balletbean

Absolutely. A good thing to know is if you order a pair of Jason Samuels on line not in-store and it’s your first order with Bloch they offer 10% discount.. Not so much for a pair of La Duca’s but they do make great 18th, 21st then Graduation presents. Once hooked they never look back. 😏.

Hi. Sorry, I tried to re-edit my original post but failed miserably. Having had a brain storm I ventured into the depths of my DD’s shoe cupboard and found her 3” heels which just happen to be So Danca and her LA D’s 2” taps. They are vastly different heel base sizes. Tried to upload an image of the shoes side by side but that’s where I failed. My DD loves her La D’s. Didn’t take long to acquire several pairs like your DD has and switch from her first capezio heeled taps to La D and never looked back. As they are designed & made for that professional level and put through a pretty hefty work outs every-time they hit the dance floor they never look tired or worn and therefore per wear they are worth the investment. Well that’s what I keep telling myself. 😁 However, it is well worth keeping hold of her old So Danca shoes as they are rubber soled. Well worth having as the girls never know if they are rehearsing or even performing on rough ground for an out door event or similar.

Hi. Happy to contribute. Most taps bought are a standardised fit for ladies & then men’s shoes. My DD & I are familiar with La Duca heeled tap shoes and the Bloch flats- Jason Samuels. I apologise if I’m now going to say something that your DD might already know but just wanted to make sure that you are aware that not all character shoes (New Yorkers) are suitable for taps to be fitted as it would depend on the shoe having a ‘hard sole’ ie no flex and a sole thick enough to take the screws without sticking through the inner sole. Whilst there is the possibility of dancing in a 3” heel tap shoes it is rare, the standard height for ‘heeled taps’ are 2” which you have probably seen on the La Duca website so their taps are designed for a 2” heel base. With the difference in height you may have to look very closely as the measurement of the base of your DD’s 3” heel as they could be smaller than a La Duca 2” if that makes sense 😊 Ps My wallet having taken the hit where tap shoes are concerned I can certainly understand the reasoning behind reutilising shoes already in the cupboard. Good luck. 😉

So pleased to hear that your DD is loving her time at NBS. My DD loved her time there despite being hit with quite a few challenges during her time there 😷. Amazing school & faculty that kept them going throughout. Which was just as hard on them as it was on the pupils. How time flies as your DD must have started just after my DD graduated. Hope all goes well for this yr end show and going forward into 3rd yr. ☺️

NBS - Northern Ballet School are offering a free course for 13yrs + in July. A taster of what the school offers for full time pupils. Please check their Instagram page for full details of the course and application process. 🩰🙆🏻‍♂️🙆‍♀️😊

Trying to reduce my DD’s shoe collection. Beige Roxie Tap shoes Size 38 1/2 with a 2.5” heel. No scuffs or marks. Ideal for a girl heading off to college this Sept on a Jazz course or just wanting to upgrade their tap shoe collection. Unfortunately I cannot upload photos onto this page but happy to provide them upon request as it may work via DM 🤞🏼 RRP £220. Asking £160 which would incl UK tracked postage. TIA. 😊💃🏼

My DD secured her first contract through PEEL Talent, fantastic management team- not directly an Agency as we expect but rather like a sub- contractor who are appointed to audition and rehearse the dancers for their ships. PEEL cover some Costa ships but not all & Ambassador Cruises. Dancers do require the STCW Cert ( international convention on standards of training & certification and watch keeping for seafarers) and medical ENG1 (seafaring) beforehand. Costa Ships are now requiring EU passports as they are an Italian based company/employer. Industry Auditions, originally just on Instagram but now they have an app. All links on their Instagram page, in which they provide an up to-date list of all up coming auditions not just cruise ships. Another one to follow is Universal Studios who advertise independently. From my experience it’s about June/July seeking dancers. Application/audition process is lengthy. @Lemongirl I can relate to the situation your DD finds herself in with regards needle phobia. My DD passes out after every procedure involving a needle which ramped up a gear when she was at college and the covid vaccines came out . It’s not easy for us to watch our children struggle with these situations. I wish I could offer some magic solution that could make it all go away. However, the only coping mechanism my DD recently created to try and help her through these moments, is to close her eyes whilst listening to music very loudly through her headphones during the procedure and keep telling herself that the reward (a contract) is greater than the actual needle moment she has to go through. Not sure it would work for anyone else but maybe just help reduce some anxiety for someone 🤞🏼 😊

Thank you. I understand. Had it been overseas I could offer some advice but as my DD and her wider group of friends all secured contracts overseas I’m sorry I can’t offer any suggestions for UK contracts. However, I can totally recommend one particular teacher at BASE studios SE11, if your DD would like to continue with lessons post graduation and before securing her first position.

