Aurora

And of course often those on a higher salary now did a lot more work earlier, at uni perhaps and ended up struggling to get by then and paying loans off for years. And maybe they have been the ones that have made sacrifices in their personal lives to try and provide for their families, if that has nudged them just over £70K I bet they wish they hadn't bothered now!! I'm sure a few of the kids get the most funding because their parents don't work (and don't WANT to work) - that certainly isn't fair! I obviously agree that those on lower incomes need more help but the cut-off for support shouldn't be so low as to make it absolutely impossible for people on that wage to send their child to ballet school.

Well that's just dumb!! There should be a way to set up a selective school! Well I suppose there is but you just don't get government support!

I disagree, they will all be of a very high standard but there are always those stronger and weaker than others. Those offered places first rather than going on a reserve list must be considered to have slightly more potential than the reserves. But yes, all a very high standard.

I'll be sending a letter along the same lines as Ribbons' tho my dd is only 9 and I have no idea what she will want to do when she's 16. It's definitely worthwhile trying to make a change though!

No but obviously the student that was offered the place in the first instance was considered to be more talented than the one on the reserve list - even if it was just fractionally!

It is totally do-able, it just needs someone to do it!

Looks like Discouraged is in charge of setting it up haha. While you're on doing that Discouraged you might as well set up a huge company so all our lovely dancers have jobs to get to when they graduate

Or daytime classes then they could do any academics in evenings. Means the venue could still function as a dance school in the evenings and weekends to make money to fund the building. Then students would only need to cover costs of instructors and I bet there's plenty around who wouldn't charge the earth. Nice idea

Good idea Angela! I'd certainly like to send a letter to my MP about this but would like to make sure I've got all the major points covered.

To find a qualified teacher you can go on the RAD or IDTA website for listings (not sure if other organisations do the same). Then I guess look on their website or call to find out if they have adult classes. After that its really trial and error to see if its going to be a class that suits you which you enjoy.

If you need any tips on buns there are lots of YouTube videos on how to do it, different methods though so watch more than one.

Ah good idea, thanks

Won't they not Wong they lol

Haha ok think I've got it!! I'm not much of a sewer (sew-er rather than the pipes underground!) so I've got a feeling I'll struggle with the whole holding stretched whilst sewing aspect but I'll certainly give it a go! Wonder if I could clamp it stretched onto something! Will the sequins lie correctly though as once you release the stretch they'll squash up a bit Wong they? Or have I got to make sure I stretch it just the right amount?!

Any suggestions as to how to sew on strips of sequins without stopping the fabric stretching? I know you can get stretchy strips and zig zag which would allow some stretch but what about the thin strips as they don't stretch. Is there some kind of trick as to how to do it? Or can you get thin strips on elastic perhaps? Or any other ideas how to sew multiple sequins in a row without losing the stretchiness? It's something I've never figured out!

Oh ok!!

No they haven't merged. About 5 years ago they created a link but they're still separate organisations. RAD teachers could apply to be licentiate teachers of the IDTA and use their exam system and IDTA teachers could apply to be 'mutually recognised' teachers of the RAD (though its not the same as registered teacher status) and enter students for RAD exams. Not entirely sure what the purpose of it was as IDTA have a ballet syllabus and RAD teachers could always get associate teacher status with IDTA and use their exam system but I'm pretty sure it was something to do with money lol ! The new IDTA syllabus is very different still to the new RAD syllabus.

How old are 'the younger ones' Fiz? Old enough to be teaching a class? I've got 13 and 14 year olds in my head but hoping I'm wrong lol!

The beat is the actual outward and inward action of the feet so various thing can have beats. An entrechat quatre beats, an entrechat six has another beat so instead of just going back front, you go back front back (closing behind so there is ultimately a change of feet). You can also beat assembles, coupes fouettes racourcis, sissonnes etc. generally you beat where it isn't closing, then change feet to close. Eg assemble over would normally swish to the side and close in front but assemble over battu would swish to the side, beat in mid air at the back in tight 5th, then close in front. Hope that helps

Ideal height used to be 5'4"-5'6" but it's changed now and seem to accept a wider range.

Don't think so, it just says grade 2-3. My daughter went last year and there were a couple of younger children in the class too, only about 5 or 6 years old so they couldn't have been in grade 2. Maybe if it doesn't fill up they are a bit more flexible!

Sorry double posted, it stayed on the screen so assumed it hadn't posted!

Well done to those through to finals! Sorry to those who didn't get there this time. 2 people I know still haven't heard back!

Well done to those through to finals! Sorry to those who didn't get there this time. 2 people I know still haven't heard back!

Have you heard of dancemasterclass.com? It's a summer school in Italy and they take adults, there's an adult beginner course this year too. I've never been though.