Michelle_Richer

RAD cancelled the Swan Lake Adult Repertoire Workshop today (20/01/2014) due to in sufficient numbers, it looks as if they may re-launch it in the South East later in the year.

Lin its not qualified by their application form, so I really don't know what you are worrying about, unless you are after the cheapest possible price, then I guess you could always gate crash, or come in pigtails and mini skirt as a young student.

This Gals a dancer, full stop!

Well this gal is thinking of going as I will already be in London after the LAB Spring Intensive at RBS, so it makes sense to stop the extra day and take this in.

It seem to work for me, try this one

This next week is my last leisurely week, as I'm only adding in Lincoln and ENB plus the hire of the hall. However there is lots of practice and familiarity I want to do, but I have to do it with caution so I can ramp up to full time the following week. The real tricky thing is having the confidence to book things for the near future like hotels, course fees and advance rail fairs which still have some degree of risk. All my classes now other than ENB do performances at some time or other, the rest I have shed, but a little sorry about some I've lost, never the less I will still visit them on the odd occasions where my main classes breaks are different to theirs. Yes I will see you on the 1st of Feb for Giselle, especially as we are supposed to be doing Giselle's variation this time, not sure if we will be doing the same Pas de deux as last time, but Mr T said he was going when I see him last Thursday. I just hope my ankles and legs are sufficiently healed for the jumps and hops in Giselle's variation, again I don't know how much simplification will be added by our teacher, I will give it a very guarded run through at the hall on Thursday.

Hi Lin I’m still very cautious about my heels, I have an issue with the Gracilis muscle in my left leg, generally its not a problem, it’s only at certain angles like high leg extension to a la seconde. The trouble is I tend to forget about it, and then I inadvertently catch it with a vengeance. One of the things I have found, I don’t measure the effect of my heels until the following morning, if they feel bad at night, they will be much worse in the morning, as was the case when I was unable to walk. Tonight (Sat) I have been at a Salsa party, well that’s what we call it but we do lots of different dances including fun solo line ups. Tonight we did something called the Charleston Stroll which is danced solo. At our venue we have three different levels; the couple that organise and run the event were at the top level, a guy (Guest teacher), me and two other girls on the second level. The rest of the dancers were on the main dance floor. We all danced the stroll to a medium speed Charleston track, nothing special which lasted out 3 minute. The guy of the couple said we will do another one which is a bit faster, well that was an understatement, the guy that was at the same level as me decided to join those on the dance floor, he obviously knew what was coming. The new track we had was very fast and very snappy, and very allegro, fortunately the only raised leg was my right and I used all the extension I could muster, I was also in my ballet slippers as I love to feel the floor. What I didn’t know, our organiser had chained two tracks together giving a duration of over 7.5 minutes, that certainly shook the cobwebs away, apart from being quite exhausting, and several gave up, we had to carry on, the majority were following us, after all they were our captive audience and was the diners at this venue. At the end of all that I suddenly thought my legs feel really fantastic; better see what they feel like in the morning. As things are going, I don’t think it will be my legs that will give up first, it could well be my brain, as I am now dealing with something like 6 different classical ballet a month and many of those have multiple scenes to be danced. LAB is brilliant but not for the faint hearted, you will see when you get to the Spring Intensive, and it is intensive. February we will find out what we are dancing, and of course there will be a performance at the end. I’m not sure how the solo rolls will be handled as to if you have a choice or not, those will be taught separately to the corps de ballet pieces. I most definitely will be doing any or all of the solo rolls that come my way and hopefully I will have appropriate tutus for them too. When you mentioned summer term, is that after 5th July as that is when our Gala performance is, and I’m going to have to raise my game enormously for this one, as many at our Salsa party tonight want to come and see me perform there, they are even talking of hiring some form of mini bus, does this mean I have a fan club Ha ha ha. But seriously I have to work harder and smarter than I have ever done before.

Thank you Sheila I have two Salsa sessions this weekend too, so I'm hoping everything holds together and I can bring two more classes in next week, so that will give me the opportunity to pop across to Southend, otherwise time just runs out once I'm back fulltime.

