Aurora

Maybe it's just a case of the hyper mobile foot is usually weak but there are exceptions and the RBS can see whether or not the foot is strong enough for the risk of injury to be minimal. So they like very flexible feet visually and if they're strong enough too then they're picked (assuming everything else is there too of course!) just a theory, probably flawed

Soft blocks are hard when you buy them but the layers of fabric and glue are much thinner so they soften more quickly. Or at least that was the case when I had them years ago! I deshanked points shoes too and banged them with a mallet (after covering with a towel!). They never went as soft as proper soft block ended up though, especially under the box where the pleats are because the fabric and glue were so dense there. I'd say deshanked pointe shoes are fine but would go for proper ones if needed for an exam. Out of interest, why has the Physio recommended them?

My daughter is 8 and taking her grade 2 exam in June. I think it's beneficial to do both the higher and vocational grades but I imagine schools that have low numbers at that sort of level might struggle to offer both. Plus the higher grades haven't been around as long so maybe some older teachers choose to stick with just vocational levels.

No I didn't misunderstand you Anjuli, I just disagree with you. A qualified teacher at least gives a guarantee that the teaching is going to be of at least a reasonable standard. Exams give parent SOME idea of how their child is doing even if only for a specific set of exercises, which is better than having no idea at all. I maintain that the best training comes from a mix of syllabus and free work for all the reasons I gave above. I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree. There is of course more than one way to skin a cat!!

Exactly Anjuli, the training is about BOTH so surely a mix of syllabus and free work is the best mix, that way they are covering all bases. I'm not saying exams show the parents the full picture, they just give an indication of how they are doing, yes maybe it is only a small indication but with purely free classes they don't even get that. At least if a teacher is qualified the parent knows that the teacher knows what they're doing, or there's a much better chance of it anyway!

I think a mixture of syllabus and free work is the best mix. A syllabus allows children to perfect movements without being distracted by thinking about what comes next. Also Children working towards an exam will always put in extra effort which is good for them. It also gives parents an idea of how well their child is doing and indeed how good a school it is. By going to a qualified teacher that uses a syllabus you are sure that the teacher has appropriate training. Ex professional dancers aren't always good at breaking steps down unless they have undergone teacher training. A syllabus ensures the steps taught are wide ranging and age and developmentally appropriate.

Just bear in mind, if you're sticking with the ballet route, it will be much much harder to get in at 6th form as you're then competing with children that have been at ballet school for 5 years already! Hammond might still come good...!!

At my daughters gymnastics the elite gymnasts train for 29 hours per week! That's from the age of about 12, at my daughters age (8) they train for about 15. We couldn't have (and wouldn't have wanted to try to) cope with that kind of schedule. The kids come out of school early, at 2pm, to go to gym! She was in the 'feeder' group for elite and I doubt that she would have got in anyway but we chose a much less demanding alternative route that requires on 4-6 hours per week, we can manage that!!

Slightly veering off topic but the way competition in schools is discouraged really annoys me. At my daughters last school on sports day there were no winners in races, everyone got an identical medal. Even at her current school everyone is given a turn playing netball for the school or swimming in a competition. They pick different children each time. When I was at school you had to work hard and do well to get on the netball team! There's no reward for working hard now though! Maybe it'll change as she gets older but why not start now and actually start producing some really promising players!

Just out of interest, was this the first time your dd had auditioned lala? Or had she tried previous years?

Not screening anywhere near me unfortunately.

Good luck. Do you find out about funding too with the results of the audition?

So the RADs age for the exam??

My daughters school does RAD intermediate foundation exams which can currently be taken from the age of 10 although I understand it's changing to 11 soon. There's pointe in that syllabus so the RAD must consider it ok to go on pointe before 12. It's pretty basic stuff though and they only do short periods at a time. Occasionally kids go on pointe at 10 at our school but most are a bit older, 11 or 12 is usually the youngest. At the English Youth Ballet casting last week there was a 9 year old from another school wearing pointe shoes so it's obviously the norm in the UK (or round here at least).

Congratulations, great news!

Goodness, what makes you think you nearly caused a to close school down? Who did you put the complaint in to that has the power to do that? Sorry it's off topic!

Ah OK I mis-read the first post!

In dance there is a shortage of strong male dancers. There is not a shortage of females. It not as though females could do the same job as a male, they can't lift another female and it would be odd for women to play male roles at a professional level. The difference for science, engineering etc is that the job can be done by either gender equally so there is no need to try to encourage women by offering free training.

It's on 21st February in Newcastle.

I think it must be, it happens all the time. It's understandable in this industry.

I tried darning pointe shoes once - never again! Suede toe caps for us but you can apparently get little pre-darned patches that you stick (or maybe sew) on - might see if I can get them next time. I've heard curved needles make darning easier (after I attempted it with a straight needle!)

Your dance teacher can't stop you going elsewhere unless you've signed a contract that says you won't, but she can of course stop teaching your daughter if she chooses to. I do find it a little worrying that your daughter is at an advanced level and only taking one class per week, especially if she's doing pointe (though you said she isn't doing pointe, but i don't know how that's possible in advanced - unless you mean she just doesn't do a separate pointe class perhaps). The advanced dancers at my daughter's school take about 4 or 5 ballet classes a week to my knowledge, Also no child even begins pointe if they're not doing at least 3 ballet classes a week, something to do with strength I guess. Is the teacher in favour of associate classes? It does sound as though she's not all that interested though which is a shame. Maybe it's time to look elsewhere although it sounds as though you really are running out of options. What on earth went on with the other teachers to make them react in that way?! I hope you manage to get something sorted out. At least at 12 you've got plenty of time to increase the classes - essential if your daughter is going to audition for ballet schools when she's older. I would try to sort it out soon though if I were you.