Do we let dd audition for ballet school or not?

[Dancergirl]

This is a tough one. Dd1 is a keen ballet dancer. She's done ballet since the age of 3 and it has always been a passion for her, even more so lately. She's now at the end of Year 5 so dh and I have been looking at secondary schools. She's quite bright academically and will be sitting 11+ exams at a mixture of state and private schools.

However she also wants to audition for a full-time ballet school. The school in question is about a 40-min drive away depending on traffic. The fees are massively expensive (around £6,00/term day and £9,000/term boarding ). I haven't decided yet if she would board or not but I don't fancy doing that journey twice a day and I have 2 other children to consider. But dh and I would hate for her to board. Academically the school is of a good standard as far as I can see, but it is obviously limited in what they can offer as half the day is devoted to dance.

So all in all dh and I are not keen on the idea. If she auditioned and got in we would then have a huge decision to make. Dh is not even keen on her trying but I feel that if she doesn't, we may be denying her an opportunity.

WWYD?

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)

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!

This is an old thread G4bby,

Old, but worth reading.
Thanks g4abby

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

See what I mean

Sashh zombie thread

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?

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

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

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

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