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Viv

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Everything posted by Viv

  1. A friend of mine has just graduated from the School of the Hamburg Ballet. The equivalent of Upper School was completely free. She had offers from other, more prestigious schools, but her family isn't well off and she couldn't afford those schools without a substantial scholarship. My friend is Australian so it's not just free for Europeans. Boarding obviously has a cost, though I believe after the first little while she ended up renting an apartment with some of the other girls in her year which cut down on costs. She's had some challenges with injuries but her and her mum wouldn't fault the pastoral care she received there. And she has now managed to secure the ultimate prize, a classical contract I was once told by a lawyer at Legal Aid (Government paid lawyers in Aus that give legal advice to those that can't afford it) that they used to not charge any fees for consultations. They told me that because it was free, people thought their advice was worthless - obviously you don't get anything good for free, no one does something for nothing! So they started charging $5. Suddenly, even though the advice didn't change, people started giving it a go because hey, they'd paid for it after all. It was a good lesson for me that just because something doesn't have a price, doesn't mean it doesn't have value
  2. Actually, I am feeling pretty good. The other week I performed my Advanced 1 variation on stage at a showcase for my dance school. This isn't such a big deal, except that it was my first time performing en pointe in 4 years! And I got through it all!!! I've now seen the video and while it is far from perfect, I am actually pretty darn pleased with it. And I'm never pleased with videos of my dancing haha. There are plenty of things to work on (timing, sickle foot in arabesque, loss of turnout when standing up from the floor), but there was also a lot there to like. There's still about 3 months until my exam so just have to knuckle down and try not to get injured (again). Plenty of time to fix the things that weren't so good in the video. But it's nice to be happy with where I'm at, just for once.
  3. I have narrow, compressible feet with a not particularly high arch. I have struggled with finding pointe shoes for year, and now I am in Russian Pointe sapfir. They have absolutely changed my dancing! I said to my teacher recently, I didn't realise how pointe work was "supposed" to feel until I found the right shoes. I thought everyone else found it nearly impossible and just got on with it, which is what I tried to do. Now I realise I was fighting the shoe all the time, which meant I wasn't actually developing my pointe work or strength the way I needed. I was never able to get over a grishko 2007 soft shank, even after hours of cutting and breaking and using rubbing alcohol to try and break them down. Now I wear the russian pointe I wear either medium or hard shank (for longevity) and all it takes wearing them for a class and gently manipulating the shank with my hands, and then they're basically good to go. Like magic! I find the balance point is further over than the grishko which encourages me to get fully over the platform. And it turns out actually I don't have such bad arches after all, now I'm in a shoe that encourages the right foot shape and has allowed me to strengthen the right muscles. Hopefully one to try for your DD
  4. Looking for inspiration. Just as the ankle got better, I dislocated by shoulder in contemporary. Just as that's healing, I get covid! How is everyone progressing with their exam work? Anyone looking to take the plunge any time soon?
  5. I am the same! I have a narrow, low profile foot. Demi pointes look horrendous on me. My foot points inside the shoe but the end part of the shoe itself doesn't move. This meant that when I started crunching my toes instead of keeping them long my teacher couldn't see it happening inside the stiff box to correct it, and my calves and intrinsic foot muscles weren't working like they should be. I also find the shank twists so it looks like I'm sickling when I'm not. Honestly, I wish I could burn my demi pointe shoes! I spoke with an examiner the other week who hinted that these matters were currently under discussion, so I don't think even the RAD knows what measures they're going to retain post-covid. I made my thoughts on demi pointes well known to her at least πŸ˜‚
  6. After just one pointe class, I don't think anyone would expect you to take your hands off the barre yet Pointe is a whole different feeling and feels a bit like starting all over again in a way. My teacher kept me working in parallel for my first lesson, just transferring my weight from one foot to the other. Then moved to turnout at the barre and only after that was stable was there any move to the centre. We actually started by practiced balancing flat but wearing pointe shoes in the centre because even that feels different as the sole is thicker. It's been a few years now since I did IF but I remember it well. Best of luck with the preparation and remember, you don't need to have everything perfectly. You'll be working on your craft for years to come. There's no such thing as a perfect plie, there's always more to do. I also found I didn't start to really nail single pirouettes until I started doing (and failing to do...) doubles.
