hfbrew

Just a reminder that closing date for this is 31st July. After that forms will only be accepted if there are spaces available.Daily Repertoire places are now full but there are still one or two for students wishing to purchase a weeks pass. The same applies to intermediate ballet, However there are still plenty of places for junior,senior and advanced! If anyone has expressed an interest but not yet submitted a form, please do so asap to ensure your place!

Two marks off a distinction is not a "bad result"! But nonetheless it is hard for young students used to much higher marks. But the higher the grade (especially vocational) the harder it is to get very high marks and students also have to remember that certain elements are subjective, for example one examiner may really like the way a student performs and give high marks for this another may well have the opposite view being more concerned about absolute correct technique for example. In the long run, actual marks in an exam count for nothing - none of the ads in company auditions were remotely interested. They take who they like and won't be influenced by an examiners view of one exam on one day a couple of years previously. All exam successes should be celebrated regardless of result. It concerns me sometimes that some students reading this forum may get dispirited because they may "only" have merit because it is so difficult not to compare.

When you get cramp at night because your toes have been pointing whilst you are asleep. And when the washing line consists of jocks , tights and holey socks (mum of ds)

I've always understood the hair ribbon is optional for vocational but if worn has to meet the specifications- I certainly remember my burgundy one from years ago that simply went round the bun. But your teacher can decide where the bow goes- I prefer under but it actually doesn't matter... My vocational students never wear them (and their marks are pretty good!) More importantly, good luck to your dd (and you patiently waiting mum!)

I can vouch for Sheila's amazing service- shoes urgently needed ordered Friday arrived Saturday...bravo. Wouldn't put it past justballet to charter a plane just to deliver glue.........

Ha ha! Its very useful for when you are picking up examiners from stations. Last week I was stood at St Albans clutching a syllabus book when I spotted who I guessed correctly to be the examiner (well groomed, excellent posture, brief case..) Now I don't really fit the above description (being more short and dumpy!!) but she came up to me and said "you didn't need the book, you are standing in 1st position!!"

If I was the teacher I would want to know about this. The other mum should be addressing her concerns to the teacher, not to you and definitely not to your dd who is clearly very special, in need of the extra lessons to fulfil her potential and is there at the invitation of the teacher. Having had over 30 years experience teaching (crikey!) I can say that sometimes its older ones holding younger ones back, based on ability not on age! Many years ago one of my bosses had a complaint about my own ds being with older students. He had joined in a class to keep another boy company (I didn't have boys only classes then.) Fortunately my boss knew he wasn't holding the class back being already very capable and of course he ended up going to the Royal Ballet School... Please make your teacher aware of this as it will help her take steps to ensure that the class atmosphere remains positive and also to avoid your dd being seen as teachers pet thanks to this jealous mums attitude. And it could be that this other mums daughter may be rightly or wrongly feeling overlooked so the teacher needs to be aware of this as well to ensure all her pupils feel valued.

As I'm short I used to wear pointe shoes when I needed to get things off high shelves. Much easier in my mind than getting a ladder! Sadly arthritis and middle age has put paid to that idea!

What a wonderful opportunity, so jealous of those who can go!

Actually lots of 12 year olds are in grade 3 its not unusual. Its about quality of teaching not how many grades passed. It may be that this school, rather than relentlessly only doing syllabus year in year out is actually covering more work than that small amount shown in exams. I am actually more concerned when I come across students already in the higher grades at this age as they very often seem to have just gone rapidly from one exam to the next only ever doing one particular syllabus. Now if this 12 year has only done the same old settings for a number of terms than that's the time to be concerned.

I did indeed get plenty of written (and the regular reports had to be signed as having been received) and also verbal feedback (and not always when I asked for it!) Some of the stuff I've found was meant for me anyway but my ds didn't always pass it on... Much of it related to the constant assessing the occurred in sixth form where the students quite rightly had to take control of their own learning. I was never given any favourable "extra" treatment because I'm a dance teacher- my experience as a parent has been very similar to many that I know. But obviously my working knowledge was an advantage in understanding what was going on and I knew what to look out for. I always knew exactly how my ds was progressing and was under no illusion that he, at times only stayed by the skin of his teeth. But as he says, the teachers did their best for him!

I can not speak for all vocational schools but I can say that all that is described above most certainly takes place in many places including our top Ballet schools. Mandatory requirements entail a lot of continued hard work, (not just ticking a box) qualifications once obtained have to be maintained and I know even the most experienced and well respected teachers undergo regular cpd. Not only are there clear class plans (I remember being very impressed by one I saw) and objectives (both long and short term) but teachers are continually assessed both internally and externally and parents may like to know this is not just by Ofsted but by other bodies as well (eg CDET). Both myself and ds were several times invited to give feedback about the vocational schools he was at- I was often dismayed at how few bothered. In my experience there were also individual plans for each student, for example my ds received extra tuition to address strength issues. All students at the schools I;ve had direct experience with also had regular one to one discussions with teachers both informal and formal. I recently found very thorough records of feedback in my ds room-, he just never thought to tell me about them, he was so used to it being part of his life. And it never occurred to him that when other teachers watched it wasn't just the students they were looking at... Things have greatly improved from when I was training and even during the past decade I have been pleased to see some very unpleasant teachers "moved on" as it were thanks to the greater accountability establishments have to have in order to continue to be eligible for funding. Unfortunately, as in all walks of life these days paid work at the end of it all is not guaranteed (look at all those graduates, even in medical professions struggling to find work.) It worries me that funding may well be scrapped for the arts because, through no fault of the schools there are even fewer jobs even for the most talented. Some years are better than others. but we need to be wary - I would hate future generations to be deprived of the chance to train because current graduates are struggling to find work with the result that funding bodies use such facts to justify cuts... just look at danger DaDas are in for example.

