To be upset that all DDs friends have been moved up to the next class at ballet and she has been left behind :(

[LucyEllensmummy]

Now i know how pushy pfb that appears but i really couldn't give a hoot about the level of ballet DD (aged 3.5) is. The group that she is in is FUN and she enjoys it. I don't want it to become too regimented anyway as i really don't want to be a pushy ballet mum. Anyway, Today at ballet the organiser went up to all of DDs friends mums and said that could they come at the later time next week as the teacher feels they are ready to move up.

That will leave DD with no friends in her group as she has formed friendships with all of these children. She gets invites to parties etc but that will tail off if she doesn't see them as they don't go to the same school or playgroups. I know one of the other mothers asked for her DD to go up but i didn't say anything because this girl was older and i was pretty sure they would say no and i felt embarrased.

It is blatantly obvious that these girls are a little group and i have been soooo pleased that DD has a little group of pals and that she gets invited to parties. In fact i have suffered lots of M&T and play dates to ensure this . NOT because im pushy but because DD1 really struggled in this respect when she was at school and the invitations were few and far between It broke my heart.

Please tell me history isn't going to repeat itself - i know i'm probably being over sensitive but I am devestated

DD is about to take her Grade 1 exam and is nearly 8 years old. You think that the show is expenisve (in fact that is the norm for ballet shows). Wait till she starts doing exams! Get her to give it up now if you get the chance. Now DD loves it so much I am stuck with it!

Exams are not that expensive surely at the lower grades. I think Grade 1 is around £25-30 depending on the exam board.

We just did a dance show at a local theatre by the way as part of an annual dance festival with lots of different schools.

The material for the skirts for 9 girls cost £30. The leotards were £5 each hand made from an ebay seller and the tights were £1.50 per pair.

Boys shirts £5 each from Matalan, they wore their own black trousers and cummerbunds/bow ties from the leftover skirt material.

BARGAIN and they looked fantastic.

The exam entry fee is £35
Extra lessons for prep for the exam are £5 a time (at weekends, which I don't like)
The exam uniform is different to the class uniform so has to be hired
New ballet shoes and character shoes for the exam (points lost if shoes dirty or don't fit correctly )

At dd's ballet school they wear regulation exam uniform all year round to class. I think most do have a new pair of ballet shoes. Dd will not be getting new character shoes as her feet never grow.

I get her stuff from Dance Direct as it is a fraction of the price.

Grade 1 RAD costs £30 to enter I've just looked it up.

Going back to the original post it seems that to take Pre-Primary you have to be aged 5 so maybe these girls who have been moved up are all going to turn 5 this academic year.

My dds took their grade 1 and 2 (ISTD)ballet exams yesterday.
The exam fees and extra classes cost me £110, new satin ballet shoes for both- £25, and new tights for both £18.

Over £150 for the two of them in total for a 20 minute exam.

That's on top of the normal terms dance fees (ballet tap modern jazz) for them which came to £310!!!

And we have a show in the summer!! (groans)

I find the most expensive item is the character skirt but I managed to get dd's 2nd hand.

I usually buy leather ballet shoes as they are more hard wearing but I can get them for £5 each so its not overly much of a problem if she gets them grubby.

how old do you have to be to take grade 2? do the RAD and the other syllabus (IADTA or something?) tally at each grade?

Thanks for the tip about dance direct - will take a look at it now. Trouble is I don't know which size to buy!

RAD Pre-Primary Age 5
Primary Age 6
Grades 1-5 Age 7
Grade 6-8 Age 11

thanks! always wondered but just do as i'm told lol!

ots of info on the RAD website

2.3.2 Grooming of candidates and uniform

The uniform to be worn for all examinations and Presentation Classes is described below, but where this is not possible a suitable alternative may be worn. This should be clean, well fitting and underwear should not be visible.

Elastic or ribbons should be firmly sewn on shoes in the correct position and securely
fastened before entering the studio. Hair should be neatly groomed and appropriately styled off the face and neck in order that the line of the head and neck is not obscured.

Spectacles may be worn. Jewellery must not be worn, unless required for religious or cultural reasons.

The following is the Academy?s recommended uniform for both Examinations and
Presentation Classes:

Female Candidates

Pre-Primary and Primary
Sleeveless or short sleeved scooped neck PCL
leotard, with matching spotted voile skirt in White,Pale Pink or Pale Blue.

Pink soft ballet shoes in satin, canvas or leather with pink elastic.

Option of short pink socks or pink nylon tights.

Note: The length of the skirt should be halfway between
mid-thigh and the knee., bearing in mind that the holding of the skirt is in preparation for the line of demi-seconde
of the arms

Grades 1 and 2

Sleeveless or short sleeved scooped neck PCL
leotard in White, Pale Pink, Pale Blue, Navy, or Lavender, with matching elasticised belt.

Pink soft ballet shoes in satin, canvas or leather, with pink elastic.

Option of short pink socks or pink nylon tights.

Nowhere does it state that the uniform has to be brand new or that shoes have to be satin.

lol at 'underwear should not be visible'.
ours aren't allowed to wear underwear, which i guess sorts that out nicely...

the girls go from socks to tights when they go into the G2 class...

dd2 was slightly concerned about wearing tights with no underwear lol, and i have to say i do see her point

The dance teacher who works for us and who also teaches ballet says as far as she is concerned she wouldn't go without underwear, it's just a matter of finding the right underwear.

I had terrible showing underwear problems (or at least DD did) for a whole year. I just couldn't work it out. Then I realised she was in 2-3 year old knickers, and she was 6! LOL bought some 7-8 year old knickers and now no problem!

I am shocked at that list of uniform our teacher is very insistent on satin shoes and how they have to be clean! She also makes us hire her exma uniform even though the class uniform matches the description

ours have to perform with no underwear for their freestyle displays too... i suspect once puberty hits underwear will be sanctioned lol

Within the uniform parameters each school usually chooses a colour which everyone has to have which is fair enough.

Eg Primary and Pre Primary dd's ballet school wear white leotards and white skirts, school down the road wear pink.

At Grade 1-3 they all wear lavender whereas school down the road wear blue etc etc.
At least with RAD you have lots of differnet manufacturers all making leotards to the approved design meaning you can get them cheaper wheras the British Ballet Organisation exams they have to have a leotard with their tiny logo on the front which adds at least £5 to the price.

A BBO leotard is around £30, an RAD one is £7-7.50!!!!!!

ISTD says the shoes must be satin with ribbons. But lots of places sell the leotards in the right colour (ours is plum red for grades 1-4)so they don't cost the earth.

We don't have to hire anything though as the leotard they wear for the class is the exam one anyway.