  7. Turning back to syllabus, I have now learned the Adv 1 variation 2. I think it may be my favourite variation of all the exams so far? I normally do the more classical variation 1 but I'm not sure I even want to learn it for Adv 1. Too much jumping and single leg releves for me πŸ˜‚ Variation 2 is so languid and I love the maturity, it doesn't feel like a little kid exam dance, I feel like I can really give it something. If anyone is interested in an update on the ankle (if you're not you can skip this part!) - Since the physio was uncertain about the results of my MRI, I went to see a specialist sports doc who confirmed the diagnosis of posterior impingement. We proceeded with a cortisone injection to try and calm down structures at the back of the ankle. I can now say heading into 6 weeks post injection my ankle feels better than it has in a year! I am a bit tight across the front of the ankle from being restricted for so long but stretching that foot now feels good instead of agonising. I am also having to re-train my brain into remembering what a properly pointed foot feels like, and that it's safe and pain free to go there! But it's nice to have a foot again and not a sad cashew at the end of my leg. I have now done my first pointe class this year! Just rises in parallel and turnout at the barre and some echappes, but my teacher and physio are both pleased with the range of motion and stability of the ankle now. The focus is on increasing strength using my full range so when the cortisone wears off, I don't go back to crunching in the back of the ankle and re-inflaming those structures. Apparently I am sinking in my shoes a bit as I get fatigued, particularly in second, so that is going to be a focus going forward. I think part of it is having shoes that actually let me have a nice line of foot instead of pulling me backwards off my box, I'm used to having to brute force my feet to get over and now I need to learn how to lift up and let the feet work because they're strong, not by shoving against the floor. But I am finally feeling hopeful I can actually start progressing my advanced 1 pointe work. I got a 6 for pointe in adv foundation and I would like to maintain or even better that score, even despite the injuries.
  8. I agree @Kate_N, it seems fairly common to have different flexibility in different parts of the spine. I have a hypermobile lumbar and mid-back, but struggle with mobilising my upper spine. When I used to do "back stretches", I tended to just crunch or collapse into the parts that were already mobile and the bits that weren't as naturally loose would stay straight (probably because if there wasn't some sort of tension somewhere my spine would have crumbled and you'd need to carry me around in a bucket ) @Mae Elizabeth I have had to work specifically on mobilising my upper spine while keeping the lumbar spine relaxed and not switching on. I do two exercises with the physio to help with this. One involves lying face down with my forehead on a towel, then slowly lifting my arms behind me, allowing my shoulder blades to draw together and 'set', and then I lift just my head and neck and maybe first two vertebrae of my upper back off the mat while everything else stays switched off and relaxed. It's surprisingly hard! I hold there for one breath, again without bracing, and then breathe out and relax. Repeat. As I've improved I have added light weights in my hands as they go up behind me to make it harder. The second exercise I stay flat on my tummy but put my hands in front of my forehead, making a triangle shape with my thumbs and fingers (not sure if that makes sense). I then slowly, vertebrae by vertebrae, lift my head and neck off the ground. When I need to I take the weight into my hands more to push further up. This is like the yoga 'seal' position but with the hands further forward. It is done more slowly and again, the focus is on a steady roll up without the lumbar back ever being allowed to switch on or take over. If I do normal seal pose I just hinge into that part of the spine and while teachers go "wow you have such a bendy back" I'm not actually using it properly or safely. When I do my cambre now, I try to replicate the feeling of those two exercises. Plus strengthening my core (which you've already mentioned in your post) to hold my pelvis steady and use my stomach muscle to brace, instead of the big muscles in my back. If you're using the large outer back muscles to hold yourself stable, of course those same muscles won't be able to bend! So the stability comes from the pelvic floor instead And think about lifting up before going back, that helps me feel like there's space between my ribs and is a bit of a reminder about which part of the back is meant to be moving.
