Millicent

I'm also surprised at the high employer pension contributions. 10% tends to be considered generous in the private sector. Again, I'm not saying that the teachers are wrong to be protesting their pay or benefits (which I know nothing about) but just surprised that they are such a high percentage of salary. The other issue that is going to put huge pressure on teacher salaries is if Labour get in and add an extra 20% to private school fees by taking away the VAT exemption. Parents will be paying 20% more but it will go to government not the school/teachers.

It's more like 4 days of training and then a half day demonstration to parents.

Dancia have a range of styles, including Gaynors, Grishko, Merlet etc. You can just pop in without an appointment. You can also make an appointment at Freed and see which she likes best. Although I've heard that Freed do break down easily. If she breaks them easily then Gaynors might work. They are more expensive to buy but last 5 times longer.

If there's no "look" what's the motivation or impetus for body shaming? I can't think of any other explanation.

Is it not the same thing though? If the AD has a particular look in mind so anyone who doesn't measure up gets "assessed out" then isn't the whole ethos to blame for the problems lower down the school? If the company/Upper School/Y10 progression only happens if you have a certain look then isn't this potentially one of the major underlying reasons for body shaming? It is generally accepted that in a company/business in the commercial world the working culture and ethos comes from the top. Even if its unspoken it can be made very clear in other ways.

Cigna has closed down and is no longer operating.

My GP had my BMI recorded as something like 66 as for some reason they had recorded my height as 30cm! I saw "suggest weight management program" pop up on the GP's screen once so asked about it and that's when we realised what had happened. I don't know for how many years the GP practice had me registered as morbidly obese but did nothing about it! Sorry for the derail!

When my DC's (non-vocational) school had an Ofsted inspection all of the parents were sent a questionnaire to fill in anonymously. This was a couple of years ago, I don't know if anything has changed, but that seems a good way to get a realistic view of what is actually going on in practice. I agree that policies can be undermined by an organisation's actual attitudes. I once worked for a company that won awards for its support of women and flexible working. My friend came back from maternity leave asking to work from home every other Friday and only if she had no meetings that day. She was laughed out of HR. They definitely didn't practice what they preached.

It's also interesting to note that when Steven McRae was recovering from his injury and was able to focus on good nutrition and strength, which changed his body significantly, he had some pushback on SM from people basically saying they preferred his body when he was less muscular! In what other industry (other than perhaps celebrity industry and the Royal family!) has it become normal for people to think they "own" your body and that it should conform to their personal preferences?! (Needless to say he mostly had positive feedback on SM but the negative responses were so eye-opening.)

I completely agree with this. But how can we make that filter through to the powers that be? Ballet is wrapped in tradition - just think of the suspicion given to GM shoes because they are using modern techniques to make pointe shoes more comfortable - it's as if those "in charge" want children to experience the blood and pain of old-fashioned (traditional) shoes to "make them a better dancer". There are so many outdated traditions in ballet. Unless those that have influence are prepared to change, what can we do as parents/teachers/audience members to convince companies that we want to see authenticity not "bones"?

In some ways the program has added nothing new to what we already know. Ballet dancers are much more likely to suffer from eating disorders. Some of the dancers featured here admitted that they had eating disorders or mental health issues before they started at the schools, so I would question the wisdom of sending them there in the first place. I am in no way excusing the schools by saying that, but just questioning whether it's ever going to be a healthy environment for a child to go into if they are already struggling with eating disorders. However, any sunlight on these issues that plague the entire industry should be welcomed. The focus on the "right" body, which certain schools seem to focus on as more important than facility, technique or artistry, definitely needs to be challenged. The mention of the teachers' comments on weight is very concerning, particularly those that stray into bullying. Sadly, the people who are making the casting decisions that focus on "body type" are the people we need to convince to change. And with the power they wield how do we make that happen? I thought one of the most interesting points was the coded messages given to dancers. Like not being fit enough or needed to lengthen their lines. I have heard similar coded messages about why dancers have been assessed out, including hiding behind qualities such as supposed poor turnout or other anatomical issues that surely the school would have already known about at auditions. I think there is a culture where everyone knows what that means but they think they can get away with it as long as though they don't actually come out and say "you're not thin enough for our aesthetic". In fairness, the BBC notes that "both schools dispute the accounts given to the BBC". And the schools have no real right of reply as they are bound by confidentiality towards the students. I'm not questioning the authenticity of the people interviewed, just that we've only heard one side of the story.

