Lilac

Can anyone tell us more about MIDAS in Birmingham mentioned in this post? Dates are great for us, but not sure if residential in view of the price. Too far for us to travel on a daily basis from Hampshire. Also any ideas of Summer schools which DD could travel to from Hampshire, possibly on her own?

Actually that rings a bell. Probably I should check again! Thanks

Thanks everyone for the comments. In the end decided to be tough, and told her we were taking her to the other teacher, and would review matters at half term. In the end this was academic, as she had a coveted place in their amazing under 21 group by then, and had agreed to start festival work! Happily we've already started to see fruits of this move, with a high distintion in her first ballet exam with them, and a really good report from her associate class, where the teacher was delighted with last term's progress. Lovely to have a teacher who cares about the students as individuals, ans sets challenging targets to work on! DD now accepts she is a better teacher, and two friends have even changed to taking a couple of classes there.

My DD comes to the end of doing 3 years of the Prep associate classes at Cenral this Summer, so we believe needs to audition for Pre-Seniors if she wants to continue there. As we can't assume anything, feel that she should audition for other classes. We live in Basingstoke, would be grateful to hear recommendations, so that we don't miss anything suitable. Thanks Lilac

I have a copy if anyone is still interested. What would be willing to pay? (Not sure how this system works. Lilac

Finally seem to be slowly getting somewhere after 6 months of arguing! Have taken advice from Aurora et al and been tough about the money aspect, and made no attempt to take her to current classes since they resumed. Have finally been able to email current teacher about her going for a trial period to the other school (the compromise!) Normal lessons don't start at other school for a week, so now just have to wait, and really hope that she likes it there! Hopefully should fit in well - no regular Saturday lessons to miss if yoy're an Associate, as they actively encourage that.

I know this has come up before, but we're actually at the end of out tether with DD. we live in North Hampshire where she currently attends a local dance school, and Satudays she does associtate classes at Central. We strongly feel that she needs to change to a dance school where there is more focus on getting through the higher ballet grades, which Central expect her to do. At her school people seem to grind to a halt in these higher classes, she should be joing Intermediate having just taken Inter Foundation, but will be the youngest on there by 3 years, she is 13, Year 9 now. Virtually nobody gets beyond Intermediate, whereas Central feel she should do this in about a year! We have found at least one local school where the pupils in Intermediate are about her age, and do take the Vocational grades and get better results. The teacher is also keen to work on wome of dd's weaknesses, which she has spotted at Festivals and CSB have commented on, but current teacher refuses to deal with! The lessons even cost £100 less per term, but dd will not entertain going there and we don't know what to do! I think it's because over the years pupils have left to go there, and the pupils mad a pact last time that no one else would dessert and go there. We have offered to take all the blame and anything else! I am beside myself that she'll sacrifice better chances in dancing for all this. Schools go back this week so time's running out! Thanks!

Any tips for doing well in the exam? Also any advice re what to wear. DD has been told to wear soft pontes, but most dance schools we know don't use these?

My daughter sustained an injury to her right arm doing a dance lift in class on Friday. She is 13. Am very worried as she's due to attend a second audition at Laban next Sunday, a first audition at Swindon a few days later and her long--awaited Inter Foundation exam at the end of June! It seem thought it will take a while to completely recover! What do people do in these cicumstances? Feel she won't do herself justice at these important auditions, and it's all valuable time wasted in practising for the exam. Any suggestions?

I have a dd in Prep 2. It has definitely brought on her ballet - she is able to do exams sooner with the extrs work on her technique.

Does anyone have experience of auditioning for Swindon or Laban?

Does anyone know what the 2nd stage audition/intervies are like? Bit worried as dd v.shy!

My dd did grade 5 modern last autumn in a class aged from 11 - 13, a year after the last exam and most of them got distinction! They are now learning the grade 6 work without any issues!

My dd is trying to get a place on a CAT scheme, so have decided to try for the Place, Laban and Swindon! She did 1st auditions for the Place on 18th April, and Laban on 21st. Laban emailed back that day to invite her to a 2nd audition, whereas we haven't heard from the Place. 2 others from her dance school have auditioned, one had a detailed rejection and the other also hasn't heard. DD is keenest on the Place because she liked their ballet element as well. Does anyone know: when we might hear from the Place, what are the ratio of places to 2nd interviews at any of them, what's asked at interview (dd very shy!) any tips of any sort?! Thanks Lilac

What does anyone think of the merits of various classes? We live in the South East which tends to mean in London. What would the merits of say Central, CAT courses at the Place or Laban be, or even London Senior Ballet? It's always difficult knowing how many auditions to subject a dd to. She's Year 8, best at ballet and Contemporary. Thanks

Hi It's all very difficult, Int Fdn exams have taken longer to arrange with the chance in syllabus.Have waited since the beginning of term to sort this issue. Looks like she''ll do Int Fdn in the Summer - supposedly extra lessons will be laid on. Haven't paid this term's fees, my protest at waiting to have some grade work! have a different local teacher who is willing to admit DD to a weekly Int Fdn class with guaranteed no show work! have waited nearly a week for regular teacher to comment on my email about this option. if this doesn't work out, perhaps we will have to go straight to Intermediate as she can make both lessons for that (has been going to one already since the autumn). See what this week does or doesn't bring? Lilac

Hi, we also have a problem similar to this. My daughter has been advised at her associate lessons to take Inter Foundation asap, and suggested private lessons to top up the grade work. The problem is that although there are 2 lessons at that level per week, one clashes with her associate class and the other looks like turning into pracrice for the Summer show, yet at the same time the teacher advises 2 lessons of grade work per week! She has a timetable too overloaded to do any private lessons. Her other idea was to top up with RAD courses, but this term's isn't running. The teacher keeps promising alternatives, what we don't know. My daughter adores the school and will not move. In the end I've found a local teacher that we've had past contacts with who is willing to accept her as a temporary Int Fdn student until she can take the exam unfortunately not until Summer. We want her options to be kept open to apply for vocational school later on, which is why doing associates and getting through exams is a high priority, she's just turned 13. I don't feel that we can always rely on what the teacher may or may not offer as feel her priority is shows, fashion shows etc and is very difficult to talk to. I really understand some of the previous commenta, especially parents who are tryint to do the best for their child, which is all I'm trying to do. So frustrating! Lilac