Jazzpaws

I think that you would notice the stitch marks, but may be worth stitching some nice stretch lace across the V (maybe even across the base of the back to match) - try funkifabrics.com for ideas - or even fabricland x

Thankyou x

My DD went to the one in February too and loved it, this one clashed with Dance East, but hopefully there will be more around the holiday times. It would be lovely if they did longer bones in London again, fingers crossed !

Awards are tight enough, and then i found this little gem on the DFE website about how providers, the colleges. can manage the award,.he award is paid to the provider and then they can retain 5% as an admin fee

" T17. Any provider administering the DaDAs may use up to 5% of the total (new 

students) allocation to meet administration costs "

I think that is a lot

It is a nicer reply, but it seems to me that the Trinity Diploma can be higher education when it suits ( in that benefits are not available) or not (in that student finance cannot be applied for). Talk about having it both ways. No help to any parents

I am presuming that when it comes to child benefits and child tax credits, The Trinity Diploma would then be considered higher education, or is that just a silly question .

Thank you for posting that - at last some common sense.  My greatest fear is that DaDas have already been cut back this year, so if Michael Gove, Minister for Education, has taken against ballet, the future funding for ballet training may get even worse!

A scary thought !! Hope he drops it and doesn't start a campaign about ballet training being unhealthy for young girls and shouldn't  be supported by public money etc - any excuse to make more cuts

Aileen - they do indeed. I had the letter dropping through the letterbox informing me that DD was less than 4% centile thing. I used it as kindling for my log burner! Every child is different and DD is slight genetically, and full of energy so no worries.

I had no idea of DD's weight until she applied to RBS SA this year and her teacher weighed her. I have 5 daughters and have never bothered with scales in the house. One of my older daughter's best friend suffered from anorexia as a teenager, which was so devastating (nothing to do with dance at all), she happily recovered with support from her family and now has two lovely little boys.

Any high profile dancer will be slim in the same way that athletes are because of their training ! What a storm in a teacup ! 

My eldest daughter did a Portuguese national dance, quite a few years ago now. That was very nice, she carried a basket of grapes. I made the costume from this brilliant book : 

Folk Costumes of the World: Amazon.co.uk: Robert Harrold, Phyllida Legg

I improvised and painted the embroidered flowers on the sleeves with fabric paint - it looked really lovely and now using somewhere like Fabricland could be made for around £30 by my reckoning - a bargain! Perhaps I should start making them and selling them! It was a real pleasure to make   

Hi Clara.  My daughter applied last year was on waiting list for Sunday classes.  The interview was in the offices upstairs; two people- I think the Head of the programme plus an external but not sure- there were two sets of interviews going on at once. It was very friendly at not intimidating at all.  They were clearly trying to get an indication of why dd wanted to do danceeast, level of commitment and interest in dance, how much we understoood the commitment needed to the programme, dance and performance experience, other interests, what kinds of dance like.  I think they also asked about whether we think we'd be eligible for funding.  It was about 10 mins I think.

My DD's interview was just like this the year before - very friendly, nothing to worry about. Good luck !

My DD auditioned last autumn and was offered a place - she had a lovely time. Unfortunately it was impossible to get to the weekly classes from Suffolk so she had to decline. Another student from Dance East accepted and has really enjoyed it - I think his school was more flexible and he lives a little closer.

A lovely day at a lovely venue - and parents can do the museums during the audition 

The damage done to the Hoover by rogue hairpins I could not be bothered to bend down and pick up.

And the washing machine ....

Hi Spannerandpony.

Where is this previous thread. as DD and her friend are new in September (year 10 and !!), it would be lovely to find out as much as possible 

As a matter of interest, does anyone know which councils will grant HB to DADA students

Very impressed by your points Carriecrafts.

 

Seething at the reply- especially the tosh about the not academically gifted. Apart from the fact that dancers have to be extremely intelligent to succeed its basically saying that if you are not academically minded you can't get benefits/loan. Not really expressing myself clearly I know but its madness that a 16 year going to say Central, or Rambert can access loans but those going to DaDa institutions can't get any benefits at all- not even family allowance in some cases.

 

aaaaaagh!

Seething away too !!!

One of my elder daughter's friends successfully battled with anorexia - it was just awful. I find it hard to believe that an anorexic dancer could have a career, they need the calories to fuel their  intense schedules. Horrible to think about the damage that can be done. 

You do have to be careful with this one. I know a couple of teenage dancers who are always having to deal with 'concern' over their thin physique and it is completely natural. They have always been that way and it is genetic.

Absolutely ! my DD has this all the time and eats like a horse!

Yes it was a lovely day, my DD had a lovely time and so did I. There are lots of lovely action photos of the junior classes, would be nice to see some from the senior classes too

Could try something comical like When father papered the parlor - that could be a song and dance too

11-12 years is a bit  in between in the terms of age - does your dd look old or young for her age. what about the Little Match Girl, Alice in Wonderland, Rumpelstiltskin or Ugly Duckling. Also Helen Keller or Florence Nightingale. Or you could tell a story of a beggar child, child with leprosy, heroic child rescuing baby from fire and then flames catching her skirt . then there's the music to think of. Good luck !!

Gary Avis certainly did. He went to Bird College at 16 to do musical theater and was offered a place at RBS after 2 years ! The rest is history. I have no idea how common this is, but I think it may be more possible for boys as i understand girls start college at 16.

Bring on more access to student finance like Central !

I think it's a flat playing field for all at 16 anyway Where anyone has been before, guarantees nothing .

Good luck to her. My dd is there today on her Easter intensive - she really enjoyed both audition days, so well worth having a go  

Would it work better if the  DADA scheme is replaced by the Conservatoire scheme, and student finance is available to students at 16.

IF I understand it properly, fees are topped(depending on family income) up and then student finance is available for the remainder of fees and maintenance costs.

This would help out low income families and those families with a high income would have to pay far less. Plus, successful dancers and actors would eventually pay back into the system. It sounds far too easy so I am sure I have been very silly and missed something vital !!

Am i right (probably am)  in assuming that if a DC receives a DADA, then child benefit and any portion of child tax credits goes ?

I think there are more than 50,000 undergraduate courses available each year which are eligible for student finance, wonder how many vocational ballet courses there are.

Pretty impossible to just take out a loan for £15000, if earning less than £20000 and with other living, mortgage costs etc to contend with. - lenders are not that kind.

I think dance students deserve the same opportunity that academic students have to student finance.