Pups_mum

According to the link that I posted earlier in the thread, if the exam is at an Approved Examination Centre (which I think means teacher's own studio) then photo ID is not needed. It says" the Applicant agrees to ensure the identity of the candidate at the time of the examination." (I presume the Applicant is the teacher entering students for the exam) But for RAD Approved Venue Examinations " All candidates are required to show valid photographic identification when signing in on the day of the examination." So it looks as if photo ID is not required at teacher's own studios.

Best of luck with the exam - I'm sure she'll do well.

Here we are...knew I wasn't dreaming! http://www.rad.org.uk/files/ART222_20120529%20-%20Identification%20of%20Candidates%20Policy.pdf

I think there is a way round it C4D. I can't remember exactly what it was as my DD did have her passport, but I'm sure when she got the paperwork for her Intermediate there was some alternative that involved the teacher having to verify id. If your teacher doesn't know, I'm sure RAD HQ will be able to help. When's the exam?

I found this body liner on dance direct that comes in children's sizes if that's any help. http://www.dancedirect.com/uk/Products/Ballet/P252/plume-camisole-bodyliner-adjustableback/ They sell "invisible knickers" in Debenhams for adults but I think they do do a size 6 which are quite small.

Congrats to all and the very best of luck for the next phase of your lives.

Well I've not got a huge amount of experience but DD has been fitted for pointe shoes in a few different shops and the fitters have always wanted to see the shoes she's currently wearing at the start of the fitting. I wasn't surprised by this as when I was (a lot!) younger, fitter and thinner I ran a bit, just as a hobby, and the shop assistants in good running shops would be able to tell quite a lot about gait etc from the wear patterns on the shoes I was replacing. They advised on the best type of shoe according to what they could see and sometimes advised on things I might try to correct my faults. It didn't surprise me at all when pointe shoe fitters behaved in a similar way. I suppose it depends on the type of shop though. if you go to a good specialist running shop, most of the staff tend to have a real interest in running.You wouldn't get that kind if service from a "Saturday boy/girl" in a a branch of one of the big general sports store chains. I'm sure the standard must vary similarly in dance shops too

I'm with Janet. The words "housework" and "like" don't belong in the same sentence. Well not unless "don't" or "dis" are in there too!

Or open a shop - sounds like you could make your fortune!

Yes, that is frightening! We live in a rural area and I do buy a lot of my daughter's dancewear on line but I can't imagine buying pointe shoes online. We drive around 3 hours/150 miles for pointe shoes, which is a nuisance, but I think it is worth it. I used to think that once her feet had stopped growing I would buy online but then I read what Anjuli wrote about every pair of shoes being different, even if the same brand and size, and about the shape of the foot possibly changing as more pointework is done, so we have stuck with getting each pair fitted. I guess that in Turkey the distances may be further and maybe roads are not as good as in the UK? That is a difficult situation. I wonder if it would be worth your teacher asking a reputable fitter from another city to visit the school every so often, or are there no shops anywhere?

Sounds like that to me too. I'm no expert, but it sounds like the box has gone too soft and if that's the case the shoes will not be providing the correct support and should be changed. As I understand it, pointe shoes really do need to fit like a glove so that a lot of the dancer's weight is taken by the shoe, and she's not actually got all her weight going through her toes. If the shoes are baggy then that won't happen and it can put uneccessary stresses on the bones of the feet. (I'm sure someone will be able to explain that better though!) To be honest, I'd be a bit worried if lots of girls at my DD's school had shoes that didn't seem to fit well - her teacher is quick to comment if she doesn't think shoes are right and I'd assume that this was normal practice.

There are loads of clips on youtube of people doing various RAD and ISTD grades. I know it wouldn't be a very objective comparison, but if you took a look at a good cross section of clips it would at least give you an idea of what kind of steps are in the grades and how that compares to what your daughter has done? Mind you, if there's one thing I've learned from reading posts on this forum it's that when it comes to applications for schools, courses etc it's performance at the audition that matters, not exam results, so maybe you don't need to be too concerned.

Congrats to your DD Bankruptmum. I hope she has a really lovely time. Do keep us updated on how it goes please. I'm always interested to hear about new/different projects and I'm sure I'm not the only one!

i've not heard of this company either. Good luck to your DD today and please let us know more about it.

I had a real heartsink moment last week. I went to have a peek at my late mum's wedding ring which is one of very few things I have that belonged to her, only to discover that it's disappeared. Now it was in a separate small box within my jewellry box, so it's unlikely to have dropped out by accident, and it's highly improbable that someone broke in, left no evidence of forced entry and took only that ring. So I reckon that the culprit is either my teenage daughter or one of my 2 small boys, all of whom have been shouted at previously for messing with my jewellry. However, they are all denying it and despite tearing my room apart I can't find it. I am furious, but even more upset than cross. However, it must still be in the house somewhere so I live in hope that one day it will reappear.

My DD wears Bloch too, even though she doesn't wear Bloch pointe shoes. They were a little noisy to start with, but once she'd worn them for a little while thay were fine. If your DD finds the Bloch a good comfortable fit I'd be inclined to stick with those. They will probably get quieter with use, but in any case, the well being of her feet is more important than a bit of noise.

The RAD's policy for special considerations is on their website. http://www.rad.org.uk/files/ART247_RAD_2008-4.2_ReasonableAdjustmentsandSpecialConsiderationsPolicyandProcedures.post-audit.pdf

DD got this on her facebook newsfeed today and thought it may be of interest, especially to those with DSs.

They are also lovely parts with very pretty costumes. Have fun!

They certainly were on pointe in Newcastle, so I would expect so. However, EYB do vary the choreography from place to place dependent on the cast so i wouldn't like to say 100%.

The Little Marinskys are really nice parts. The EYB version of Swan Lake is set in Russia, within the Marinsky Theatre. Dancers from the ballet company feature in the story quite a lot. (Don't want to give too much away and spoil it for you though!) Your DD will only have one costume but will appear in 2 Acts. The costumes are pretty - they're like the ballet dresses in Degas' paintings. It's a lovely production and I'm sure your daughter will have a wonderful time.

Quite! My DD was never a JA but I remember her friend's mum being flummoxed by the skirt. Fortunately she had a grandma who could sew or she would have had to find a dressmaker. I wonder why this system persists? It does seem a bit strange. I imagine quite a lot of people end up paying someone to make their skirts anyway, so why don't the RBS just sell them?If they had a batch made centrally and sold them at all centres it would probably be economically viable. If it's a matter of getting the length perfect they could just sell them unhemmed. I think most people could manage to turn a hem up but there are not so many who can make a skirt with ease.

I would also suggest contacting the RAD and seeing if they can put you in touch with someone local-ish to you who might be able to provide you with some private lessons.A whole day of 1 to 1 might be rather draining (and expensive) though. But it's really nice to hear about academic schools taking such flexible attitudes. My DD's teachers have never shown a great deal of interest in her dancing. She's always been granted time off for exams, EYB etc so they are not against it as such, but there's never been any real interest or recognition of her achievements. They are having a Performing Arts Festival this week, but as far as I can see there is no dance whatsoever in it, which I think is a real shame.

Good luck Sheila and Hannah! My DD doesn't need any dance supplies right now but the next time she does I will definitely come to your site. It sounds brilliant and I wish you every success.

I'm another who struggles with all things Dickens. I did manage to make it through Oliver Twist and David Copperfield but both were more endurance feat than enjoyable read. However, despite numerous attempts, i've never got to the end of Great Expectations and I don't think I ever will now!