Mummy twinkle toes

On 09/09/2022 at 14:28, Mamaderuby said:

I've seen on social media that there are dates for open day and first audition at KS Dance. 15/16 November. Can anyone recommend a hotel close by (walkable or short bus trip), not too expensive (budget, basic but clean). Easy access to either Manchester or Liverpool airports. Thanks in advance.

Holiday Inn is very close.

Just to add RBS updated their Safeguarding policy last September: https://www.royalballetschool.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Safeguarding-Policy-September-2021.pdf

4 hours ago, Peanut68 said:

Is it? By whom & about what???

I enquire although appreciate that mods quite correctly may want to maintain control of what we discuss.

But any open public enquiries I’m sure can quite rightly be discussed factually…

Luke Jennings appealed for information but not many parents discussed it. Westminster council closed a file early after lack of evidence or parents coming forward. 

LJ wrote this article https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v43/n18/luke-jennings/learned-behaviour

He also appeared in the thread last year titled ‘issues at WL’. Sadly, the number of children attending are small in comparison to other private schools so that is probably why it does not raise alarm bells with funders. If they were funding much larger cohorts of say 100 children each year group then it would probably trigger with the government. 
Good luck to all of the children that have been assessed out.

Certain stem courses, psychology and even cyber security too.

https://www.open.ac.uk/courses/fees-and-funding/equivalent-qualifications

You can change the country at the top. Wales is generally same as England but if you did study with the OU, then Wales offers a maintenance loan too (just used OU as an example as it clearly shows the types of degrees you can get second loans for). 

Capezio are good and have a range of styles. Diva was great fitting my younger daughter. He was very patient and spent a long time trying on lots of styles (not the same at Dancia which has more variety but don’t always fit well. I used to dance so know how they should fit). She had the Kylie at first but then transitioned to the Phoenix. Older daughter was always Grishko or Russian pointe but now wears Capezio too.

Russian pointe are good for narrow feet with a disappearing heel but are hard initially so may not be suitable. 
Dds have been fitted in many places but the best fitters with a variety of styles is Dancique in Birmingham. Not sure where you are based but they have Grishko, Merlet, Russian Pointe, Bloch, Freed etc. 

Does anyone have older dc going? Dd1 is 17 and week 3.

Try Chester House in Muswell Hill. They take 16 year olds. The journey takes around 50 minutes but costs are significantly cheaper. Rooms start at £7500.

You can try this organisation. They discuss under 16s https://www.hfslondon.com/book-homestay/

‘On pointe’ may still be available on Disney and shows the training at the School of American ballet who follow the Balanchine style. They show how people trained elsewhere needed to adapt. SAB and NYCB are particular on this. NYCB rarely take dancers not trained through SAB.

Similarly, ‘strictly ballet’ (on YouTube) season 2 is based at Miami City ballet and one of the dancers they follow originally trained at the Vaganova and she discusses the differences between Balanchine and the Vaganova system. She initially found it strange and fast.

There are of course lots of others that do not follow Balanchine. You could check out YAGP California for good ballet schools.

Chester House is for performing arts students and accepts 16 year olds. It is a dry hall and under 18 year olds are checked on by the people that run it to ensure they are ok. Very reasonable for London. Prices start at £7400 and include food. There is a gym, tv room, cinema room, small dance studio, laundry room etc. Mainly used by Urdang and LSC as it is a 50 minute journey to Central but may be of use to some of you.

7 minutes ago, swanprincess said:

Mummy Twinkle Toes, Suffolk pointe are no longer based in Earl Shilton- Mark Suffolk moved to America in about 2015. I think perhaps there is still a Suffolk factory there but they don’t do pointe shoe fittings there any more.

 

(I have fond memories of being fitted for shoes by Mark Suffolk at his factory in Earl shilton in summer 2014!! But since he left the UK I have struggled to get hold of Suffolk pointe shoes) 

Yes, it is a shame as always useful to have a different brand to try. Yes, I believe it is a factory contact. It is on their website still but I haven’t seen any in the U.K. for around 6 years. I asked about a year ago in Capezio if they still had them but the sales assistant didn’t remember stocking them.

So Danca have a U.K. number on their website so might be worth calling to check stockists. 0131 516 9950 https://www.sodancastore.com/

They do say they ship from US but not ideal for pointe shoes which need fitting and customs charges.

Suffolk pointe shoes have a contact address in Earl Shelton in Leicestershire but I only ever found a few in the Capezio store in London but they no longer have them. They seem to be very popular in the US: https://www.suffolkdance.com/contact

Just seen they are accepting video auditions to be considered for the company or their 2nd apprentice one. 
https://www.milwaukeeballet.org/the-company/careers/auditions/

3 hours ago, Justkeepsmiling said:

 

 

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Mummy Twinkle Toes, do you know how much these American post-grad courses cost? I tried to find it in the Milwaukee Ballet one but can only find the cost of the pre-professional programme which I assume is similar to the U.K. upper school training.