Congratulations to your DD’s upcoming graduation. Is there a particular focus in mind for her first contract? Local as in UK or further afield? Purely contemporary or skilled in other genres? Happy to help where I can as a mum to a 2021 graduate.

Rest assured as they grow up they still need us. My DD is currently on a long contract overseas, surprised that she couldn’t source her usual items or even similar alternatives so good old mum came to the rescue. 📦🤭

Sounds brilliant and well thought out from a a very caring mum ☺️. Reassurance that we’ve all been there, and that there’s nothing wrong but recognising the potential upset & embarrassment (ie bedlinen😉). It happens and not to worry or become anxious is so important for these young girls.

Also little life (girlie) hacks that you can think of for that time of the month. Some girls may not have even started when they head off to LS. Anything from overnight and other moments that happen😉🧺. Which I’m sure we all understand and appreciate but living away from home when they happen can be somewhat overwhelming for the girls.

Another way to look at Voc schools is to look where their graduates are offered contracts as a whole and which direction you wish to pursue your career. ie. Ballet company then you are more likely to (but not exclusively) look towards Elmhurst. The Hammond, NBS & Tring whilst offering predominately ballet they also have an a wider syllabus so there will the opportunity to pursue a more diverse pathway within the arts upon graduation. Obviously no one is going to pigeonholed/constrained to follow a particular pathway just because of the Voc school/college they attend but choosing one more closely suited to your ideal career pathway, hopes and dreams may well suit you better as they will also hold the contacts you may need to reach your goal. Hopefully that all makes sense.

A fleecy blanket/throw not just for the bed but one that can be used to cuddle up in, great for watching tv or having a quiet moment. There are some great companies that offer personalised photo blankets. Perfect gift for those moving away from home. No matter how old they maybe. 🥰

Hi. Again like @BattementBatty I don’t have any direct experience but I do know that many schools are accommodating to any child’s additional needs that they may require within the audition process to allow them to be accessed for their actual ability. Same goes for RAD examinations. As a past Chairman of a local festival my committee and I were very keen to have the festival open to all. We offered a smaller quiet changing area/softer lighting, a walk through on stage during an interval and if required we politely requested soft applause or none at all afterwards if the noise was too stimulating. We just wanted everyone to feel included. Just an * next to the competitors name for the judges indicated additional needs. Could be a child with substantial hearing loss, mid treatment for an ongoing medical condition or physical disability. Whatever additional needs we in the dance world understand the empowerment of dance to the individual. Everything was done to respect the rights of the child and in agreement with the parent/guardian. So I wouldn’t exclude a dance competition/festival in the future. Just being a little more selective on which one. I wish you & your daughter all the best.

Neither in ours but still an interesting topic.

A very interesting question. I’m also interested to know just out of curiosity as we are past that point(e). 🩰😊

Back in the day vocational school at yr7 wasn’t even on the radar. Our location hindered any chance of even applying for Associates as we don’t live on the mainland. Fast foreword to the summer hols at the end of yr9, DD attended her first SS. A light bulb moment. Came home increased lessons at her studio of up to 14hrs per week. Ballet/Greek/Contemporary/Modern & Tap - the latter I appreciate is not for everyone. No private lessons but then her classes were small anyway. Which was all rather crazy when you factor in GCSE school work/mocks/exams/shows/school trips etc. but you don’t think of it at the time. Entered any comps/festivals/performances that came her way and other ballet associated opportunities but still stayed loyal to her studio & regular lessons. Took RAD grade 6/7/8 incl Inter in quick succession. Auditioned for post 16 pre professional training in the Autumn of yr11. Graduated 2021. Haven’t looked back since.🩰 🌏💃🏼 To sum up. Whilst there are the obvious merits for Vocational Schools there’s still no guarantees at yr11 to progress to US. Please don’t let the lack of offers at yr7 to be the end of any dream. It’s just the start of an exciting future just by a different pathway. Remember anything is possible 🤞🏼😊

