along for the ride mum

Have pmd you

Thank you for all the work you’ve put in over the years Julie. I am a few years years behind you on this roller coaster but have always read your posts with interest and felt like there was such a wealth of wisdom. I too found this forum when my dd became a JA and over the years it has been an invaluable source of information and support. Dd is now in upper school and it certainly has been a roller coaster ride but thanks for being there, even though you probably did even know you were! Enjoy your extra time with your other interests x

Forgive my ignorance but I don’t know anything about London Ballet masterclasses. Does anyone have any experience with this organisation or is this an entirely new venture? 

Not sure whether to thank you or not! Those £2:40’s can add up! 😀 

great sale, birthday shopping sorted ! 

Thanks for the explanation Balletbean. It’s great that you have been able to educate the education department 😂. The vaguerries of the upper school funding take some negotiating, don’t they! I’m pleased to hear that you have some funding available though as I felt for you some time ago when I read that your daughter wouldn’t be eligible for DADA. Well done for finding a way through the red tape! I think we’ll all need a holiday after all this! 

On 29/03/2018 at 22:43, balletbean said:

I feel for all of you awaiting the decision on funding for US. Whilst our system isn’t perfect (£ limits) the local authority offers funding for each pupil that have at least 2 x Level 3 or equivalent (A-level) examinations. My research recently revealed RAD Grade 6 and above are also level 3. Which confused the Dept completely as they automatically think 18yrs not 16yrs for Funding.  My claim to fame is I’ve now educated the Education Dept on their own criteria 😂

Each pupil then can select their choice of establishment for Higher Education. Incl those on the CDET list. 🤔 

🤞🏼 You all receive what you hope  and are waiting for. 

When you say the local authorities offer funding  and you can then select your establishment, does that mean funding other than the usual,  DADA / student loan? So for example would a child with those qualifications then be able to get funding other than dada for , let’s say for example, Elmhurst, or student loan for Central?  Is this because you aren’t eligible for these because of location? 

Sorry, I’m not sure I’ve explained myself well, probably being a little dense! 

1 hour ago, balletbean said:

I feel for all of you awaiting the decision on funding for US. Whilst our system isn’t perfect (£ limits) the local authority offers funding for each pupil that have at least 2 x Level 3 or equivalent (A-level) examinations. My research recently revealed RAD Grade 6 and above are also level 3. Which confused the Dept completely as they automatically think 18yrs not 16yrs for Funding.  My claim to fame is I’ve now educated the Education Dept on their own criteria 😂

Each pupil then can select their choice of establishment for Higher Education. Incl those on the CDET list. 🤔 

🤞🏼 You all receive what you hope  and are waiting for. 

Is this peculiar to your particular location? Two g&t’s in, I’m trying to get my head around the wider implications. Can’t remember off the top of my head, which are on the CDET list 

Dd always seems reluctant to ever throw away any old tights, regardless of condition and despite the fact that there seems to be an unending need for new ones. Thus, we have a drawer full of ‘50 shades of grink’ - no two seem the same, even though I have spent endless hours lovingly hand washing them. Now they just go in the school laundry with heavens knows what, it doesn’t seem to make any difference 

Another vote for the kindness of strangers. I was the recipient of a ‘random act of kindness’ today. The thing that really touched me was less about the monetary value but so much more about the heartfelt words that came with it. A complete stranger told me that she was really pleased to have met me and that I’m an inspiration. Not in a cheesey, insincere, corporate way but in a genuine and warm way. It totally made my day and she couldn’t possibly have known that, as it turned out, it would be the absolute highlight of an otherwise difficult day 

Amid great hair-pulling ( and maybe even a few choice words) I put my school sewing lessons to use and made dd's skirt all those years ago. I found the instructions fairly straightforward but I wanted it to be perfect, I wish I'd thought to go to a dressmaker! 

Anyway, in the nick of ime, it was done, and it seemed to me to be a reasonable job. I was quite cock-a-hoop. Imagine my disappointment when they didn't wear them for the entire first term! In fact, by the time they did eventually wear them, I had to let the hem down. I'm led to believe that particular teacher still doesn't require them in the first term, Of course I'd probably still want it done, just in case 😂

have you had a look on the closed Elmhurst uniform Facebook group? 

On 15 April 2017 at 04:53, Cara in NZ said:

I have had some success with tacking some of the layers together?

Thanks Cara,

in this particular instance, the layers are already beautifully flat. It's a lovely quality product, just clearly not the right size/ fit for dd. The shop has been brilliant at trying to sort it for us, having sent a replacement straight away and as that wasn't right either they have gone out of their way to source another size. Can't fault the shop or the product, it's just a size issue, it seems. 