 

Apologies- I haven’t quite worked out how to quote your post 😂

I am not sure how much they are- sorry. The sister US forum to this one may have some more information https://dancers.invisionzone.com

Failing that you could email them. I know many US schools do like people to attend their SIs but some are still offering virtual options/auditions.

Another way of spotting a good school is seeing what their older children are doing. Do their older students go into training in ballet/MT schools? Do they have children training in associates such as Royal Ballet/Elmhurst/Tring Classical/Central/Balletboost for ballet and/or LSC/Tring for MT?

UKA do have a ballet syllabus but they are not as well known as RAD/ISTD.

You might also consider the USA. Some offer year round training programmes with option of auditioning for their apprentice ballet companies. Milwaukee is one option and takes up to 22 years of age: https://www.milwaukeeballet.org/the-company/mbii/mbii-program-details/

18 hours ago, lay_enpointe said:

Thank you for replying mummy twinkle toes, I live in wales so that wouldn't be a possible option for me, which is a shame because I really liked the sound of the programme. I did also consider RCS, but I didn't particularly want to go to Scotland, I preferred London and Leeds as I had family there (not family I could live with, but it gives my mum piece of mind!)

Thank you kanangra, may I ask is it offered at an extra cost and if so how much? also to what level the ballet is - is it more to aid contemporary as opposed to it being practiced as its own element? Thank you so much for your help by replying!

Hi, we also live in Wales and the maintenance loan is very good. You also get a little extra as it is a longer term than normal Uni. We found LSC doable because of this and the fact that Chester House is very reasonable and includes meals. Dd has a railcard and oyster so that also helps when travelling.

If you live near London then many students use their maintenance loans to pay the fee difference for LSC. Pointe is not mandatory on their contemporary pathway but you can take pointe as an option. You have ballet everyday irrespective of pathway.

Pointe is mandatory on the classical pathway and you have at least 3 contemporary classes a week and can choose additional as an option.

You could also consider RCS.

Hi Andante,

The BA Hons is for 18 plus and is validated by Middlesex Uni. They choose their specialism but get to do other genres.

My Dd started at 16 so on their new degree validated by Uni of Creative Arts. 2 years is the FDA and then they do a year’s BA top up. Dd chose classical ballet and has specialised from beginning. 
She still does contemporary, jazz, a ballroom class and an option each term. Ballet consists of ballet, pointe, solos and repertoire. MT students would study ballet, jazz, singing, acting, tap, heels and contemporary.

LSC students all study ballet irrespective of their specialist pathway. All students are assessed in first week as to which level they should be in for all genres. Only ballet pathway has designated en pointe classes but there is also a pointe class option that other students can select.

They have a very good MT section and their alumni are all over the West End.

Theirs is a private degree though so fees are more than some colleges. However, they have links to very reasonable accommodation with a food plan so can still be cheaper than some central London colleges.

You could apply for Elmhurst associates. If you get a place then your parents will be invited into watch once a term (Covid dependent). This will at least let them see the school and some of the faculty. The auditions will be advertised on their website.

1 minute ago, Kendie76 said:

Daughter unfortunately didn’t get into LSC she heard back today. Audition set up is confusing to be fair and the only at they set the kids up to have a yes if they don’t go through to the second stage and then it’s a no 🤷🏼‍♀️  Daughter gave her all but obviously she’s not what they were looking for. She went to Wilkes today though and loved it 

Sorry to hear that Kendie. All the schools look for something different. Good luck to your Dd with Wilkes. My Dd auditioned for around 14 institutions including a couple abroad. She got 9 yeses and 5 nos. 

If it helps, Dd1 is studying the classical ballet at LSC. On this they do ballet, pointe, solo class, virtuosity and repertoire. They also have 2 contemporary, 2 jazz classes, a social/ballroom class and an option each term. Dd did heels class first term and is now doing additional pointe. You can also choose singing, drama, hip hop, tap or additional contemporary or jazz.

Dd1 finds it very friendly. The student numbers in total are fairly ‘large’ and varied for a dance school. Classical ballet is the smallest cohort. LSC offers other courses including MAs and a professional diploma so that helps to ensure a variety of people studying there.

On 10/01/2022 at 09:45, mum5678 said:

Hi there, 

Just wondering if your dd went to EFB in the end? DS has just been offered a full time place there and we're trying to make decisions so looking for updates on how people are finding it. 

 

I have sent you a DM. Congratulations to your son.

Dancique in Birmingham have a good supply of Russian pointe and deliver too