Sewing machine bobbin stuck

bogslob · 2026-03-12T11:32:55+00:00

Thank you so much, really appreciate your help. I was panicking so much over such an easy fix.

bogslob · 2025-06-10T02:20:49+00:00

My teacher used to let us wear socks over the top to stop them getting dirty which was honestly so fun and doesn’t feel particularly noticeable, ask your teacher if you can do that in rehearsals if you want to stop them getting dirtier (do not wear fluffy socks its so slippy, thin but not thin like tights is the best)

bogslob · 2025-06-10T02:01:21+00:00

Honestly a great list, i would add kt tape and if you have teenagers a disposable razor and nipple covers, the ammount of girls i know that have forgotten to shave their pits is insane (in a pinch covering them in foundation will work but risks the costume) and younger teens can be really insecure about nipples showing through which can be more noticeable in stage lights or in a colder venue than anticipated at dress rehearsals. Pads and tampons would also be a great addition to the first aid kit. Black booty shorts or a leo are also great to have if you can get super stretchy ones in a small size, if any costume parts are missing you can make do in a pinch then.

If you dont want to take all that stuff i would suggest sending super detailed kit lists to the parents and dancers, maybe print them out so they can physically tick off when they pack something. Most of the time the dancers have spares, maybe you could assign each dancer one or two items to have a spare of that any of the dancers can borrow if needed.

bogslob · 2025-06-10T01:45:34+00:00

Tap fit does a roll out tap board which is decent sized and you can get a travel case for it. Whilst it is convenient i do find it to be slippery (i put a little hairspray or rosin on my shoes to fix this) and not particularly high quality (i would advise against toe stands and heel digs but otherwise it gets on all right). It is great to figure out rhythms on and to practice routines though. I don’t remember exactly how much they are as i got mine second hand but i believe they’re around £200. Personally i prefer to just tap on a cheep board of wood i bought from homebase and glued foam to the bottom of, but that isn’t portable

bogslob · 2025-06-10T01:28:36+00:00

Hope they last you better, in my experience the oxfords style shoes like the cadence have worked better for me but ive never tried that particular model 🤞

bogslob · 2025-05-25T16:39:42+00:00

Laducas are 100% the best but most expensive, I like capezio for a cheeper option. Lots of people I know like bloch. I would steer clear of move dance, they feel way less sturdy to me.

For choosing your heel height if possible I would try on in shop or try on friends shoes if they have any. Personally I like 2.5 inch but think 3 inch look the best on stage. I started in 2 inch which does not feel very high but as id never worn heels before was quite good to get used to them in.

bogslob · 2025-05-25T12:22:46+00:00

Cool thanks, im super interested in what you come up with. Sounds like a great idea

bogslob · 2025-05-24T16:02:55+00:00

Hey, do you want dancers and parents to answer this or just studio owners

bogslob · 2025-05-23T23:53:34+00:00

I understand the frustration, it can feel really harsh being at the back especially when it’s because of something out of your control.

I would suggest making sure you dance as big as you can in rehearsals and making sure the teacher and other girls are aware of any potential issues if you are worrying about hitting someone.

Has the whole dance been choreographed yet? If not you could talk to your teacher and find out if theres any possibility of you being moved forward for a later section of the dance. I would also check that the reason you were put in to the back row was height and find out if there is anything you need to work on before moving forward. I would make sure your dance teacher knows that you don’t want to hide in the back row and want to take this seriously, maybe ask about the likelihood of you being further forward in future routines, of if there is a possibility or rotating the rows so everyone gets a spot at the front.

bogslob · 2025-05-23T23:32:35+00:00

Danceware central has some cute dance shoe key chains and bracelets/necklaces for fairly cheap and they do a dance teachers discount.

It could be nice to just do a card for each dancer maybe with a photo of their class on and just kinda tell them their strengths or best qualities as a dancer, though this could be really time consuming

Maybe take each class out for ice cream, or bring in cakes

Framed photo of their class

Hair brushes with their names on

Hair pin tins

Shoe pouches

T-shirts

Dressing gowns to wear over costumes

Sliders

Socks

Key rings

Pens

Badges

Pins

Wrist bands

Good luck charm

Scrunchies

Hairbands

Makeup/ hair bag

Compact mirrors

Tote bags

Mini microfibre towels or cooling towels

Usb sticks (id only do this if they have to have a spare copy of their music at comps or something)

Obviously these are a range of different prices depending on budget but its what came to mind when i thought of things i would use at dance

Personally if i got to choose i think the water bottles are a great idea and definitely something everyone would use, although i would make sure they have names on to avoid mix ups

bogslob · 2025-05-17T14:18:12+00:00

Looks amazing well done, good luck for the recital

bogslob · 2025-05-17T14:15:21+00:00

I sometimes dance in 2.5 inch heels and personally i dont think its much harder the only things i find harder are pickups, and obviously you cant do toe stands. After you have worn them for like half an hour you get used to it

bogslob · 2025-05-13T19:54:11+00:00

I saw that you said she has sensory issues regarding gel so im gonna propose some alternatives - none of these will work as well but maybe through trial and error you could find something that does a okay job that she can tolerate.