Thanks Anna, I think that was it. Not sure it's actually helped me , other than to cheer me up and have me roaring with laughter at petalviolet's fabulous wit. I do love a good petalviolet thread! 

I have eave spoken to the owner of the shop where it came from (ours is also from just ballet) and as always, the customer service has been fantastic and Sheila is doing all she can to rectify the situation as soon as possible. Can't fault the customer service! I'm sure we will have it sorted soon 

6 minutes ago, sarahw said:

We've got this problem currently. Ours is from Just Ballet and I phoned the shop for advice. The first thing was make sure it's the right size (ours is ) then they said to store if folded in half tied with ribbon - this we are currently doing and will test again next week. ....

 

Will be interested to hear if you get any other tips....

Thanks Sarah, there was definitely. A thread on this a while back with all sorts of advice which I now can't remember, I just can't find it! 

27 minutes ago, taxi4ballet said:

DD had one like this a few years back - we solved the problem by exchanging it for the next size up.

Thanks, I'm pretty sure we don't need to go up a size, if anything I wondered if we needed to go down a size as there certainly is plenty of give in the lycra knicker part

Sorry, I know this has been discussed before but searching all the keywords I could think of and trawling back through as far as page 35 didn't find it. Dd has a new practice tutu which we are very pleased with other than it seems to want to pop upwards forming an inverted umbrella shape, if you see what I mean. She can kind of push it down but this makes the Lycra knicker part come away from her body and stretch a bit so that as soon. As she moves, it pops back up again. Is this something to do with the fit not being right or will it just settle down in time? 

I second the vote for kings road but also there is a really good cafe that do a great all day breakfast nearby. Wish I could remember the names of the roads but Basically you walk out of Battersea square with rad hq behind you heading to the top right hand corner and head towards the main road as if you were going over the bridge, just as you turn onto the main road with the bridge in front of you, on the left hand side is an unassuming looking cafe. Lovely food, very reasonable prices. Also if you cross the main road from there you can face the bridge and turn right there's a nice little walk with a couple of decent coffee shops/ eateries

Tried to pm you, but it says you can't receive messages Sheila, will try fbook message instead x

Sheila, I am looking at ordering one but would like a little advice, I'll send you a PM

It could have just been the physio making idle chit chat whilst doing what they need to do, I guess, trying to find common ground, maybe?

The parent/candidate discussion is, I believe a brief 'interview' ( more of a chat ) with one of the academic staff/SLT parents and child although, in our experience the questions were directed more at the child. Nothing to taxing, questions such as 'what are your favourite subjects?' 'Any other hobbies' that sort of thing,

I once went to watch ribs nutcracker as two (WL) children very close to our family were dancing and I'd promised I would support them. Thoroughly enjoyed the ballet but when it got to the end I realised I hadn't seen them at all, of course I couldn't tell them that so I did the only possible thing and told them I thought they were lovely!

Also watched my DDs dance in the school summer show one year thinking she looked lovely, right at the end of the dance I realised I'd been watching the wrong girl. I claim immunity on this one as the number was very darkly lit

Another excellent performance this afternoon, including Claire Calvert and Reece Clarke as SPF and Prince - I thought they were wonderful. Calvert has a quiet gravity and grandeur that I like very much, and Clarke is very dashing and elegant. I thought they made a very handsome couple and they danced beautifully. I also very much enjoyed Isabella Gasparini's Clara - sweet, happy and lyrical - and Benjamin Ella's Hans-Peter - sparky and fun. And Itziar Mendizabal was a spectacular Rose Fairy, with her long limbs, grace and palpable connection with the audience. The whole company on fine form.

I was also there today and agree with you wholeheartedly,

I've just noticed on the website of our local arts centre ( not near Chichester ) that there is a dance company comprised of 3rd year tudents from Chichester uni performing in the coming season. The company is called 3Fall dance and there is a YouTube link to their showreel, perhaps you could have a look at that

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dKl3UAnTxUw

You definitely can do it, if in doubt, ask a teenager! ????

(Edited to add smiley)

Last year’s rejection email (well, wait list!) said they’d had over 1680 applicants for 350 places, but no idea of the age breakdown. They are grouped by age. Students aged 14-15 are only eligible for the 2 week White Lodge course. Lots of info on the website http://www.royalballetschool.org.uk/train/summer-programme/white-lodge/

£42000 + income just from summer school applications, most of which are unsuccessful, and with email no postage costs for all those rejections..........

I wonder how much time is spent looking at all those photos, don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking it, I've bought my ticket for that particular 'lottery' in the past too, got to be in it to win it, right, not having a dig, just pondering.....