How to help DD

[PlainJaney]

DD almost 12 has been dancing since around 6.

Just ballet and tap initially then over the years giving up different activities and gave up another at Christmas to focus more on dance.

Now she takes several different styles, some styles taking two classes (ballet)

She's quite passionate and she says she would like to do something related to dance for a job.

Only being year 7, I assume she doesn't need to think about what that something is just yet (Y9 maybe?)? However I wonder if she will struggle over the next few years because she doesn't do the same amount of training as her good dance friend and therefore her friend will excel and DD will be lacking skills/technique.

Unfortunately, I can't afford everything her friend does. She does all the classes that DD does (plus a few others at the studio they attend) plus a ballet associate on a Saturday and two other associates on Sundays. Her friend also attends lots of workshops, I send DD when I can afford it and get her there. Her friend takes private lessons aswell.

DD does some stretch classes/conditioning at home but seems to struggle to fit it in every night like her friend because of homework and wanting time to relax/chat to friends whereas her friend is dance, dance, dance (she hardly chats to DD outside of classes anymore)

To study dance further do you need to be in classes every day of the week, attending a couple of associates and spending every spare minute doing something to help with dance?

If I can't afford more do I need to look at what classes she currently does and over the next few years? If she knows what something it is she wants to do with dance do I look at which classes will help the most, so far example dropping street for another ballet class?

Would it be worth me suggesting to DD about applying for a good ballet associate and if funds don't stretch dropping all classes apart from ballet, tap and modern but would this mean the gap would widen more because she would have varied dance styles then?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Jewel]

It is a case of quality over quantity.  

 

My dd did used to do some workshops etc but only if we felt she would get something specific out of it.  A good ballet summer school during the long holidays and some workshops/summer schools from Year 9/10 onwards at colleges she might be interested in auditioning at.

 

There are LOTS of pack 'em in workshops by "names" with actually no individual attention. No harm in doing them as long as you can afford it and you just treat it as a fun day.

 

I would say that good quality ballet, jazz or modern and possibly tap classes should be the focus with maybe one good associate scheme.  Try to include a class that ins't just syllabus.  Street, contemporary, etc etc are all fine but not really necessary at this stage.  If its something a child absolutely loves then great, but it won't confer any particular advantage.  

 

As she gets older depending then perhaps a singing lesson/class might be a better thing to add in because so many of the dance colleges include singing now to add an extra string to their bows.

[Jewel]

Also, don't forget the chance to actually perform.  It's easy to lose your love of dance it there is nothing but class.

[glowlight]

If your dd wants a career in dance, now is a good time to start working towards that, but you are right she doesn't need to decide exactly what yet.  

 

Whilst there are plenty of 11 year olds who dance every day of the week, I don't believe it to be essential.  

 

At that age my dd was doing 1 evening associate class and dancing a couple of other evenings a week.  This did increase in the subsequent years, but she only ever did one associate scheme at a time, and we always tried to keep at least one evening and one weekend day free of dance.  It was only when she was in Year 11 and preparing to audition for 6th form entry to Vocational dance schools that our whole weekends became absorbed.  She went on to vocational school at 16 and then worked as a dancer on cruise ships for 5 years.

 

I suggest you speak to your dd's dance teacher, explain that dd would like a career in dance and ask their advice on how best to tailor her training within your budget.

 

I would definitely consider applying for good ballet associates schemes as they provide a different type of training to your local dance school, and give your child the chance to train with other dancers with similar aspirations.  You may even find that there is financial support available for some schemes.

 

Above all, try not to compare what your dd is doing with what her friend is doing.  For so many reasons what is right for one person will not be right for another. I think if my dd had been dancing every evening at 11 she would have burned out and given up, but it is right for some people.  

