Schools in bucks/Berks/west London

[Jadeava]

My 9 year old has been badgering me for the better part of a year to let her do ballet. I thought it was a phase but she's showing such an interest in it constantly watching videos on YouTube, reading articles even watching swan lake and others.

She did idta when she was about 4 and stopped cause we moved but it was more for fun then.

So I've decided to look into it further and hoping to find a good school in bucks preferably but can travel to Berkshire or west london. Can anyone recommend any? I don't want to end up sending her somewhere bad or not serious as it will put me off and disappoint her

 

Thanks

[Jadeava]

Also I'm assuming she's not too old, is that correct? Will she be stuck with 5 year olds or do they run beginner classes for 9 year olds?

[Jan McNulty]

Hello jadeava and welcome to the Forum!  I can't answer your question but I am sure other members will be able to come up with suggestions.

 

Do let us know how you get on.

[sarahw]

Hi Jadeava

 

I'm not from your area but my experience is that schools do their best to place newcomers in age appropriate groups. At age 9 they can catch up.

 

In our school it often means not taking the next exam but they are usually caught up well enough to take the one after. Teachers realise the social importance of placing with similar age kids.

 

Good luck!

[coniger]

Heidi Rhodes in Windsor is really good.

[Hambleton]

Baylins Ballet in Beaconsfield excellent too

[Jadeava]

Baylins doesn't have any beginners classes. That would have been my first choice

[Interested Parent]

Try going to the dancers boutique website as they hold details of many good schools in the Bucks local area:

 

http://www.dancersboutique.co.uk/schoolsclasses.html

[Jadeava]

I've looked at the dancer boutique site and there's so many. Has anyone been to any that they can recommend or heard good things about?

[Guest]

Hi I'm not local so don't know specific dance schools in Bucks, however some pointers that might be helpful - how far do you really want to drive? (then think about doing that journey 3, 4 or more times a week, in bad traffic, and when it snows....). Do they offer all the grades up to Adv 2 (OK its a long way off but it sneaks up) Do they offer 'by invitation' teaching for children with aptitude? do dance festivals? what about their track record for getting children into vocational school and associate programs? These are all  indicators of how 'serious' they are, if thats important to you. Also hopefully they would want to assess your daughter in the context of a trial lesson to get a good idea of where she should start.

[Jadeava]

Really great advice mnemo. I don't know what to look for and if my daughter is serious then this is fab advice to go by, especially travelling somewhere 2 or 3 times a week.