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Extra-curricular activities

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

Original poster

Dance stuff for 4 year old DD - whare is the best place to buy it?

33 replies

Adikia · 14/08/2013 21:41

My daughter would like to join the after school ballet and tap classes at her school in September. Where can I buy dance clothes and shoes from? (I'm in Kent if that helps)

The school second hand shop has some stuff in stock so I've seen the style and colour she needs but they haven't got anything the right size, obviously I will wait a couple of lessons to check she likes it before buying everything and will check exactly what she needs with the teacher but I want to get a rough idea of prices so I can make sure I have enough put to one side.

OP posts:
BeehavingBaby · 14/08/2013 21:50

Usually from the dance school IME. Prices roughly: Leotard £8-9, skirt £10ish, optional cardie £10ish, socks £2, tap shoes £10ish, ballet shoes £7-8. All approximate! Dance schools usually have a second hand box at reception, with an involved mum and accept that you will get the uniform after about a month of trying it.

BeehavingBaby · 14/08/2013 21:51

Sorry missed that it is part of school school already!

Original poster
Adikia · 14/08/2013 22:02

thank you, thats nowhere near as bad as I was expecting, I thought the shoes would cost an absolute fortune!

OP posts:
Greenandcabbagelooking · 15/08/2013 21:44

If school don't have the right sizes, try dancedirect.com Really fast delivery, very good value and good quality.

SE13Mummy · 17/08/2013 22:08

It's worth looking on eBay for the generic items - I've picked up RAD leotards for my DDs from there for £1. Sellers often list entire kits on there too, often as a result of children giving up after a few lessons.

Sparklymommy · 26/08/2013 10:43

Beehavingbaby your prices are somewhat conservative! Our dance shop ballet shoes are £12, leotard £14 skirt £12, socks £3! Tap shoes range from £14-£40!

Dance direct is much cheaper but buy all at once to avoid paying lots of delivery charges. Ballet shoes there start at £4.50, socks £1.20, leotards about £6.

Picturesinthefirelight · 28/08/2013 15:59

And when you get to vocational school each leotard is £25, tsp shoes £57 , jazz shoes £30 and ballet a snip at £15

Plus tights £7.99 each pair

Ouch!

Sparklymommy · 28/08/2013 18:18

£7.99 a pair of tights? I pay £12!!! Lol

Sparklymommy · 28/08/2013 18:36

That is for convertibles tho!

Picturesinthefirelight · 28/08/2013 19:20

£7.99 was capezio non convertible. Can't remember the convertible price it's worth paying extra for capezio as they last twice as long

However I do have access to trade prices on some stuff so I can get them cheaper.

Original poster
Adikia · 28/08/2013 21:13

Sparkly and Pictures- so basically if she decides she enjoys it and wants to take it that far then I need to get a better job to fund it Wink

My mum says she thinks she might still have my little sisters tap shoes which were hardly ever worn, would second hand tap shoes be ok at least until DD has been there long enough to know if she will stick to it, or could that damage her feet?

OP posts:
Picturesinthefirelight · 28/08/2013 21:33

Dd has had 2nd hand tap shoes until now. As long as they fit. It's not like ballet shoes that's led to your feet.

Sparkly and my dd are probably the extreme. Dd decided to give up her place at an independent grammar school to go to full time dance school!

Sparklymommy · 28/08/2013 22:20

It can be expensive but its so worth it!

That said, dd has had a growth spurt and none of her festival costumes fit anymore so all need replacing. May need to remortgage the house! Lol

Dd has decided to audition for Redroofs full time theatre school and dance is her life. It's worth spending the money on her dance wear because she is rarely out of it! She goes through about 4 pairs of ballet tights a month (capezios, usually convertibles). Definitely shop around op, cos dance direct and other places do make it a lot cheaper.

And I have four of them that dance. Dd1, 10, Ds1, 7, Ds2, 5 and Dd2, 4.

Second hand tap shoes are fine. Luckily at our dance school they wear unisex ones so ds1 is in dd1s old ones!

Sparklymommy · 28/08/2013 22:22

Plus dd1 is about to go on pointe... That'll give me next to no change out of £100... Ballet is definitely not for the faint hearted!!!

DancesWithWoolEnPointe · 28/08/2013 22:25

I buy from dance direct on line. I find the prices okay and rthey deliver swiftly.

EightToSixer · 28/08/2013 22:25

I'm not sure if ths helps you, or anyone else on this thread but I ordered some ballet shoes from dance direct for DD and they were too small, as I'd ordered a whole bunch of leotards tights and other ballet shoes from there I didn't bother sending them back.

They are size 3, but would suit size 1 and 2 as well as they come up quite small. They have pre-stitched elastics (my worst job having a ballet-loving dd is sewing those blooming elastics). I'm happy to send them to anyone who has need for them for free :)

Original poster
Adikia · 28/08/2013 22:53

Thank you Eight but DD is only a size 8, she's tiny!

Sparkly, Pointe was the bit I always wanted to do sadly I have absolutely zero co-ordination and spent most of the 3 years I did dance lessons for falling over my own feet.

OP posts:
Picturesinthefirelight · 28/08/2013 23:15

They arnt split sole canvas by any chance?

We've been told most children go en pointe sometime in the spring term. Definatly not looking forward to that bill.

Picturesinthefirelight · 28/08/2013 23:16

OP. What style/colours exam board uniform does your dd need?

Original poster
Adikia · 28/08/2013 23:41

for lessons its a red cotton leotard (sleeveless but not strappy and as plain as possible but no specific style) and skirt to match, with white tights. No idea about exam board uniform as they've not mentioned it, I was just hoping to get a rough price before talking to her teacher as I don't want to ask details then have to admit I wont be able to afford the uniform.

DD is at a private school but the dance lessons are optional after school so I have to pay but less than any of the local dance schools charge.

OP posts:
Original poster
Adikia · 28/08/2013 23:43

in all honesty I didn't realise there was so much choice and rules on what they have at that age, i was only 7 when i gave up dancing so don't have a clue

OP posts:
Picturesinthefirelight · 28/08/2013 23:46

Red is unusual. It might be non syllabus as it doesn't sound like RAD or ISTD

I'VE got navy & lavender leotards spare.

Original poster
Adikia · 28/08/2013 23:54

All their school uniform and PE kit is red/maroon too, it might well be non-syllabus as theres no mention of exams anywhere, that would explain why it a lot cheaper. might look into proper dance schools later if she decides she enjoys it in that case.

OP posts:
Picturesinthefirelight · 29/08/2013 00:16

Dd started at her school but a BBO teacher came in. They wore pink skirted leotards. Then she moved to a proper dance school that was RAD with lavender for Grades 1-2 & Navy ruched for Grade 3.

DancesWithWoolEnPointe · 29/08/2013 07:50

Eight - I generally find ballet slippers come up small for sizing, and I just buy one size bigger than the last pair they had. However it doesn't work for character shoes and tap shoes. I get those in their normal size.

I have bought tap shoes on ebay for my girls - never had a problem yet. I have also sold a lot of our dance shoes online too, once me or the kids were finished with them or they were starting to look a bit tired.

I get our tights from dance direct as the dance school sells them for a fiver, and I get convertibles from the website for a fiver too - but they are thicker, and obviously convertible.

Sparkly and Pictures - that is so exciting about your DDs and their upcoming school/auditions! Where are you getting their pointe shoes from? Our teacher takes the older students who need pointe shoes out together on a shopping trip, or has the guy from the shop come into the class in order to fit them. It has turned into a big tradition and a right of passage. DD1 is counting the days and she has years to go yet Smile