[Neverdancedjustamum]

I also think it will largely depend on what kind of dance-related job she would like in the future. Is it a career in classical ballet or a more varied/multi-genre one? My DD about 3 years ago was contemplating a future career in dance (to be fair, amongst other possible careers) but the last 2 years have been extremely eye-opening for us. My DD loves diff genres of dance but admittedly takes more ballet classes and even dabbled with the idea of applying for full time over couple of years ago. However, when we both saw the time and finance commitment it would take, both of us just slowly lost interest. She has been dancing since she was 5 but it was only in the last 2-3 years the full extent of what it takes to successfully apply for a full time place in top ballet schools dawned on us. I am sure a lot would have diff experiences and I do think it’s a bit diff for boys and girls but we have witnessed a lot of cases of DCs who successfully get into full time places by doing lots of classes, multiple associates, sometimes attend multiple schools/teachers, private lessons, Pilates, conditioning, workshops, intensives - just witnessing these first hand made us feel exhausted. We didn’t have the commitment, focus, financial means and time to even get close to what these other kids were doing. My DD decided then and there she just wanted to enjoy dance for how it is and how she first fell in love with it. With no pressure or any immediate goal. She wanted lots of time to devote to school work and friends and her other activities such as art and sports.  There was just no way we could invest that much money and time (nor would we have wanted to) especially since she was also preparing for important academic entrance exams at the time and this for us would always be priority. However, this is more classical ballet. I have seen numerous DCs succeed in multi-genre even if they started getting serious later on. They attend “normal” school until Year 11 and then successfully get into vocational schools for 6th form and on to varied employment. It would very much depend on what your DD wants as a dance job. 

Edited February 11, 2022 by Neverdancedjustamum

[Jan McNulty]

4 hours ago, PlainJaney said:

DD almost 12 has been dancing since around 6.

 

 

 

Hello PlainJaney and welcome to the Forum!

[glissade]

3 hours ago, Neverdancedjustamum said:

We didn’t have the commitment, focus, financial means and time to even get close to what these other kids were doing. My DD decided then and there she just wanted to enjoy dance for how it is and how she first fell in love with it.

I do believe that, for many, a non-dancing career combined with amateur dance activities is perhaps more satisfying and fulfilling than dancing professionally would have been for them.

[Anna C]

2 hours ago, glissade said:

I do believe that, for many, a non-dancing career combined with amateur dance activities is perhaps more satisfying and fulfilling than dancing professionally would have been for them.

 

Absolutely, and with much less tendency to have far-reaching after-effects, both physical and emotional.  @Neverdancedjustamum is so right - when my dd made the decision to go to uni rather than back to full-time ballet training (and had the choice made for her by her body), she carried on with Tring CBA and RAD Advanced 2 classes.  With the pressure of auditioning off, her love of ballet was reignited and she started to really look forward to her classes.  If she had an off day, or needed to rest a certain joint, it just didn’t matter.  If she fell out of pirouettes, it didn’t matter; not everything had to be perfect any more.  

 

She’s now in her final year dancing on her uni’s competition team, and is so enjoying doing other dance styles rather than just focussing on ballet.  

 

Ballet really can become the be-all and end-all, which is ok if you have the time, energy and finances to take it all the way - AND if your child has the desire, the talent, the physique, and the mental and physical facility to make it through training without injury, illness, mental health problems, homesickness, being assessed out, or even the means to change her or his mind and change path.  Then they have to do it all over again to get a contract - if they can.  

 

I’ve said before, if we thought about ballet the same way we do horse-riding, football, swimming etc. - i.e. a wonderful extra curricular activity with a very tiny chance of getting into the Olympics or Premier League, it would save a lot of heartache.  

 

@PlainJaneyas the other good folks here have said, your next steps definitely depend on whether your dd wants to (and has the potential/talent/physique to) aim for a career as a ballet dancer, or whether she wants to be an all-round dancer, whether she can sing and would like to go down the musical theatre route, whether she fancies being a dance teacher, and so on.  Then, you’d need to speak to her dance teachers (if you haven’t already) and ask for their opinion on how realistic her aims are.  If the odds are favourable, then applying for good Associates, or singing lessons, or a CAT Scheme, would be advisable, depending on your dds goal.  

