Michelle_Richer

Wow I thought you experienced girls knew these things. You should see the raked stage of Leeds Grand Theatre, the back of the stage is considerably higher than the front, obviously to give the audience a better view of the performers. I remember my first pirouette on that stage, I nearly lost my balance because of the degree of slope, I could almost imagine falling over and rolling down the stage into the orchestra pit. The term upstage / down stage arm/leg is extremely common; you experienced girls never cease to amaze me, I think you may need to get out of the studio more and on to stage where ballet should be performed.

Hi Aileen I take your point, the last two mornings at our hall, as I have been on my own I have been dressed in cropped legging (Pineapple) which are quite woolly and warm together with leg warmers. But 20 minutes intensive practice in the hall at 12 degrees and I’m sweating. The important thing is I do a pre-warm-up at home so at least my legs and core are flexible and mobile, the only thing that does initially feel the cold is my hands and fingers but once the blood gets flowing that soon goes. I am very conscious about exercising with a cold body as I have sustained minor injuries too many times. I guess I'm a bit old fashioned when it come to class as I always wear a leo, skirt and tights, I don’t even like wearing leg warmers, as I was videoed once in rehearsal with pink leg warmers, they just stood out and looked wrong, it really put me off. I have never had a cold studio at ENB, but as its evening time when I get there, I guess the professionals have warmed it up for me. The only really cold ones are my local hall and the RAD one we use for LAB barre work, the RAD studio I tend to arrive quite early , sometime 2 hours before class, so I put the heating on, and that give me a chance to practice rep. The downside is, there is no music and that for me makes a tremendous difference. I remember one week I was going through Giselle’s variation, it just wasn’t working for me, someone in the next studio started playing the piano, I think it was some youngsters class. That was enough, although the tempo and probably everything else was wrong, I could still dance that variation to it. It was just remarkable the power of music. General: My feet have survived today’s hall and private session in London, I also took the opportunity of popping into the Royal Ballet School in Floral Street and got myself booked on Wednesdays class. Sorry girls I don’t pontificate these things, I just go and do it. Today private session was fantastic, most of the enchainment is pretty solid, at least I can keep with the music which is quite fast. We have re-laid out the sequence on a slightly different diagonals (some parts opposite), which seems to make sense and works well, that just took a bit of relearning, a tiny bit more artistry to pop in with the arms. Basically it will remain for a while as work in progress and only a single run though to chart my progress at our next sessions, as we are about to move house to a new studio as I will then be doing two more variation in March. Ultimately the variation we have been doing need to be taken from 5 single pirouettes in line, to 5 doubles and then to 5 triples, it really is a gorgeous piece, and will go well with my bad girl black swan image. Can wait to get my Black Swan tutu and dance this variation the way its meant to be, or at least the way I intend to do it. I was a little sad tonight at skipping ENB, but I’m not sure what the state of my feet would have been like with all the assemblies I have been doing this afternoon and this morning. At least I will be back next week, no private session then, we resume the week after and the new variations will not be too hard on the feet, so full classes as normal.

If I'm not mistaken that picture was taken in the upper studio at ENB, that's a bit cheeky isn't it.

Hi Terpsichore If my legs survive tomorrow I will be at the RBS open class this week, Wednesday is not a day I can normally do as I’m at the Angles Theatre on rehearsal for our annual show week, but I have the opportunity presented with half term break this week. Last Wednesday I could barely hobble, the class that night was really hard I could barely do plies as my Soleus muscle was tightening. Thursday I was in no fit state for ballet and cancelled LAB for that week. However what I have discovered, even though my soleus begins to tighten if I use the exercises laid down in Alfredsons protocol, it certainly restores them, but it must be done morning and night. Last Tuesday was quite an enduring day especially with my private rep session, the sequence and music is quite fast moving and contains 3 assemblies which can be hard on the ankles, I don’t know how many times we went through it, but a lot. I then followed with two classes at ENB, quite frankly with that sequence it was too much. I ran though my correction this morning in my local village hall in spite of its hard floor, it was also very cold at 12 degree’s C, by the time I left I was sweating, I’ve been waiting all day to see the effect on my ankles, but I think in using plie’s properly on the landing on that hard floor has taught me quite a lesson as its very unforgiving. I have the hall booked for another practice run tomorrow, and then it’s off to London for another rep session with my private teacher. I’m deliberately skipping ENB this week to give my legs a chance, assuming they are OK Wednesday morning, then RBS here I come. I’ve already emailed them to try and book a place, but with a limit of 30 I guess that will soon fill up. So if you are going, I guess I will see you there. Lin Your welcome, but we never got to fly the broomstick. By the way did you get that piano?

