email from SLDS Principal - South London Dance Studios

[AilouRadis]

Message removed after legal request - The Administrator

[ibilly99]

I predict this thread is going to run and run - don't wish to comment on the ins and outs of this but my recollection of dance teachers fron the Bunty and Judy days was of shrieking , absolute power obssessed martinets who brook no dissent so this seems to run true to type for the sector.

[jctg]

What an unedifying business.

[ibilly99]

Having looked at their site they come over as a very hard working , ballet obsessed workhorse of a place bringing on young talent and having a very driven approach to it - just the name Miss Zoe conjures up a spinster devoting her life to finding those ballet stars and getting them on the difficult journey to the stage. She even has a testimonial to the effect. I love the performing arts and sometimes see a spot of ballet and I know it's no game - maybe it's time to admit that this place isn't for you and your daughter and move on. I don't see Miss Zoe and her team changing their MO anytimne soon.

?South London Dance Studios has been a part of our lives for the past 5 years. Over time, its role has increased and the time required for attendance has increased from a few hours on a Saturday to the current position where it takes up four evenings and time on a Saturday.

http://www.southlondondancestudios.co.uk/Reviews-of-South-London-Dance-Classes--and--Teachers.php

[Annette Curtain]

Cant read the doc attached. PDF maybe?

[ibilly99]

Jxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hide Details

FROM:

Zoe Dawson - SLDS

TO:

[email protected]

Message flagged

Tuesday, February 28, 2012 12:32 PM

Dear Mrs xxxxxx,

The teachers and staff are absolutely astounded by your very last minute

decision for Jxxxxxx to pull out of the Presentation at the weekend with no

reason given. It is an absolute disgrace to let down the entire team as you

did.

Although you have already given notice of leaving, if you did wish Jxxxxxx

to continue or return to classes at SLDS at any point, please take this as

notice that she would not be welcome to under any circumstances.

It is your decision as to whether Jxxxxxx continues classes until the end of

this term as you have paid the fees, but if she does attend classes, please

note that I do not wish to have any communication with you.

Miss Zoe

Zoe Dawson

Principal

South London Dance Studios

130 Herne Hill, London, SE24 9QL

020 7978 8624

www.southlondondancestudios.co.uk

[AilouRadis]

Thank you ibilly99, and thank you for your earlier post. I am sure Miss Zoe does work hard, however it is her communication and treatment of Parents that I take issue with. I gave no reason for J not taking part in the show (it could have been due to a family bereavement) however this was the first email I received.

No inquiry or confirmation as to the reason why J had not taken part.

And you're absolutely right ballet is not for my daughter, certainly not at this ballet school anyway.

[ibilly99]

Good for you - ballet doesnh't come without some health risks - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_risks_of_professional_dance

[Otta]

That email comes across as pretty mwntal.

[Huguenot]

Meant in a kindly way I suspect Miss Zoe has just lost a sense of perspective.

She seems to have taken J's withdrawal very personally, and she seems to have transferred all of her frustrations to you. I think your disappointed reaction is the right one to take, I can see that you're quite hurt by Miss Zoe's offensive attitude.

She was probably just having a bad day, and forgot that she owes her livelihood to the goodwill of generous parents like yourself.

As you already have done, I'd just take it on the chin and walk away, confident that your friends will share your chagrin.

[ibilly99]

I had a music teacher at school who was a bit mental - slamming down the piano lid and screaming your flat flat at the top of his voice when practising stuff. The classical arts tends to attract perfectionists and martinettes possibly because the art is so precise and complex that a lesser approach wouldn't be able to bring it off. Miss Zoe would I think be pretty much par for the course - she lives breathes and would die for her gels and anything less than fanatical devotion to the art is treated with disdain. I think you're definately better off out of there if that's not what you want.

[AilouRadis]

Oh the irony! I just ran into Miss Zoe outside the Dulwich College PE Centre (I respectfully stuck to her 'no communication' demand). Inside the centre I met another ex-parent, who had also left due to the attitude of Miss Zoe and her team ... And she hadn't even gone through the 'show' ordeal as her daughter was too young.

