms which are quite large and a single room, plus a bathroom with shower & loo, a shower room and separate loo. Each pod is set out over two floors two with internal stairs. The students still have rules to follow but they do have more freedoms than they had in the lower school. There are differences with the other schools although I don't know the Canadian one you mention. I would say the main ones involved the assessing out or RBS which Elmhurst do not know and the number of performance opportunities that RBS seem to get over and above the other schools. Plus the graduate destinations. RBS students seem to get performance opportunities with the Royal, BRB, ENB and Northern to date. Hope the above helps you a bit. If you have any other specific questions, feel free to PM me.

My DD joined Elmhurst part way through a term and had to hand back both her MAs and Ballet Cymru Associate places as it was not allowed. She was also offered RBS Seniors when she went into Elmhurst US and, again, was not allowed to do it.

My vocational DD has highly arched banana feet and can kill most pointe shoes within an hour's lesson! She has been wearing Grishko 3007 which she can usually get 3-4 weeks out of, as well as Freeds and Blochs. As the Grishkos are incredibly difficult to get hold, initially since Brexit, we have been on the hunt for a suitable alternative. She had worn GMs a few years ago but stopped, partly due to peer pressure, but is now trying them again. She is finding going back to them a little strange after the other shoes she's used in the interim but uses a wider box (4 I think) and is hoping, as is my purse, to get at least a month from her. Her usual fitter reckons she should get nearer to 3 months as the current GMs sold here are now made in Europe and are apparently made from harder, long-lasting materials compared to the US-made ones of 2-3 years ago. We'll see!! Good luck with your search but I'd definitely suggest your DD looks at GM as the pre-arched shank might help her in terms of not breaking the shanks immediately when wearing them.

Y6 Young Dancers have to re-audition for the Extended programme. Or, at least, that was the case last year and I doubt it will have changed.

Thank you! I have shoes on permanent order with Devoted to Dance but he doesn't have any in my DD's size in at the moment unfortunately 😞

When my DD was in the lower school, accompanied trips were arranged most weekend to Cannon Hill Park and Aldi. She was never into football but they seemed to have a fairly free rein whilst there. As she got older, they were allowed out in groups of 3 or more, initially to the park and Aldi, with this extending as agreed with parents. Now in upper school she has a lot more freedom in terms of where she can go. Covid has limited excursions over the last couple of years though but things are gradually getting back to normal with the first Aldi trip organised just before half term. The trips in lower school were varied although seemed to include a fair number of 'shopping' trips. She didn't go on all of them. Hope this helps a little...

Thank you AnnaC, I think a trip to London when she's home for her next exeat weekend is in order! Farawaydancer, I've no idea exactly where they ship from or where they are currently made, other than knowing they are Russian. I know they have 3 or 4 factories outside of Russia in the EU but.... I can just see it getting even harder to get hold of them! I just need a shoe for her that is longer lasting than Freeds (which she does also use) and Bloch. She has the feet that kill Gaynor within an hour so we avoid those and doesn't like Merlet which she can also kill quickly. I really hate what I call her pointe shoe habit! Think most of you with DDs will feel the same, I'm sure.

This is our usual fitter and my DD has been through pretty well everything Sarah stocks! But I'll speak to Sarah and get my DD down there shortly. But thanks for suggesting them 🙂

Anna, the question is more that the UK are refusing imports from Russia, or at least that is my current understanding. And I have orders for her particular shoes that stretch back to November/December last year as they are just so very difficult to get hold of anyway. And yes, So Danca do make pointe shoes (for the US market definitely!) and have for a while but I just can't find a stockist in the UK online!

Firstly, I sincerely do not mean this post to be unsympathetic to the situation in Ukraine and the resultant sanctions on Russia, as I really feel for everyone on both sides, particularly the ordinary people like me who have had no say in what is going on and will continue to be used as pawns. Secondly, my eldest DD wears Grishko pointe shoes which have been difficult enough to get hold of since Brexit and Covid lockdowns, and I imagine they will be absolutely impossible now. Plus, ethically, I would prefer not to buy them for her at present. My DD has gone through a number of makes over the last few years and now I have asked her to look for an alternative. She would like to try So Danca pointe shoes but I can't seem to find any stockists online and don't know of any fitters either. Do any of you lovely folk know of a shop that does fit them, preferably near Birmingham or London, that we could try? Many thanks,

Elmhurst have both with their last Ofsted report dated 2015. I think they had an ISI inspection at around the same time from memory... See https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/38/50032

Back when I started learning pointe in the early 1980's, we didn't have soft blocks (not sure that you could even get them). We simply used our dead pointe shoes. My DD thinks this is ridiculous whenever I suggest she do the same (her pointe shoe habit at vocational school is utterly ridiculous in my eyes as she can kill a pair of Freeds in one class and could kill Gaynor Mindens in a week!). I'd say, if you find your dead pointes comfortable enough then do wear them as your soft pointes.

Thank you! I'll wait to hear back from you ...!

is the Ballet Rosa one still for sale? I would be very interested in it if so!

There have been two confirmed cases - one in lower School and one in upper school. And yes, Birmingham is also in an area of enhanced measures plus hole school been mixing more due to rehearsals etc in the run up to the summer shows. Hence why PHE have insisted all year groups to be sent home to isolate.

No shows as think last night was supposed to be the first one. Whole school shut with all students to isolate now at home and hope they haven’t brought the virus with them. So sad and my DD gutted.

My DD auditioned for Y8 places in the knowledge that a place was highly unlikely and it was just for audition practice. She ended up being invited to finals at White Lodge and Elmhurst. WL only took one of the 6 finalists that year and Elmhurst none but she then was offered a Y8 place following summer school. For her, the knowledge that a place was so unlikely made her super relaxed in the auditions so she was able to thoroughly enjoy the classes without feeling under any pressure. So I’d say go in with zero expectations other than to enjoy a day out having the opportunity to dance in fantastic studios with lovely teachers. And anything else would be the fairy dust!

Boys are usually separate

Girls tend to wear any leotards they like paired with practice skirts throughout the classes. But definitely take a black leotard and black skirt for the sharing of work performance. Although there was more variety in the practice skirts at the senior session performance two years ago. My DD loves this particular summer school and has only missed one in Y8 since she was old enough to go. Now in upper school and going again this year. Hopefully all the new dancers will enjoy it as much too.

My DD has been to both junior and senior summer schools in the past and is going again this year. The groups are usually based on age firstly, especially if not known to the school previously, then ability from what we’ve seen in the past

This is something I've always wondered too!