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bluebell

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  1. Congratulations to all the "Yeses" and heartfelt commiserations to all the "Not yets"...JAs/Elmhurst associates is just the start of a very exciting roller coaster of a ride! Good Luck to all your beautiful little dancers for the future-each and every one of them will have something truly special about them! And if you can manage both JAs and Elmhurst Associates timings I would say go for it...it can and has been done very successfully!! They are two very different programmes both offering excellent tuition and experiences:) Best wishes to all those lovely supportive ballet mummies too x
  2. I think that the fact that we have any sort of Government funding at all for dance,drama and music in the Uk is fantastic! And I feel it shouldn't be taken for granted either.. However I do feel that schools should initially award the MDS/DADA without any previous knowledge of the students financial background so that everyone is on a level playing field and funding is purely awarded on talent not financial need.But it's not just "talent" in the ballet world that kids are awarded funding for..it's ideal body shape,length of limb,feet etc etc and kids have these ideal attributes regardless of financial background Every family is different..and have different priorities-especially when it comes to finances. It might not seem fair that slife an afford more private lessons than others...life isn't fair..it's what you make of it and this applies throughout your entire life. There isn't enough funding for everyone..this is a fact..there aren't enough dance contracts at the end of years of dedication,hard work and training..this is a fact. Vocational school training is tough!! Not every child is suited to it regardless of background..not every child will stay the course..due to physical,emotional financial reasons..very few will be offered a contract at the end of years of training..but there is always something you can do dance related if you so chose or go off at a tangent and do something completely different! Just grab every opportunity that life throws at you..some you can afford others you can't..never mind something else will come along! Don't get too hung up about those who are on high or low incomes...make the most of what you have:)
  3. It's a very exciting time..try and treat it as such and put all the nerves to one side! How lovely that your child has auditions at two of the top vocational schools in the UK-you must be so proud:) Whatever the outcome of these auditions it's very important that your child has a positive experience and feels happy and relaxed about it all and doesn't ever feel they have let themselves or their parent down. Hope you both have two very happy and memorable days..I am a little envious I must confess and wish I could turn back time! All the very best:)
  4. Hi mumofthree I think it's never too soon to start researching/planning ahead..BUT as your dd is still only very young at 6 years old I would stress that the key thing at this age is to make dancung a fun and enjoyable event..it can all too quickly become a chore and a bore if too much pressure to succeed is applied too soon:) How about contacting a local gymnastics school for recreational classes to help with flexibility and conditioning? This forum is invaluable!! There are many ballet experts and experienced parents who post on here ready to answer any question you may have:) As far as your funding worries go..by the time your dd auditions for year 7 the way the funding is awarded and amounts may well have changed as may your own financial circumstances-so please don't worry unnecessarily! The very best of luck to your dd for the future..enjoy every step of her dance journey and remember everything is meant for a reason...the highs and the lows:)
  5. Hi Twinkletoesmom Your dd should wear clean,well fitted ballet shoes for the upcoming auditions...a style that she is used to dancing in and feels most comfortable with and a shoe that suits her feet the best! My advice would be to try several types/brands of shoe-like Cinderella-iwell in advance of the auditions until she finds the one that is right for her-maybe ask her ballet teachers opinion as well? Best of luck with her auditions:)
  6. Hi there I know for a fact that students already attending vocational school audition for other schools every year. It won't affect your MDS but I would say it is only courteous that you inform the current school that your child is planning on attending an audition-the school will soon find out anyway as the ballet world is so small! They may want to know why your child is auditioning elsewhere-a good answer is simply that it is for audition practise..long gap between year 7 and 11! I was once told that an audition is never a waste of time-you can always learn something. You need to do what you feel is best for your own child at the end of the day:) Best of luck!
  7. It's perfectly reasonable for you as the paying customer (and a mum!) to decide what is best for your child. Both teachers can enter her for the exam-both their names/dance schools can be on the entry form. It definitely helps to double up on classes at the higher grades-even more so for the vocational grades and can be beneficial to have more than one teacher.
