DancingDays

Hi Snape, have sent you a PM but just to say as well that they do group the dancers in age and ability and there'll be a list up when you arrive for registration. The younger group last year didn't do pointe work but they did do character and they used their character skirts in the parents presentation at the end - I think they called it Baroque Class - I don't know if it will follow the same format this year. Hope your DD loves it! Mine did last year x

DD had her Induction Day on Friday and loved it! The current 1st formers were lovely and very welcoming and kind Also really impressed that all the lead teaching staff were on hand to answer questions - the Principal, Deputy Principal, Head of Dance, Head of Theatre Arts, Head of Academics and the Dance Teacher who was taking their classes - nothing was too much trouble and parents had time to chat with them both at drop off and pick up. DD came out beaming and we're much less anxious now (or rather I am - DD never was to start with!) BTW - with regard to luggage, apparently there's a mixture of suitcases, traditional boarding school trunks and duffles, so that's down to preference. DD got to check out a couple of dorms again and said the suitcases were out for packing up ready for Summer hols. Still can't promise that I won't be crying in September but I feel fantastically reassured after the Induction Day

Congratulations to you all Very exciting for your DCs x

Thank you We'll re-think the luggage then x

I'm not sure really which is why I'm asking I guess I can find out more on Friday but just thought I'd check here from others already at Tring...

We have all the uniform but it's still waiting to have the name tapes sewn in! Does anyone know if the boarders are restricted in the luggage they use? DD has seen a lovely trunk which we think will be ideal and decorative when at home but I think I heard somewhere that some schools don't like the use of trunks? DD is really looking forward to the 1st form Induction Day this Friday

DD loved his classes last year with the single drum providing the beats and we loved watching the contemporary pieces in the parents show at the end - brilliant x

PITF, DD did both YBSS and Yorkshire Assembly last year and enjoyed both for different reasons. DD said Peter Parker was at Yorkshire Assembly last year and was great - she really enjoyed his teaching, and says the contemporary teacher was great too (can't remember his name now). Overall on balance, she said the standard of dancers and level of teaching at YBSS was better but the atmosphere and facilities at Yorkshire Assembly were better. When asked which she would do again - she has just said she'd do both no problem - but if she had to pick one she would pick YBSS (I presume all the spaces there are gone now). With regard to Opes - DD has taken class with Peter Parker, Shannon Parker and Olivia Pickford (not at the summer school but at another associate scheme) and would definitely recommend them as great teachers.... I realise the more I type the less helpful I'm being to you....

I drove 4 Dc up to EYB rehearsals in Nottingham this weekend. My DD is 11, one of the girls was 13, one 16 and one 17 - all 4 of them were making loom band bracelets in the car!!!!! It's a craze that the kids are loving at the moment but it will pass....I wouldn't worry that this means she's not loving her dancing too...let her enjoy them (once homework and practice are done ) x

What a shame Lema - oh well....we'll all have to think positively that the timetable gods smile down on you x

I hope it's a great success Dr Dance - your reputation for health & well-being of dancers together with your passion for teaching strong technique is recognised by many of us. If DD wasn't already doing NYB we would be signing up - you have some great guest artists involved I'm sure those that can attend will benefit hugely and have a great time.

Yes, I agree....the commitment to the other dancers is important - the solos are not. With my DD, we took pot luck on the scheduling of the solos and if they clashed we didn't do them. Again, as someone who has been on a Festival committee, we did always try to accommodate requests if we could but as Julie W pointed out in her reply, I also know some festivals won't. Lema, It is important to stress as well though that you were spot on when you said " I just don't want our normal school to feel we are turning our back on them! ". Associate classes (whoever they're are with) are supplemental to your regular classes and you do want the full support of your school and teachers in developing your DD further...so commitment works both ways and a good associate scheme / teacher will always be mindful of that too. Hope the Festival can work around your dates and well done to your DD on her Associate place x Edited to add: Just wanted to also say that MTB were fantastic with regard to regular school commitments and had a great attitude. The A.D. would say "MTB are grateful that all the regular schools lend their lovely dancers to MTB" and they would invite the teachers from all the cast's regular dance schools in to watch a rehearsal and did a big thank you to them at the theatre.

That's lovely news C4D! Well done to your DD and this just shows that talent will always find a way! Chaperone, ATP is Advanced Training Programme

Hi, my advice would be to speak to the teacher to advise her that this was a commitment already made, however, depending on the timetabling, you may not have to miss your Associate Classes. If you ask your school to email the Festival committee they are usually pretty accommodating if they can avoid scheduling your DDs sections at the same times at her Associate Classes. Then, where clashes do occur once the timetable for the Festival is set, you can forgo any solo entries but still do the troupe entries....hopefully that will mitigate any lack of attendance at the Associate Classes without letting the school down for the troupes. Of course, this assumes that distance is not too great. My DD did 2 sections in the morning at a Festival in Rugby earlier this year, then rushed through to Birmingham for rehearsals with MTB before rushing back to Rugby to do a couple more sections late afternoon....it was a juggle but we made it and didn't let anyone down. It would be a good idea to reassure the Associate teachers that now that your DD has a place with them, you wouldn't take on further commitments that would clash with her classes. Hope this helps a little...

