angel

Tring summer school is an excellent all round but high level course. I think it's first come first served.

Thats what I meant

I'm no ballet expert but I would say that strengthening exercises such as rises onto demi pointe would be a good start. Great preparation for pointe too. Happy to be corrected

Stirrups36 you make a good point about the Jazz. I have felt that it is not the strongest part of Elmhurst's shows but since Mr Parker came in, wanting Elmhurst to at the very least be an equal partner to Royal Ballet School, it is never going to be the main focus. Go to Hammond if you want to be equally proficient in Jazz, tap and ballet. I am so happy that my younger DD has had that opportunity

I think that jack.b was implying that the Elmhurst students are poorly trained and that their teachers are not up to the job of preparing them for a performance worth watching, rather than commenting on the odd mistake by individuals. It is a very English/British trait to begin a point by also making criticism of oneself (or daughter's school) before making the real point but it wasn't necessary. Whatever happened behind the scenes, these students also deserved enormous credit for what they achieved, even on the matinee. I have always marvelled at the wonderfully polished performances of White Lodge students yet wished that they were allowed to attempt more difficult repertoire (not this year and absolutely no criticism of the amazing, hard working children training there because a few of them will become our ballet stars of the future). What I love about the Hammond and Tring is that the students get to learn many other genres and also have a great deal of fun working on choreography which they are not yet all able to perform in a professionally polished way but which makes for an exciting and varied end of school year show. Congratulations to each and every one of them! I love that I have seen the shows for many of the top schools because each time it is wonderful to see what one school does better than the other. It is useful to know these things in order to direct your own child, if ability, physique and cold hard cash allows. I'm going out on a limb but I think that quite possibly jack.b is a disgruntled parent with a child at a different school who wishes to express that he/she didn't want their child to train there anyway, thank you. We all get a frustrated at times if we feel that our child deserved a place in a school or that another child got a part that we would have wanted our child to perform but rubbishing a whole school performance, technique etc is way too harsh in the Doing Dance section where parents will almost undoubtedly see it. Well done to Elmhurst for allowing the students to perform Elite Syncopations. Wonderful to hear. Sad I didn't get to see it because I know many of the students performing in it and I bet it was wonderful to see. Are they BRB etc yet? No but again, some of these students are the stars of the future....

Pictures, I agree with your last comment and as you say, choreography can be a matter of taste but 'poor' is a judgement which should be made with at least a modicum of training in that area, of which I have none. However, I did see the first matinee performance and came away with a sense of pride for all of the children I know or have watched develop, and anticipation for the future accomplishments of the younger dancers as they move through the school. I'm not sure you're not doing the same as Jack.b implying that a low opinion of these hard working students would have been fair. I didn't see Elmhurst show this time but I'm sure those children all worked incredibly hard.

Well you jack.b, have poor grammar, can't spell, or at the very least are the victim of appalling lack of precision

DD settled in and 'enjoying' being corrected ????????

I have my fingers firmly crossed!

Fabulous Only one small problem to combat now Older DD is in NYB Gala performance at Sadlers wells that evening! Somehow I need to settle DD into her new school, get older DD to SW and go to watch her! Wish me luck

I spotted that but we were too late by the time we heard she was going ????

???? sarahw we have tried our best!x

My philosophy is that I apply for the courses. If they get a place I ask. Royal Ballet school I'm pretty sure you only have to get the ballet teacher's permission (which was a bit tricky for us this year because we applied just as DD had her operation). I too would make my point and insist that they were able to go, especially as you say, they are doing no exams etc. btw Pictures, my middle DD has taken several GCSE's already at Hammond. Some schools do this to ensure more GCSE's can be attained, Hammond do it to make sure that there is time for auditions and productions I guess. With the Centenary 'year' coming up I expect the workload is going to be even higher! People may even get to hear her sing

It covers vocational uniform but still have to buy the school uniform, which is very expensive ????

My DD's have had a few unauthorised absences over the years but in my opinion they gained so much more than they missed. They wish to become performers, not academics

ENBS is an excellent alternative. Just not in the beautiful studios and not residential.

I've only heard from my DD at WL and she says the foreign girls are amazing. <y best guess is that applies to the boys at CG too That said, clean technique wins the day

Would school not authorise the absence for something like that?

Just 6 British girls in the group of girls doing two weeks. Such a wonderful mix of nationalities and a brilliant opportunity to see who will be competing with for post 16 places in vocational schools.

I used to feel that way but a school is a school and our children deserve to be cared for, especially in a boarding environment.

Some of the things I have heard kids getting up to in vocational schools have made me wince ( and I am pretty laid back) but I have had children in other boarding schools, one that made the national news) which have been just as bad. Kids eh (was never like that in my day! )

Yes teaching strategies for dealing with bullying is essential but unfortunately that is the way schools try to deal with it instead of tackling the problem head on and speaking to those children behaving badly. Children shouldn't have to learn to deal with day in day out name calling and chipping away at their self esteem, just for getting a part or improving or even losing weight. The potential for creating a situation where children use self harm as a means of control is way too high in my opinion.

Thank you Pictures and sorry it was such a surprise to you (it was a big surprise to us too but very welcome). I did try to tell you during the show on Friday but it was too noisy and you had to rush off to help! Had imagined by then that the grapevine would have made it's way to you. And yes to is residential now, making it much more accessible to DC from far and wide.

I understand and empathise of course but...yes it makes me sad x

Thank you for being so lovely!! It's nice to have people be supportive. Haven't had a lot of that apart from on here xx