Angeline

London Vocational Ballet School (previously Young Dancers Academy): Looking for reviews, personal experiences and general information beyond what’s on their website about their training, staff, approach, and how the quality compares to more well-known ‘names’ like Elmhurst/Royal. Interested in broad info (any/all) and specific RE their associate scheme. Many thanks ☺️

Actually, in my opinion this exchange has really brought to light how strongly many people feel about this issue of duty of care, and highlights real confusion, concern and debate about where responsibility for the student lies. I am keen to hear more view on this matter, but of course do not wish to loose sight of the originally posted question(s): What do think ought to be mandatory for dance education/training providers to disclose? What do you wish you’d known at the start of your journey? Thank you.

CeliB:- Thanks for this, it is an angle I hadn’t really considered yet, but you have highlighted just how pivotal such information would be. I just cant help wonder if they would be prepared to share such information unless legally mandatory…? BankruptMum:- Oh this comment brought a lump to my throat. Are you prepared to offer further information? (You can email me directly if you prefer?) Black Swan:- Some excellent points, and a lot to think about… As you can tell from my above post, I strongly agree that some teachers do get away with ‘coasting’. Anjuli_Bai (reply to first post):- I completely agree with you, however my primary concern is how many parents are either not doing even rudimentary research before looking into choosing a school (for a plethora of reasons I grant you – I am not offering judgement), or are being conned by schools which are skilled at ‘talking the talk’ but offer a poor service, or worse, a product which is actually detrimental to the health and wellbeing of the student. And with the latter of course you do not always get reliable cues from the students themselves; if they are being continually shouted at and told they are fat and lazy they may well tell their parents (who would hopefully investigate further), but more subtle issues so commonly go unnoticed as the student simply accepts ‘this is the ways things are’. Anjuli_Bai (reply to second post):- I will concede that those wonderful beings who are fortunate enough to be professional dancers and to also poses those innate qualities which create good teachers will be able to offer the student more than those without stage time. However, I wish to press that I think these are comparatively rare birds, and that it is assumed all too often that the ex-pro status should trump any other skills or accolades. I will also add that while I think it is prudent that only ex-pros coach the next generation of elite artists (as so ideally epitomized by this video of Lesley Collier and Jonathan Cope coaching Fumi Kaneko and Nehemiah Kish), by the same token I genuinely don’t believe that it makes any real or notable difference whether or not a younger student is taught by a ex-professional or simply a good teacher in the majority of cases. PS: Thanks so much for the Jaffe info and link Pas de chat:- Oooh, yes, this is vey topical isn’t it after the recent uproar caused by Bryony Brind’s recent comments, and Judith Mackrell’s recent Guardian article ‘The Royal Ballet: just how ‘British’ do we want it to be?’ . To be honest I’m rather divided on the subject, but your comment have given me cause to think further.