Janet, I booked to see this with DD for her Birthday treat following your post back in February in Doing Dance about the Northern Ballet workshops! We saw it tonight in MK and it was excellent - thoroughly enjoyed it! We're taking DD and 4 of her dancing friends to the workshop tomorrow - they've all been looking forward to it since DD's birthday in March - thank you for keeping us all up to date

Gosh, I'm feeling a little disappointed by some of the comments in this topic thread.... Of course, we all know that the whole audition process for these coveted places is subjective and a lot of talented children will be discounted on first glance because they don't "fit" the very narrow aesthetic as laid down by the schools, however, the sheer fact that WL feel the need to assess children is proof enough that they don't always get it right! They are not infallible and just because one of our DDs doesn't make the "grade" in the panel's eyes for year 7 does not mean they are less talented or have less potential than those initially chosen. I would also add that different panels see children at the different audition centres so the subjective nature of the whole process is flawed. What one panel member likes in an audition centre in one part of the country will differ from what a different panel member might see in another part of the country. There are a lot of variables to throw into the melting pot and I actually think that all the auditionees should be seen by the same panel under the same conditions - it might not be practical when auditioning such huge numbers of candidates but it would certainly be fairer....then there is how the child performs on the day, nerves, etc as well as the physique. Some of the comments posted in this thread, in my opinion, are crass and ill-thought through. There is a simple equation that cannot be overlooked - minimum number of places available versus plentiful supply of beautiful young aspiring dancers = many more unhappy results than joyous ones! I am so proud of my DD and what she had achieved and look forward to her vocational journey beginning! x PS: Balletmum16 - your DD is exceptional - across the 4 schools that take 11 -16 years olds there's only a maximum of 50-60 or so places for girls so to have a place at any one of them is a great achievement and I would only say to you "forget the negative stuff above and enjoy your DD's success"

I agree Dancing 2003, I don't envisage my DD continuing as a regular "festival" competitor but we both want her to complete this AE competition round as she enjoys it so much and does know that this will be the last one she'll do. Which region are you in Dancing2003 - maybe our paths will cross?

Gosh, that's great news celb - that's a long time to be in limbo - well done to your DD - just shows again how much inner strength and determination these talented kids have to have

The back leg in the gymnastic split is square on with the knee square on the floor, whereas the leg in the dancing split has the leg turned from the hip so the knee is sideways on....that's about the extent of my "non-dancing, non-gymnastic" knowledge

I can sympathise with this....last year DD started going to general gymnastics to help strengthen her core and even though she could already do 3 flat splits, she was also pushed down to take her back leg from a dancing split to a gymnastic split and her leg hurt for a few days after that....I think gymnastics is definitely more "hands on" force than ballet which is a more evolved improvement through stretching and guidance. All the good stuff that Dr Dance advocates

I think, especially in this transition period our DCs have no real advantage over the other dancers, as they aren't actually at Vocational school yet anyway...and as BillyElliot said in her earlier post (post 11) my DD is already seeing the rest of this AE Comp as a way of keeping in touch with her dancing friends once September comes around...and isn't it coming round quickly! I can't believe how fast the weeks are disappearing

I guess it must vary from region to region because I know in the Midlands we do see vocational students quite often along with JAs, MAs and SAs - in fact I've watched an up and coming young lady from a well known vocational school perform a couple of absolutely beautiful solos these last couple of weeks and not get placed...which kind of flummoxed me if I'm honest because her performances were beautiful but obviously not the adjudicator's cup of tea...

Hi, just checking something....my DD has already qualified 4 of her solos for All England Regional Finals next May and I specifically checked the rules to make sure that as long as she gets permission from school when she starts in September she would still be able to see this 2014/15 competition through. My understanding is that as long as you don't derive income and are a student you can enter...but Miracle and BillyElliot suggest that this might not be the case? Can anyone shed any more light on this for me as we are under the impression that DD can? Their rules state: RULES OF THE COMPETITION 1. This competition is for amateurs and students who do not derive the main part of their income from the teaching or performance of dance. Entries arising from novice, County or other Championship classes are not eligible. We've still got at least one more Festival before she starts vocational school in September so it would be a shame if she can't finish it up. x

Yes Fiz It's Sheila's "Baby Grace" that she made for her as a Christmas pressie and it's beautiful Can highly recommend Just Ballet - wonderful service and lovely stock....just wish I could afford to shop there every week x

What a lovely post! You've cheered me up Tulip x