Legseleven Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 I see a lot of adverts for this (I assume) franchise and some that are clearly similar. I am aware that teenage friends of DD have been allowed to take classes on their own, despite being neither registered teachers nor advanced dancers. Surely there is a requirement that a registered ballet teacher takes these classes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pas de Quatre Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 Sadly in UK there is absolutely no legal requirement for dance teachers to be qualified or registered, anyone can set up and give classes. Caveat Emptor! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 I gather it's a franchise, with money making merch too. Pink. Gah. It says its teachers are 'qualified' though that can mean anything. https://babyballet.co.uk/ https://babyballet.co.uk/find-a-class/our-teachers/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 I know and knew lots of teenage dancers that taught the littlest girls at various ballet schools which I or our daughters attended. I can remember my childhood ballet school having the oldest pupil there shadowing our ballet teacher although she never actually took a class. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
academicdancer Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 Are you referring to teen girls teaching "baby ballet" at their dance school? Or teaching at the franchised Baby Ballet? The first former is not uncommon, although usually there should be a teacher running the class with teens assisting, for health and safety/DBS purposes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Macmillan Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 Is there no Insurance angle in such cases? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pas de Quatre Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 The only people I have ever had question insurance provision is the admin of halls I rented. Parents generally assume all is ok. Again I don't think there are any legal obligations. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeverTooOld Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 One of my teachers teaches for a Baby Ballet franchise (she is a fully qualified and registered RAD teacher). From what I understand, it isn't very much dance focused as most of the babies/toddlers are only just walking - it is more about play, singing, nursery rhymes, clapping along etc. It has a set programme/syllabus that they all follow which has been put together around the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (EYFSF). I imagine it to be similar to what I think was called musical movement when I was at primary school! I am also pretty sure that the parent stays with the child and does it all with them. I do agree though that there should be some regulation in the UK that only qualified/registered teachers should teach actual ballet/dance classes. Unfortunately as Pas de Quatre said, currently anyone can set up a dance school and call themselves a teacher which is a worry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jewel Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 21 hours ago, Ian Macmillan said: Is there no Insurance angle in such cases? Anyone running a class for children should have public liability insurance & preferably professional indemnity. It is fairly easy to obtain. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 I'm having a gripe. Lots of merch on the site, 'uniform' they say, pink for girls and tiny satin ballet shoes, blue for boys. Horrible stereotyping. £££££££. I'm having a strong cup of tea to calm down. So much I'd like to say but will restrain myself. (Children really don't need this in order to enjoy music and moving to it!) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legseleven Posted September 28, 2023 Author Share Posted September 28, 2023 On 27/09/2023 at 12:24, academicdancer said: Are you referring to teen girls teaching "baby ballet" at their dance school? Or teaching at the franchised Baby Ballet? The first former is not uncommon, although usually there should be a teacher running the class with teens assisting, for health and safety/DBS purposes. Teenage girls taking classes at the franchised Baby Ballet. I was rather taken aback as despite any sort of ‘baby ballet’ being effectively music and movement, I assume that to be a franchisee there is some requirement that you are qualified and will employ qualified teachers? I am perhaps too trusting that most people will do the right thing - but employing totally unqualified teenagers to take a class offered as part of a franchise (the teenagers are about grade 4 or 5 ballet level) does not seem appropriate to me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laburnum1 Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 I took my daughter to the Baby ballet franchise classes from 18 months old , it was very much like a parent and toddler group but with repetitive songs and actions we loved it , parents stayed with the child and joined in the songs and little dances . No obligation to purchase any uniform or merch (at the end of the day it is a business ) but I remember feeling I got value for money and my daughter and I have happy memories of it . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 It doesn't actually look a great deal like 'ballet', rather a misnomer? Also teen girls with no quals really shouldn't be taking these sessions? Our preschool dance and ballet syllabus offers four stages of ballet dance classes, for young children aged 6 months to 6 years, plus a tap dancing class for children over 3 years. babyballet teachers all undergo babyballet training, and with professional dance and teaching experience, they strive to create a fun, friendly and inclusive experience for everyone What professional dance and teaching experience is required to enable anyone to be granted a franchise I don't know. The impression given on the site is certainly that girls wear pink tutus (not cheap) and boys wear blue. The steroeotyping begins early. Many dance teachers have for years offered 'music and movement' sessions for tinies without the need for a franchise. (Reputable dance orgs have specified ages at which pre-primary syllabus exams can be taken.) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pas de Quatre Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 What worried me was the advertising where a toddler all in pink, including leg warmers, had a young adult teacher leaning over and turning out the child's feet. Totally wrong for that age. Many of you may have seen it on social media. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 5 minutes ago, Pas de Quatre said: Totally wrong for that age. Many of you may have seen it on social media. Totally. No I hadn't seen it. It is worrying. Many many qualified teachers run classes for little ones, along with a parent / carer, have done for years, music, movement, fun, dressing up, etc, which eventually feed in to pre primary and primary classes (get them young and they are yours for life and all that... also teachers have a living to make) with very basic ballet movements, but nothing should be forced, especially turnout! Totally wrong! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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