I am completely sympathetic to DrDance’s cause, for I, like her, was injured during vocational training which forced me to abandon any hopes of a professional dance career; and feel, as a teacher that I have been stigmatized ever since. I know I have faced prejudice due to the absence of this experience on my CV, and that I have consequentially lost out on potential employment opportunities, and am concerned that no matter how much experience I gain, qualifications I acquire, or how skilled I grow in the classroom, that my career prospects will remain forever capped. Perhaps even more maddening, I have noticed a few recent dance teacher training courses and CPD activities advertising that experience as a professional dancer is a mandatory pre-requisite for enrolling. It certainly feels like adding insult to injury to think that my educational opportunities as a teacher are now being limited by the fact that I could not dance professionally – surely if anything I would be more deserving/appreciative of such opportunities in order to help fill in any gaps in my own experience which would aid me in becoming a better teacher?! It seems a depraved trick of fate to first rob me of my dream to dance, and then torment me with that loss for the rest of my career in dance; continually haunting me and limiting me at the same time. The irony of this situation, in light of our current discussion, is that I now truly believe I am a better teacher than many of those whom I encountered during my vocational training. That is not to be egotistical, for I am aware of my limitations, but it is honest. For instance, if I reflect back on my classes during that time period I can recall no single occasion where I was offered any instructional information, or any advice as to how to improve my work. To add context: If I have a student who is struggling to pirouette, I will analyse their work, and try to pinpoint why it is not working. When I think I have the answer, I will offer guidelines to the student such as “you seem to be lacking in momentum, perhaps try to think about opening the first arm so it leads you into the turn, rather than just thinking of whipping-in the second arm” or “instead of thinking about ‘pulling-up’, ‘push-away’ from the floor” (the latter a tip learned from Finis Jhung). Reflecting on this, know that at ballet school I never received any such feedback. I might be told my work wasn’t good enough, that I needed to ‘try harder’ or ‘do it again’, or that ‘it would be nice if you all looked like [insert dancers name here]’, but I was offered no information or advice as to how to dance better, or more effectively. Surely this should never be the case, at any vocational school. Perhaps this one of the issues which prompted Maria Fay to write her wonderful article ‘Not Training, But Teaching’ [Fay, Maria (1992) Not Training, But Teaching. Dance Gazette 210 p32-33, Royal Academy of Dance]. While I strongly agree that qualifications, certifications, registrations, associations, and all the rest do not guarantee a teacher is of a good standard, I wish it was more broadly recognised that being an ex-professional dancer is also no guarantee that they are even a mediocre teacher.

Hi CeliB – I think you raise some excellent points. Would you like then for organisations/training providers to have to publicize a list of their graduates, detailing exactly how many years they trained with the school, and what employment contracts they were offered post-graduation? Or would you prefer a graph of some sorts, just showing the ratios of student intake vs graduate employment rates?

Hi Francesizzi – Hopefully it will yield some useful information! Hi DrDance – I approve of this so much!! To all: Just to get the ball rolling a little, I wanted to add a few issues that have come up in the debate so far… ‘I wish I’d known that my school didn’t let students do pointe work till they passed Grade 8. If I’d known I would have never gone to that school’ ‘I think it should be mandatory for schools to publicise exactly what types of floor they have – there are too many schools out there with lino over concrete!’ ‘Hidden costs are such an issue at my DD’s school – I never knew about any extra costume, performance or exam costs till they were added to my bill at the end of term!’ ‘My teacher didn’t encourage extra curricula activities so there were countless workshops, summer schools, performance experiences and so much more I missed out on. It was before the internet so we didn’t have a clue, but our teacher knew, and just chose not to pass on the information. It never would have occurred to me when enrolling at the school to ask “do you encourage extra curricula activities?”!’ ‘Our school did their exams with the █████ and we had no idea that it was any different to RAD, ISTD, BBO etc. at the time. It took years before we found out that it is one of the few Dance Teaching Societies that the CDET didn’t recognise, and that their examinations counted for naught. When we first started I didn’t even know what a Dance Teaching Society was, and had never heard of the CDET!’ ‘I didn’t know that there was no pointe work in the RAD grades unless you did vocational. From Grade 5 I waited, expecting to start pointe after passing each exam. It was only when we started learning Grade 8 that I realised there was no pointe work anywhere. I just wish someone had told me’ ‘If I’d known how few jobs there was, I might never have bothered going to vocational school. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love dance, but I should have know I was never prepared to work that hard for it in the long run.’ ‘Teachers should have to publicize their full bio… I have seen teachers advertise themselves as ‘Professional Dancers’ without real experience! Some citing work that was unpaid, others giving themselves this title after only doing a one-off paid show (and not working since), and some just saying it for the sake of it. The whole things is misleading, and is tantamount to false advertising’ Please, add your own stories, and feel free to comment on the ones above.

