Lemongirl

Spanner - it will be worth every penny!

I would highly recommend a chiropodist. I've had ingrown toenails in the past and have gone to the chiropodist in agony. They know EXACTLY the right place to cut it - instant relief!!

Please don't do anything at home until you've seen one. We're all paying ££££ for our dc to dance, it should be no more than £40 or so.

The Harpenden one looks good but dd is also doing EYB this year. Is it always at the end of August?

Thanks Spanner, we will have to meet and have a chat at Aylesbury EYB once rehearsals get under way!

I have just spoken to LCB who said that their ballet performance summer school (which looks really good) was particularly early this year due to the olympics as spannerandpony said. Next year's will probably be late July although they won't know for sure until January!

I don't know now whether to keep the NYB time free (not knowing yet if she'll get a place) or late July/early Aug free for the LCB one (which she wouldn't have to audition for and I know she'd really enjoy).

I have provisionally booked our summer holiday for next year but if possible I would like to leave open the weeks that dd may be involved with something ballet-wise. She hasn't managed to audition yet for NYB, we have been doing other things but would like to try next year. I think they rehearse the 2 weeks leading up to the bank holiday weekend in Aug, although they said next year's dates haven't been confirmed.

At the moment we will be away 2nd - 16th Aug inclusive which I think would clash with NYB. But if she didn't get in, she would like to do a summer school/course, not sure what though. Does anyone know when the summer schools tend to be? I could push back the holiday by a week which would mean 26th July - 9th Aug. There's also EYB which dd has done a couple of times before but there are no audition dates up for next year yet!

Taximom, has your dd/ds done Sleeping Beauty before? As far as we know, my dd only has one role - a jewel I think she said. Do you know anything about this part?

Ballerinax and Pippinpointe - we are also looking at 3 counties for my dd who is keen to audition. Can I ask where which areas the dancers are mostly from? We are v v south Herts and although Hertford is not a bad journey, I don't know what it will be like on a Friday so would be good to find someone to share the travelling with.

No here too

Kat09 - can I ask if the envelope was thick, contained forms etc?

There is a letter for dd but it's a thin envelope and I suspect it's a no.

Well done to your dd btw!

My dd had a lovely time too at yesterday's casting. She's going to be a jewel or something like that, no idea what that entails! I was very surprised that she's been cast en pointe although she's only been doing it a very short while. She thinks it's a 'semi pointe' part. I hope her feet will be ok.

Oh dear, I hadn't even thought about this.

My dd's sports day is on 28th June and her ballet exam on 5th July!

Yes that's a good point Jellybeans. Unless I say I didn't realise it was on that day. After all, we haven't actually received our Olympics tickets yet.

Thanks all, dd will be over the moon!

So do you think I should be honest about the reason? And when should I tell her? At the casting day?

My dd is doing EYB Sleeping Beauty in Aylesbury in the summer. She's done a production before so I do know quite a bit about how it all works. However we have Olympics tickets for 9th Aug which is their second rehearsal day.

I'm not sure if I tell dd she can't go to the Olympics or if I ask Miss Lewis if she could miss that day. I have checked the times and she could in theory be at the rehearsal for 2 hours out of the 6 and then dash down to Stratford! But I don't know if it's cheeky to ask and I completely understand that they have to be committed and go to every rehearsal unless ill. And as it's at the beginning of the rehearsal schedule and they are learning the dances, I don't know how much dd would miss.

Are the auditions for full-time school or associate/weekend classes?

I couldn't get the school link to work.

Dd's teacher said not to cut them - she will do that. But I've got to get the sewing right first!

I have pinned dd's ribbons on her new pointe shoes but before I sew them can I check with all you knowledgeable people if they're in the right place.

Her teacher marked the positions of the ribbons but I'm not sure if the angles look right.

On the left shoe, the outside ribbon slants downwards towards the front and the inside one slants upwards towards the front.

Right shoe - outside one slants up towards the front and inside one slants downwards towards the front.

Do you think this sounds right?

Thanks everyone, very helpful advice. I am used to doing the ribbons with a flame as dd has a festival pair that need ribbons but everything else is new to me!

Not sure about the darning, I've never done it before. I haven't stuck the suede toe caps on just yet so will see what her teacher says at her lesson next week.

We have bought a first pair of pointe shoes for my very excited dd. They were properly fitted in the shop and checked by the teacher and they're fine.

I've yet to sew on the ribbons, I think someone showed a link to a video how to do this a while ago?

We were told to ask for suede toe caps to be glued on and I bought these, however now her teacher says she doesn't need them even though everyone else seems to have them. I'm a bit confused!

Also I've seen some pointe shoes that elastics on as well as ribbons. Is there only certain makes and is the elastic of use?

I also got her gel pads for her toes.

Is there anything else I need to know?

I think Ben said the theatre has to be 900 seats minimum.

Have they ever been to the Palace Theatre Watford does anyone know?

Think they might be in Wimbledon in 2013.

No I haven't heard times yet either.

I've just found the email - it said her turnout was good but she was not sufficiently flexible for the programme. And her ankes are a little restricted.