 

For now, whatever you do, don’t be tempted to compare what you can afford, and what your dd is doing, with *anyone* else.  Don’t get drawn into competitive dance-mum chat (you won’t find that here, my fellow Doing Dance folks are so supportive).  Don’t push the stretching/exercises every night *unless they are exercises that have been prescribed specifically for your child*.  As everyone has said, it’s quality over quantity; she’s only 12 and in a year or two she might change her mind about what she wants to do as a job.  Or she might not, but either way, good quality dance training is never a waste.  

 

And welcome from me too. ☺️

[Ruby Foo]

Even though your Dd doesn't know what lies ahead and what choices she will make, Ballet underpins most forms of dance ( excluding tap). So focusing on VERY HIGH QUALITY ballet lessons at this stage would be an investment for the future, whatever style may attract her down the line. As others have said, it's definitely quality over quantity plus her enjoyment and joy of dance. Don't stop the jazz ( for example) if this is the genre she loves!

Maybe try out for some good associates lessons if you can. You can get financial assistance with most of these. Try always to keep the balance between upping the ballet classes with 'real life stuff' like friends outside of ballet, parties, other hobbies, walking the dog. Easy to say but not so easy to do!  Ballet can become an obsession and a solitary focus and, at the end of the day, while it's nice to have a goal and a dream, very, very few people will get to the top of that perilous pyramid. So it's more important to be a well rounded, healthy individual. 

 

[Bolshoi]

7 hours ago, PlainJaney said:

DD almost 12 has been dancing since around 6.

Just ballet and tap initially then over the years giving up different activities and gave up another at Christmas to focus more on dance.

Now she takes several different styles, some styles taking two classes (ballet)

She's quite passionate and she says she would like to do something related to dance for a job.

Only being year 7, I assume she doesn't need to think about what that something is just yet (Y9 maybe?)? However I wonder if she will struggle over the next few years because she doesn't do the same amount of training as her good dance friend and therefore her friend will excel and DD will be lacking skills/technique.

Unfortunately, I can't afford everything her friend does. She does all the classes that DD does (plus a few others at the studio they attend) plus a ballet associate on a Saturday and two other associates on Sundays. Her friend also attends lots of workshops, I send DD when I can afford it and get her there. Her friend takes private lessons aswell.

DD does some stretch classes/conditioning at home but seems to struggle to fit it in every night like her friend because of homework and wanting time to relax/chat to friends whereas her friend is dance, dance, dance (she hardly chats to DD outside of classes anymore)

To study dance further do you need to be in classes every day of the week, attending a couple of associates and spending every spare minute doing something to help with dance?

If I can't afford more do I need to look at what classes she currently does and over the next few years? If she knows what something it is she wants to do with dance do I look at which classes will help the most, so far example dropping street for another ballet class?

Would it be worth me suggesting to DD about applying for a good ballet associate and if funds don't stretch dropping all classes apart from ballet, tap and modern but would this mean the gap would widen more because she would have varied dance styles then?

Thanks in advance.

 

I would consider applying for an Associate Programme, most have bursaries available

[PlainJaney]

Thank you Jewel for the reply. I will into a good summer school if she still feels the same upon entering Y8. 

Now I think about it some of the workshops I've let DD go to may not actually have been the best. She's met some excellent choregraphers but they have been full on busy workshops and no individual attention but she's really enjoyed them but when funds are limited it may be best to be a bit more selective.

Thank you glowlight, I've been looking at my budget; I was thinking perhaps one good associate if I could afford next year or the year after. Was just worried she may be miles behind by then. I think like you' I like my DD to have the time to relax and see friends aswell as fit homework in! Will speak to her dance teacher if DD is serious about some type of dance job. Also thanks for the sound advice about not comparing, it's hard not to when her good friend is doing absolutely everything and DD isn't but I do understand and myself and DD will focus on her path and her path alone and tried not to get distracted. Regarding burnout, her friend does get lots of injuries now I think about it so maybe that's from not resting?

