Katymac

start off with pins or sticky dots & place them everywhere you want a sequin Are the sequin holes at the edge or the middle? If the edge just tack them on, the middle is harder If you want them to stay in place put a second hole at the opposite side if they are on the edge and sew that too (don't cut the thread in between) If they are close enough together you can zigzag from one sequin to the next - I think we did 38 for the last show

Thanks Dr Dance The problem with reading stuff on the internet is that for a 'normal'ish person it is impossible to know if it's real or not So much pseudo science stuff is presented as fact

I just found this I'm not able to know if it's 'real' or 'woo' but I thought I'd post it in case http://journals.lww.com/acsm-healthfitness/Fulltext/2014/05000/Vitamin_D_and_Exercise_Performance.9.aspx BTW I consider dancers to be athletes

DD just did no coursework or homework for one of her option blocks - we explained honestly to the teacher (who was really annoyed but as we said we never 'wanted' to do the course/exam) & she just coasted through & actually got a C (no idea how)

There is masses of research going on in America & in Australia about Vit D deficiency; the currently hypothesis is that the RDA is the minimum you need to maintain health (ie not get rickets or in the adult osteomalacia) The maximum safe dose is 10,000 (not sure of the unit tbh) a day so the difference is vast - I think DD & I started on about 6,000 & have leveled out at 3,000 a day & it is anticipated that we will be on it for life as we were both tested mid summer (but different years) & our levels were so low The main condition it is hoped to directly help is Depression and SAD, although for me the reduction in bone pain has been amazing.

Moomin, despite DH being 'black' he uses a massive amount of suncream as he is on Doxycycline & that can cause sensitivity to sun; DD uses it when the sun is strong & I never use it as I am allergic; which bears out my thinking that there is some sort of genetic component I really think everyone should be tested - everyone I have spoken to who asked for a test was borderline deficient - I think under 100/75 is low & under 25 is deficient - apart from DH I haven't known anyone tested who was over 50 Edited to add "Maybe I only know ill people"

This might be useful if anyone has a blood test showing a low Vit D https://www.nos.org.uk/document.doc?id=1352

I think there must be a genetic component too DD is mixed race so high risk, her dad is Jamaican so potentially higher risk but his D is at a much higher than ours (although he supplements the same as us because the GP asked him too) & tbh their (DD & DH) diets were pretty similar until she went to college - almost identical in size & content It massively complicated - all I can do is take what the GP says to

DD & I were both tested - the GP said I was dangerously low & that DD was lower again - so we are both on very high doses to catch up- we could have a prescription but the GP says it's really hard to metabolise so prefers us to buy ours in a better form There is masses of research going on atm & it is anticipated that in the future the RDA will rise dramatically for Vit D; apparently sun on the arm/legs doesn't make nearly enough & it's sun on the torso that matters - to get enough from a normal diet you'd need to eat about 3lbs of oily fish a day!! & run around with a near naked torso for about 300 days a year......bit chilly imo! It's potentially implicated in asthma, arthritis, MS, IBS, Cancer & dementia - or rather the lack of it is BTW the link for the at risk groups is from 2012 so I would expect that to be updated quite soon

I can't digest tablets/capsules easily so I take a D-Lux spray Apparently half the Scottish Olympic team were deficient in 2012 & it's becoming a real issue

It's all very well suggesting people check financial information - but realistically very few of us, as parents, would know how to or if we worked that out how to interpret the data I went bust earlier in the year and few if any were aware it was going to happen before it was announced & I let down a lot of families that were depending on me - it was unavoidable, totally caused by an external agency but it was still me that made the decision. It's a very confusing situation for our children - I feel, perhaps wrongly that universitys are somehow better protected than colleges?