  8. Congratulations Swanprincess! What fantastic news-I'm truly thrilled for you-I've been following your ballet journey on the forum-I was delighted to hear of your summer school success...but now-wow-you must be over the moon!! Well done you for not giving up on your dreams:)
  9. Hello! This is a subject close to my heart!every child who goesto vocational ballet school will all have a different experience-it's a very personal thing! I would say there are pros and cons to consider if you have a child that is exceptionally bright... How academic is your daughter? Is she likely to get bored with the lack of academics at vocational ballet school? I've personally known kids who have struggled as (obviously!) the focus is on dance during the school day...the older they get the harder it becomes for the very academic kids...speaking from personal experience! And if they decide to leave the dance world at 16 and go back to "normal school" to do a levels/uni route it can be very hard for them to settle in and catch up with kids who have been working towards a uni place for the past 5 years! No matter how dedicated the kids are to dance-if they are naturally very academic they can become bored at school! And this is despite the schools best efforts with extra subjects offered and gcses taken early. There is also the factor to consider that the vocational schools can be academically non selective so you end up with a real cross section of different academic abilities. The very bright child can feel pressured into not being perceived as "bright" or "the best in the year" and want to just fit in with the rest of the year group and so ultimately not achieve their academic potential-despite the schools best efforts and support. The plus side is that being away at a vocational ballet school can be a life enriching and very valuable and enjoyable experience. It teaches the kids discipline and good work ethics, the ability to mix with others from a cross section of backgrounds and independance from a young age. It truly is a unique once in a lifetime experience and the child can always come home if they don't enjoy it! At the end of the day your child is known only really well to you..don't be persuaded by others! Best of luck! Please feel free to pm me:)
  10. Hello Alongfortheridemum! My DD has been fitted with several brands of pointe shoes many times at Dancia..always had good shoes fitted and very friendly helpful service too! It's worth noting that they can post items directly to students at vocational school and offer a generous discount for vocational students too (every little helps!)
  11. I agree with you Aileen and feel that the timing of the results for the year 11 students is terrible..the other final auditions are in the next week or so...they are only 15/16 years old and even tho those who have been at vocational school for a long time are quite independant individuals they are still young teenagers who have their important gcses looming... It is almost unbelievable how these kids-and in my mind they are still kids-are expected to dust themselves down and get on with their lives..their vocational school has been their second home and family-it's heart breaking for them. However I do strongly believe that all things are meant for a reason-I sincerely wish every year 11 ballet student going thro the audition process at the moment all the very best-regardless of whether they gain a place at vocational sixth form or not...ballet training is never a waste of time as it teaches you so many important life skills and makes you stand out from the crowd.
  12. These are the top ballet schools in the Uk and also rank extremely highly within the ballet schools worldwide..therefore why shouldn't they ask for that little bit more from the candidates at the final auditions? If the candidates are already at vocational schools they will have already had a taste of solo comps and will have already been taught some advanced steps..if you are likely to "burst into tears" because you can't or don't know how to do an exercise at an upper school final audition then to be quite frank you are not in the right place..you need to be determined and ready to have a go and mentally tough if you want to survive in the ballet school world and beyond...it's something I feel strongly about. You need "fire in your belly" to quote a very well respected retired vocational school artistic director! I truly admire these kids who not only stay for the whole of lower school, make it into upper school and then graduate and land a company contract..it's both a physically and mentally demanding process for them. Best of luck to all those currently going thro the audition process!
  13. Why not give it a go and see how she gets on?! Every child is different and some are able to cope with more than others! If she were part of a competitive artistic gymnastics club it wouldn't be unheard of to be training at least 12 hours a week with more in the holidays at her age...only you and your daughter can make the decisions as to what suits you both!
  14. Dear Snowflake...my dd has extreme hypertension in her arms in particular...our GP actually laughed and said she had "milkmaids arms" when I asked him about it at the age of 3! My dd was fortunate to have very caring and supportive dance teachers who took a lot of time getting her to stand in front of the ballet mirror and showing her how to hold her arms so they didn't appear to be hyperextended....it took a long time but with practise and patience my dd actually ended up with beautifully shaped and expressive ballet arms! As for her knees..well that is another story!! But to sum up nobody has the " perfect" ballet body...there is always something that you need to work on and just as you get it sorted...they grow! Anyway it didn't stop the RB from giving her associate places..summer school places..so don't worry:) have a chat with her ballet teacher would be my advice. Best wishes
  15. Hello! I noticed that you mentioned "beloved modern"! If your daughter hasn't already tried it-might I suggest that you/your dance teacher look into Janet Cram? Its a fantastic experience with great performance opportunity for modern dance. There are similar opportunities for tap and ballet awards too-all info is on the ISTD website. Best wishes
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