Neverdancedjustamum currently she just says a job. I think they have been talking about careers at school and this is where the dance job came from. Listening to what her friend does and the amount it is costing in time and money I think I understand your comment of exhausting.

Anna, DD only does a bit of conditioning/stretching but her friend does 30/45 minutes everyday. Neither childs are prescribed for them. 

Valentina & Bolshoi I will look at what financial assistance is available.

Thanks everyone.

[Anna C]

 

15 hours ago, PlainJaney said:

Thank you glowlight, I've been looking at my budget; I was thinking perhaps one good associate if I could afford next year or the year after. Was just worried she may be miles behind by then. I think like you' I like my DD to have the time to relax and see friends aswell as fit homework in!

 

As long as she’s getting good local training, she won’t be miles behind if she joins a good Associate scheme in year 8 or 9.  Although my dd started at Central School of Ballet Preps in year 7, lots of girls joined in years 8-10 (and dd added in Tring Classical Ballet Academy in year 9, if I remember rightly). 

 

I don’t know if any of the National Dance CATs are within travelling distance, but they are funded by the Music and Dance Scheme so parents receive means-tested grants, and either contribute nothing or an amount on a sliding scale, dependent on household income.  https://www.nationaldancecats.co.uk. CATs and Associates are designed to supplement good local training, so you will need to be happy that your dd is getting the best quality training at her current studio (and don’t be afraid to change studios if necessary - with the appropriate notice, of course).

 

Having time to relax, see friends, and do homework is vital, given the extremely slim chance of getting a paid job as a dancer.  I’m always banging on about all dance students needing a Plan B, even if that’s just a good set of GCSEs in facilitating subjects, should the need (or want) arise to study further in future.  

[sunrise81]

Quality workshops and summer schools would also be great? Yorkshire Ballet Seminars do pop ups around the country. And their Easter and summer courses are fab too.

[PlainJaney]

Thanks for replying again AnnaC, how would I know if DD is getting good local training? 

Also if she doesn't do everything her friend does how will DD not be miles behind or is it more DD will be where she should be and her friend ahead or neither? 

Will look at a good associate and look at CATS.

I think DD will have a plan B, she works hard at school and does fairly well in most subjects and if she does still say a job related to dance I will ensure she takes certain subjects alongside dance. 

When you say a slim chance of getting a paid job as a dancer do you mean as a professional dancer or any paid dance job?

We were speaking yesterday evening after reading some of the replies. She didn't really say what kind of job she wants but said she doesn't think she wants to be a dancer on the stage, which is what I think her friend wants to be.

Sunrise81 will look at Yorkshire ballet.

[glowlight]

Just because someone does more lessons doesn't mean they will make faster progress.  They might, but they might not.  Reasons why they might not make faster progress? Well they might not get as much out of each lesson because they are too tired, or their mind is too busy flitting from one thing to another.  Or they might be more susceptible to injury because they never rest.  

 

As to how you know if you are getting good local training, that it is a tricky one. I would look at whether the school has alumni who have gone on to vocational training and whether they have students in good associate schemes as a start point.  But there will be schools which offer excellent training which don't tick those boxes, especially if they are relatively new. 

 

If your dd doesn't want to dance on stage, I wonder what sort of work in dance she has in mind.  Maybe she fancies being a dance teacher, or working in arts management.  Of maybe she can see herself as a commercial dancer working on TV ads or pop videos.  As you said earlier, there's no reason why she has to decide any of this now - you just don't want to close any doors.