DD's problem is so different - afro, dry & wild She has never had smooth hair - I don't think it would be possible!! The number of people who said "I'll sort it" & gave up is unbelievable, esp during our Ballroom/Latin days

It's been a mixed bag for us Academic school understood that as PE is on a non-dancing day DD didn't do it as she needed a rest day; but put her in the G&T for sport and all the meetings/activities are after school (not in lunchtime) so she couldn't attend Dance school was concerned that DD did her (GCSE) homework in between classes rather than running about & playing like the other children(in yr 9) Academic school wanted her to do the equivalent of 17 GCSEs but compromised on 9 GCSEs & 2 BTecs & letting have RE/PE lessons as revision time Academic school not putting her forward for the interschool dance competition as "they had no evidence of her ability in dance" - just a BTec level 2 in Dance at D*D* but let her have time off for auditions Confusing! and their reaction that she couldn't pop in to get her certificates at prize giving as she was 100 miles away at college well you wouldn't believe it!! Generally her dance friends have become good at time management,hard working with ambition; school friend going off to uni for the first time this year have had small pt jobs (6hr shifts) or no work this summer compared to DD who had 3 - 2 of which were 11hr shifts

The Health visitor said DD would be about 5' 11.5" (when she was 2 - they were worried about how big she was so did some tests) She seems to have topped out at not quite 5' 5" & at 18.5 I really don't see her growing much more......so much for that idea

Ballettaxi - are we twins?

Thanks Janet - great articles

I was thinking about this and realised that DD (& us) have been very, very lucky! DD's initial classes & competitions were in Latin & Ballroom & not paid for as her Dad taught at the school in exchange She often did 'summer schools' at the local theatre group as I worked from home and it was a cheap form of childcare for her post 11 When she decided on Ballet, the teacher put her in the appropriate age class (for Grade 5) which we paid for but she was expected to attend as many of the other classes (Grades 1-4) as she could manage at no cost because "She had to learn the stuff" then after a year she was a helper so no fees just exams to pay for At the same time she started the CAT - full MDS When Jazz & Tap were added, the second class was at 60% the third at 50% (same uniform different shoes) She left the CAT & started a heavily subsidised 'associate-type' scheme £10 a week for 4.5hrs of class We paid in full for LSC associates - possibly one of the few things we paid for in 'full' along with some summer schools/workshops/taster days - Watkins, Tring, Hammond, Arts Ed Urdang & Millennium. Well actually it was birthday & Christmas money from everyone one we knew (DH & my birthday & Christmas money too) - done in just 2 years I think We saw shows using Tesco vouchers & Kids week (so virtually now cost) DH is exTrain driver so all our travel has been subsidised and we took porridge pots and sandwiches with us everywhere!! When she went to the prevoc - her 'university' saving (from my mum's savings and my Dad's loose change) paid for the course and our tax credits & child benefit paid for her accommodation/food/uniform & now she has fees paid and a bursary No way on the planet could we have afforded to pay for it all in full - no way!! But the way it happened? Serendipity I think

I sent you a Fb message - hope that is OK

Can you Dance is always very active on FB & I'm sure they would be on board with support - they may well share if for you?

OK - so this is nearly off the ground; Annaliesey & DrDance you should be proud of yourselves - well done This is a fabulous start

& possibly should their be a sticky on here (& we should probably discuss it with NotaPushyMum too) about minimum checkable requirements? Although I imagine there would be some discussion about what they should be

Just thinking When it was a CRB individuals couldn't request one - it had to be done by a body Now (I understand) anyone can ask for you - you have to pay for a body to do it & you have to pay an amount each year to ensure it's kept uptodate (but that can be set up to go automatically) So could part of the idea be to get dance teachers to voluntarily DBS themselves on a 'Best Practise' basis & then advertise like mad that all the teachers at my school have DBSs so that peer pressure made other teachers get themselves checked This may be simplistic

I think this is a great idea & following on from your suggestion that NSPCC should be the place to report 'problems' they might also be the place to help with solutions/prevention But like you I am not an expert

Baked potatoes are good too - but make sure you get enough protein

One tip my mum gave me when I was younger is to fry an amount of onions (about half a tins worth chopped) & the same of peppers together until soft (in a bit of oil) then add a cheap tin of chopped tomatoes then liquidise or not as you prefer This can then be used to: stir through pasta as a sauce for home made pizza (or a ciabatta or french bread or a bought pizza base) added to fried mince for bolagnaise or lasagne as a soup Plus it freezes well Also things like beans on toast with cheese on top or a toastie made with leftover mince or bolagnaise are easy to do If you like eggs - scrambled eggs & beans are good or cheesy scrambled eggs Or if you have little silicon cake cases - whisk egg, add cheese, cooked veg, bacon or ham and pour into the cupcase & it makes mini omelette in the oven while you are doing something else to save time (proper omelettes need to be watched while cooking