margarite

I’m so sorry to hear that. Your girls are such beautiful dancers x

They’re her first pair of pointe shoes as she’s only 11, she actually sewed the first set of ribbons on as she got them fitted at school - bless her they were a bit wonky!

Great - I’ve ordered some mesh elastic. Thanks Anna for the advice re shape of foot - just what I needed!

DD’s pointe shoes are slipping off her heels despite me moving the ribbons several times, so her teacher has advised she has elastic sewn on to them. I’ve seen two methods: one piece in a loop around the foot or two pieces going from back to front that cross over - which is best? Any advice appreciated ...

Looking for portable practise flooring. One or two metres square that can be used on top of carpet. Just seeing if anyone has before I buy new!

I’ve heard of a year 7 yes. Good luck everyone!

DD got to finals in 2016 and 2017. She didn’t get a place the first year but I think it spurred her on even more and she got in last year. Everyone who gets to finals is good enough, but a lot of the final decisions are based on what type of dancers and personalities they need for the parts. I bet they’d love to cast everyone!

We got DD’s acceptance letter last year on the Friday following the final audition. It came by post. The previous year we got an email - so it could be either ...

No it was the November auditions last year - the 14th for Hammond and 28th for Elmhurst.

Last year we heard from both Elmhurst and Hammond in three days - auditions on a Tuesday and letters arriving on Friday. Good luck xx

Ps there were 30 girls in DD’s final last year (10 year olds) and another class mixed of 9 and 10 year olds. Of this group of 50-60 girls across these two classes, 15 were chosen for main cast. Not sure how many for tour. Please don’t take it as gospel, just a relatively informed guesstimate!

If it’s the same as last year, there are 56 places in main cast and 48 touring. Good luck!

I hope more have been recalled... Fingers crossed for your daughter, it is such a lovely experience xx

Does anyone know why you can’t use it on carpet?

Might be too late for your panic, but we always found free parking in the maze of streets behind Clerkenwell Road - Ray Street, Back Hill etc. Always found a spot pre 11am.

We haven’t had ours yet either 😩. All our local friends got theirs last week. Glad your issue was sorted out Mak.

Not had ours yet - anyone else still waiting?

My daughter has always had a smaller frame than everyone else - she's in the 9th centile for weight. She's now 11 and at vocational school, but even last week at their open day last week I could see she was the most waif-like in the ballet class and lacked some of the power of the other girls. But she's come a long way and I can see she's slowly gaining in strength, particularly since she's entered the early stages of adolescent development. She had problems maintaining turnout so she started floor barre exercises a year ago which helped massively too.

They’ve always been during the day - latest I ever picked up DD was 6pm.

Yes if their number is not read out they are not through to next stage. There are roughly 30 girls in each initial audition group with only 7-10 recalled. This recalled group stay to do another audition so the panel can get a better look at them. A week or so later about half of this recalled group are invited back to finals. About half of those at finals get a place. As Canary said, it’s a very happy and positive audition process and even the year DD didn’t get a place she still loved it.

Just to add to the above - for the last two years at least an invitation to the second (or final) audition doesn't guarantee a place in the company or tour. DD got to finals in 2016 and didn't get a place (but was successful last year).

Everything runs on a Sunday, there just tends to be slightly longer gaps between buses and tubes arriving. The TFL website has a really good journey planner (I still use it even though I’ve lived here for most of my life).

Just left Chester - DD has made a new bff already and seems fine. Her room mate is lovely and we remembered everything - phew! I’m feeling slightly emotional but also very excited for her.

I’ve lived, studied, worked and bought up children in London and wouldn’t be anywhere else! It’s an exciting and vibrant place to be. Everywhere has issues in some form or other.

EYB really helped my daughter to rediscover her love of dance too - she loves performing. Pricey, but worth it!