 

 

Edited February 13, 2022 by glowlight

[PlainJaney]

Glowlight thank you so much for a clear and concise post. I really was starting to worry. I've no dance background so seeing her friend doing absolutely everything was making me feel a bit of a bad parent for not being able to afford everything. However I now understand a bit more and realise that dancing all the hours her friend does, doesnt necessarily mean she will be a far better dancer than DD and that she will progress a lot quicker and that it's like anything I suppose and about the right choices. I think i mentioned that her friend does seem to suffer with more injuries than DD and general illnesses, so perhaps it's is the lack of rest. 

The school opened about a year before DD started, we had been to one school before this one for a short while but due to moving house started at the new one. I think three older girls are studying dance at college, I'm not too sure how many do associates.

I'm not too sure what DD wants, not sure she is really sure other than something related to dance, I think she is still looking at what there is and what she enjoys most. She's not as confident as her friend which is where I think she doesn't want to be on stage. Her friend wants to be a professional dancer.

AnnaC I'm not sure about technique & artistry, it's all new to me. In relation to exams they do them on a regular basis but I believe that they are only entered if they are ready. 

Thanks all again.

[Neverdancedjustamum]

12 hours ago, PlainJaney said:

Glowlight thank you so much for a clear and concise post. I really was starting to worry. I've no dance background so seeing her friend doing absolutely everything was making me feel a bit of a bad parent for not being able to afford everything. However I now understand a bit more and realise that dancing all the hours her friend does, doesnt necessarily mean she will be a far better dancer than DD and that she will progress a lot quicker and that it's like anything I suppose and about the right choices. I think i mentioned that her friend does seem to suffer with more injuries than DD and general illnesses, so perhaps it's is the lack of rest. 

The school opened about a year before DD started, we had been to one school before this one for a short while but due to moving house started at the new one. I think three older girls are studying dance at college, I'm not too sure how many do associates.

I'm not too sure what DD wants, not sure she is really sure other than something related to dance, I think she is still looking at what there is and what she enjoys most. She's not as confident as her friend which is where I think she doesn't want to be on stage. Her friend wants to be a professional dancer.

AnnaC I'm not sure about technique & artistry, it's all new to me. In relation to exams they do them on a regular basis but I believe that they are only entered if they are ready. 

Thanks all again.

I think ultimately you need to think, perhaps more than how you can help your DD achieve her goal, is what she is happy to do and where. I guess this is easier said than done but I find that DCs at this age are so impressionable, can easily change their mind and it is so easy to compare what they do with others. I don’t have a dance background either and still don’t know much really, but I think that you will easily see what your DD is happy and willing to do and it must always come from her. I have witnessed so many kids whose dance journeys seem to be obviously and zealously led by their parents, you often wonder whose dream it is to be in dance.  My DD is around your DD’s age so I can sort of tell where you’re coming from. It’s important to keep grounded and not get carried away which is hard especially these days where it’s almost a race to get a place at full time schools, the earlier the better seems to be the ethos these days. It’s easy to be tempted to go to schools who assertively market their successes of getting DCs around our DDS’ age into full time places but ultimately you need to find that balance where your DD is happy and not overlooked, where the teaching is high quality but not solely geared for audition purposes, where success isn’t just measured by who gets in where,  where everyone is valued for their uniqueness and varying goals (or when they want these goals achieved), where the teaching is not one size fits all and where the teacher relishes the challenge of motivating DCs who could be late bloomers or those who aren’t as intense and focused as their peers (and not just those who are determined and focus and almost the finished product already to begin with). I do think that at the moment a lot of people do think it’s a race and it’s easy to get carried away to do as many classes and privates, travel as many miles to go to these, do as many intensives and workshops - all to the detriment sometimes of the rest of the family or siblings. Make sure your DD enjoys the other things in life as a child, friends, school, going out with the family. She is still so young and whilst she thinks she wants a career in dance - which she may well do and have - there isn’t just one way to achieve that especially depending on what she will eventually want to do. It’s always good to have a happy medium because then you’re not putting all your eggs in one basket and you’ll realise that she actually has more options and freedom to do what she actually loves doing than being too focused on one thing. 

