dancerbabe82

Well done! and good luck for all the finals and things!

Are you doing the RAD? In my experience examiners rarely say Dessus or Dessous as they sound so similar (like Anjuli_Bai says). I knew one tutor who pronounced them 'dessooo' and 'desohh' but on the CD's when they used to announce the names of the exercises they sounded the same...

Anyway - under is back-side-front and over is front-side-back and both can be done with the front foot or the back foot and in an exam the examiner would say which foot to use.

I've not heard of doing a pas de bouree devant (front-side-front) starting with the back foot or a pas de bourree derriere (back-side-back) starting with the front foot but thats not to say it couldn't ever happen....

There's so much literature and work being done to show that pointe before the right age - but more importantly, without the right strength and control - can be so damaging. I don't understand why people think it's necessary! If the children were ever to go into vocational training they'd be taken off pointe and re-trained anyway. In fact they'd probably have so many bad habits that they wouldn't get into decent vocational schools.

As for Dance Moms - its on youtube but only in parts I think. in the US it's shown on Lifetime although the lifetime website is blocked from the UK. I have friends in the US who record it and share it on a skydrive with me. - Season 2 is much more extreme and I think a lot of it is 'staged' but I'm still hooked!

Similarly I'm sure there have been programmes which would leave the uninitiated believing that every child who is learning ballet is anorexic and is tutored by a terrifiying teacher dressed head to toe in black, barking orders at her terrified pupils!

Best to take all these things with a pinch of salt I think.

It doesn't show that they're anorexic but there's a tv show that is shown on the American channel 'Lifetime' and can be found on youtube called 'Dance Moms' and it follows a competition studio in the US - The studio owner wears black, and barks at her students until they cry though it's so extreme it's ridiculous! I love the show though, because it's hysterically funny (not intentionally - but as a dance teacher it is!) and apart from the madness, the children ARE very talented and its interesting to see.

I dont know how you guys feel about travelling or where you are based but I know that the Midlands associates (MIDAS) have spaces in their senior class (because I wrote to them regarding one of my students) - their auditions are in May I think :-)

Thats great news! Thanks for sharing with everyone too :-)

Thanks Celb. I was given this info by a collegue who is doing something dance science-y at Wolverhampton University.

If you are injured and need to see a consultant there is a new Sport and Exercise Medicine Consultant at Queen Elizabeth Hospital who specialises in Dance Medicine.  Your GP can give a direct referral to him or use the “Choose and Book” system.  His name is Leon Creaney, Physiotherapy Department, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham.

The more dancers he sees, the service will increase.  At the moment he only has clinic on a Monday and Tuesday.

Have you tried any of her suggestions? I'm really interested as a teacher in this area so I'd love to hear. Also does anyone have the DVD?

Hi everyone - A couple of people mentioned this course last year, on another thread so I just thought people might like to know that they've just posted info about this years summer school (they call it a summer training intensive - back to school course) on their facebook page. I emailed them about some of my students and they said the summer course was open to anyone ie not auditioned or based on photos etc.

Keep dancing and keep smiling :-)

Amy

Hi everyone, thanks for your help in this. I've spoken to my pupils parents and also emailed the director of the MIDAS scheme who seemed very knowledgeable. She's going to audition for them and we might try contacting Hammond after 1/2 term too. And for those people who did the MIDAS summer school the lady said they were doing it again this year but 5 days (Aug 20-24 incl) using more than 1 studio so I think the juniors and seniors classes will run side by side if I've understood correctly. She said they'd open up applications after Easter so it's a case of keeping a watch on their website/Facebook page.

Sounds like some tightness in the upper calf muscle. Probably related to growing as bones grow faster than muscles, and your DD is at the 'growth spurt' age. Have a go at massaging her calves, with a bit of oil or lotion, and really try to iron out the 'knots' (she might not like it too much though!) and then do some really gentle but long (1min) calf stretches (my students stand in parallel 4th with both feet facing forwards then bend the front knee.) Also some hamstring stretches (long and gentle) might help too... Good luck

Thanks for your advice - this forum is really great! It sounds like the MIDAS scheme is worth a look for my pupil because of her age and it's close by etc. Maybe they've tapped into a gap in the market there! I havent heard until I started looking online and it does look quite good - What was the summer course like? I might recommend that to my pupils

JulieW thanks for that - What have you heard about the MIDAS one? I might get in touch with them as it seems to be the kind of thing we're looking for but it's always helpful to hear what people think about the classes themselves.

Sparkedust are you in the midlands too? What a shame about Hammond!

Or the Midland theatre ballet?

Wow thank you everyone for your responses. I'll certainly talk to her parents - I think money is a bit of an issue and some of those easter/summer schools are rather pricey but perhaps better than trekking to London or Leeds. That CAT programme looks interesting but from the video it doesn't seem to be the right thing for her, she's more of a ballet/jazz/musical theatre student.

I've just come across something on facebook - does anyone know anything about this Midlands Independent Associate Scheme? https://www.facebook.com/MIDASdance

Ah right - it just seems weird that they build up these kids by taking them to finals and then not take a single one?!

Thanks everyone - I think her parents are pretty supportive. Chester is a possibility from where we are but I think they were hoping for something in the Midlands - its such a shame that Elmhurst don't have Mids like RBS.

isn't this just like what EYB do?

Hi everyone I'm new to the forum so sorry if I'm not up to speed with the ettiquette etc!

I've got a dance pupil who's currently in year 7 - she does really well in festivals etc (gets placed regularly) and gets distinctions in all her exams, and I know she's got a lot of talent but she didn't get in to RBS mid associates and Elmhurst don't have associates older than year 7.

I was wondering if there was anything else that she could do in the area that anyone recommends? She did EYB but it was more of the same that we already do (lots of shows, festivals, panto etc) - she could do with extra technique or body conditioning and I can't afford to run a class for just 1 pupil.... I know there's Tring but thats a nightmare to get to (we're in Shropshire), and Northern Associates is also too far to travel. Any ideas?!

Thanks! Amy

Why do they take kids to finals for years8-11 and then not accept any into the year? Do you have to pay to go to finals? Hope it's not a financial thing!

Hi all.

There's always some confusion here because of the names of the courses - the Tring Associates is NOT like every other associate programme and their associates do RAD and ISTD syllabus work after school and it's not audition-based (I don't think.. unless thats changed). A pupil of mine a wwhile back used to do it and they had her in an RAD ballet class a grade lower than with me which caused some confusion and they wanted her to do the grade exam there.

Their Classical Ballet Academy (CBA) is like everyone elses associate program - non-syllabus, auditon needed etc

Hope that helps!