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dancefanatic

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  1. dancefanatic
    Hi Louisa, I am based in the Vale of White Horse and, like you, have struggled in the past to know where to find good classes (seems to be a closely held secret!) in the area. However, there is Downland Dance, based in Abingdon and Didcot, that run lovely, happy classes. Also Dance Barn who run classes in West Oxfordshire (the principal is a really lovely person). In Wantage there is Karen Brind and a fairly new school American School of Dance. There are numerous other schools around the county but you don't say where in Oxfordshire you are based. My DDs both started dancing with Karen Brind and loved their time there. My eldest left to go to vocational school and I ended up taking my younger DD into Swindon (as she wanted to do festivals) where there are lots of good options, she's currently at Swindon Academy of Dance based at Wilkes in West Swindon and loving it. She also dances at Swindon Dance based in central Swindon on their Steps2 contemporary training programme. Good luck with your search. I'm sure you will find somewhere you like.
  2. dancefanatic
    The Costa on Pershore Road is open plus there’s a Shell garage on Pershore Road that certainly has a loo that was open during the first Lockdown. We tend to stop at the last services on M40 the way in and do another stop on the way out.
  3. dancefanatic
    My DD made the same decision last year, although she chose to walk away from a place at Central rather than ENBS, as she was definitely not ready to live independently in London as a very young 16 year old. A year on, she is very glad she made the decision to stay on for Upper School where she was already known and is having the best time she says. I'm just thankful she has no regrets!
  4. dancefanatic
    No she never made the reserve list for either year! So was a pleasant surprise to receive the email.
  5. dancefanatic
    It happened to my DD. She got to finals for Y7 & Y8 but no place. Then two weeks into the September term she was offered the opportunity to join her year group for an assessment class with Mr Parker. She started at the school following the half term of Y8. So yes it does happen.
  6. dancefanatic
    I agree, especially as was illustrated last summer with one such school up in Scotland.
  7. dancefanatic
    Glowlight, I also see the rest period as being essential for vocational students. Something I had to explain to my DD when she was younger and seeing other students at the same school dancing at numerous weekend events during term time plus holiday intensives week after week both at Easter time and during the summer. She did get to understand that choosing one or two intensives carefully during the summer made more sense for her body's ability to learn after a hard terms/year (as well as helped the very stretched coffers). I've also ensured she always had the first week of the summer holidays as rest after the frenetic last two weeks of term with shows etc.
  8. dancefanatic
    I spoke with the AD at Elmhurst a few years ago on this subject and he said to me "No more than 2 weeks over the summer" was recommended "to ensure sufficient rest time for students". I also asked for any recommendations which he was more reluctant to give although he approved attendance at OPES and Yorkshire Ballet Summer School for my DD in the past with no problems.
  9. dancefanatic
    It’s Finals that you get the different sizes envelopes. Prelim results all come in the same sized small envelope.
  10. dancefanatic
    In recent years Elmhurst has sufficient MDS awards for all who require it and meet all the criteria. Hammond and Tring have a very few available for each year group.
  11. dancefanatic
    My DD had to do these last year. She included in her Rambert one info about what drew her to start learning contemporary aged 10.5 and went from there, plus why she was applying to Rambert. Doesn’t need to be too long, just in her voice to tell them more about her. Good luck and tell her not to stress about it.
  12. dancefanatic
    I agree too. My DD chose to stay on after 4 years in their LS and is so happy that she did (as are her father and I). She says that she couldn’t be happier and that she doesn’t regret turning down a well known London school at all. But I know the school isn’t for everyone but I think that’s the case of a lot of schools out there.
  13. dancefanatic
    Hopefully not as all the vocational schools also teach academics and academics are to continue! However, what that will mean for associate classes at a vocational school now I don't know. I guess we have to wait to see what the early part of the week brings as, yet again, it appears the government were caught on the hop and really haven't thought through all the necessary permutations. I have been sent a link to petition by my younger DD's local dance school and will try to add the link here as some of you lovely forum people may like to sign it too. https://www.change.org/p/boris-johnson-government-to-agree-that-dance-is-an-educational-art-form-not-just-a-hobby?recruiter=72855610&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=share_petition&utm_term=G>Search>SAP>UK>NonBrand>BMM&recruited_by_id=555a7930-6282-11e3-83f3-93e9c2b829f7&utm_content=fht-25591308-en-gb%3A3
  14. dancefanatic
    Unfortunately we were required to provide a letter of permission from her current vocational school to RBS which wasn’t forthcoming. But then with the state of current COVID infections I am quite relieved we gave back the place so she’s not travelling!! But agree some definitely attend without asking for permissions.