Hi everyone! I have also heard that it can help increase boy’s/men’s flexibility and strength in the feet/ankles, and sensitivity in the feet and toes (boys do often struggle more than girls to develop this sensitivity), although I don’t think there has been any scientific study into the subject. That said, I think the theory has good merit, and as long as he passes all the safety protocol and tests as the girls, I would imagine it could be beneficial. I will add however that such action should not be necessary with correct training. From an interview read years ago I have vague recollections of hearing about boys taking pointe classes in order to better understand how their female counterparts have to change how they work to accommodate the shoes, with the ultimate objective being that they grow to be more understanding, empathic and therefore sensitive pas de deux partners. In my opinion, if he is eager to experiment, and he is in no danger from hurting himself, I say let him try it! I don’t think it is wise to stifle anyone’s enthusiasm or desire for adventure without due cause, and it could be a valuable learning experience for him. If he gets instantly put off by the discomfort and the hard work he will have learned a valuable lesson and will likely be compassionate with his future dance partners, and if he sticks with it he can go and join the Trocks! At this point however I will concede to agree with Dance*is*life that his primary focus ought to be learning and mastering male virtuoso steps, and if the decision is to permit him to experiment with pointe work, I would suggest it would remain only a small part of his dance experience and education. Best Wishes, Angeline

Hi everyone! After a recent raging debate on Twitter (#DanceTransparency), I wished to return to you guys to get your opinions and feedback. While the debate covers a broad spectrum of sub-topics, the main lead-off question is as follows: What information do you think ought to me made publically available to help dancers choose prospective schools/teachers/training? Here are a few sub-topic questions we also considered: ● What information do you believe should be mandatory for dance teachers/schools to disclose publically to help you choose the best training for you and your DD/DS? ● What do you wish you’d known about dance before you’d even enrolled for your first class? (e.g. hidden costs, post-training job numbers, safe practice) [NB: This question was triggered by a recent thread regarding limited job prospects.] ● What type of environment do you look for in a dance studio (e.g. nurturing, competitive, educative, character-building), and what would you avoid? ● Have you suffered any circumstances involving poor practice, lack of professionalism, fraud, or any other issues which would have been prevented by transparency and full disclosure? (If yes, please provide details here or, if you would prefer feel free to email your story to: AngelineLucasDance@live.com). ● What advice do you wish you could give yourself when you were first starting out, whether as a parent searching for classes for their DD/DS, or as dancers yourselves? ● Do we feel the efforts of the CDET and the new Dance Register will make any real impact on the day-to-day living of the dance community? Will parents want to cross-reference teachers/schools against these lists? Will ‘bad schools’ still survive despite these efforts? Do feel free to expand this subject of Dance Transparency, and what changes you would like to see in the dance industry. Thank you very much for your time. I very much look forward to your feedback and comments. Best Wishes, Angeline - Join me on Twitter @Angeline Dance for ballet/dance news, info, tips & videos