Adult Ballet classes (General Level) and Body Conditioning Classes (Get fit, toned and flexible) Every Tuesday 7pm until 9pm At Sylvia Young Theatre School 1 Nutford Place London W1H 5YZ (Only 5 minutes from Marble Arch Tube Station) More Info www.RejaneGarcia.com Info@RejaneGarcia.com

When I get the opportunity, I will certainly give the RBS class a try, but unfortunately it could never be a regular class for me as it is in conflict with my Angles Theatre class where we do performances, but there is always term breaks. My heels took a pounding last week with the addition of my private session which is somewhat fast and furious, that resulted where I could not attend LAB last night, thankfully the recovery over the past two days will allow me to do Saturdays Cinderella Workshop at RAD. Next week thing will be very light with half term breaks, as I'm only doing another private session but dropping my two classes at ENB for that week only as I think my feet need time to fully recover. Out of the blue I received an Email from RAD telling me I had a place at the Romeo and Juliet Workshop in Edinburgh on the 23rd after they has said there was insufficient numbers. I phoned them to check this and apparently there are on 5 of us on the workshop, but they are hoping to attract more, so I am duty bound to go now. But as things are, that will be a quick nip up to Edinburgh on the Morning, do the workshop and return the same evening to preserve my feet.

Wow, if my feet were not in a serious need of rest next week when most classes are on Half term break I would check that one out. I guess it will just have to wait. Its certainly a good price at £10 against the EB class at ROH at £25.

Thank goodness the tube strike was suspended, one of my teachers told me, so at least I wasn’t having to change my travel arrangement. It was a brilliant day I learnt an enormous amount from my private class but the studio wasn’t what I expected, but that was down to me for not seeing it first and booking on the basis of the pictures on the website, I have one more session there then we will move to one I have checked out. Unfortunately yesterday my legs have taken quite a pounding, they were in remarkably good shape when I got off the train at Peterborough last night, but are quite painful this morning. Only one class tonight, rehearsal at the Angles Theatre as I’m at a conference this afternoon in Cambridge, so hopefully they will get a bit of a rest then. Terpsichore: As RAD have had to cancel the Romeo and Juliet repertoire Workshop in Edinburgh on the 23rd Feb, it extremely unlikely I will see the girls at Northern Ballet on the 25th, as I’m becoming heavily loaded with Rep and rehearsals for the immediate future. Lin Another bit of bad news, it looks as if I wont be able to make the RAD Giselle workshop in Cambridge on 29th June, as I got an email last night with the same date for our last LAB rehearsal before the LAB gala at the Bloomsbury Theatre, although it didn’t say, I assume its our dress rehearsal even though its at ENB. I will find out for sure Thursday night.

I should have been really refreshed and bright eyed and bushy tailed today after a weekend with no ballet. However it was just the opposite, I felt really deflated, tired out and lethargic. My first class today “Body Balance”, I managed to fall over, something I have never done, worst still I was front line where we are supposed to know what we are doing. My first ballet class did give me some energy, but by the time I had driven home most of that had gone. It took a lot of effort to get ready and go tonight, even the weather was against me, I drove through 2 hasty hail storms, it was dark and visibility was extremely poor, I had to put my fog lights on to see. The road was covered in hail stones and slush, just as if it had been snowing. The class itself was good, unfortunately we’ve lost our Other Older Lady as she has gone back to South Africa, so with absentees there were only four of us and one of those girls went home poorly. Next week is our half term break, however I will be at RAD at the weekend so it won’t be so bad and I think the other class is still running. My class tonight at least restored my energy level, that I will need tomorrow in London with a private rep tuition session, and my usual two classes at ENB, I just hope the Piccadilly line in still open for me to come back, otherwise it’s a No10 bus from the Royal Albert Hall to Kings Cross.