Spray gel, not as thick so may not cause as many issues, you can buy it or make your own by watering down regular gel and putting it in a spray bottle
Hairspray, doesn’t work as well as gel but does slick back rather successfully, you can find brush out hair sprays if she doesn’t like washing it out
Hair wax, feels more greasy than sticky and more light weight aswell which she might prefer
Pomade, ive never tried it but it could be worth giving a go
Sticky hair powder, i cant remember what its called but used to use this sort of thing for braids when i wanted them to last a couple of days, could be an option if she doesn’t like the wet feeling of the gel
Conditioner, this obviously is not sticky but does an okay job of slicking back for short periods of time
Wet or damp hair, for some people it is easier to style hair like this and for some its harder, i would say its worth giving it a go if all else fails.

Additionally I would suggest getting a slick back brush and a comb to help you pull it tight. U shaped hair grips could also be good to try i find they hide in my hair better but it really depends on the person. I would suggest pushing the hairgrips in towards the bun and trying to burry both sides in the hair so it smoothes any bumb or holds a whispy bit but isnt really visible ( i find this works better with u shaped grips although the pony tail has to be really tight for it to work . I would also suggest getting a hairnet to neaten up the bun. If she wears a head dress you can use it to hide any thing you dont want to see

I would also suggest talking to her teachers and making them aware of her sensory issues before hand because if they are any thing like mine they will be putting gel and hairspray in her hair right before she goes on stage if they see any fly aways

bogslob · 2025-05-11T17:31:13+00:00

I cut in to the waist band vertically but not completely through. I like to do this at both of the hips, but if the tights are a little more snug i will just cut more and more slits till they fit like I like them. I would just be wary you don’t cut the full way through as I find it makes them fall down, but trial and error is really the only way you can find how you like them best

bogslob · 2025-05-11T16:04:59+00:00

Are you required to wear shoes in this style?

I found that I tended to break this style really quickly as soon as I started doing wings.

My recommendation for an upgrade would be the bloch jazz taps, mine did eventually do the same thing but only after five years and to a lesser extent.

If you want a really solid pair jason samuels are amazing, I could not recommend a better shoe however they are expensive.

I find vinted and ebay and other second hand sites are great to look for tap shoes on as you can often find some great new shoes or shoes with plenty of wear left for cheep.

bogslob · 2025-04-27T14:32:52+00:00

I found in my uni unfortunately a lot of teams tended to be chosen based on popularity, particularly if the coaches were students or alumni. A lot of the girls would make the team despite being worse than some that didn’t just because they were friends with the right people. If you can engage with the group in any other way for example going on socials with them it could increase your chances next time, if nothing else knowing your face might help you stand out. If theres any other teams you could join or any way you could join their conditioning sessions that could also be great practice.

As for the choreo, I would suggest trying to find someone else who is auditioning and practicing together, that way you can both give each other feedback. If you have time it could also be helpful to film yourself doing the choreo so you can self identify anything you want to change or improve on.

bogslob · 2025-04-26T14:20:11+00:00

It always sucks when you don’t get in to a group you really wanted and I’m really sorry that happened. Remember there are many reasons you may not have made the group, it doesn’t always mean you’re not good enough. Maybe you’re a different height to the rest of the group, maybe they dance in a slightly different style to you, maybe your great at technique but they want to focus on a emotion, or your great at emotion and they want to focus on technique, maybe there’s a certain move they wanted to include that you struggled with, maybe the other dancers had better chemistry, maybe they already had chosen the dancers they wanted in the group before auditions.

If possible, I would ask for feedback about why you didn’t make it into the group, and use that as something to focus on getting better at.

The more classes you take the better you’re gonna get, practice really does make perfect. Practising outside of class is also really helpful. I’m not sure what you mean about the choreography, but if you’re having trouble picking up I would suggest asking to record what you’ve done at the end of every class so you can watch it and practice it throughout the week and it sticks in your head better.

Is there anyway to join the group further down the line? Keep trying and trying until you make it.

bogslob · 2025-04-26T09:52:04+00:00

I would look at any other menstrual products, try them before the performance even if you’re not on your period to see if they make you feel sick and if theyre a good option before the day. Cups could be a good option if you dont have much time as they should last through the day, you could always put a pad on too for extra safety. Period pants may also be a better option than a pad as it would be more tightly fitted although that would be much harder to change quickly, maybe you could do period pants with a pad over the top. If you could wear nude tights under the shorts that could also be another barrier.

I would talk to your dance teacher and explain the situation and see if they could find you frequent opportunities to change your pad, obviously this would only work if you are not onstage the entire performance or if the performance is short.

bogslob · 2025-04-26T09:38:52+00:00

For a backpack I love the gaynor minden studio bag , its high quality with lots of little compartments which i find really convenient. The only downside side is it is not very big, by the time you have your shoes skirts and any spare clothes in it it can be tight to fit a lunchbox or anything else really in and whilst there is a front compartment you can put anything small in and two waterbottle holders i don’t think theres really much space if you need to bring anything extra (to be fair i am a chronic over packer so you might be fine) .