  9. Unfortunately it's all a little complicated. I had the MRI and it shows no signs of posterior impingement. Instead it shows damage to the achilles tendon. My physio is baffled by it because I have no symptoms consistent with achilles tendinopathy (no pain jumping, no issues stretching the back of the ankle). I have all the classic signs of posterior impingement and was responding to treatment for posterior impingement, up to a point. There is apparently swelling in the fat pad behind my achilles which needs further investigation, so now I have to see a specialist. It looks like this isn't getting sorted before classes go back in February It's hard to give an idea of exercises as they were super personalised depending on my pain and ankle flexibility at any given time. And of course I am not a trained physio and don't want to lead you astray or give any advice that isn't appropriate for your body. Essentially the goal from my treatment plan was reduce inflammation while simultaneously increasing strength, especially as my range improved. To reduce inflammation I did a nightly mix of anti-inflammatory gel and hirudoid cream liberally coated on the back of the ankle and heel, then wrapped my foot in glad wrap and kept it on overnight. I repeated this for 7 days. This really helped with the initial pain and I instantly got an inch more range. It was amazing! I've managed to keep that inch of range but have really struggled with increasing that further Once I gained more range, my physio worked on strengthening in that range to take the pressures off the back of the ankle and stabilise the joint (and prevent further injury from instability). This was essentially the normal calf rises and intrinsic foot muscle exercises (toe push ups, doming), but with different distributions of weight, different repetitions, different height of the rise, all kind of things to strengthen without pushing too far and flaring it back up again. It was all the things I'd been doing before, but with the physio doing mobilisation and other techniques to slowly increase my range, before I would then strengthen in that range. It was very personal and specific. So please don't take this as any kind of medical advice or general treatment plan. It's more a testimony of the benefits of a good physio who knows how to work with dancers and is able to make a personalised plan!
  10. I have had friends from Australia attend the Houston Ballet summer intensive and they loved it. They are pre-professional teen students though, one of whom is now training in the Houston Ballet pre-pro program. It's a 5 or 6 week program so quite intense, but I think most US summer programs are like that. They stayed in the dorm rooms near the campus and I believe there were organised activities off site like trips to the theatre, but they attended pre-covid so not sure what happens now. I suppose it depends on your level of training and your aspirations. Houston Ballet also does a summer intensive for adult ballet students. It's only 5 days not 5 weeks but is recommended for intermediate/advanced students.
  11. CSTD is more commonly used for jazz and tap exams and not so much for ballet. While schools in my area do teach CSTD ballet, it's generally the schools that are more theatrical and do one 45 minute ballet class a week as a check the box exercise. Because of that it's not very well respected as a ballet syllabus, even though I'm sure it's probably just fine if taken as seriously as the RAD studios. I have done CSTD exam classes for jazz and tap and can't complain about them. My studio doesn't use the CSTD contemporary syllabus. I don't actually know any schools in my area that have taken it up, though I'm sure there are some. I know my studio trialled it for a year but had a lot of complaints so didn't stick with it. So unfortunately, I can't give you an idea of number of levels, pre-requisites or what is contained in each level specifically for contemporary. For ballet CSTD there are the graded levels 1-5, then I think sub-elementary, elementary, intermediate and advanced (vocational levels). For jazz, there are 9 full grades (and also I think baby grades like Tiny Tots for those under age 7, but I'm not really across what the babies do). You need to have done Grade 6 to do your further grades but I think that's it. You need to have completed Grade 9 to be eligible for student teacher training and qualification. I'm not sure if this is very helpful and I can't compare to ISTD, sorry. CSTD (the Aus exam board) I think has been rebranding to ComDance. There might be some more info on its website: https://comdance.org/for-teachers/contemporary/