Hi Bluebird22! Firstly it is lovely to hear you are already doing so much for your students. Hopefully my advice and suggestions will be helpful to you. In terms of ages, I think you can afford to give your bunheads different advice to your jazzerinas – I believe for the best shot at a classical career you do want to be training in a vocational environment asap, but for musical theatre/commercial I have seen dancers start their vocational training after college and still been successful. As for whether or not you ought to be encouraging them to fly the nest as early as possible, I think it ought to be a decision made on a case-by-case basis; taking into account not just their level of talent, but more crucially their maturity, the strength of their desire for a career and how they feel about leaving home etc. Perhaps organise ‘career appointments’ – a time slot made available for you to have a conversation with each student one-on-one and discuss their options and ask their opinions on what they feel is important and what they want to do. This will give you invaluable information to be able to best advice your students on what is your recommended course of action for each of them. It will also help you identify those who may not really be suited for a career in dance, but are merely infatuated with the fantasy, or are only pursuing the idea due to parental pressure. During these appointments it might also be worth asking the dancer if they have any other ambitions and to also discuss those options; if they also fancy themselves as lawyers now would be a good time to be frank about career security and wages so they can factor that information in! In addition, don’t be afraid to put part of the decision in the hands of the vocational training providers. In other words, if the student is passionate enough, rather than agonise over whether or not you ought to be pushing a student why not encourage them to audition for full-time schools and see what the result it? The experience of auditioning will be educative for the student (potentially as good training ground for future auditions, and/or to give them a better idea of if they would be theoretically happy to stomach a career of auditions), and just being at the school will help inform the dancer if this is really what they want to do. If you opt for this approach it may be useful to talk to the student about why i.e. “this experience is to help you assess whether or not a career in dance is for you – there is no pressure as to the outcome” and “just go and enjoy dancing in their wonderful studios!” Many young dancers have a rose-tinted ideal of what a career in dance might entail, and frankly if they knew the truth many would back off before even auditioning for vocational schools! Similarly, many simply choose to audition for vocational schools as they love their recreational classes, and if they had a better idea of what training encompasses then they would not wish to embark on a programme; dancing as your hobby is a world away from full-time training. To resolve these issues I recommend to all teachers they hold ‘career days’ where you do things like: Have available prospectuses for all the major schools (or internet print-offs for key info from those schools who have gone paperless) for the students to peruse so they have a better idea of what is available.Watch a selection of ‘behind the scenes’ footage such as this video of the Royal Ballet taking company class ( ), ‘The Secret Lives of Dancers’ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L9a8NH1zq8 ), and ‘Agony & Ecstasy: A Year With ENB’ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yV-G3cAEDb0 ) so they have a better idea of what life as a dancer entails. Watch footage of life at vocational dance school such as this documentary series about Elmhurst (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4-q6N3Ib1M ) so they have a better idea about what is actually involved in full-time training.Watch footage from different ballets/productions – many young dancers believe, for example, that if they go to a ballet school then work will come easily afterwards (“as long as I get into the Royal Ballet School I’ll be sure to make the company and then I’ll get to wear a tutu all day!”). It is helpful to expose them to ballets such as ‘Chroma’ and ‘In the Middle Somewhat Elevated’ so they realise that even if they are fortunate enough to get into some of the top companies, life will not always be about ‘Swan Lake’ and ‘Sleeping Beauty’. It might also pay you to introduce them to ‘La Fille Mal Gardée’ and ‘The Tales of Beatrix Potter’ so as to make them aware that company life might also see them dancing as a chicken or a pig; if all they want is tutus, they may not be prepared to ‘suffer’ the rest.Give a talk about the demands of the profession, and discuss how common it is for even incredibly talented dances to lose out on a career in dance through illness, injury, pregnancy, or simply loosing their passion. It is also worth mentioning that not all dancers who get places at vocational schools are destined for professional careers: they might complete their training, but be simply not good enough to get work in face of the ever-growing competition. It might also be worth mentioning at this early stage in their potential carers to discuss the short span of a dance career; if we can start preparing dance students for the fact that they will have to opt for a secondary career at some stage right from the start we will have less professional dancers suffering from emotional distress and break-downs at the end of their short careers.‘Interview a dancer’ – if possible invite a professional dancer to your school so your students can ask questions. Encourage your guest to be honest about the pitfalls and negative aspects of life as a dancer to give a balanced perspective. It might also be good to organise trips to see any touring companies in your area do company class or rehearsal – some companies are up for this if you call them in advance. Seeing the sweat up close can be an eye-opener for young students. [NB: I am aware I have written this from a ballet perspective, I just couldn’t help myself, but all the ideas are of course transferable and can be expanded.] This ‘career day’ is of course useful in informing the students about the subjects discussed, but crucially it also informs them, and you, of something more fundamental: if they are bored or disinterested then you instantly know that they are dancers who are primarily interested in ‘them doing dance’, and not in dance as an art form or as a career. These students invariably lack drive, and a ‘hunger’ for the profession which means, in my opinion, they should not even entertain the idea beyond this point. I agree with Tulip that the decision whether or not to pursue dance, and at what age, ought to come principally from the dancer and her family. By providing a ‘career day’ in this way you empower the students to better make up their minds about what they want, and then you can further support them at their ‘career appointments’. I would also suggest that the ‘career day’ ought to be open-door event, so that dancers who may have secret wishes to go pro may also attend, rather than you inviting who has already expressed an interest to you (or, in the case of other teachers, only choosing to invite your ‘best’ students, and excluding those who might surprise you!) Finally, for your students who you have sent to other teachers for additional training, you might want to forward to them this article: http://www.danceadvantage.net/2013/05/02/teachers-dont-agree/ It could clear up any problems before they arise, or that the students may feel to shy or uncomfortable bringing up. Hope that helps Bluebird22! Best wishes, Angeline - Join me on Twitter @AngelineDance for ballet/dance news, info, tips and videos, or to ask me anything I may be able to help you with or research on your behalf. Hope to see you there!