If it’s unclear on what to wear in the audition info provided, then be guided by the uniform style of the particular school that your DD is auditioning for. If the uniform is cap sleeve which so many are then your DD should feel comfortable in her blue cap sleeve one. Hope all goes well for your DD 😊

Hi. Such a wonderful idea. I don’t know of any personally but you may like to try to email Northern Ballet School in Manchester. Whilst they don’t offer adult lessons directly I’m sure they would at least be able to point you in the right direction. enquiries@northernballetschool.co.Uk. 🩰

Same here. In my DD’s yr at NBS there was a pupil older than her peers but as she wasn’t from the Uk I’m not too sure how the funding worked. Funding being a constant issue for so many as we all know only too well 😔

Hi. I wish your daughters all the best. Exciting times ahead. If they are seriously considering changing their career direction, some might say they are caught up on the middle of the ages some colleges require. If your eldest is close to graduating with her college course it may well be a good idea to complete the course. They could continue their training at their current studio. Increasing hours and extending their skill set within associated genres, singing is a bonus. Some institutions welcome the older applicant to the usual 16/18yr olds. The ones I’m thinking of is London Studio Centre and Rambert. Also looking at this from a slightly different angle. Depends within the performing arts industry of where they see themselves performing. Obviously a classical ballet company requires vocational school training to even begin to gain access to the ballet companies but there is nothing to stop anyone from attending an ‘open audition’ held by many companies within the industry as they is no prerequisite that all applicants must be a graduate from a recognised dance school/college. ie cruise ships amongst many others. Obviously this has advantages but also no guarantees. The companies are looking for highly skilled dancers not a particular degree or diploma. Not easy I appreciate that but it has happened in the past where contracts have been offered without a degree/diploma. The person I know in particular auditioned and remained performing with the particular cruise ship company to close on 9yrs. Leaving by choice having moved up through the ranks from ensemble to solo performer. That’s just one example but there are other contract opportunities. Might be worth looking at “Industry Auditions” as they have their own Instagram page and website. The website is full of useful information as well as offering audition guidance Headshots/CV’s etc. Good luck. Happy to answer any more questions that you may have 😊

Thank you. Loving that last bit. No mess as I had visions of covering everything including me!! 😁

Hi all, I’m sure this has been asked before but I struggle to search for past posts. I’ve been challenged by my eldest DD to dye her pointe shoes black. They aren’t new but need to be dyed for a production she’s involved in. Any suggestions gratefully received. 🩰 Thank you. 😊

Hi. My DD resided in both New Medlock and Parkway during her time at NBS (graduated ‘21). I’ve been curious with all this news about lack of room availability so I went into uS website. To say I’m shocked at the prices they now charge is an under statement. A classic en-suite in a 5 or 6 bed flat between Sept ‘18 & summer of ‘21 was £162pw. Now I see prices as quoted ‘from’ £237pw. 😳. It’s not like the students at NBS can take on part-time work to supplement their income during term-time unlike Uni students but even then the prices are crazy. I do agree though with contacting the properties directly. We always managed to get any issues sorted incl a random Uni student accidentally placed in an NBS flat whereby contacting uS main line fell on death ears. I do happen to have acquired the email address for the CEO of uS if anyone feels that they may require a little assistance to obtain answers. Just drop me a PM. It’s worked in the past. As far as insurance, all I can suggest is for parents to check their home insurance policy carefully as there are many that will cover personal possessions whilst away from the home. My DD was fully insured as a result of this despite only being 16 at the start of her time at NBS. As I conclude, I totally endorse your comment about uS staff in Manchester love having NBS pupils as tenants. It’s a good point, along with their ‘vulnerable age’ 😉 to use whenever engaging with the staff. It’s amazing what can be achieved😊 Good Luck and best wishes to everyone starting out at NBS. Great school with fantastic passionate & caring staff. I say staff as that goes beyond the teachers. Many times these key members are overlooked. 😊