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Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

Original poster

Toddler ballet - no parents allowed?!

33 replies

MumblesAndMutters · 15/08/2021 10:38

DD is 2+, I’m looking for her to do a class that involves movement on the weekend. She really enjoyed a community centre type toddler dance class over the summer, but the teacher moved away and it’s stopped.

The local dance school offers various preschool level classes however they say from 2.5 they don’t allow parents into the class. Is this standard? I’m not hugely comfortable with this, not least in case she feels a bit lost or needs the loo or whatever. Reluctant to send her. Is this a “serious dance school” thing?

OP posts:
bestbefore · 15/08/2021 11:09

It might be a hang up from covid restrictions to, the lady I know who runs a dance school say the class is much better without parents there..!

MonkeyPuddle · 15/08/2021 10:58

Same thing happens at my DS’s gymnastics class. Sometimes some parents peek through the door and the kids go all excited and start messing about, model behaviour when parents aren’t looking!

Original poster
MumblesAndMutters · 15/08/2021 10:57

That’s reassuring, thank you! And presumably works better since it’s a widely done thing.

OP posts:
LivingNextDoorToNorma · 15/08/2021 10:53

I danced right through my childhood and then taught at the school for a while in my late teens. This was always the case. Children tended to participate more and behave better without their parents there. To be honest the studios I danced in wouldn’t have been big enough for parents to stand and watch anyway.

frenchnovice · 15/08/2021 10:50

It's pretty standard I would say.

ExtremelyDisorganised · 15/08/2021 10:49

There often isn't enough space in the dance studio, they distract the children and it takes longer to get everyone in and out between classes if all the parents are in there too.

00100001 · 15/08/2021 10:46

It's because parents interfere and the kids behave much better without then there.

Orangesandlemons82 · 15/08/2021 10:41

My daughter started with a ballet school at around 2 years old. I was allowed to watch the first one but after that had to just drop her off. I always took her to the toilet when we arrived and it was ok, but did initially have similar worries to you.

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