I know this post is 3 years old already. But it's what we are going through right now.
My daughter is 8...the teacher has often told us how talented she is and she should do extra lessons. We didn't do the extra lessons as we felt it was not necessary.
When my daughter was 7 she was the only one to win Gold for class solo at the national dance festival.
At the schools end of year function..she got her certificates and medals...but I noticed the teacher giving out trophies to her 2 favourites dancers for getting gold for class solo at the year end function.
One of her favourites relocated to another country..so she has 1 fav left.
In 2021 they had to do their grade 1 ballet exams. Teacher focused on her fav making a big deal that she is her "gold star "student.
Exam results proved otherwise. She is a 65 percenter, she didn't get a gold.
My child along with many others Auditioned for a prestigious national junior production. The "gold star" student didn't audition.
My child got a part. Our teacher once again kept telling us how talented my child is. Then dear Teacher pulls me aside to say she wants to start coaching my child. Because my child really wants it..I agreed.
We had 1 lesson..when suddenly we went into intense grade 2 exam rehearsal. The next 2 coaching lessons were postponed to the next week. One day we arrive at ballet 30 minutes early to find gold star having a private lesson in what was supposed to be my child's coaching lesson. It made sense why the coaching kept being postponed.
I was confused see the child there..the teacher obviously a little embarrassed that I saw this...she immediately comes up to me to say "she is having an extra lesson because the Mother wants her to get a gold for the exam"
I told the teacher it wasn't fair..and that all the dancers want a chance to get a gold, and would like extra lessons. So she arranged for all the dancers to get extra lessons for the exams.
They did their exams and results came in a few weeks ago.
My child got the highest mark..missing the gold by 2 points.
Teachers gold star student came in 3rd place..9 points from gold.
Instead of congratulating my child...she told all the parents in front of my child and their children...that it was psychological.
Because the first one to be examined was one of the advanced 2 dancers and then my 8 year old...so the examiner was expecting the best after seeing the advanced dancer. The logic in that doesn't make sense at all.
The national dance festival is coming up and she has placed her gold star in the Amateur section for solos...
It's really sad to see the other dancers ignored and those with true talent and potential are being left to fall behind .