Addition: For those of you who would like to know about my experience etc., feel free to check out my LinkedIn page and Dance Advantage columnist page… LinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/pub/angeline-lucas/51/912/28b/Dance Advantage: http://www.danceadvantage.net/author/angeline/ Thanks!

Thanks Sim, thequays and spannerandpony! Thequays – lovely to have you on board! Feel free to make suggestions for topics, tips or info. Best wishes, Angeline

Hi everyone! Just to let you know I have a new Twitter account going and you are welcome to join me: Angeline Lucas @AngelineDance (https://twitter.com/AngelineDance ) This project is all about tweeting for dance and arts lovers, ballet students and dance educators; sharing dance-related information, videos, tips and articles, and also being available for questions…. I suppose that’s the ‘putting myself on the line bit’! Hope to see you there! Angeline

‘What To Do When Your Teachers Don’t Agree?’ New Dance Article @DanceAdvantage I wanted to share with you all my latest article, which went live just earlier today. Please do share the article with everyone who might benefit - either directly, or to pass on to their own students or children. I'd also like to encourage all of you like the article to 'Like' it, share it, Tweet it and post it; I want it to reach as many people as possible, and to make sure it reaches those who will benefit the most. My reasons for wanting to write the article originally stem from the confusion and frustration I felt as a young dancer. At the time I was attending two dance schools (so as to get as much dancing squeezed into a week as possible!), and I was recieving very different instructions from both teachers. What was I to do? I respected and trusted them both, yet, at that age, I believed there could only be 'right' or 'wrong' in ballet. That left me feeling extremely confused, and rather lost. So lost it didn't even occur to me to talk to my teachers about it... not at first. When it finally did I was too afraid of hurting their feelings, or seeming disrespectful. I came acoss this frustration again when I was a little older at vocational school. I had thought that, there at least, I would finally find out for sure the ultimate 'right' way for everything. In fact the opposite was true. Now, as a teacher myself, I find I come across problems from the other side of the fence. I am saddened to read ugly comments from young dancers left on Youtube etc. criticizing other dancers for "doing it wrong" when commonly the filmed dancer is simply following the method of another School, or doing another version of 'right'. I want to reach these students and help them gain a better understanding of the breadth of the world of ballet; both so they are able to make fairer judgements of others, but also so they grow excited and empowered by the revelation. I hope it will encourage a culture of acceptance and open-mindedness alongside enhancing their overall dance education. I also hope it will help teachers who can find themselves in difficult situations if, for example, they take on a new student, or the dancer is attending two schools. Children are often more vocal in today's world, and it can be challenging to face a student who is emphatically telling you that you are 'wrong' because "Mrs X does it this way". How can you gain their trust and teach them if they fundamentally doubt your knowledge or competence? I hope therefore my article will reach those students who shared my childhood frustration and confusion, and offer them a compact but comprehensive explanaion as to why this happens. If you like this article, why not join me on Twitter: Angeline Lucas @AngelineDance. My feed will mainly be sharing news and information on ballet, dance and education for students, dance educators, parents and enthusiasts alike. Best Wishes, Angeline Additional copy of link: http://www.danceadvantage.net/2013/05/02/teachers-dont-agree/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+danceadvantage+%28Dance+Advantage%29

Addition: I just found this lovely video of Marianela Nunez and her interpretation of Myrtha so thought I’d share it with you: Incedentally, if any of you have come across any particularly wonderful examples of good courus on YouTube, do let me know Thanks!

