mimi'smom

The cost of the workshop was very reasonable - £50 for the 2 days! As for missing sessions for festivals, our JA teacher has always been very supportive of the girls taking the opportunity to perform as long as not too many sessions are missed obviously!

In all Elmhurst classes boys and girls are taught seperately but sometimes, depending on numbers, jazz and exercise may be taught with years 4 and 5 together.

The audition workshop isn't compulsory but is very useful if your dd/ds is hoping to audition for year 7 places. Angela

Happymum The girls numbers vary more. I can only speak from the numbers I saw at the sharing of classwork last Saturday at Elmhurst but there were 10 year 4s about 14 year 5s and about 17 year 6s. Angela

cbt1, big hugs to your dd and to you - that must be a tricky one to deal with but please take heart. Many more girls audition than boys, it's statistically harder. I personally know of lovely girl dancers who have got nos - hope it doesn't put her off trying again. With regard to the number of boys the short answer is not many! Last Saturday, we watched the Birmingham PVPs (now Birmingham Associates) from years 4 - 6 showcase a little of what they have been doing in class over the year. Not sure if all of the boys were present, but there were only 3 year 6 boys, 4 year 5 boys and maybe 5 or 6 year 4 boys (can't quite remember this one exactly) SImilar low boy numbers in JAs too - my daughter's year 6 class had just 5 boys. So fabulous boy to teacher ratios! Hope your son has a lovely time as an associate! Angela

Thank you Nana Lily - that makes sense. DD very excited about the 7th and seeing the summer showcase too!

Thank you stirrups and taximom We were thinking of vocal as one of the instruments as it's probably a good fall back re musical theatre (but also no instrument to buy, carry, break or lose!) It will be be so lovely that she now has time to learn an instrument! Thanks again everyone for your replies! Angela

Dear Shashee Can't help I'm afraid but your post did make me smile! This was me 2 years ago when my dd started JAs. I persuaded my sister to come and help,we seemed to have a river of blue material the full length of the lounge and neither of us could make head nor tail of the instructions. But we managed it ....(finally!) although it took HOURS to hand sew the hem. We did a passable job and I too am completely hopeless at sewing! Why not give it a try - this could be the time to bite the bullet and pick up that dreaded needle! And just think how proud you'll be when she puts it on for that first class knowing all the love, sweat and tears that went into making it! (Of course, I too tried to find someone else to make mine first - hehe!!) Good luck!

Quite often our JA class would run both Saturdays of a half term holiday x

Thank you both!

I am wondering if any existing Elmhurst parents can tell me whether the music tuition funding received as part of the MDS covers one or two instruments? The Elmhurst website says one but I'm sure I've heard from a number of people it is two, Also, when do they get to choose which instrument they are going to do? Do they usually get their first choice? Is priority given to children already studying instruments (DD doesn't currently play any instruments at all) Many thanks to you all in anticipation of your replies! Angela

We saw lots of little ones at Elmhurst today - hope they all enjoyed their audition experience and don't have to wait too long for (hopefully good) news! Just as our associate journey comes to an end, some lucky young children are about to start on theirs......

According to information given verbally at auditions, there are 20 MDS awards this year for Elmhurst and 14 for Hammond. We were all told that the MDS awards were cyclical - ie the number of outgoing year 11 MDS awards become the new year 7 MDS awards (this from Hammond) so I guess can vary from year to year. Angela x

I echo Nany Lily heartfelt thanks! We watched this avidly when it was on the tv as my daughter had just started on the year 4 PVP - now she is about to join the school we shall both watch it with renewed interest! Thanks so much! Angela

DD and a number of her friends get on really well with Grishko proflex for their first few pairs but agree what suits one may not necessarily suit another so good fitting session essential - do you have a reliable/recommended fiitter near you? We have a fantastic fitter that we go to but probably too far for you to travel?? PM me if you want details Angela x

Bless you Peach that did make me smile! (or should I say lol? or rofl?)

thank you so much Wildflowers - really useful to know that!

It certainly is scary how auditions sneak up on you! When DD started on the PVP in year 4 we thought we had all the time in the world but the time really does fly, before you know it auditions are upon you and audition year itself, for us anyway, was a complete blur!

Thank you Kathy that's really helpful. Do you get a uniform allowance every year or do we have to think about getting uniforn in year 7 to put away for future years? Angela x

Are there any current Elmhurst parents who can tell me exactly what uniform the MDS covers at Elmhurst as the information on the website isn't very clear? I understand that the school's formal uniform isn't covered. The website states that ballet uniform is covered but is this just leotards and shoes? And is it just strictly ballet uniform? What about tracksuits etc? Am I right in assuming that these aren't included other than for lower income families? Apologies - I AM as confused as this posting makes me sound!!!! Many thanks for any information! Angela x

On a similar vein when have your dds/dss been picked out as being as a dancer in a non-dance environment? Ours was two and a half years ago sitting on a gurney in the fracture clinic at our local hospital waiting to have her broken arm put into plaster. One of the nurses asked my dd (then just having turned 9) if she was a dancer and said she could tell just from her posture as she sat!

be right back Peach - I have a teenage daughter too remember!!!

My daughter was a painfully shy toddler who would hide if anyone spoke to her and she struggled to make friends at toddler groups. So at two and a half I took her, clinging literally to my leg, to the local dance school where her elder sister (now an anti-dancer!) went, to see if it would help her with her confidence around people. It didn't take long!! When I watch her at festival or dance school shows now, feeling so at home on the stage, and I think about the direction her life has taken since, I am so glad I dragged her (not quite kicking and screaming but nearly!) to the dance school that day. Just a few weeks ago, her dance teacher was remembering how, even at the tender age of 4, she took her ballet very seriously and couldn't understand why the others just couldn't stand still and point their toes!!! Isn't it funny how a decision you make without much consideration (it could just have easily been swimming or gym I took her too in desperation all those year ago!) can change your lives so completely?

My non dd has this too and has similarly been told that it is not symptomatic of a deeper problem or likely to cause her difficulties (ie arthiritis) in the future.

Maria it depends on the age and whether weekly or fortnightly. My dd's weekly year 6 class runs from 4 to 6-15, the year 4/5 class runs from about 1:30 - 3:45 (I think) These times are different from last year so they can vary from year to year and are not set in stone. Angela