[alison]

This thread brought up such a vital question that I thought it needed a separate thread of its own:

 

 

So if you feel there are some posts missing from this thread, you're probably right!

[PlainJaney]

Reviewing a couple of the local schools we have found that there is differences in exam boards, differences in how often they do shows, some compete, some don't, so I have some questions.

 

Which is better a school that only does a show every other year and exams the other year?

A school that provides regular opportunities to perform via competitions/shows but doesnt do exams as often?

A school that wears uniform or a school that allows students to wear whatever they want?

Which exam board is better or are they all comparable?

Are exams worth it (I was wondering if I could use the exam money for example towards an associate)?

Is pointe needed (only one school actually mentioned pointe classes)?

Are technique classes beneficial (ie one school we came across said for example ballet technique but current and two others don't have/mention technique classes)?

Finally what classes other than ballet would you recommend a child does who wants a dance job but doesn't know what type yet? Would you advise to take a variety of classes for now or focus on more ballet for example?

 

Would the answers to the above questions actually vary depending on exactly what dance job a child wants?

 

Many thanks

[Kerfuffle]

This is a difficult set of questions to answer but I will give it a go. The advice given by others is good! 
 

1. Performance opportunities are important but be careful that the school doesn’t use all the dance lessons up to them to prepare for the shows - this can hinder your child’s progress. Personally I think being in a show is better than competitive performances like festivals. 

 

Ballet exams are useful to get into summer schools and UCAS points for uni. They can stunt the progress of a dancer though if the school only teaches the syllabus and no free work though. 
 

Associates might be a better way of spending your money but make sure it’s a really good one . If you’re in the north the ballet CAT in Leeds has a great reputation. 
 

Summer intensives are useful as they give DCs the experience of different teachers, free work, dancing a full day and meeting other serious ballet students, including those at vocational school. This gives you a very good idea on where she is in her training in comparison to others her age. 

 

I’m not sure how important uniform really is but if your DD is at an RAD etc school they will have it anyway.

 

Pointe classes would be offered at most RAD etc schools I think! Usually 30 minutes and increasing with age/experience. 
 

If she enjoys modern/jazz/tap keep going with them. My DD did them and benefited for a long time until she decided that ballet was her focus. They definitely are another string to her bow. Also as it’s hard to tell how your daughter will look after puberty it’s best to keep your options a bit open unless they really hate all other dance disciplines! 

 

Do you mean conditioning by ballet technique? There are threads on this elsewhere on this forum. Personally my DD has had mixed experience of this - I think they are good for building strength and flexibility. She has found them quite painful at times but that might just be her! 
 

The answers will totally vary according to your child and in a lot of ways it’s best to follow what they want - it’s their career in the end! You sound very supportive though so don’t worry too much. 
 

 

 

 

[SissonneDoublee]

If it is most likely to be general dance or musical theatre that she will pursue, depending on her interests (and also singing ability),  keep classes like jazz, modern and tap going, and consider adding singing lessons.

 

Following a good exam system helps to give structure and progression. RAD, ISTD, IDTA are all good, and ensure that the teacher is trained and following a recognised training model. Exams are good for this, and give a good focus and a measure of how your DD is progressing, but they are not an ends in themselves. If there are exams available and you choose to opt out, you may find that your DD doesn’t get pushed to reach the standard as the teacher’s attention will likely be on those that will be assessed. The pressure of exams can be good preparation for auditions too, in some ways. If the school only teaches exam work, though, this is to the detriment of the student’s ability to pick up new choreography, and has other drawbacks too.

 

The lack of pointe is a worry, because it indicates that the older girls are not reaching the standard in ballet that they should, or that they lose students as they get older. There might not be lots of pointe mentioned on the timetable, as this may take place in higher grade ballet lessons, but it’s definitely something to ask about. Even for ‘non-ballet’ dance training, the ballet class is still an important part of most auditions as the technique underpins other dance forms.