Anjuli_Bai:- Many thanks for your contribution! May I ask, Gail Grant’s dictionary does not seem to specify whether or not pas de bourrée suivi is in 1st or 5th position, while Warren’s book suggests that pas de bourrée suivi is only performed in 5th position. May I then double check that in your experience pas de bourrée suivi is 1stor 5th and pas de bourrée couru is always 1st position? Considering Warren’s attitudes, I agree it is very strange, and slightly disappointing: I would have liked her accurate eye’s opinion on the matter. In terms of the RAD phraseology, for a run in preparation for a jump I believe most teachers would simply say “run”, or they would request a “running pas de bourrée”. Also, out of curiosity, when you say that “supporting knees must bend throughout the movement”, do you mean that you ask your students to bend both the knees simultaneously, and continuously throughout the movement, or that you permit flexion in both legs i.e. there is not one leg (front or back) that remains straight, as I have heard from some teachers? DrDance:- Thanks for the quote! I love the way you referenced it ‘essay style’ at the end – a girl after my own heart! Pas de Quatre:- Thank you for your insight, and also your fantastic suggestion for Myrtha – I have been wondering what video might be good as an accompanying resource! Thanks everyone!

Hi everyone! Central is definitely a good ballet school, and I specifically say ‘ballet school’ and not ‘dance school’ as their primary focus is ballet. That said, I agree with previous posts that they try to a) provide a broad range of training across dance styles to increase students’ versatility and employability, and work with students’ strengths. In this way it is likely you may find a strong classical dancer falls in love with contemporary and thus graduates showcasing their strongest contemporary work as part of the Ballet Central tour, for example. I also agree that some year groups have graduated with stronger contemporary than ballet (as illustrated by the Ballet Central performances), but again, I agree with a previous post as this is reflective of the calibre and strengths of the students of any given year, rather than the training of the school. I liken Central to Northern Ballet School, in that the majority of their classical dancers are invariably not as high calibre (in terms of ‘ideal physique’ and technical proficiently - artistry is another topic), as some of their Royal Ballet, Elmhurst or English National Ballet School counterparts. This I attribute at least 90% to the fact that a majority of ballet students, given the choice, would pick Royal over NBS (for example), and thus the higher up the hierarchy the school is perceived to be, the more students the school has to choose from i.e. the higher up, the more they can cherry pick the most talented students and the ones with ‘ideal’ bodies. In this way the best ‘raw material’ is snapped up by the schools at the top of the hierarchy, and the schools lower down have less choice (not that competition for the students is any less challenging!!). As a result, the schools with more student choice, and the best 'raw material' usually have the strongest graduates and become most desirable for the next generation of applicants... and so continues the self-perpetuating circle. By this I am not saying that the training at the Royal Ballet School is of the identical standard as at NBS, for example, but I am saying that there is something to be said for the privileged position of the schools ‘at the top of the food chain’. After all, that way you attract the best teachers too. From my knowledge of the school, I would definitely recommend Central to any ambitious ballet student, but, in agreement with another post, would also always suggest that students audition for as many schools as possible – not only to increase their chances of success, but so they are more likely to find a school which suits their personality as well as their ambition. Best Wishes, Angeline

