Canary

Not sure they have asked WL students if they wish to attend yet, they automatically get a place if they wish to go, well that use to be what happened.

A typical week at KS Dance for both the Classical and Dancer Courses includes. Ballet, Pas de Deux, Solos Repertoire and coaching, alongside Contemporary and Jazz classes. Other genre include Tap, Spanish and Commercial Theatre/Muscial Theatre. There is also a focus on fitness/strength and conditioning and Dancer health. During one week Dancing Hours per day can range between 5 to 8 hours, 5 days a week with Advance Cecchetti classes also run on Saturdays. A typical weekday starts with a compulsory warm up at 8 30am and will finish at either 4 30pm or 6pm. During performance terms these time will vary depending on rehearsals and tours. After the first year, dancers alter their timetable so they spend more time on the genre they want to concentrate on. Dancers obtaining their teachers qualifications have the school on site with children taking their evening classes after school so they may stay later.

When it comes to safeguarding children I agree with C Princess I'm a little confused about some comments above, is there a suggestion that information about teachers that pose a risk to children is removed or banned from the forum or has been before? Surely we all have a duty to safeguard children, if not legally then morally , don't we?

Always best to speak directly to the authority who has given the school or college it's accreditation. There was a thread before, on the forum it was about a place calling itself a dance school when they weren't, it was in the Dancing Times. Students were cheated out of money and the teacher was arrested and convicted of fraud. There was advice on there about checking with CDET or Conservatoire etc. You really can't be too careful

Pale yellow flower patch over the top might be a quick way but be aware what you do for one ..............

I told my professional DD that her opinion was not wanted on this forum by some, her response was to say that although she feels attacked she is concerned that students may cause themselves injuries if they train in a professional dancers shoe. Such is her kind nature she has made contact with a specialist she works with and asked them to share their professional opinion and asks that you allow your daughters the opportunity to decide for themselves. Message from a Ballet Specific Sport Scientist, Physiologist and Strength and Conditioning coach who has worked in conjunction with the Royal Opera House, accredited physios who look after professional ballet dancers and produces research in international scientific journals on behalf of Dance Medicine and Science. Although, pointe shoes are personal preference and pointe shoe fitters will advise based upon look, feel, and how much the pointe shoe costs…........... We need to understand the physiology surrounding what happens at the foot and ankle when using Gaynors in comparison to other shoes. It is also important to listen to the advice of dancers who have been through vocational training at highly reputed schools and are now working in the industry. Professional Dancers should be advising younger less experienced dancers because they have experience working with and listening to physio professionals and excellent teachers some of which with more than 30 years teaching experience at vocational level. If we simply talk about Gaynors and their make up and what they do to the foot when dancing, then we can understand why they are not really the best option for the young upcoming dancer regardless of how “good” their feet are. Based upon this it is important to point out that a bendy foot with a great ability to plantarflex the foot (point it) is not necessarily a strong foot en pointe. We should not confuse the aesthetics of a foot in shoe with the ability to perform weight bearing exercise. Gaynors are made of either a strong composite plastic or metal that runs throughout the shoe and it is important remember that usually we would shalac a pointe shoe to harden them and make them last longer. That being said due to the stiffness of a Gaynor, when going through the shoe when lowering or rising, will create both added resistance for the foot on the way down and will aid the movement pattern on the way up. This creates two issues, Firstly for the young dancer, they should learn to rise through a shoe that does not produce any potential “spring back” at any point in the rising or lowering motion. This is because this actually makes the foot work hard to rise and lower and subsequently we see an increase in the amount of force the plantar flexor muscles have to produce in order to rise fully through the shoe or lower effectively without going from pointe to flat. The first problem occurs as because we are making the foot work harder in these harder shoes that don’t break in and spring back, the foot will become fatigued more quickly. This is an issue for younger dancers as they don’t not have the strength or fatigue resistance in the muscles of the foot to sufficiently cope with the force placed on the foot. As a result, there is data to support that stress fractures and other overuse injuries, not just localised at the foot, will occur due to compensatory factors elsewhere in the lower limb as a result of fatigue at the foot and ankle. Secondly, as we know, ballet is a jump intensive activity. During a day of classical ballet vocational training dancers can be subjected to over 300 high velocity and high force single limb foot contacts. This is more foot contacts than I would allow my International level gymnasts and elite level rugby players to perform in a single day due to the forces being experienced by the lower extremities. Therefore, ballet in its very nature requires strong and effective landing mechanics especially in external rotation (turn-out) in order to safely perform these foot contacts. Landing from jumps on one or two legs requires stability at the ankle. Firstly, if the foot is fatigued from hard shoes that spring back before landings become part of the class or rehearsal then we significantly increase the likelihood that injury will occur on landing as result of fatigue. Secondly if a shoe is so hard that when landing, a dancer, is pretty much landing from toe to heel straight away then that heel contact can result in bruising which will firstly change the mechanics of landing to compensate for the discomfort and this will usually lead to poor landing mechanics that increase the chance of injury and secondly change the aesthetics of ballet technique for the worse. If we take this a step further. Anecdotally, in the physio departments at companies when we get young dancers in at the start of their professional careers, we see that dancers who have used shoes not made from plastic have a greater ability to produce force through the foot which allows them to have greater control over movement and subsequently places them at LESS risk of a over use injury like a stress fracture. In companies at some points we may advise on gaynors if the foot is right and in 3rd years of vocational training I have occasionally advised on the wearing of Gaynors HOWEVER, these are shoes that require added control as they require greater levels of strength to use. That said it does NOT mean if your daughter is wearing gaynors and is fine at the moment she has the adequate strength to control them and her foot mechanics for the long run. My take home message does agree with the view that GAYNORS are a shoe that are not generally involved in the progression of Young Dancers trying to gain employment in the ballet world. Strength training at the ankle knee and hip are a more essential part of ballet training than rushing the progression to GAYNORS. A more traditional shoe will better encourage the correct mechanics for rising and lowering and especially landing in young Dancers. Foot strength before Gaynors is my advice…

