KathyG Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Today my DD (25 yr old recreational tap dancer) got an email from her dance school to say the principal had after much heart searching sold the school due to other commitments. DD later got a call from her teacher who she met with to be told all adult and advanced classes have been cut and only classes up to grade 6 would be taught. DD has completed right through to Adv 2 so syllabus isn't what she's after. The class she was taking was an advanced free class. As an adult dancer finding a class to suit is difficult and my DD is gutted as she loved her teacher and style of teaching, we're hoping they can find a location to continue as DD says she can't start over again at another school. What a good start to the new school year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Oh no! I understand her feelings. If there are not more than 5 dance in my adult ballet class next term we may lose our class completely. I sympathise. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anjuli_Bai Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 I have never understood why it is so difficult to find adult classes - it is the same way here. I adored teaching adults - so wonderfully gratifying. They work so hard and are so appreciative. Even as the years go by - they keep in touch. I had lunch just two weeks ago with a wonderful lady who took class from me beginning in the early 1980's. Others still keep in touch, too - Why is this population group so underserved and over looked? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Oh no! I understand her feelings. If there are not more than 5 dance in my adult ballet class next term we may lose our class completely. I sympathise. You're lucky, Fiz. The cut-off for mine is 11, I believe. Kathy, I hope your daughter manages to find something suitable. I suspect this is going to happen more and more (certainly in the adult education sector), and probably more teachers will have to go out and set up on their own. I wonder if teacher training courses cover anything about setting up your own classes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidW Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 I know a little of how your DD feels. I (24yr old guy) was taking RAD Intermediate classes at my local school with the most amazing teacher (ex-Royal Ballet Principal). I've been working on the syllabus for about 8 months now and have it all pretty much down except for the variation. Then the secretary of the school takes me aside before my last class before the summer break and tells me that the school is putting on a show in March (for which I obviously mustn't have been considered for participation) and as such they think I should "take a break" and leave the school for 6 months or so until it's over. It actually really hurt when she said that - I've worked really hard to master the syllabus (I only started ballet/dancing a year before I started taking the RAD Intermediate classes) with the ultimate aim of taking the exam (my first ballet exam ever) and it all seems to have been a bit in vain. The teacher thinks it's a bit ridiculous that I have to leave and has even offered private lessons, but being a postgraduate student there is no way I can afford that (she's not exactly cheap!). The school said they'd make a final decision at the start of September (which doesn't exactly give me too much time to search for other schools). It's so frustrating, it seems being a 'serious' recreational adult ballet dancer is one obstacle after another! I hope you DD finds somewhere else or the school sorts out a venue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 That's outrageous David! :-(. Why aren't the school continuing to run syllabus classes as well as show work? We moved my dd at 7 to her current school because every other year the only classes were in preparation for their show. Fortunately our current school manages to do both. Would it be worth asking your teacher to speak to the principal/Director to say that it's not really on to enforce a 6 month break, eight months into a syllabus? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miss.pointe Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 This is so sad! As some of you know I am at the beginning of my dance teacher training and part of my vision is to teach adults... would love to get ideas from people here one day on what adults are looking for in an adult dance class. Good luck to all of you who are forced to stop your classes and hoping something greater and better shows up! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Philippa is lovely but she has to have a little profit as the heating and lighting and rent are the only ones benefiting from us being there at the moment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FullContretemps Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Ooh I appreciate this problem too! I've been so lucky with my dance school at home as our advanced class ranges from 15/16 up to 20s/30s. Mostly people who grew up in the school but a few people join in too and are so glad to find such provision in a small town! Now I'm moving I'll be going back to the same studio I was at when at Uni and my teacher is letting me join her class of teens again Apparently there's a couple of others my age (early 20s) but like DavidW they are only doing show work next term and I was just ready to take my Adv Foundation.She doesn't even teach Adv Foundation so I'll have to go straight to Adv1 in January but glad that there is something for me at least! Hope you find something! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie 2 Milner Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 So sad to be losing classes and David outrageous to exclude you. My son's local school had a senior contemporary class which had many adults. Come show time they were asked who would like to take part. I think they all did. Now, by any objective standard many weren't "good" but they loved the class. The teacher choreographed brilliantly to incorparate everyone fully and to their ability. Indeed my son, then 16, did alot with a much older guy. This guy was chunky, got a bit puffed but they did some great work together. I actually asked my son and a couple of friend how they felt. This was prior to him going to vocational. Most thought it was great. They loved working with those who took their ballet/dance seriously but who had other lives and jobs. Gave them perspective. Also it gave them an insight to how good a good choreographer is. Another local school always had adults in the show and even entered adults in the local festival. A school should showcase everyone. I do hope you all find classes. I was very sad to give up mine a few years ago. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliepops Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I'm surprised they aren't including you as it would be a great opportunity for both you and the female students to work on some partnering work together, which everyone would learn from and enjoy. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 David, that is terrible! I am narked on my own behalf. It's our school's show in February, and Christina and and another girl, as well as me, started choreographing something. It was great fun and very pretty. She asked us if we would be prepared to dance it at the show. It turns out that only one other girl as well as myself would do. So we aren't doing it - unless I suggest to Christina that we do it as a duet! I might just do that 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidW Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Thanks for all the support guys! I'm more bothered about missing classes than the show (I perform with an adult group in Bristol and have a big performance coming up in December so I'm not missing out too much, though it would have been nice to have been asked) and hopefully something will get sorted. I'm going to call the school this coming week and see if anything has been decided. Otherwise I guess I need to go dance school hunting... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie 2 Milner Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 No idea if she does them or if they would suit but haven't Chikka Tema and her husband Yuri, who used to run Swansea Ballet Russes, opened studios in Bristol? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primrose Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 David, if you live in the Bristol area, the Bristol Russian Ballet school does adult classes. They are non syllabus based, however they are run by an ex Bolshoi priniple dancer who is very passionat about his students. I do understand though that you may want to continue your syllabus based class. For anybody living in or around Birmingham, dance xchange do ballet classes run by ex birmingham ballet teachers.They are on a Saturday morning and through school holidays. There is a lady called Faith Bullivant who runs them. The classes are fantastic. During the holidays many students from Royal ballet school, Elmhurst, my dd attend these classes, especially if they are run by Julie Felix ex ballet mistress and dance injury teacher to the Birmingham ballet company. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primrose Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Julie 2 Milner I must have been typing when you posted this, this is who I am talking about in my above post. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidW Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Thanks for the suggestion guys - I'll definitely get in touch with them. I don't know whether I'll be able to fit in the time to head to Bristol for the third time each week (I already go for two different performing groups) but will see! I notice on their website they offer an Adult Ballet class and also a "Boys Class" which I would definitely be interested in (got to work on those double tour en l'airs!). Will let you know if I manage to fit in some classes there! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 My tap teacher sold her dance school and retired, but carried on teaching just adults one evening a week. She likes it as she says she can keep her hand in, so to speak, and can stay fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie 2 Milner Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 David my son danced with Swansea Ballet Russe whilst at Elmhurst. He had nothing but praise for them both. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primrose Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Heather is so fortunate to have lessons with them, she owes so much to both of these wonderful people. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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