Hi Jellybeans! Yes, the fees will be for the year. One of the reasons they are comparatively less than some other vocational schools is due to the fact accommodation fees/living costs are not included, but also, because Manchester is a much more affordable city to live in compared to London etc. (i.e. the prices reflect the geography). The two main houses of residence for first years are Medlock House and Student Village… ► Medlock House: https://www.unite-students.com/student-accommodation/manchester/new-medlock ► Student Village: http://www.mcrstudents.com/website/locations-building.jsp?id=-2798911104435514821 Both are literally less than 7-10 mins away, and you can walk door-to-door in 3 mins from Student Village on a good day while slurping the last of your coffee “Does that mean that if you are offered a place without a Dada they still see potential in you” … the short answer is yes. Firstly they do not have sufficient Dada places to cover each year group, and also there are plenty of talented students auditioning each year for there to still be hefty competition for the rest of the places. Glowlight is correct by saying “NBS trains jazz dancers as well as ballet dancers, so it may not be just classical potential they are looking for”. The original ambition of NBS was to create assessable vocational training for dancers in the North East of England, without them having to travel down to London. Primarily for this reason it has since grown to be a school of two halves – bunheads and jazzerinas – so as to offer the best of both worlds. In the first year everyone studies all subjects, and then phase off to focus either on classical ballet or musical theatre from the start of the second year – a decision based according to the Principals belief in what is best for you, and your assessment results. In this way this system can offer a brilliant base for dancers who are unsure which area they may excel at, and can afford bunheads the chance to fall in love with other dance forms (which can later protect them career-wise should they be unable to perform classical ballet for some reason). That said, for those dancers who are 100% certain they crave a purely classical ‘ballet ballet’ lifestyle, there may be other schools more suited to their temperament. I would say it is not one of the strongest schools for contemporary dance. Oh this video makes me giggle! The ‘Want to Be There Song’ is what sets me off! Yes, you see the principal, Patricia McDonald at 0:55 & 1:08 in this one, and there are other videos, one of which does showcase an interview with her. This video is part of a set which I think are available via the schools website, and I believe also via a DVD you can request if you ring reception. Best Wishes, Angeline

Hi everyone! Finis Jhung is incredible; a trip to NYC is worth it for one of his classes! That said, do be warned – he is somewhat more of a disciplinarian in comparison to most teachers I have ever come across! (although I bet in Russia he would find his competition ) I went to observe one of his classes in NY last year and he was so abrupt with me I felt like I was back at school all over again – I think I actually stammered! But that said, he is simultaneously a lovely guy, and his methods are wonderfully effective, and really rather innovative. Best wishes, Angeline

Hi everyone! Presently I am writing a short article which is designed to remove the regularly encountered ambiguity between ‘bourrées’ and ‘courus’, whilst also: ♦ Breaking down different ways to perform a couru ♦ How exactly to start a sequence of courus ♦ Troubleshooting problems with courus (en pointe and en demi-pointe) My article is in response to various conversations I have had over the years, and a few online posts I have seen – usually revolving around endless debate and frustration. Before the article goes live however, I wished to ask you all if any of you have ever had any specific problems with courus which I could check I have addressed. For any that may be unfamiliar with the terms ‘bourrées’ and ‘courus’, some of their other names include ‘pas de bourrée suivi’, and ‘pas de bourrée couru’. Looking forward to your feedback. Best wishes, Angeline

Janice & ellen:- I am so sorry to hear the news of your DD, I hope she has managed to come to terms with her illness and is doing well. I am happy however to hear some of her teachers were proactive, and that she is now back to her full strength. My best wishes to you both. Tulip:- Hello, and thank you for your lovely comments and your ‘like’, although I am sure I will learn equally from you all JulieW:- Not at all, you are correct that it is useful to add context and background – now I just have to worry about meeting any expectations I may have inadvertently created haha! Drdance:- Hi Emily - lovely to see you here! Fingers crossed we get an opportunity to work together soon Just Ballet:- Thank you for my lovely smilie welcome! Best wishes to all, Angeline

“Posting in your professional capacity” – oh dear, now you are making me wonder if I should have instead created an alias! In answer to your question, Dance Advantage is an online open-source not-for-profit resource for dancers, dance teachers, parents of dancers and dance enthusiasts. My column predominantly focuses on ballet and pointe, although there is a vast array of information available across most dance genres. If you sign up for the free newsletter then you will receive an update from the sites creator, Nichelle Strzepek, whenever a new article goes live. As for myself, I am a freelance dance writer, teacher and lecturer based in England, hold Registered Teacher Status with the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD), and am an Approved Teacher of the Council for Dance Education and Training (CDET). As a dancer I trained at Northern Ballet School (NBS) but then went on to complete a Certificate of Higher Education in Dance Education, validated by RAD and University of Surrey, when an injury forced me to abandon any hopes of a classical career. It is perhaps these experiences which have made me such as strong advocate for dancers’ welfare; particularly concerning students in vocational training. Since this time I have taught and lectured at various private dance studios, schools, colleges and on community programmes; previous roles including working as head of department, outreach coordinator and curriculum manager, alongside managing arts administration etc. If you would like to know more about my background or my professional ethos, please feel free to check my LinkedIn page: uk.linkedin.com/pub/angeline-lucas/51/912/28b In the mean time, do feel free to offer suggestions for future articles - for I wish to use my role as columnist, and my previous experience, to make myself as useful as possible Best wishes, Angeline