  12. Congratulations @DeveloppeD! That's a fantastic result. Which exam did you do?
  13. We are now in summer break until February so I am planning on taking the month to rest my recently fractured rib (don't ask...) and try and regain some of the flexibility I have lost since 2018. When the rib is hurting less, the focus will probably switch to arabesque and penche strength (saw some real improvements with those last year and don't want to lose them before we go back). Eventually, depending on the results of the MRI, I am hoping to work on ankle strength and range of motion in the last few weeks of January so I'm ready to at least strap the pointe shoes on and hobble around with them when classes recommence I have also set some 2022 dance goals to try and encourage me to get over my post-christmas turkey coma and maybe even leave the couch at some point today. Not now though, maybe later...
  14. I call myself a "dance as a second language" student haha. There are some people who dance as kids and when they come back to it as adults, they're a little creakier but still kind of able to follow the conversation and get fluent again relatively quickly because at least they know how it's supposed to sound. As a "DSL" student, you are constantly having to translate in your head from "normal" movement to "ballet" movement and sometimes you get it backwards. As an absolute beginner you get focused on a few key words of "vocab" (e.g. grand jete, pas de chat, arabesque, pirouette) and maybe a few simple sentences (e.g. the plie combination at the barre). Your grammar isn't perfect, sometimes you put words in the wrong spot, it's almost impossible to remember the small linking words that give the sentence meaning (i.e. how on earth did she end up on the right foot I swear I did everything she did?!) and your pronunciation (i.e. technique) is quite woeful. However, if you continue to work at it, you will become well versed enough in the "language" and should be able to feel comfortable having simple conversations and ordering food at a restaurant (e.g. not feeling like a total fool in beginners class). Maybe you're willing to start trying something a bit more advanced like writing paragraphs in that language (or trying an intermediate class) or reading some novels in that language (the joy that is repertoire!). Eventually, if you work really hard, you are comfortable in most conversational settings, but hey, maybe you'll never sound like a "native speaker" and you probably can never expect to make a living off your translating skills! But you can continue to learn more and gain a more nuanced understanding of your chosen language, and that's the fun of it anyway This metaphor got a bit convoluted but what I'm really trying to say is - you don't expect to do a couple of french classes or download Duolingo and immediately be able to go to France and speak fluently! In your intermediate class you've basically jumped right into a french immersion session and if you're able to follow along without treading on your own foot, that's pretty damn impressive. And be kind to yourself, everyone is just grateful you're even trying to speak their language
  15. @Kate_NI would describe it more as having a piece ripped out of my soul. It will never heal, but every day I forget a little more what it felt like to be whole. And the wound is not so fresh as it was. Even with my poor, shrivelled, swiss cheese soul, I am still able to feel joy, and love, and sadness, and pain. So I'm not so different from anyone else who's lived a life
  16. Wow, this was a long time ago... I have been off this forum for a little while for a number of reasons, including falling out of love with dance as a result of this situation. Thankfully all that has changed now and I'm back bigger and better than ever πŸ˜‚ If anyone is interested in an update, I quit going to the studio for about 6 months at the start of last year, which thankfully coincided with the start of the pandemic and the chance to really see what life without dance is like. It sucks!!! Before that, I had a couple months of just doing open classes, trial classes at different studios, building a timetable that worked for me and remembering why I started doing this in the first place. It was exactly what I needed at that point in time. When in person classes started opening back up mid-way through last year (we have been incredibly lucky in my part of Aus), I cautiously started doing one ballet class with my lovely teacher and also one jazz class with the studio owner. I can only say now how happy I am that I went back. Once I started to do classes with the studio owner, I was able to see that she actually is just a better in person communicator than she is by text. The abrupt emails were not intended to be rude, but were because she feels uncomfortable with that