Dolly Dinkle strikes again!

[Fiz]

I am really worried about proposed changes to my daughter's dance school. They already do tap, ballet and modern (no jazz ), Irish dance, singing, drama and musical theatre. My daughter used to do just tap, ballet and jazz (Cancelled) with them and go elsewhere for singing and drama. She has decided to give up tap at Grade 5 as she can't do and it makes her so unhappy that her tap teacher knew). Now for the news - rhythmic gymnastics and baton twirling!!! She says they do the best ballet of any of all the schools she's been to. I just want somewhere that offers ballet and jazz, and I can't find it anywhere! She hates commuting to Cambridge, and local schools don't offer jazz at her level. I despair of finding anywhere!

[CDR]

Does your daughter still have enough ballet and modern classes? If so I wouldn't worry about the fact that the school offers other styles, she doesn't have to take those classes. Dance schools in the UK and the USA are very different and it is much more normal for schools here to offer a wide variety of classes as that is usually what people want. As for jazz, it's a shame that she can't do it there but as for her development as a dancer, modern will suffice for now. Jazz can be picked up later on at vocational college (if she goes), the modern and ballet will stand her in good stead for this.

 

My school offers the best ballet in our area (within about a half hour drive) but we also offer Tap, Modern, Jazz, Musical Theatre, Street Jazz, Scottish, Cheerleading and Majorettes as well as a couple of dance workout classes for adults! It's a question of making ends meet really!!!

 

We unfortunately don't have many senior students but do our best to offer them enough classes. Llast year we had 2 students go to good dance and musical theatre colleges and this year one girl has been accepted at an excellent Ballet School so it's entirely possible to get to the level required with a school that offers other classes.

[Fiz]

Thanks for replying, CDR. She isn't doing any modern since she discovered jazz, sadly. I think she's being really silly. They did have, for a term, a peripatetic teacher at school who taught to a very high standard, enough to make my DD and her dancing friend wilt after her classes!That's what she needs and wants, but stuck in the middle of nowhere, I have no local choice . There's a rumour that her ex tap teacher may do jazz, but she's also gone back to start her A level year, so it depends where they put it! I feel so impotent!

P.S Where are you in the UK if you do jazz???!!!!

[CDR]

No where near you I'm afraid - north east of England, a bit far for you to commute!!

[Fiz]

You're right - what a shame!

[Guest tipo'thetoes]

Have you considered associate classes that do jazz? I think Urdang offer jazz at their monthly associate classes.

[Fiz]

She isn't an associate anywhere. I don't think I quite understand what I would have to do to get her in. Would you be kind enough to explain a bit more, please?

[Guest tipo'thetoes]

Several dance schools offer associate classes, like The Royal Ballet school, Central School of Ballet, ENB and London Senior Ballet. You have to audition for these programmes and the majority of those that I know are for ballet and run weekly. However Urdang has an associate programme where the pupils do several different things; some ballet, some jazz and some musical theatre. Their classes run monthly and I think they audition children throughout the year. I know that The Place, which is a contemporary dance school have associate classes, which might include jazz. Have a look at the websites of Urdang and other dance schools you know to see what you find out about their associate programmes. Where in Herts are you? There is a fantastic school in Herts run by Nicola Bowden, who works at London Senior Ballet and she could probably advise you. She's in Wheathampsted. In addition, Tring is in Herts, which has an associate programme and I know they do Jazz in the full time school there.

[balletpointe]

the classes that are run at the Place are through the Center of Advanced Training program which is funded by the music and dance scheme, if you look at the mds web site it explains all of the centers. The Place as you said is contemporary but the ones on the scheme have technical classes in ballet and contemporary, my daughter has been luck to have had Jonathan Goddard from the Richard Alston company as her ballet teacher there for the last couple of years.

[Fiz]

Dance school has now slotted in jazz and jazz technique lessons on a Saturday. So I panicked for nothing! Thanks to everyone who offered suggestions.