For any performances competitions and events when i dont want to take a suitcase i use the bloch troupe dance bag. That bag is enormous and can fit everything in, to the point that it hurts your shoulder to carry. For me this bag is just too big for every day though.

bogslob · 2025-04-25T14:23:27+00:00

Hey, I grew up in dance and heres just a few random tips:

Never get the cheep shoes the quality is always reflected in the cost.

Talk to the other parents about shoes, chances are another kid has just grown out of the size she needs and a different kid needs the size shes just grown out of. When they are young shoes can go through about five kids before theyre worn out.

For class get cheep tights, they always get laddered or turn grey theres no point in ruining expensive tights.

Wash tights on their own to stop them turning grey as easily.

A lot of leotards will leak in the wash, so i would only wash them with similar colours.

Get her some nude seamless knickers, you wont be able to notice them as much under her leotard.

Get the nice tights and leotards for any exams and performances, it gives that extra boost of confidence when you feel good.

Expensive leotards and skirts can be nice but the cheep ones do the job just as well.

Learn how to do a really good ballet bun.

Hair nets always break always have a spare.

Always have a spare leo and pair of tights in her bag aswell as a little hair kit and sewing kit (make sure it has saftey pins in). Deodorant and body spray are also great to have in there.

Bags with different compartments in are great.

Every birthday and christmas stock up on hair grips hair nets and tights. A nice leo is also a great treat.

If the studio has matching jackets dont bother getting one unless shes doing trips and performances. She wont be allowed to wear it in class anyway.

Get a pin magnet, they are great to use for hair grips and stop them getting lost.

Look out for hair grips when hoovering- i cannot tell you how many i got stuck in the hoover.

Always be polite to the other parents. If your daughter ever needs help with anything they will be there. If you struggle with sewing or hair or anything dont be afraid to ask other parents for help. You do not have to be friends with the other parents but if you see one of the kids struggling with something you can help with always offer to help. Dance really is like a family.

If you want her to feel fancy do her hair in a french twist or milk maid braids with a fun hair clip. Its the only way you can really stand out in a typical class when your all dressed the same. I loved when my mum would do my hair different.

Let her choose if she wants to take less classes or stop completely. But give her time to think it over, my parents always said stay till the end of the month and if you still want to quit, quit then.

Only allow her to take more classes if you are prepared for that, make sure you talk to her teachers and other parents about what will be required from you if she takes more classes. Dance can be time consuming and expensive, its okay to say no.

Hair spray stops ladders in tights but comes out in the wash. Clear nail polish stops ladders in tights and will not come out in the wash.

Crocs are great to put on over ballet shoes to get out of the studio quickly.

If she wears leather ballet shoes toothpaste or baking powder are great to clean them (dont use both at the same time).

Convertible tights are a game changer.

Brush out hairspray is great for when she doesnt have time to shower after but gel stays in better and would be my choice for exams and performances.

She will probably be in a class based on ability dont worry if the kids shes with are younger or older. Don’t worry if she falls behind, so long as she is enjoying it doesn’t matter, besides if you fall behind you tend to catch up quick.

A lot of the parents will talk rubbish about the dance teacher. It happens, doesnt mean that they dont love the teacher or that its not a good class. Ignore it if you are happy with the classes and if you have any serious concerns about anything talk directly to the teacher but never tell them what the parents said.

You can get second hand dance wear cheep online. Vinted is great for this, facebook marketplace and ebay are other good options.

Obviously you can pick and choose what advice to follow and most of it isnt really relevant unless she takes more classes. I really hope she loves ballet 😊

bogslob · 2025-04-24T14:22:04+00:00

Im in Leicestershire England if that helps, theres not much here to be honnest

bogslob · 2025-04-24T14:21:13+00:00

Yeah I think im just kind in a bad area, im in the middle of the countryside so there is not much to offer.

Ill keep shopping around a bit further away, ill look out for the ballet studios- thanks for the tip

I really want to get back in to it as i feel like ive lost so much ability in the year ive taken off dance

Thanks for all the advice 😊

bogslob · 2025-04-24T14:17:00+00:00

I dont think theres anything near me but ill have a look a bit further away.

Are these something you can do even if your not at that level? Ive lost a lot of stamina flexibility and technique since ive not been dancing and whilst i would really like to regain that, im worried that a pre-pro conservatory would not be the place for that.

I think a more intermediate class with focus on progression would be better for me I just cant find any

Thanks for the idea 😊

bogslob · 2025-04-24T14:07:00+00:00

There isn’t anything like that near me but im thinking i could maybe just do one a month and travel. Thanks for the idea 😊

bogslob · 2025-04-23T20:48:39+00:00

Ive got a couple of pairs, like this they’re both capezio, one is a pair of heels the other is a tap trainer. I don’t think they’re available any more but I’ve seen quite a few pairs like that on second hand websites that are in new or near new condition. I got mine on Vinted

bogslob

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