Awww forget about the leo, I'd love to have those 6 O'clock legs, love to know where I could get some of those from.

Just get over it girls, for me its easy, If its a working outfit its black leo pink tights and black chiffon skirt, for anything else it fits that characters roll, if it be leo or tutu I really don't have a problem, it goes with the territory. My ballet wardrobe consists of over 20 leos of various colours and styles with a similar number of tutu's

I like Harriet very much, as I only do there adult beginners class, as its just before there stretch and tone class, its very basic but good fun. It was the stretch and tone class where I was first was able to get my nose to my knee in a kind of splits movement. I love it, their intermediate class is on a Thursday, I used to time share between Peterborough and footlight performing arts at King Lynne , Norfolk. Those are sadly history now, I'm in London Again with London Amateur Ballet doing rehearsals for our Gala Performance in July, that's where my real heart lies. I have had a really frustrating week end doing prep for an important private class which has cost an arm and a leg, for me its worth it. The enchainement we are doing consists of a three assembies, which since my injury, psychologically I feel is holding me back Grrr, it must be some protection instinct. the 5 travelling pirouettes are no problem as the rest, but I seem to have a large mental bock in my own studio with anything that's jump related, although I thought I had got over it at the hall I hired on a Thursday after my local teachers ballet session .

Oh Stretch and Tone, that sounds very much like GoDance. I occasionally do that at their place in Sleaford when we are not on rehearsal at the Angles Theatre, but this year we have started a month early. It was a really nice class starting with a cardio warm-up, it was run buy one of the ballet teachers called Harriet, a really nice girl. Go and enjoy, it will get you fit.

Red is definitely for Christmas, that's when I wear red.

Mission accomplished, managed to get to my LAB session at Battersea and back, there were quite a few missing tonight, so after company class we only did one rep, but we had added quite a bit to it and rehearsed it several times through before videoing, but never the less it still may get minor changes and tweaks. I think we are about half way through on that piece.

Hi Lin Of course Feet off the ground, I’m always there for a white knuckle ride. I really wish I could fly then getting to class tonight would be no problem. I’ve been down the village hall this morning and collected the key from my old ballet teacher. Ran through the two reps we did last week at LAB ready for tonight. Went through Giselle’s variation the RB version and the Cuban one we both did on Saturday, and a bit of Corsaire too. I’m off in a few minutes on the adventures to my LAB session, I’m not sure what else you would call it, but I’m sure a few here wont be short of a few words.

Hi Spannerandpony I agree with you, I didn't go on Tuesday and missed my two ENB classes, I wasn't so bothered about that as my level 3 teacher is away for a couple of weeks. But with LAB we are constantly on rehearsal for our Gala Show doing more than one rep, and I missed the first session so at least I'm caught up now, I don't want that to drift behind as we do progress quite quickly.

Welcome Petunia I have a feeling this is not going to be a good day for me with the tube strike still on in London. Although the Victoria Line is down as Special Service, I don’t think its picking up at King Cross where I get in, or dropping off at Victoria. I’ve checked busses for that route and there is a No73 but it takes 45minutes. The real challenge will come tonight when My London Amateur Ballet session finishes at 9.30pm, the 170 bus usually picks up just out side RAD HQ at Battersea a minute or two to 10pm, and I need to get on board my train from Kings Cross to Peterborough before midnight otherwise my return ticket is invalid, furthermore I’m likely to incur another £7.00 parking charge at Peterborough station, so it could be an expensive and frustrating night. It looks like the same pandemonium with the underground next week too

Wow what observations girls: 1 My comments are provocative. 2 My views are irritating and presumptuous 3 I know better than my teachers. 4 I criticise teachers who are identifiable 5 I am a more 'thinking' student than the other students. 6 I frown on others using barre in my class. 7 Other students do not matter. I guess this “Bad Girl” must be character building for her “Black Swan “ image to go with the tutu, best I guess the dance right then, otherwise I will loose all street cred on this forum.

