Dance School Upminster Recommendations

[Simba]

Hi all

 

Nit sure if I'm posting on the right board but I was wondering if anyone had recommendations for a ballet school in the Upminster, Essex area?

 

My dd is 4 and we're ideally looking for one that she can settle into and not have to keep changing

 

TIA

[Jan McNulty]

Hello Simba and welcome to the Forum.

[Simba]

Thanks ?

[hoglett]

Welcome - I don't know but I'm sure there's plenty on this forum who will be able to help.

[Simba]

Thanks ?

 

I was on another forum and this one was recommended to me for help and advice about dance schools.

 

When my dd started dance we just signed up to the local one on word of mouth recommendation which I deeply regret. 

The teacher herself is lovely. The owner of the the school is another story, e.g. unapproachable, over charging for costumes, no much thought or care for students, putting children onto the stage with no stage rehearsal and the costumes literally falling apart or barely hanging on, children dancing the whole number in the wings instead of on stage as the teachers didn't correct the spacing, the senior classes don't seemed to have progressed. 

In short the feeling is that the owner (who took over the business rather than built it up herself which could explain her attitude) seems to just care about doing as little as possible, not wanting to invest in either her teachers or students and getting money. 

 

I would love nothing more than to stop this class and the only reason I don't is that dd loves her teacher. 

 

However on the other forum the advice has been to move dd sooner rather than later.

 

So I ideally just want my dd is the right place and then let dd make the choices of what she continues or doesn't. I feel bad enough about changing schools and would like us to settle into one and not change again.

[Simba]

If no one recommends anywhere, could I post the links on ones that I find and see what people think of them?

[Jan McNulty]

I did a google search on "dance classes in upminster" and came up with this list.

 

I don't know the area but the list seems to cover more than just Upminster.  A couple of them have got reviews.

[Pups_mum]

Not my part of the world I'm sorry so I can't suggest anywhere, but I just wanted to say that I agree with the advice to move sooner rather than later if you are unhappy.

Your daughter probably will be upset, but she's very young and will bounce back quickly I'm sure. The longer you leave it and the more used to that school she gets the harder a change will be. Unless there is a realistic likelihood of things changing in the near future at the current school you are better off changing asap. And the summer holidays is the ideal time to do it as it will be easier to settle in a new school at the start of a new term. Good luck with finding somewhere.

[sarahw]

The forum is fairly quiet currently but I'm sure there will be someone eventually who can help.

[Canary]

If she is only 4 then I would ask other mums at her primary school to see where their children go and advise about the local schools. 

 

Maybe later on If she takes ballet seriously and you can drive in to Wanstead,  then Redbridge Classical Dance Studio is excellent. They teach teddy bears ballet through to Advanced 2 in RAD and have a real family feel. 

[Mumofballetmaddaughter]

From what you've described, I don't think your daughter's current school bodes well for the future and echo the advice already given to move sooner rather than later. Your daughter is very young and as such will most likely adapt to the change quite quickly.  I can't help with recommendations as I don't know the area but doing a search on Netmums or on the various ballet syllabi websites for accredited teachers in your area might give you a few schools/teachers to check out.  Good luck in finding somewhere more suitable.

 

[Simba]

Thanks everyone for the help so far, really useful advice coming through.

 

So based on what everyone is saying I found this

http://www.upminsterdance.co.uk/

and they say they do Classic Ballet which from what is being said is the 'better' one to do seriously later on?

 

Unfortuntely the mum's local to mum recommended the school we currently attend! 

 

Its really hard to know what to do for the best

[sarahw]

That potentially  looks like a good school - RAD is a good syllabus. They have a good range of ballet classes. Personally I would phone and talk to the teacher to get a feel for the place and maybe observe a lesson? At age 4 the main issue is whether your dd will be happy there. Maybe you could ask to watch a DVD of their show?

[2dancersmum]

I don't know your area i'm afraid to offer any specific advice on ballet schools. I would agree with other posters though that if you have doubts about your DDs current school when she is only 4, then you are wise to change while she is still young as those doubts are only likely to grow.

 

I would agree with sarahw above that the school you have linked to looks like it has potential. You need to be looking for a school with a good range of ballet classes, arranged by grade, rather than age as that can be a good indication that your child can progress according to ability rather than age. RAD is a good syllabus and very well known. You can also search by teacher on the RAD website and perhaps find a school that way. Talking to a teacher, visiting the school and watching or doing a trial class will help set your mind at rest. The most important thing of all though, given the age of your DD, is that your DD enjoys her dancing. I'm sure she will soon make friends at a new school.

 

https://www.rad.org.uk/learn-to-dance/find-an-rad-teacher