:-S

[ibilly99]

Miss Zoe isn't as I imagined her ....

http://www.centrestagedance.org/media/images/miss-zoe.jpg

[MrBen]

ibilly99 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I predict this thread is going to run and run -

> don't wish to comment on the ins and outs of this

...but you will anyway and have done a pretty good job so far at keeping this thread going.

These things are surely always better sorted out in person rather than a one sided presentation/vilification on a public forum?

[ibilly99]

I've not vilified her just appreciate she is a driven artist whose core values may alienate 'lesser mortals' - I think and hope I understand and appreciate both points of view. Some maybe inspired to want their kids to join the school others may not - one thing is for sure the school will continue to prosper under Miss Zoe.

[Annette Curtain]

Oooo she does sound harsh

I wonder if Mistress Zoe offers any *ahem* other services.

:-S

[Huguenot]

Having said that, she'd probably benefit from taking her own advice....

"Learn patience and have an increased awareness of the need to understand the emotions and points of view of others"

I don't think she's been vilified though - anything but.

[DJKillaQueen]

lol nette........

She just sounds like an old fashioned head to me. If you run a school that people pay to send children to then you are only as good as the results you achieve. That often comes hand in hand with strictness and demanding standards. It won't be for everyone.

Yes the tone of the letter is abrasive but just to play devils advocate and put a different spin on it. The school play as she rightly says is a team effort. It takes time to rehearse and it's not easy to replace someone at a late stage at the drop of a hat. I think that is where Miss Zoe is coming from.

[ibilly99]

Aplogies wrong Miss Zoe

http://southlondondancestudios.co.uk/images/Teachers-1.jpg

Miss Zoe trained as a dancer and dance teacher (ISTD & IDTA) in the West Midlands. She was also an active member of a local theatre group, a gymnast and singer. Planning on going to university Miss Zoe took a year out and became represented by a top London dance agent. It was not long before she moved to London having been offered her first performing job; a featured ensemble role in the Royal National Theatre's production of 'Oklahoma!? directed by Sir Trevor Nunn. The show was a great success going into the West End and being made into a film. Miss Zoe went on to perform in other London based and touring musicals before deciding to train in acting at LAMDA. Whilst working as an actress in TV and theatre, Miss Zoe wanted to teach dance again and decided to open Grafton Dance Academy in Dulwich with the aim of creating a dance school that catered for all abilities; ensuring that those children talented enough to consider a career as a dancer would have an excellent foundation training (both technically and artistically) and those students attending classes purely as a hobby could achieve their personal best in a supportive and fun environment. This ethos has been successful and the school ? becoming South London Dance Studios and securing its own premises in 2009 ? now has well over 600 happy and successful students.

[DJKillaQueen]

Sounds like a good school to me.

[Huguenot]

Does, doesn't it?

Still need some help on the PR though - and Miss Zoe would be wise not to email in anger!

[Otta]

At the end of the day, she's working with very small children, and as such, she should understand that sometimes kids will have a change of heart. How would she have responded had she been told a child was too sick to take part.

In her defence though, you probably should have given a bit more notice, and maybe had a frank discussion about spending the money on new kit.

[Huguenot]

It's interesting psychology isn't it?

It's clear Miss Zoe is angry - but by refusing any further dialogue she's intent on preventing a resolution.

In other words she's angry, and she wants to stay that way.

[DJKillaQueen]

I agree with H and Otta. I think Miss Z was having a bad day and maybe things weren't handled best from both sides (and we can't know the whole story from one side).

What I would also say is that if you are paying fees to a school there will always be additional costs....uniforms, equipment.....that's par for the course. A person can either afford it or they can't. Most parents would love to send their kids to public school for example.....but most can't afford it.

The hours part is interesting. In film, tv and stage work there are limits on how many hours children can work or perform in a day/week. That's why children cast in musical theatre rotate for example.

[TillieTrotter]

She sounds like a complete cow to me!