medium. I was acting defensively because I didn't understand and prefer to communicate by email and text. I now make sure to talk to her in person and our communication is better than ever. Also, while I thought it was the studio owner saying things about me to the jazz and contemporary teachers, it turns out it was the other way around! Those teachers have now left the studio under a cloud, and I think the studio owner has realised the pile of lies and delusion they have been spinning her for years. She is so apologetic now, but I can understand why she may have been wary to deal with me if someone was telling her all kinds of awful stories about me! There are now new teachers and I am so so happy I am at this studio now, I have improved so so much in the last 18 months and I am happier than ever. I can also now see that a lot of the bad vibes were coming from me. I had recently lost my mother unexpectedly and was in a black hole of grief. Since I first discovered dance as an adult, I have used that as my space to get away from life and as my "happy place", and suddenly I was up against something so awful and all encompassing that there were no happy places. And I was fighting so hard to hold on to something good and make myself feel better and not have to face my grief, that I was blundering around screwing everything else up. Combined with all the things that were actually wrong at the studio in that year, it was basically a perfect storm of misery and anger and resentment. I suppose this update is just to say that things aren't always as they seem. While sometimes it is the right time to move on from the studio, sometimes it's also worth taking a step back and reflecting on what you are bringing to the situation. We all walk into every situation dragging a suitcase of baggage behind us and sometimes what we're responding to isn't what is intended. However, it's also a lesson that when teachers actually are bullying you (which my jazz and contemporary teachers were), that's a different situation. You have an obligation to take yourself, or your child, out of that situation. That's the only option. I wish now everyone had had the courage to tell the studio owner how we were being treated by the teachers who have since left, because now she knows the extent of it she is horrified. Sorry for the monster post. Thank you everyone who responded to this thread and tried to help me through it. Having the support of this forum at such a dark time in my life was invaluable and I am glad I am able to come back and engage with you all again on the other side (and after a great deal of therapy hahaha) 😁
  17. It's common at my studio for students to continue with the graded syllabus while doing the vocational syllabus, because as said above, they compliment each other and the extra training hours can help in building the stamina for your vocational exam. Personally, I did intermediate, advanced foundation and grade 7 all at the same time, and in fact did all three exams within 2 days, all while working full time. I would not recommend this course πŸ˜‚ But it worked for what I wanted at the time and I had my own reason for doing things this way. What I found was that at times during the year, I found grade 7 a bit of a drag. I was tired, and I was sore, and I wanted one night of couch time not doing ballet just to rest and relax. But at other times, I loved the opportunity to do something new, and I found it really pushed my artistry as well as my technique, and allowed me to remember that ballet is fun! While I prefer the vocational syllabus overall, the higher grades give you the chance to really dance with a bit less pressure. This was particularly the case when it came to doing the exams themselves. I did intermediate in the morning of Day 1 and advanced foundation that afternoon. I came out an absolute wreck, emotionally and physically exhausted and dreading having to be kind to myself to do another exam the next day. But on Day 2, I woke up and realised that the hardest things were behind me, and this time I could just relax and enjoy myself. When the music started I was transported, I gave the best performance I have ever given and will gladly say that Grade 7 was my favourite exam I have ever done. And that was showcased in my results - Grade 7 was my best grade ever, well into the distinction range and even, if RAD do decide to introduce one as previously proposed, a high distinction! Fully 20 points above my advanced foundation score. Grade 7 reignited my passion for ballet, inspired me to continue with RAD exams even though I was exhausted, and gave me the biggest confidence boost that I sorely needed at that time. So I say give it a go and see what you can get out of it If it becomes too much, then you can always walk away until it's the right fit for your life and your goals.