I hope when we do LAB’s Spring Intensive and go and see Sleeping Beauty at ROH you bring your best evening gown. One has to keep up appearances and be seen.

Dear Dancer Sugar Plum You have to remember I do a large number of class, I try and take what I consider is best practice of each, and of course there will be differences. At least two of my class usually results in some form of balance off the barre at the end of that movement. Its entirely at the dancer’s discretion as to when they let go of the barre. As I’m a very inexperienced dancer on this forum against the years of training of our fellow members, I need all the balance practice I can get. As it is I cannot hold a retire/releve on balance for the four minute requested by my local teacher at the time, however I did make 55seconds (almost one minute). Anyway to quote our great Anjuli on #253 of this thread, I’m at least trying to dance my barre, for me at least it not a military drill. Balleteacher Your comment “Having said that I feel uneasy reading about teachers who are identifiable being openly criticised on this forum”, I sincerely hope I haven't done that as I would be uneasy about it too. DavidW I really like the comment “that one of the uses of the barre is to prepare the ladies for working with a partner”, Yes I wish we had done this in our Monday afternoon class prior to our centre work, which in this case was part of the Grade 5 performance Enchainment for the schools 50th anniversary Show. unfortunately Adult ballet is not in involved that one. Our class was very small last week only 5 dancers, 2 of the girls and our teacher played the male roll for this part, they kneeled on one foot, while we placed both hands on their right shoulder, developped our right leg out and up to the ceiling. The teacher was my male partner and we were positioned away from the mirror, I really didn’t know where my leg and turnout was, I couldn’t see it. It felt strait but probably wasn’t. But then we were only learning this sequence and without a dought I will check that on the barre next week before we add to this sequence again (that’s initiative). We were told it had been adapted from an Egyptian ballet, a really nice piece. That’s my kind of centre work.

Aileen: Wow this debate is getting exiting. Did anyone tell you, there is a time and a place for everything. One NEVER make a teacher or presenter look silly in front of a class or audience, there are no winners from that. I have never ever done that or even considered it in ballet class, as I have never done that in my professional career in a conference setting either. I’m really not sure where this encroaching thing came from, perhaps you are being inventive. But just to bring some normality back, I did say non of my teachers have ever suggested correction etc by removing my hand from the barre towards the end of an exercise when to me it felt appropriate to do that to enhance ones balance capability. Furthermore I have seen considerably less contact with the barre from a couple of dancers in a class I attended who were Bolshoi trained and qualified, even though they were not actually working, I think they were as near professional as you could get, even so that is not my motivation to copy them, for me it just makes good common sense where appropriate for me. 2Dancersmum I often wonder where I had been If I had started in this field much younger, I certainly would never limit it to being a talented choreographer. Even now I wonder where it will all end, its just those little things that behave like catalysts. Recently I have hired two dance studios, I was offered a stage and recording studio by one organisation, these things have a way of festering before developing into something, unfortunately its very difficult to stop the thinking process, there is always that “JUST MAYBE” glint in ones eye.

Awww Aileen You spoil sport, I’m bound to get up to mischief, I’m grounded tonight with a severe case of ballet withdrawal due to the tube strike, so I cant go to my classes at ENB as my last class ends after the tube strike kicks in with no service. Never presume that I think my fellow dancers don’t matter or that I deliberately show disrespect to my teachers, challenging ideas is not disrespect in any way shape or form.

Hi Balleteacher Someone that is prepared to question if the old ways are necessarily the best because we’ve always done it that way, challenge current thinking, be prepared to go out on a limb and follow what your heart and your head feels is right and develop that thinking to evolve, rather that to stay in the safe haven of tradition.

Perhaps they can balance no feet then.