annaliesey Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 I am bound to go wrong this morning. I have my travel apps at the ready but haven't been on a bus in years lol... What could possibly go wrong ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 I've found the bus routes themselves to be fine - except when there was an unexpected road closure in Battersea that resulted in dd and I being abandoned in an unknown residential area of Battersea.....half an hour before her Advanced 1 exam. Make sure the mapping system on your phone works - just in case!! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annaliesey Posted July 14, 2016 Author Share Posted July 14, 2016 Oh no Anna that's what I'm worried about! We will leave early, keep maps on and hope for the best 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 Good luck! :-) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pups_mum Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 You do know that you can't pay with cash on London buses any more do you annaliesey? A friend of mine got caught out by that a few months ago. You need an oyster card or a one day travelcard, which you can buy from tube stations, railway stations and ( i think) some shops like newsagents. Just leave plenty of time in case of delays and i am sure you will be ok. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annaliesey Posted July 14, 2016 Author Share Posted July 14, 2016 I was planning on travel card but it could all go wrong!! Haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
margarite Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 You can also use a contactless debit card instead of an Oyster or Travelcard - saves time! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate_N Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 Buses are very very much improved nowadays. They announce the stops and you can cross reference with a map app which shows your location as you travel along the road. Good luck to you both! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annaliesey Posted July 14, 2016 Author Share Posted July 14, 2016 (edited) Haha it seems I am destined to not travel by bus despite getting all prepared for it ... (Bit like my attitude to parallel parking but that's another thread) So I've just had phone call from teacher to say the other girls are wearing ribbons on their flats so my DD might like to too ... Now journey re-routed via Dancia Covent Garden for flipping new shoes (can't have new ribbons on old shoes etc) and new ribbons to me to sew on on the tube on the way. (Wonder what odd looks I'm gonna get as 'bad-ballet-mum-should-know-better') Haha!! Bring on the costas! So I'm now kings cross to Covent Garden, to South Kensington, to West Brompton to Clapham Junction Edited July 14, 2016 by annaliesey 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 Presumably you already know the bus numbers to get etc The 170 does stop practically outside the RAD and is easier both ways from Clapham Junction as its nearer Clapham so less traffic on the final bit but of course does go from Victoria. The 19 bus goes almost all the way but a 5-10 min walk to the RAD from where it terminates. It depends exactly where you are entering London from but definitely if on Southern or South Western trains I would get off at Clapham Junction. You then walk out of the station all the way down towards Platform 2 where the London overland trains go from and the bus 170 stops right outside that exit to the station. The studios at RAD are all terrific. I've missed the purpose .....is it an exam? Very good luck with it if so!! It's great these days just being able to use contact less bank cards on the tube and buses .....the other day I realised had forgotten Oyster card and just used bank card in a way easier as you're not forever checking how much is left on the Oyster especially when you don't live in London and use all,the time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 The way your day is going so far, perhaps you should pop out for a nice glass of Pimms instead of Costa! :-) 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pups_mum Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 I might be inclined to take the tube from covent garden to victoria and then get the 170 from there - less changes to go wrong! Good luck anyway. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 I might be inclined to take the tube from covent garden to victoria and then get the 170 from there - less changes to go wrong! Good luck anyway. Definitely. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Picturesinthefirelight Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 Is it an exam? If so then to be honest I would not advise wearing new shoes for an exam. Your dd needs to be comfortable & familiar with her shoes. (My dd has never worn ribbons on ballet flats so I don't really have experience of that) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annaliesey Posted July 14, 2016 Author Share Posted July 14, 2016 Thanks so much everyone Yes it's interfoundation exam She definitely wants to not be the odd one out today and has pleaded with me to get her split sole satin, even as early birthday pressie, just to look nice for today. She usually dances in a school hall so I anticipate the average life of new satin shoes before big toe makes an appearance to be approximately 4 classes if I'm lucky Ok might get tube to Victoria although I'm happier with tube changes. It's a bit physiological really as I think when you are underground you don't question where you are going and just follow the stops. But overground there's the temptation to look about and start questioning haha 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Picturesinthefirelight Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 Split sole canvas gives a lovely shape to the foot & I would have thought was more hard wearing than satin. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 Well whichever way you go, best of luck - and chookas to your dd for the exam. :-) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygirlsmum Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 Don't know if it's rad rule or our dance teacher but we were told full sole shoes for IF exam. Good luck to your DD xx 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legseleven Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 Split soles can be worn for all levels of RAD exams and examiners can't penalise candidates wearing them. This includes split sole pointe and soft blocks. There was previously a thread on this and although it seemed from RAD literature that they don't encourage split soles, shall we say, they are accepted in their exams. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixiewoo Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 Split soles can be worn for all levels of RAD exams and examiners can't penalise candidates wearing them. This includes split sole pointe and soft blocks. There was previously a thread on this and although it seemed from RAD literature that they don't encourage split soles, shall we say, they are accepted in their exams. that's interesting, as my DD was encouraged to get split soles by her ballet teacher, and the lady in the shop kept telling us that if it was for an exam, she wouldn't be allowed to wear them. we got them anyway, as next ballet exams are a few months away, and no doubt DDs feet will have grown by then and anyway, the shoes will look trashed! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annaliesey Posted July 14, 2016 Author Share Posted July 14, 2016 Well we got here, got ribbons on and she's gone in! Bus wasn't that bad, the only tricky bit was finding bus stop G at Victoria and I loved using the maps to follow my bus on gprs how times change hehe 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 Crikey - sounds like a stressful day. Hope it went OK. ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 ....and breathe! hope it went well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annaliesey Posted July 14, 2016 Author Share Posted July 14, 2016 Thank you all ???? When you're feeling like you're gonna have a stressy time there's always balletco friends Unfortunately she had a complete brain fart moment and did an exercise completely on the other side. It was the pirouettes one and after taking one step she realised immediately but carried on with a smile regardless (oops) Apart from that she seemed quite happy 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 Crikey - sounds like a stressful day. Hope it went OK. ... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 Sorry that posted twice. I don't think doing an exercise on the wrong leg should be marked heavily at all so fingers crossed! ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 Good girl for keeping going! and with a smile... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dance*is*life Posted July 16, 2016 Share Posted July 16, 2016 I don't think that doing the pirouette exercise with the other foot would matter, because all the pirouettes are shown on both sides in the exercise, so the examiner would still see what she needs to. I am surprised that she nearly went in without ribbons on her shoes - her teacher should have told you that some time ago! Split or full soles are optional, but ribbons are compulsary, so good thing you made the effort. Good luck to her! By the way, I tend to go to South Kensington station and take a bus from there to Battersea Bridge Road and walk five minutes from there. If you're running late the taxi ride is not very expensive from South Ken., which is an advantage! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Picturesinthefirelight Posted July 16, 2016 Share Posted July 16, 2016 (edited) Ribbons are not compulsory on flats. Dd didn't wear them for her vocational grade exams (though of course she had them on her pointes & soft blocks) Edited July 16, 2016 by Picturesinthefirelight 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted July 16, 2016 Share Posted July 16, 2016 Ribbons are not compulsory on flats. Dd didn't wear them for her vocational grade exams (though of course she had them on her pointes & soft blocks) Worth bearing in mind that Inter Foundation is the only RAD Vocational exam where you can wear flat shoes anyway. From Inter upwards soft blocks are compulsory. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Picturesinthefirelight Posted July 16, 2016 Share Posted July 16, 2016 Because dd has her exams at school I don't have any involvement as such (I just pay the bills!) & provide any items of uniform she asks for! For her IF I think she wore 3 different pairs of shoes. Split sole canvas flats (normal uniform ballet flats) soft blocks & pointes. I have no idea what she wore for intermediate! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annaliesey Posted July 16, 2016 Author Share Posted July 16, 2016 Yeah the whole ribbon thing was a bit confusing. Apparently dd's teacher said she thought she may need them but would check and come back to us. This conversation was with directly between DD and teacher and both promptly forgot! 3 other girls in the exam session made sure they had ribbons then right at the last min teacher phoned to say DD prob would want them so she wouldn't look like odd one out in the session but she wouldn't be penalised if she didn't have them. But her canvass flats did look a bit scruffy as in not very new and clean looking. I just thought ribbons with them would look very odd. I've never seen anyone wear ribbons with canvass shoes I guess it's worth knowing the right answer for anyone else caught out by this Teacher doesn't think she will get marked down for wrong side as says they are looking at pirouettes .. Is she just being kind and optimistic? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dance*is*life Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 soft pointe shoes– pink with ribbons (soft ballet shoes may be worn for the Intermediate Foundation exam only – pink with ribbons) I copy pasted this from the RAD website. In a section above this on the required uniform, it notes that waistband and hairband are optional, but says nothing about the shoe ribbons being optional, so I think you can be fairly sure that ribbons are compulsory. That doesn't mean that a candidate entering without ribbons on her shoes would be marked down for it or refused entry, but it is not optional - it is required. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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