  18. Well, 3 years after completing my advanced foundation exam, I am finally going to be starting advanced 1 next year!!! I have done a bit in private lessons this year and know most of the material now, but there's a different level of fitness required to take an advanced level exam, and you simply can't achieve that with only a one hour private lesson a week, and not even every week at that. It's going to be a massive struggle. After such a big break between exams (it will be 4 years by the time I actually take this exam!) my technique is nowhere near where it was when I did advanced foundation. A horrific grade 3 ankle sprain in 2019 has effectively kept me off pointe for close to two years and every time I start making progress (ie moving beyond the intermediate exam pointe exercises), something else in the ankle flares up. Currently battling posterior ankle impingement which means I'm off pointe again, I don't have the range in one ankle to do it safely I am having an MRI soon to assess my ankle because the conservative approach I have been taking with my physio has plateaued. So hopefully the MRI will give us more clarity, we can get it sorted for once and all! Then just have 8 months to get advanced pointe ready! Totally realistic... But despite the struggles already faced, and those yet to come, I am so so excited to finally be working towards an exam again. The commitment and dedication to a singular goal is something I've missed, and it will be hugely important in relearning how to put work/life boundaries back in place after they were smashed apart while working from home during the pandemic. Here's to a better year to come!
  19. While technique is obviously the focus of syllabus training and exams, you also get 10 points for performance and 10 for musicality. So they shouldn't be neglected! I think the difficulty comes from focusing on technique and only trying to perform a few weeks before the exam. it feels unnatural and distracting and weird. The first time you did a pirouette it felt weird and scary, but you kept working at them until they felt natural and you could do them with technique and dynamics. It's the same with every correction I've ever had the first time I've tried it, it throws everything else off! But once I've practice it, I find everything comes together and the correction really does help. Performance can be like that. Of course your technique fell apart the first time, you've never practiced doing it like that before. Now you need to practice performance WITH your technique so you don't sacrifice one for the other. Performance should start at the barre and be carried all the way through class, every class. Plus it makes things more fun! The other thing to remember is that performance isn't just facial expression, but also projection to the audience an understanding and appreciation of line and fluidity. Read the RAD marking scheme: performance marks are given for Expression (face, body and dynamics of the music), Projection (ability to project expressions, feelings and emotions to the audience), Interpretation (dancing with understanding and intelligent response to what one is dancing about ie the motivation for the movement), and Communication (appropriate engagement with audience and partners) - the acronym is EPIC! What I do for syllabus music is listen to it separately from the steps. Just lying down in bed, eyes closed, listening to the music, not moving. How does it make you feel? Is it a mood, or do you see a picture in your mind? I remember one port de bras I felt like a I was on a boat floating down a calm river, dappled sunlight glittering on the lapping of the water, everything calm and clear above the surface. And I guess I tried to dance that feeling...or showcase that feeling to the examiner. For Intermediate Variation 2, the choreography is based on being a storm goddess, beckoning and sending forth your wind and rains. Imagine yourself as the storm goddess while listening to the music and try to feel the thunder building and the clash of the lightning and then at the end, the stillness as the storm passes on. Listen to the music, connect to the feeling first, and then start to dance the steps. And practice, practice, practice!
  20. This might be a bit late, but since I almost exclusively dance in Claudia Dean leotards now hopefully I can help! πŸ˜… I find Claudia Dean more comfortable than any other brand I've tried so now have maybe 10 of her leotards in different colours? From her very first collection to her recent Pastel collection. I am in Australia so Claudia Dean is only about $10AUD more expensive than a bloch leotard, but I can imagine with shipping it would come out a lot more for you. Positives for Claudia Dean are the colours and the beautiful fabrics. The Giselle and Aurora styles are flattering on so many different body types and provide good coverage. A few of us in my RAD exam classes wear the navy Aurora, it looks equally flattering on the girl who has gotten into multiple RBS summer schools as it does on the girl who is only 5 feet tall and and built more like Georgia Godwin than Nastia Liukin. I like Claudia Dean because I have a bigger bust and they're one of the only leotard brands I can wear without something underneath. They are popular with all ages in Australia, particularly ages 10-16, and make lovely audition or exam leotards. I wash them on a cold delicates cycle in the washer (along with bras and undies) and hang them up inside. They have always lasted fabulously well and I have a couple I've been wearing for 2+ years now. In contrast, I have an Eleve leotard which was substantially more expensive and is such a loose fit I feel uncomfortable and not supported, the leg line is very low which is unflattering, and the colour has run in the wash and dyed the mesh! On the downsides (because there are always downsides), I find the newer Claudia Dean material much thinner than the old stuff. They have added more length in the body of the aurora so I now wear a size smaller than I probably should because otherwise end up with fabric bunching around the middle and the leg line too low. I also find that the new material shows up sweat quite easily, which is not great as we head into Aussie summer. So those are things to be aware of Hope this helps and if you have any questions about particular styles or colours let me know!
