Elly94

Thanks everyone for your replies. Very glad we should be ok for Hansel and Grettel as that was my biggest worry that it would still be under the restriction especially when the Cinderella 'family performance' still appeared to be over 5 which I haven't experienced elsewhere (and the sessions I choose with her age). This year's Cinderella was definitely more of an example, I definitely wouldn't want to be "pretending" she was 5 at this point, I already had the dates for the cinema screening of it saved so we should still be able to enjoy the magic of it without the worry of restriction! Next year I definitely think I would speak with them if the Christmas performance was something we would be interested in seeing especially if we looked at dates at the start of Jan as she'd literally be under a month from 5.

Long story short how strictly enforced is the no under 5s policy at ROH, like will they ask for a birth certificate or ID a child before allowing them in? Long story: Daughter is currently just over 3 and a half years old and is just as obsessed with going to watch ballets as doing it which obviously with her age is pretty tricky. She's sat perfectly still and mesmerized through ENB my first swan lake and LCB secret garden (not even leaving the theatres during intervals) plus other dance performances we've been to see so I know she definitely wouldn't be disruptive. We've got our Christmas ballets lined up (The Snowman at Sadlers Wells and ENB Nutcracker at the Colosseum family performance) but took a look at Cinderella at ROH which is showing suitable for all. Expanding the guidance it still says no under 5's but then there is a family performance which the q&a 'encourages families to bring children over 5'. This got me thinking is this likely to be the same for the Northern Ballet Hansel and Grettel there to in May, which I'd love to take her to see as she loves the others on cBeebies, by then she'd be about 4yrs 3 months but would they still have a no under 5s. And then thinking further to next Christmas where she'd be about 4yrs 10months if something took our fancy. Obviously wouldn't ever take her into something that wasn't child appropriate or suitable for all but would they "ID" her for entry. She is tall and mature looking for her age but know that's not the point just wouldn't want to book anything and risk not even being able to get in.

Thank you so much everyone for the words of wisdom and book ideas, I was getting a bit worried when I kept seeing 'been dancing since 2/3' on dancers biographies and thinking I wasn't doing enough at this early stage to give her a chance of following her dream (if it continues to be). I will definitely keep enjoying the hours of being made to sit and watch her perform and her shouting at me for putting the nutcracker music on and not swan lake! @SpideyDad oh huge congratulations to your DD and classmates, they were absolutely incredible, I've never known my DD sit so still for so long without averting her gaze in absolute awe! They have well and truly inspired her, and I imagine so for a lifetime

My recently turned 3-year-old started ballet in November and is OBSESSED. Everything is ballet, even a walk to the park includes multiple stops at anything that remotely looks like a barre 😆. So without being that parent what can I do to help nurture this love? She has already declared she WILL be a 'white swan on stage when I'm a bigger ballerina' after we went to see ENB my first ballet: Swan Lake a few weeks ago and is adamant that ballet is her work (obviously taking this all with a pinch of salt). Yesterday after one of her many ballet shows she told me that she really really needs a barre at home, is this something that anyone would suggest? She also constantly asks me to be her teacher but other than 3 arm positions and plie (which I picked up at an ROH family day) I know nothing so have resorted to YouTube, is there a series or anything like that which is good for little ones? Then ballet schools, what are just some names I can through into the mix with her? We've been past the RBS multiple times and she wants that to be her school when she's big (mostly because of the spiral walkway to the ROH) but don't want her to just obsess over this knowing how hard a dream that would be to ever fulfil. I am completely at a loss with how to nurture this love, there is literally no dancing bone in my body and I still have no idea where she even discovered ballet to declare at 2 3/4 that she wanted to learn it!