Argh nightmare; DD's dance classes stop over the summer

[KatyMac]

The first week (last week of school) they go on a school trip, so minimal dancing
The second week is intensive so 25 hours over the week
Third week nothing
4th & 5th summer school, so minimal dancing
6th Week out holiday so maybe 7 or 8 hours over the week
7th week nothing

Her fitness levels are going to be a nightmare in September plus she is going to be so bored (dropping from 20 hours to nothing will be so bad for her body)

OK I can book a regular extra Ballet which is only an hour & my brother is talking about supervised interval training - is that appropriate?

What else can she do - maybe pilates & some sort of keep fit

Oh dear!

isn't it normal for dance classes to stop/reduce over summer? DD often misses a lot of summer lessons/practice sessions as she, partner, and teacher often have holidays which don't match. Not a bad thing for them to have a break TBH - particularly for us as we have an intensive comp season running up to Christmas. I know your DD has a different comp cycle, but I'd use the time to a) give your DD a bit of a break b) do other stuff to maintain/build stamina e.g. swimming, Zumba, running - whatever suits. c) do other stuff completely unrelated to dancing - ie fit in the things you can't do when dance lessons take over And d)give yourself a break lovely KatyMac :-) you're important too!

Well maybe if you are doing it for fun; but serious athletes rarely take 6 weeks of training except for injury

My brother is keen for her to do this interval training as he says it will 'set her up' for the next few years of professional training - but I don't really understand it; it might be about stamina I think and it is based around running which DD has never done, although she does a fair amount of walking

Swimming is never a favourite because of the hair issue but cycling is a big favourite

The problem is, they don't come with instructions

Can I ask why you think serious athletes don't take down time?

DD is a high level competitive swimmer and has been a high level triathlete in the past and in both sports she has a 4 week break. In swimming it was often over the summer and in triathlon it was at Christmas. A small break, well planned into the competitive programme is normal for a lot of athletes, even top flight ones.

Am I right in remembering that she was looking at going to a dance school after her exams? Maybe call them for advice.

Really - the athletes I have known go into a sort of holding pattern of different/un connected exercise so when they go back they haven't lost all muscle tone/flexibility

Admittedly I have only known a few (a swimmer who did gym training and a cyclist who did running) which is why I'm a bit lost

I'm not an expert but simply for my own body not doing what you normally do even for a fortnights holiday has an effect when you go back

& I am as worried about boredom as I am fitness; 20 hours of activity plus school to being virtually house bound is a big change - we have no public transport & I work FT

I agree with hellhas. My DB was a competitive athlete, National and European level. They always had 4 weeks break over the summer. He didn't train but often did exercise because of his natural fitness.

It took about a week after to return to full fitness.

His friend who he swam with is World Champ and doing the Olympics this year - she still has smallbreaks in her training. Fitness levels do not drop that quickly.

I don't imagine she'll be bored - all that free time to make up her own dances. IME creative time is important.

Thanks for this guys you are being reassuring

I am not fit (& have no intentions of becoming fit) so I really don't know

But I'm a mum & I worry; I can't stop that

Esp. when the teacher stress the importance of not missing a week all term-time as it will affect their flexibility then when it's the holiday it's suddenly different

How old is she? When you mean housebound, you mean the weeks she isn't at summer school? My daughter is a swimmer and she only does tick over training in the summer holidays, but she does other activities to keep her general fitness up. Could she cycle? Do a cardio exercise DVD? Interval training sounds good, my daughter does this as part of her swim training.

I know what you mean, I did that worrying out too the first time it happened, DD never lost her fitness in the way that I thought she was and within a couple of weeks of being back on the training programme would be up to her previous standard.

If you pop over to balletcoforum.co.uk you will see this subject. Wing discussed in terms of what summer schools people are going on

Dd has a busy summer as she has a week stagecoach musical theatre workshop then a week intensive rehearsals for a show which opens in sept so we decided not to book her onto Nything this year

However if it's any consolation children at vocational schools take the summer off and often sent allowed to join other classes etc

RV (formerly Elphaba/IOS)

Yes the summer school is a feat in getting lifts, timing, trains and lots of walking as we live in the middle of nowhere; those weeks it will be easier to arrange some gym time or classes

The weeks she is home it will be cycling or running I guess; but we are too far away on poor roads to get anywhere on foot or by running

I just felt that she did need to do something over those weeks; my brother is ringing with a plan for the interval training hopefully today

She has just told me (when I mentioned my concern) she plans to do an hour ballet everyday (possibly when she gets up) as she has to work on her 'turn out' & her flexibility or it won't be there in September it appears she knows more than me

Nice site Revolting, thanks

my ds(10 ) does tae kwando, they only have christmas and bank holidays off!

I've found a nice one in Cambridge - I think it's important that she starts to travel more by herself to get used to it

4 day Jazz looks good but I need to see if she is qualified enough

YMT do a residential summer school that I have considered sending DD to.

That looks good - is it very acting or would she get by with dance?

It's all round singing, dancing, acting, which I thought might be good for my DD, who focuses mainly on dance. However .. it seems she wants to lie in her bed for most of the summer .

I will look at it again next year.

Gosh DD would rather do anything than be at home - perils of childminding I guess

I got a lot of stick one year for 'farming her out' to any summer school & club going - I asked 'what do you do with your children while you are at work?' "Holiday clubs" was the reply. 'Well don't criticise me for doing the same; I'm not at home I'm at work'