  21. I am aware some dancers use a sewing awl to poke holes in the satin and then sew using the holes they have already created. Saves the fingers a bit and avoids the need to use a thimble. I can't give much advice as I have only sewed one pair of gaynors, as they were categorically awful on my feet! For some reason forced my feet to sickle horrendously which I have never had en pointe before, were almost impossible to control, I rolled too far forward over the platform and could barely support myself, and the platform was so small and rounded I could barely balance! I was courting a sprained ankle every time I wore them. The fitters suggestion when I went back for new shoes was that my feet are too hypermobile (not the nice arches caused by beautiful bone structure, but the wobbly, compressible mess caused by too lax ligaments) and were not strong enough to manage a shoe that allowed that ligament laxity to take over. This was particularly the case after multiple grade 3 ankle sprains and dislocations. Gaynors need a certain amount of rigidity, and that either has to come from your foot construction or from the strength of your ankles. I am in russian pointes now and have none of the same issues as I had in gaynors. Just like all pointe shoes, gaynors are a miracle shoe for some and completely unworkable for others! This doesn't make a shoe 'good' or 'bad' or 'cheating', just suited to some feet and not others I only add this to say that just because a dancer has low arches (mine aren't particularly high) doesn't mean a gaynor will automatically fix their issues. I was hoping a gaynor shoe would fix everything, but it just brought out different issues, and actually what I needed was a narrow, tapered box with reinforced wings to give my feet a hand in lifting up instead of collapsing. With my extreme hypermobility, messed up connective tissue and a neuromuscular condition (and the related challenges in gaining strength), gaynors are unlikely to ever be suitable for me.
  22. @DeveloppeD how did you go about requesting a more detailed report? Was there a fee involved? I didn't know this was a thing you could do and wish I'd known a while ago, I would have been tempted to do it for all exams just to get some actual comments and direction to improve...
  23. My thoughts are with you all in the UK right now, it must be devastating to head back into lockdown and zoom classes Hopefully this will cheer some dancers up, it is a short snippet about dancers at the Australian Ballet School in Melbourne and the semi-virtual performance they have been able to put on despite the challenging circumstances. https://www.abc.net.au/7.30/a-special-performance-for-aspiring-ballet-dancers/13037538
  24. I don't really know what my opinion is, but I stumbled across this from Sander Blommaert, former first artist of the Royal Ballet, which might be of interest. He seems to agree that if professionals with nice feet wear fake arches, it sets the bar even higher for students aspiring to be professional, and may make students without great feet think they don't have a chance. However, he thinks beautiful dancers with feet that aren't 'aesthetically pleasing' should be able to wear fake arches. I think that could potentially open up a whole other kettle of fish to decide "what is an aesthetically pleasing foot" but there you go...
  25. Changing not just the UK, but potentially the world. I saw the below article on the Australian news last month and immediately remembered this thread. Thank you, Primrose, for continuing your advocacy. I'm sure it can't be easy for you and your family, but the changes you are fighting for will save lives xx https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-22/disability-royal-commission-hears-of-drugs-effect-on-teenager/12689418
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