My DD suggests to other DD's that Gaynors are a performance shoe for professional dancers to cheat, they were not made to be trained in. My DD does not know of any teacher who would encourage a student to use these in training. If you look at the shoe before you buy it, you can see that it is pre arched, this means that any dancer that doesn't have exceptionally strong feet can go from flat to point simply by hopping on to the shoe, this damages the achilles and shin and weakens the dancers over all point work ability. Yes some professional dancers do use them, but that is because they have acquired the strength in their feet to be able to break them in enough and because in the long run for some professionals they are cheaper if you are paying for your own shoes. My DD was surprised to think young dancers were wearing them for years during training and recommends that dancers in training buy a proper pair of pointe shoes and a Thera band and ask their teacher to give them metatarsal, foot and ankle excersises to get them back on track, otherwise they could be in trouble soon. The best people to ask are S&C coachs that specialise in ballet, they will advise the individual dancer what's best for their feet.

My DD is the same as you 2dancersmum - would prefer to stick to Freed but they just don't last as long as Bloch Senergy for her. Used Gaynors for one show as she hoped they would last the rehearsals but they are just not good for you, they don't let you use your feet so she stopped using them. Usually has four pairs on the go depending on the dance.

Thank you Annaliesey. I've completed the survey. Very interesting.

I also have lots of BTUK uniform, 2nd hand, if you are prepared to pay for postage if you don't mind mini ballerina ?

Gosh did anyone create a site where parents can freely share genuine concerns about teachers ?

Shocking. I am shocked and saddened by what I have read on this thread.

if it is being put on at the same footprint to last year then the VIP area was poor, a platform quite far away on one side and I was glad I hadn't paid extra money for that. The whole place is crowded and a bit like a cattle market. My DC was spotted whilst walking round the venue, which led to a successful audition but that encounter was initiated by her physical appearance not her dance ability on the stage. The organisation before the event is poor, making it hard for you to decide which day is best. I wish they had a clear ballet section so you could organise your day around that. I must say though the atmosphere amongst the dancers was great, they seemed to be loving the experience I felt a bit old and grumpy at the continuous whooping !

That's good news for Hammond students taking their majors as its an expensive business. How many Hammond students are working towards their Adv 2 RAD at present ? Only dancers with Distinction in RAD Adv 2 can enter the International Genee, I think most dancers of Solo Seal standard are already in work or concentrating on auditions. I know a dancer who went to a vocational school just for sixth form, so she went back to her old after school dance school to take her Adv 2 RAD. I guess if you've been following a syllabus since you were 6 or longer some dancers just want to see it through to the end. Good for them I say.

If you look at the individual qualifications of teachers in vocational schools they often are not qualified to teach RAD, so it's offered as an extra and parents pay for a RAD teacher to come in especially.