I totally agree that ex professionals don't always make the best teachers. When my ds was looking at further vocational training at 16 I scoured staff lists thoroughly to see who had actually qualified as teachers. "Names" didn't impress me one bit. Incidentally I know and have known many teachers in vocational schools who have not danced professionally, not all institutions insist on this. After all there are many ex graduates who for one reason or another didn't dance professionally but who will have experienced performing with their schools and done pas de deux etc. A school or training course that insists that being an ex professional is mandatory is possibly losing out on fine teachers but in my experience they are very much in the minority and some would still consider highly trained individuals if they were right for their establishments. But for what its worth I wouldn't consider getting a job at a vocational school as a greater achievement than the work I''ve already accomplished. If anything I consider us grass roots teachers who encounter all ages and abilities as doing a far more important job- in fact an RBs teacher said as much after overhearing that I was leaving a teachers day early to teach my tinies! Going back to the topic it may be useful for some sort of guidelines to what parents should be looking out for. For a start they should thoroughly read any information/prospectus/website. Many questions will be answered this way. As a teacher I get quite frustrated when I get parents claiming they weren't informed of facts such as term dates despite clear displays on noticeboards, websites, newsletters and verbally on watching days. And then there are those who sign consent forms for exams or shows that clearly state dates, venues etc and then claim they didn't know these facts when they booked a holiday or event after signing said form! And often questions get asked about specific vocational schools that are really best answered by them directly especially as each year information can change . Graduate destinations are useful to know but its also worth knowing that the job market is woeful so its unwise to judge a school purely on this as it really varies year to year. (and I too am wary of 100% claims as I know perfectly well that in places there may well only a couple of graduates left) And I don't think knowing how many pupils are assessed out is as important as knowing what happens in such a situation. Again these figures vary from year to year (sometimes its none!) and publishing exact data would easily identify individuals. It is made quite clear that continued attendance at vocational schools depends on progress. Its what happens next that matters and schools should be more helpful about this. Finally there seems to be ignorance to what most responsible teachers have to done to get where we are and how we are continually working to maintain registration status. No parent has ever asked to see my public liability insurance or checked my qualifications for example.

I went on the course and it was all very thorough and clear to me, as is the dvd and syllabus book! There are some, in my opinion unclear instructions concerning settings of some exercise that we teachers have to set ourselves eg the gallops. But no where does it say character is optional for the exam. It may be that the teacher got confused with the performance award whereby students perform just three dances- and these don't have to include character (I believe, having only had exam entries so far!)

Not at all. And congratulations on doing your advanced 2. I've known many 18 plus students do grade 8 and quite honestly think its more appropriate then than for young students barely into secondary school. And I too have advanced students who look forward to doing grade 8.

Hope you have a good recovery and feel better soon. Your post made a lot more sense than some of mine by the way!

Last chance to see Ballet Theatre UKs wonderful production of Alice in Wonderland tonight! At; THE AVENUE | MIDDLESBROUGH | TS5 6SA T. 01642 81 51 81 E. boxoffice@middlesbrough.gov.uk

CONGRATULATIONS to your ds Kathy. Thrilled for you.

I quite agree, Morera was superb as Manon. I too think she is woefully underused. I'd love to see her do much, much more, particularly dramatic roles.

My ds choice was my new, wonderful La Fiile with Nadia Nerina, a great pas de deux dvd that I own, a collection from Royal Ballet which includes Fonteyn in the Firebird , the first Trock dvd and Tales of Beatrix Potter! He would have chosen Northern's Romeo and Juliet but its not available commercially. we have a video recording from when it was on telly! I love this thread- its certainly made for entertaining discussion in our household with dvds all over the living room floor..

Beautifully put Anjuli. And struck a chord as have just watched Nerina dance La Fille 2nd day in a row with ds who himself had tears of emotion as he said that "that's how Ashton should be danced..." The dancers conveyed such joy and musicality that we quite forgot the film was 50 years old and in black and white! I have seen students taught with so much precision that any artistry is drilled out. Also tricksy, gymnastic displays, whilst impressive are not what I perceive as dance. So totally agree with Anjulis following comment; "And this is how, in my opinion, ballet is taught to adults - and children. The teacher should be able to individualize the concepts of precision to help the student find his/her individual point of balance (which is different for each of us so how precise is that anyway?) and then wrap it in the wooliness - the emotion - of dance."

When ds was on swl we heard nothing more until mid autumn when we got letter to say that there was no longer a chance that a place would become available but to re audition. So I suggest relax, enjoy the achievement (for indeed it is to be on swl) and get on with your lives otherwise you are maybe in for very long wait.... And then if you do get a call (and I hope you do!) it will be more of a pleasant surprise!

Well having just watched La Fille with the original cast, I have to go with this one! Was completely blown away by it - lucky, lucky people to have seen these musical, fast footed, precise and above all joyous dancers! So I have now seen Alexander Grant as Alain. I have a video of the 1980 production with Collier (now there's a dancer I was lucky enough to see for real) and am pretty sure Gary Grant is Alain in that one! So now its La Fille from 1962! along with the Trocks, two Northern Ballet productions and Penguin Café!

Thanks to this wonderful forum I now own a copy of the original cast of La Fille Mal Gardee! I used to have a picture of Nadia Nerina in my bedroom as a child. How I envy some of the people on this site who actually saw the likes of Fonteyn, Nureyev, Sibley , Dowell, etc..... I read all the Ballet literature I could as a child (I remember my teacher asking if anyone had heard of Diaghilev and of course I had!) . But I never actually saw Ballet until my teens- Desmond Kelly was my first Siegfried...

This is actually very true, there have indeed been RB graduates who have turned down RB contracts in order to go straight in as soloists in other companies.