  15. dancefanatic
    Not without permission which, in my DD’s experience, was not granted. I think a number of students may attend other programmes without proper permission from their school!
  16. dancefanatic
    I think offering this to vocational schools a really good idea but would say from Y10 (14+) rather than Upper Schools only. I have seen a lot of eating issues start in Y10, certainly with my own DD and her friends. As this is an age, particularly for girls but boys too, where hormones are changing rapidly, as are physiques, much more support from a safe resource and training of staff is needed. Good luck Louise, this sounds like it could be an incredibly helpful tool for young dancers.
  17. dancefanatic
    Sound horrid. Not sure if these are the shoes on the school suppliers’ website but having an older DD with difficult feet to fit I don’t purchase the set shoes since buying horrible leather ones 6 years ago from the RBS JS supplier that just didn’t fit Or work for her. So younger DD has benefitted from my refusal, if you like. But to be honest Elmhurst has never insisted that either of my girls have a set shoe and that’s with my elder one being a vocational student for the last 4 years. She’s now moving into Upper School and we have finally bought a set shoe for her flamenco shoe, which has been fun to fit!!
  18. dancefanatic
    Regarding footwear, the preference is for full soled satin shoes with elastics not ribbons. No particular make though so you should be fine there. Split soles seem to come in gradually from Y6 to most Y7s from what I’ve seen with my elder DD. Elmhurst don’t stipulate one brand over another all the way through the school thankfully unlike some vocational schools. uniform comes from Dancing Boutique who do have a website if you want a sneaky peak. Most DC do seem to have the tracksuit as well as the leotard, at least they do in Birmingham.
  19. dancefanatic
    BalletDreams, I’ve had no communication since mid July so no idea when we’ll start back this year. In previous years we started the Saturday before boarders returned to Elmhurst but as the students are facing a staggered return this year with only Y7 and Y12 returning on Sunday 6th, with other year groups on the Monday and Tuesday evenings, your guess is as good as mine!
  20. dancefanatic
    My DD wa in the Y5 class Birmingham last year and yes, it was at the same time as the Y4 class (8:45 to 10:15 Ballet, 10:30’to 11:30 Jazz). congrats to all the newbies and I hope your DC enjoy the classes as much as my DD has since she started in Y4.
  21. dancefanatic
    We never found socks that would stay up but my elder DD's JS teacher insisted all the children in her classes use 'sock glue' which did the trick. My younger DD now uses this too and a small group of her EYD friends have followed suit. It is easily purchases from Amazon and I'd recommend you put a packet of wet wipes in the dance bag to rub it off with after class.
  22. dancefanatic
    I attended a parent's focus meeting late last year where we discussed eating and body image with the Principal and other staff members. The physique/proportion item is coming off the list as they see this can be very damaging to young dancers no matter the mark given. Unfortunately COVID has meant no full reports this summer so I can’t confirm that it’s definitely happened but the school are trying to address the problem. But I think they have a long way to go still and it’s not helped by the students themselves not trusting the adults in charge will really help plus students are good at hiding things to begin with until it becomes too obvious. But I think the fact Elmhurst are talking more openly about it and trying to put measures in place is a good starting point.
  23. dancefanatic
    I agree, particularly as he is supposedly a vice president of the school!! It would be fantastic if he attended more of the events put on at Elmhurst. Let's keep our fingers crossed that things might improve before our two actually finish at the school!!
  24. dancefanatic
    The MA class in Bath is mixed only in terms of age groups ie Y7, Y8 & Y9 girls altogether in the one class. Boys all go to London I believe for a boys only class.
  25. dancefanatic
    My DD has just been offered a place for Advanced Associaties in London
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