 

Pilates, strength and conditioning or PBT are all good things to add in to support technique, but only if done well (and safely!). Extreme stretching shown online is a red flag rather than a positive, though.

Edited February 23, 2022 by SissonneDoublee

[Ruby Foo]

Uniforms are usually linked to a particular exam board. Teachers adopt the uniform of the exam board to save parents money in paying for the regulation uniform at exam time. It also gives the classes a nice disciplined feel which is extremely important in dance. If students are turning up in their own choice of uniform then there should still be emphasis on tidy hair, shoes, and rules on when leg warmers, leggings, sweat tops are allowed. Basically, the discipline of dance training is mirrored in everything.

[Anna C]

All good advice.  All I’d add is that if the school enters students for ballet vocational exams (e.g. Intermediate, Advanced 1) then pointe work will automatically be part of these classes, so although it might not be mentioned separately, it doesn’t mean they don’t do pointe.

 

Putting on a show shouldn’t mean nobody does exams in “show year”, so I would query if that’s the case.  RAD/ISTD run several exam sessions a year and pupils should be entered for an exam when they are ready, not have to wait a year because it’s show year.  

 

Ballet training underpins all training at good full time dance/musical theatre courses and if your dd is considering teaching, then RAD/ISTD Intermediate (or equivalent) is a requirement for most teaching courses.  

 

If you haven’t already done so, the first thing I would do is talk to your dd’s teachers though about her potential, and how they can help her meet her goals.

 

 

[Dance*is*life]

I am not based in the UK, so it's  obviously going to be different, but in our school we do exams and a show every year.  The students at around 12/13 take 3 ballet classes a week including pointe as part of one of the classes. They also take modern and jazz.  The bright sparks might be invited to do an extra class with the class above them.   Those of our graduates who are talented go on to various dance careers without hours and hours of dancing every single day!  Children need time to be children and for regular school so it seems to me that the friend is overdoing it!  I wouldn't worry too much at this stage, just try and give her a good summer school and perhaps an Associate.  Good strong classical technique gives a base for all the dance genres.

[PlainJaney]

 

 

I will contact the RAD school again and see if they do pointe and I have just missed it on the website.

Do UKA do pointe (one of the schools was UKA)

I will also try to find out what technique means.

I will double check if I understood what the school meant that I thought said exams one year and show another, I may have mis understood.

Me and DD were talking yesterday (it actually started in relation to her friend telling her that she's been going to other classes at weekend besides those she does with DD) As a result of this DD told me when she said she didn't want to be on stage she was saying that because she knows I can't afford the number of hours tuition her friend does (Around 20 hours a week) and that she believes she isn't as good as her friend because she only does half the hours.  Therefore as much as I want to help DD if she really does want a job in dance I think we have both realised that it might not actually be possible and unfortunately isn't something I can keep up with financially or timewise. She wants to still spend time with her friends and be able to complete homework to the best of her ability aswell rather than rushing it because she's dashing to dance. 

I thank you all for your replies and just incase there is a tiny chance she can do something dance related all comments and advice will be taken onboard and we will look for the best training my limited budget can afford.

Thanks again.

 

 

 

[SissonneDoublee]

Do look at CAT at your nearest centre, as this is funded by MDS, which is means tested. A lot of summer schools and associate schemes will also provide bursaries to students from low income families. Once established at a local dance school, you could also ask if there are opportunities for DD to help in the baby classes in exchange for lessons. If she is thinking about a career in dance, the experience of helping in younger classes will be really valuable even if it doesn’t result in any fees reduction.

[Mummy twinkle toes]

Another way of spotting a good school is seeing what their older children are doing. Do their older students go into training in ballet/MT schools? Do they have children training in associates such as Royal Ballet/Elmhurst/Tring Classical/Central/Balletboost for ballet and/or LSC/Tring for MT?

UKA do have a ballet syllabus but they are not as well known as RAD/ISTD.