Aurora

That's great news! I guess everything happens for a reason

That's great news! Looks like they're cutting administrative costs as a saving and passing them onto the individual institutions instead - seems a good compromise!

Do any students go on to professional training from there? Shows aren't always the best guide as some schools prepare for a year for them, others just a few weeks though you can get some kind of indication from them.

I really enjoyed Centerstage, quite a bit of dancing in that.

They have 2 main purposes. One is to prepare children for the exam, so taking the pres class perhaps 1 term before taking the exam. The other is for children that for one reason or another can't prepare for a full graded exam. So perhaps they have special needs or have a physical disability that wouldn't allow them to take the exam. Also for children who can only attend once a week and not do enough classes to prepare for the exams, especially at higher levels. I personally wouldn't have a lot of confidence in a school that only offered pres classes, unless there was only 1 class per week available and parents understood the difference and were happy with it.

Has anyone heard of the RAD's 'practice-a-thon'? It's where children get sponsorship to do extra daily practice over a 2 week period, anything from 20 minutes a day, raising money for a charity. The printed material has tips from Lynn Wallis (artistic director of the RAD) includes making sure you warm up before you start and suggests you ask your teacher for advice on how to do that etc. So it certainly seems that the RAD are in favour of home practice.

That should have said 1 or 2 weeks, sorry no option to go back and edit when I'm on my phone!

Even in a class of, say 20 students, Most errors one individual makes won't be spotted. The big ones will and some of the minor ones, hopefully all of them eventually but not in 1 class. I don't believe that a few small errors in home practice are dangerous or likely to create bad habits. If they are steps that the student has done before there's very little risk. Better to practice some basic exercises at home than do nothing for 6 or 7 weeks. There are very few schools that run classes through the summer and most people can't afford to send their children away to summer schools, even if they can it's only likely to be for - or 2 weeks. This topic keeps rearing its head and clearly there's never going to be a consensus so I say read both sides of the argument, consider all the pros and cons and then decide what is best for you.

If she's hoping to teach then she needs to try and get through her intermediate exam, not impossible at all at her age though harder than if she were younger I'm sure. Then there are distance learning courses she could do with the RAD or she could get private lessons from an IDTA examiner to train to teach. A dance degree sounds like its also an option for her but for most adults it would be financially very difficult having to pay fees and give up their job. The university she spoke to, and indeed anyone would really need to see her dance before they could decide whether she was up to the required standard or not.

I always used to practice at home before exams. As long as you know what you're doing, aren't attempting something you haven't been taught, you're not doing multiple jumps on a hard floor and you are disciplined with yourself and sensible I can't see a problem. I practised on carpet, not ideal but I managed though when I was doing pointe exercises I did them in the tiled kitchen.

The RAD runs a similar programme in London called 'step into dance'.

Wow I didn't know you could still get chacott! I used to wear them but not seen them anywhere for years!

I should think if the appointment was for a Saturday you might struggle but a Thursday should be ok as most children are still at school. Good luck!

They only do ballet in Sunderland, no exercise class or anything.

Again it shouldn't be that the examiner is told on the day. There is a 'reasonable adjustment' form that the teacher should complete and send in with the exam entries. No extra marks can be awarded as you said but changes can be made as required, such as allowing your dd to sit down as required.

Well in Sunderland there will be at least 2 boys as they're coming from my dd's dance school. I don't think there were any others at the audition.

Thanks. It says a maximum special consideration of 5% can be given but it also says that it cannot be applied in the event of injury and candidates are strongly advised to withdraw from the exam in that instance.

I wouldn't necessarily try to get a day of dance but use most of the day to do the week's homework as she'll no doubt be at dance classes most evenings when other children do homework. Maybe just find one class or arrange a private lesson for that day.

Yes I think it's nice for children to take their certificates to school. My daughter isn't re-awarded hers but she takes them to show her class sometimes. She's only 8, don't think she'd want to do it if she was a lot older though. There's no award ceremony at my dd's dance school, they are just given them to take home, so it's nice for her to feel special about it at school.

You can apply for a special consideration mark but I don't think it's as simple as giving a note to the examiner! My Internet is down so I can't look to find out but I imagine you have to apply to HQ and provide evidence etc.

Just to remind you that my question is nothing to do with me considering sending my own child somewhere, she's only 8 afterall. My question was what do people consider overall to be the order of the schools with regard to the classical training they provide. I did acknowledge that there are many other deciding factors but it was just a general consensus. I thought Elmhurst, my friend thought Tring. My question has certainly been answered. By all means continue to discuss it as I'm reading all the posts with interest but please don't anyone think that I'm deciding where to send my child based on this poll

Aw sorry to see you go you could always dip in occasionally if you're missing us all though

I think drama can be trained at a later date i.e. age 16 whereas dance can't really be left that late. If I were you I'd have her audition for both, if she doesn't get into the dance course then go for drama and have her take dance classes at the weekend (though I'm not sure that would be enough to get her into a good college at 16). If she gets into the dance course she could take a drama class at the weekend if she's keen to but I really think that can be left until she's older.

Thanks for all the opinions. My dd isn't at ballet school, she's only 8. It was just a conversation with a friend that raised the subject and I was interested to see what others thought.

Talking about purely ballet I think we would all agree that RBS is considered the top school in the country. There are 3 other major schools that take from age 11. I always considered Elmhurst to be effectively second in line but a friend disagrees and thinks it is Tring. I know it's just a matter of opinion really but what's your view? For ballet only and age 11+.