Do we let dd audition for ballet school or not?

Oh I didn't see the date haha. I wonder what happened!

I think it would be a little late now-the OP was asking in 2012

if she is genuinely obsessed why not think about dance school at 13? she would have time to figure out if she really loves it, and if she does, time to work on her flexibility and turnout

Dangerfield is still posting and recent posts say her Dd is still dancing but didn't go to ballet school

Ha! I was nab out to reply then found I had done under a former name over a year ago.

It would be nice to know how dancergirls's DD got on though?

See what I mean

Sashh zombie thread

I am very much of the opinion if someone has a non-academic talent then it should be pursued. Academic education will not go by the wayside and one can always study at a later date.

^
this.

Let her audition, on the understanding that even if she passes you will have to think about the cost / logistics.

It's not annoying at all. Interesting because my friend is going through the same dilhema at the moment and I will point her to this thread.

Bruffin, I was ignorant of this mn phenomenon. Thank you for making me aware of it. I did do a search, however, and found that the ones I read were not really annoying. There was an apologetic bumper, grateful posters, zombie label on a thread which was 3 weeks old. . . .

I still do not think that gabby's bumping of this thread is annoying.

Search zombie thread and you will see how annoying posters find bumped old threads

I think you are over reacting.

Bumping old threads is a useful thing to do. Otherwise why would they still be there?

Perhaps op will come back on and tell us how she got on with her decision making.

The g4bby shod have started a new thread.
Bumping old threads means that posters will come and give advice to OP who is probably long gone or the advice is no longer relevant.I
Oops Dd has started secondary by now

Old, but worth reading.
Thanks g4abby

This is an old thread G4bby,

Trust me if you go to a ballet school you do have to do a fair amount of vomiting, bulimia and anorexia at these schools are fashionable. You are not a member of the in crowd unless you can vomit at will. I went to Tring Park and hated every minute of it.

The majority of kids aren't going to make it and end up dancing on tables at string fellows. Seriously get them a good education, prancing about in a leotard for four hours of the day when you should be studying is not a good preparation for life.

Don't do it!

My sister was rejected from Tring for having the wrong physique. (too fat for them basically - though she wasn't a fat 10yo!)

This was 15+ years ago, but that has stuck with her a long time, so if your child doesn't get it for the love of god don't let her see the rejection letter.

From looking around I remember her commenting on how little food they had at lunch as well. (maybe that's changed but maybe not)

I have friends who went to Tring (albeit many years ago) and the stories they told me are the reason that no daughter of mine would ever ever go to ballet school. I'm really paranoid about the atmosphere and general ethos - which the girls can impose upon themselves even if the teachers are doing their best to keep them mentally healthy.

p.s. yes Darcey Bussells are few and far between, but there are many people out there who dance for a living because they HAVE TO DANCE and are fulfilled dancers. Darcey Bussell needed loads of other ballet dancers around her for lots of scenes, let's face it! You can't have Swan Lake with just one swan!

omaoma - with the greatest respect I cannot agree with your statement that "if she doesn't have the PERFECT BALLET physique it's as best not to raise her expectations. And she would probably be a JA already if she were the right 'type' to go into ballet."

There are dozens and dozens of dancers who failed JA/MA/SA auditions who subsequently succeeded. One person I know of failed 6 times and eventually got accepted for SA. And as I mentioned above, plenty of kids with what you call the "perfect ballet physique" (which actually varies from vocational school to vocational school anyway) who do have early success and are accepted into JA's and other such classes, are booted out a year later because of changes in physique/lack of progress etc etc.

If you really want it, and work work work, you might be able to get there. Obviously you need some talent but hard work is essential - natural talent and the "perfect physique" alone will not a dancer make - ballet or any other form of dance.

we live near tring park, my DD is obsessed with ballet and dances every night almost, with a local teacher who is EXCELLENT. We don't need to go to Tring park. (even though it's closer than our "local" teacher). My DD is driven (at the moment - keep waiting for her to go off it but it never happens)!! has some flexibility issues too, but is working hard with local dance-pilates teacher and has improved considerably.

Her aim is to audition for vocational school at 16. Some of her friends went off to RB and other vocational schools last year and the year before. Guess what - two of them have now been assessed out and are back with the local teacher.

second the message that if she doesn't have the PERFECT BALLET physique it's as best not to raise her expectations. And she would probably be a JA already if she were the right 'type' to go into ballet. Darcy Bussells are few and far between I'm afraid.

Would also add: ballet had many great attributes but it's weakness (well one of them) I would say is the narrow view it takes on potential careers. There are many forms of dance as expressive, challenging and motivating as ballet, and roles as exciting and creative as 'lead dancer' (not to mention better paid and more sustainable) such as choreographer and animateur. But I had no idea they existed when I was your daughter's age and the classical ballet world I experienced wasn't exactly very interested in or knowledgable about other dance forms. I think if I had known you could be a contemporary dance choreographer, rather than be a ballerina (impossible for me) or dance on cruises until you gave it up at 35 and became a provincial teacher (which seemed to be what everybody else did) - that that may well be what I would be doing now instead of jacking it all in at 18. The problem is if you have your focus set on 'ballet dancer' there are millions of ways to fail and very very few to succeed. Going to a classical ballet school might actually make that issue worse? Maybe she needs to widen her view a bit.

It may be 40 mins by car but if she were to get in then she needs to get the bus. Any children do an hour each way on the school bus and it's fine.

Although Tring is part of MDS is is only one specific course and they seem to have less MDS places. Most children who get into Tring are fee paying.

The best thing would be to visit and also look at other perfoming arts school sin the area and get a feel for the place.

Tring Park is definitely part of the Music and Dance Scheme so I'm not sure what your DD's teacher means. AFAIK if they pass the audition to get into the school, the fees are automatically means tested. But I'm mainly going on what I know of the music schools so maybe it's different.

I know someone who teaches there (though not in dance), I've heard the kids a few times and they do do some astonishing things. And it's not just ballet but other forms of dance too, which might help if your DD is not a natural ballerina.

None of which changes the logistical issue of the travelling though.