Thank you for your kind welcomes I hope to share more of my work with you all when I feel it is appropriate, but more so I look forward in participating in everyone's conversations. Best wishes, Angeline

Hi everyone! After noticing that many of you appear to have DD's and DS's who are entering vocational training, I wished to share with you a recent article of mine: 'Dancer in Distress – Help Your Student Manage Chronic Illness or Long-Term Injury' ► Link: http://danceadvantage.net/2012/10/16/student-illness-injury/ Originally it was written primarily with teachers in mind, particularly those who coach advanced students, but I think it may contain some useful information for yourselves also should any of your young dancers be so unfortunate as to have to deal with long-term injury or illness. For it is a sad fact that illness and injury do happen, and can end careers, but more concerning for me is that if the dancer does not receive adequate support at the time it can cause them long-term emotional issues and psychological problems. With this article I wish to raise awareness as to what is good practice, and what ought to be avoided to protect vulnerable dancers. For this reason, if you find the article beneficial, I ask you to please add your comments underneath the article, and to share it, 'like' it, Tweet it and Pin in - the further it goes the better! Parents, if your DD or DS finds themselves in this situation, please encourage an open dialogue with them and stay up to date with how their situation is being handled and how they are feeling - and do not be afraid to request an appointment with the principal if you feel the school could be doing better. Remember, the young dancer may not feel able to approach staff themselves and may need you to 'be their voice'. Teachers, if you find yourself with a student who is dealing with a long-term illness or injury it can be extremely difficult to know what to do and how to handle the situation. I have seen teachers yelling, screaming and belittling students who have just returned from a long period of time off because they felt a 'tough love' approach would help them find an inner determination to fight their way to the top, only to cause the student to drop out of training and abandon dance entirely. I have seen teachers unintentionally alienating students who are either observing classes for long periods or have to miss large sections of class - their attention diverted to those students they can correct. I also am aware of times when teachers have been so afraid of doing or saying the wrong thing to a vulnerable dancer that they blocked them out emotionally and discussed matters with them in a cool and frank tone; their efforts to remain professional only leaving the dancer feeling uncared for and valueless if unable to dance. Honestly, even for the best-intentioned of teachers it is a midfield. If you are unsure how to manage such difficult situations and help students' manage long-term illness or injury, I hope my article will assist you. If you do find it beneficial, please do share it among your colleagues. Dancers, if you feel isolated, vulnerable, upset, lost or confused, or that you are of no value since suffering a injury or long-term illness and being unable to dance, do not bottle those feelings up and believe you must battle on silently. Find someone to talk to. Whether that be your parents, your teacher, your school principal, or school councillor. If you feel embarrassed or scared of broaching the subject, request you see a private councillor, or call The Samaritans - they are there to help everyone. Remember, you are not alone, and communicating your thoughts and feelings is the first step in making things better. It is also very important to remember that you are of value, and if you receive a poor response from the first person you speak to that does not mean your situation is not important; likely it only means the person you spoke to did not know how to help. Try again, and talk to someone else. Don't give up. For more information, I highly recommend the following resources: ✧ Buckroyd, Julia (2000) 'The Student Dancer: Emotional Aspects of the Teaching and Learning of Dance'. Dance Books: London ✧ Laws, Helen (2005) 'Fit to Dance 2: Report into the second national inquiry into dancers' health and injury in the UK'. Dance UK: London If you can think of any other important issue you would like me to write about, or topics you think would be good for upcoming articles, please do not hesitate to get in touch via PMing me here, or emailing Dance Advantage. Best wishes everyone, Angeline