LCB charity doesn't just support ballet dancers and provide them with the experience of being part of a ballet company, it also supports wardrobe / costume designers often allowing semi professional artistes to promote their work, as well of course promoting the composer of the ballet, the choreographer and the ballet mistress and technicians new to the profession etc. Sarahw Costumes are hand made and growth spurts are factored in as you can imagine children change between November and April. They do take heights in to account for certain roles just as ballet companies do, especially for pas de deux work, but I know one dancer who was caste as a child and was the same height as her stage mum by premier night. having a child wanting to go to the audition process is fabulous in itself some children wouldn't want to do that, anything else is a bonus.

Mnemo may I edit that to 'outwardly calm' Although I did slightly better than a poor mum in the premier inn, 'flapping a leotard dry' as she walked in to breakfast then placed in on to a radiator whilst our daughters barely touched their £8 continental breakfast. Then flapped it about on way to her car to put it on the car heater. Her daughter had changed her mind at the last minute about which leotard to wear and had chosen the 'lucky leotard' which mum had put in the wash. Look on the bright side, damp leotards fit snugly !

RAD Vocational exams give the dancer UCAS points, age limits can be found on the RAD website. If you are paying money for training then Intermediate is the backbone your dancer should achieve (13) Advanced 2 ( 32 fouettes) is demanding so many don't take it as you must get distinction in it to be able to enter the Genee. But your dancer can still work towards the exams even if they don't have the facility to take them. You can always tell an RAD trained dancer by their heads, it's gorgeous

Sorry Tropicmama Majors are the RAD exams which are now being referred to as Vocational. They are designed for the ballet dancer who has more natural ability - or as the teacher might say 'facility' and require a lot of focus. Intermediate Foundation you have to be 11 when you take the exam Then Intermediate is 12. Advanced foundation 13 Advanced 1 is now 14 and Advanced 2 is 15 and you have to get a Distinction in Advanced 1to to take the Solo Seal or enter the Genee. So you see there's no rush. RAD Majors also give you UCAS points which is brill. Mine took every exam on the syllabus but hasn't done Solo Seal. (Expense) RAD web site explains it all Ask dancers at your child's school what they think of the new syllabus'

maybe next time she is stretching out in front of the TV hand her a tennis ball to stretch her muscles with, gently. See how she's gets on, it's more versatile than a roller and will do til Christmas.

Tropicmama if your child is 6 you are in the same position I was 12 years ago. My daughter was at an excellent RAD school, I spoke with her teacher and we set out a plan for each year. Grades are for all children that wish to dance, but if you are the parent of an obsessed dancer, who has facility for ballet, explain that the grades are very important as they are the basics and the exams are great for making sure you are able to focus but the real fun begins with Majors. Mine auditioned and went to vocational weekend classes at 7 which suited her hunger for more ballet. In Grade 2 she was invited by her RAD teacher to join in a major class where she worked hard at the back, keeping out of the way of the big girls. She stayed there for years until she was old enough to take the exam. After that at around 11 she went to as many classes as I could afford. If your child doesn't have the ballet facility but has this huge need to dance continuously then introduce her to Irish Tap Jazz Etc and feed her hunger that way.

Dancers that use French rolls often use 'Geisha pins' , mine gets hers from Capezio. She has worn a French roll for years rather than risk bald patches and damaged hair from elastic bands.

Hello Janet Decided to join as mine has been through the mill and come out the other end with a big smile on her face. Thought I might be able to give my opinion and suggestions whilst I still remember how important it is for the dancer, but how important it is that the dancer has a calm avid supporter by their side throughout the process.

My DC did one of her auditions in the October, told she had got finals and this helped her confidence for the other auditions. Whereas her friend didn't get finals and it was her dream college, this helped her make decision to stay on and do Additional academic exams and still dance and try again the next year if she still wanted to. For my DC 2 auditions done before Christmas would be great. Don't forget the judges can spot talent a mile off, they are not looking for the finished product they are looking for the potential, passion and dedicated dancer who has facility. Mental preparation is key, so I suggest you turn everything in to a positive throughout the process. Good luck

My daughter joined KS Dance Grad year in September. The first 2 weeks was all about the students and working out their strengths and weaknesses and what classes they would attend to make the most of their time at the college. Since then they have worked hard and yes it is full on but she is so happy and feels very supported. There is definitely a personal touch and they are working on my daughters confidence which was squashed by previous experiences. There are open days this week, current parents and auditioning dancers and their parents will be able to meet and chat. My DD is happy and feels that she is part of something special at KS Dance