On a separate point, does anyone know how many girls and boys were taken into RBS and Elmhurst last year ie the Y7s starting now?

I wouldn't take into account performing opportunities when choosing a vocational school. While it's a lovely experience and of course lots of valuable things can be learned from experiencing peforming with a big professional company, most of the time at that age they are effectively just stage decorations. Personally, it wouldn't factor into my decision as to what school to choose.

I think BRB use London JAs for their Royal Albert Hall Nutcracker.

You might want to look at Tring. They do holiday and one day courses. They also have an associate scheme which I assume it will be too late to apply for but you could always ask.

But students at WL are assessed in Feb of Y9. That means they've only had 2 years and 5 months at the school. To put the attrition rate down to not being able to properly assess talent in Y7 suggests that it becomes highly apparent between the age of 11 and 13. Assessing out at other vocational schools is very very rare compared to WL. I think most now more or less guarantee a place up to Y11.

Gaynor Minden are great for strong feet as they don't break down like traditional shoes. They're meant to last 5 times longer but they are more expensive to buy in the first place.

Not sure if they are allowed hairspray? I know they can't use any sprays at Elmhurst. Definitely need a water bottle too.

They can wear any brand shoes. Most of my DD's class wore split sole canvas. The ones that RBS suggest are not great in my opinion! I don't know why they recommend them.

And think of how much parents will have paid for 7 years of vocational school, for example!

That's interesting about neural tension. One of the things my yoga teacher says is that if you're finding a yoga pose difficult you need to breathe more deeply and relax into it more. It's surprising how much deep breathing helps. This is also one of the things my DD finds most difficult as she is very bad at holding her breath when she dances!

I also agree with this and sitting in stretches for a long time or overstretching joints can lead to significant injury. It's interesting that Hannah Martin who came from a rhythmic gymnastic background and is now at BRB often posts on Instagram about how stretches she did when younger have caused her injury/damage and she now avoids a lot of the stretches she was originally taught to do because they are damaging in the long term. It is sad that dancers often want to copy extreme stretches they have seen on social media and by doing so cause often long term damage. I am constantly cringing at some of the extreme stretching I see backstage or before auditions. Especially the one where dancers stand on the knuckles of their toes - it's extremely damaging and dangerous but I have seen it so much recently, even to the extent that the dancer is in a lot of pain but their teacher or parents makes them carry on. I echo what others have said and think that if flexibility is an issue you would be best to see a specialist dance physio. Also, any moving non-static stretches can be beneficial in general, like a gentle yoga flow. I can't see how that could be anything other than beneficial for a dancer. A proper cool down after exercise is also important in reducing stiffness if that is an issue.

Yes you automatically go into Y6 if you have a Y4 or Y5 place. When applying I think you could request either 26 weeks or 32 weeks but once you have an offer I think you just need to graciously accept! And you can't request a different time of day. My DD missed out on Saturday classes at her local studio for 3 years but it was definitely worth it.

Very interesting, thank you. I do love watching her jump but otherwise find it very difficult to get past her feet/shoes. I know much has been said about it but to me personally the Classical line is ruined so much when the leg line ends in a tatty badly fitting shoe. I've tried hard not to let if affect me but I find it so distracting!

I can't answer all of your questions but in terms of the backalast my understanding is that it is about proprioception rather than being corseted or forced into the correct position. Something similar is used for some disabled children in pyhsiotherapy and also in animals eg training young horses, to help them understand their bodies and feel the muscles activating. It is about the muscle/brain connection rather than a physical training method.