celb

Have a great time everyone.I am disappointed not to be spending the day in Covent Garden but could do with a rest really. Like you chaperone my DD has been offered a spot next year - we will need to see if it fits in with our plans as its audition year.

My DD got WL finals for year 7 but did not get MAs - there were 10 from her JA class at finals that year though ( 2 were offered WL places - one accepted the place and one declined the place).My DD did later get an SA place but turned it down as she continued at vocational school.

Does anyone know if you have to pay the course fee on application or wait until you find out if your application is successful.

The photos are the same as last year .I worked through the application form until I got to the photo page then did a screenshot on my iPad.

My DD managed to break the polymer shanks on the Dream Pointes on both feet within a few weeks of dancing in them.We returned them via Dancia to Grishko and won't be buying them again at such an expense.She wear the Grishko 2007 pros for performance but they only last about 3 performances otherwise she has gone back to Bloch serenade strongs for durability.

Girls formal jacket size adult small £30 (£86 new)

Girls year7-8 mulberry formal top wear moi size child 3 £5 (£19.95 new)

Dancing boutique Black character skirt with 3 blue ribbon hoops no size label but Velcro waist 24" and length 26" £10 (£36.50 new)

My daughter was an average sized year 7 when these were purchased and about 1m47 in height

I thought it was entertainment winning over dance in the public vote unfortunately.

I would definitely recommend letting your DD re audition for a year 5 JA place if she wants to.The majority intake is for year 5 , there are few places for year 4.The audition experience in itself usually makes for a fun day out, regardless of outcome

Likewise no news from my DD - no doubt too busy & having too much fun to get in touch.She is in group D so it's good to know that they had some Pas de Deux.

Daria Klimentova was in the Czech national gymnastics team

The end of year vocational school summer show provides an essential part of dance training for our DCs -performance skills .For some children this is their only performance opportunity of the year.I was delighted to see my DD perform in 3 different dances at Elmhurst.I feel the artistic staff are listening to feedback with regard to more performance opportunities.I know recently the children had a forum with Mr Parker on how to fit in more performing within the school year and during the interval there was a survey of the audience being undertaken in the foyer.Indeed between the matinee and evening performance of the lower school show a final curtain call for all students was added.In her first year my DD was only in one MT number.Since the lower and upper school shows were split I think all children have been cast to do a ballet performance as well as other genres.Teachers and choreographers will always have favourites this is a fact of dancing life .My DD accepts this with resilience and and continues to work with determination .What struck me most about the Elmhurst lower school shows was how much fun the children were having - their joy of dance really shone through.

If you want to see what the odds are each year the royal ballet school publishes details of the numbers of students auditioning for each centre and the numbers selected for full time and associate training in their annual report.I'm sure one of the moderators will be able to add a link to the currently available report.

They also run an Easter course

Daria Klimentova was in the Czech national gymnastics team before switching to ballet

It has been a good lesson in resilience and determination .... Both for DD and the rest of the family.

Getting back to the topic of appraisals we are breathing a sigh of relief as DD has passed her year 9 reappraisal after 3 months in limbo- back in February the rest of her classmates got a yes or a no whereas our DD got a maybe.While DD was pleased that the school had enough faith in her to give her another chance to make the grade it was a highly stressful time, auditioning for and provisionally accepting vocational and associate places at other schools.It will be good news for a couple of other waiting list DCs as we hand back places.

I know of a couple of Hammond students who do some of our local festivals

Train tickets purchased this morning thank you for the advance notification

Get well soon to your younger DD

My DD wore these shoes for her first couple of years en pointe after her first 6 months in Grishko proflex.They really seemed to suit her feet at the time( narrow high arch hyper mobile but weak).I think she wore the Entrada with flex sole .They looked very pretty on with a tapered box. There are a large variety of styles and sizes of vamp shank width U or V cut with or without drawstrings.They are a very pale pink satin.My DD found them more durable than Freed and similar to Grishko.

The ballet teacher told me they are updating the website and hope to have it up and live before the open day which is Thursday March 13

Zacharovitti it is well known for occasional students to be selected for full time vocational training from Summer School

Ribbons I was thinking of persistent and recurrent stress injuries or instability / turnout issues due to hyper mobility and suchlike where the child despite best efforts of body conditioning and specific rehabilitation are unable to catch up to the level of their peers.I do know of schools supporting children off dance in some cases for 18 months but at some stage it may become apparent that a child is not going to be able to perform or train at the required level.

At Elmhurst the children are not assessed out before year 9. Due to the intensity of dance training and pubertal growth and physique changes it is not uncommon for children who appear perfect for classical ballet training at 11 to change significantly in a few years.For example on my very first look round Elmhurst I counted 6 students on crutches.

In all the excitement on current threads over auditions please spare a thought for all the vocational DCs who are having their appraisals in the next couple of weeks.Wishing all the best to all DCs that they perform to their potential and positive vibes to all the anxious parents out there.