It was back to ballet for me this week (Thurs), it was the first time I had been to RAD HQ for LAB in the evening. I had given myself lots of time as I arrive at Kings Cross just before 4.30pm and I had to book in at RAD reception between 7-7.30pm. The weather was against me as it was raining, but I did have an umbrella. It seemed to be a long wait for the 170 Bus at Victoria, it arrived at 5.25pm, the journey seem to take forever due to the rush hour traffic, twice the driver switched the engine off as traffic wasn’t moving, lot of people just gave up and got off the bus, at one stage I was tempted as I see the time ticking by. I was finally dropped off at 6.35pm on a journey that should have been 15-20minute. At class we had a short barre session of about half an hour, I was expecting Plies to be an issue with my heels being very stiff, but they seem to feel fine. Tendu’s from 5th in devant and derriere were OK but to a la seconde were rubbish, the snappiness and precision had gone, they were all over the place Grrr, it was really frustrating. Everything else went fairly smoothly until I came to Grand Battements, these were a little unusual for me as we rotated the body by 90 degree after each movement. Every movement with the right leg was fine, the left devant was also fine, but when I hit left a la seconde above 90 degrees, I hit an injury that dated back before Christmas at my Body Balance class, however it was checked out by my physio on my last visit when she banned me from doing splits type exercise, however although I had a tubular support bandage over it, I had forgotten about its presents. When I hit that injury I yelped and my teacher suggested I leave that leg much lower, if necessary at a Tendu, however I was able to carry on with it just below 90. Centre work went better than expected even jumps which I was a bit worried about. About an hour and a quarter was spent on rep for our show, the first piece I had a little familiarity with as I was sent the previous weeks video, however I was allocated a position on the opposite side of the room to which I had learnt, so my brain got a little reprogramming for the opposite leg etc. The other bit, I think was new to everyone. There was a third piece but three of us did not do that as it was taught last term and it was only intended as a recap for the other dancers. Grrr I would have loved to have learnt that piece, the classes presentation of that dance was brilliant. The evening with LAB just flew by, it was fantastic, there is just so much for me to learn and raise my presentational skills, its my No 1 class now, my kind of ballet school. By the end of the evening my heels were starting to get a little sore but not troublesome. Fortunately I didn’t have to catch the bus back to Victoria as our Teacher gave me and another girl a lift to Clapham Junction Station as it was pouring down with rain when we left the RAD premises. One the last leg of the train journey before Peterborough I decided to massage my ankles, then subjected them to a number of fully flexing reps on each foot to warm the muscles and preserve the flexibility. When I got off the train my heels were far better than they had been for a long time. That little bit of therapy certainly has merit. I finally arrived home at 1am happy and fulfilled with being back at ballet.

Yes I like the sound of the Cambridgeshire one too, but it looks like quite at trek to do on a regular basis, even if its just off the A1, anyway good luck, let us know how you get on if you go there.

Honeybee I’m not sure where in Lincolnshire you are I found www.barnhousephysio.co.uk through Dance UK they are a little more expensive than the Cambridgeshire one. It located to the south of the county Nr Stamford. For me I pass it every Monday on my way to class, so it was really convenient. Tulte: Where in Cambridgeshire is that Physio located ?, I couldn’t find it on her website, as I may check her out sometime, she certainly has the right background and I’m quite close to the Lincs/Cambrdgeshire border, anyway one of my classes is in Cambridgeshire. .

Yes I think they are still having a bit of trouble, I ordered a couple of Tutu's well before Christmas when I thought they had finally got their computer system sorted out. The first came within two or three weeks which was brilliant for them, then nothing. I left it until after Christmas and was going to phone them, on that very day they phoned me with apologies, to see if I wanted to cancel the order as it would not be shipped until mid Feb, sounded as if they were reordering it to me. Anyway I agreed for later shipment.

They are like shoes, a ballerina cant have too many tutu’s

Hi Sheila Best show me your full capability for customisation when I see you next Wednesday, it looks gorgeous.

Thank you, that makes perfect sense, for a moment I thought it looked like something we did at ENB a couple of terms ago before our teacher went off with an injury, it was in fact different as I did make a comment about it on the forum, possibly on the old thread, it was described by my teacher as a Pas de chat glissard, something she made up to describe it, but it was quite different to this one, but the end looked a little similar. In any case I have done this one before as an ending position on an enchainment at my Stamford class some time ago.

I know this isn't Ballet but as its Adult WS and Summer Schools I've dropped it here, it had the ballet content that I have already posted, its from a mail drop from RAD today.. NEW for 2014… Adult West End Jazz Workshop, based on the musical A Chorus Line Learn choreography from popular West End musicals with this energetic workshop. Following a dynamic warm up, participants will learn group dances, gaining an insight into the way an ensemble cast rehearses. The workshop aims to improve both technical and performance skills. Sunday 30 March LONDON Venue: RAD headquarters 36 Battersea Square, SW11 3RA Time: 12.30 – 3.00pm Faculty: Sonny Ward Closing date: Monday 10 March Contact Nathalie Delorme E: ndelorme@rad.org.uk Places are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications may be returned by email or post as directed on the form itself. Adult Summer Course 2014 Monday 21– Friday 25 July LONDON Venue: RAD headquarters 36 Battersea Square, SW11 3RA Time: classes held in the evening between 6.00 – 9.30/45pm Who can attend: Students aged 18+, with three levels of ability Closing date: Monday 9 June Separate Summer Events Application Form required, for further details see the RAD website (http://www.rad.org.uk/learn-to-dance/find-an-activity/adult-summer-course) Contact Nathalie Delorme E: ndelorme@rad.org.uk Further details for all our forthcoming workshops and courses may be found on the new RAD website (www.rad.org.uk/learn-to-dance/find-an-activity

Hi Lin I guess I’m not looking at the standards of the workshops itself, as I would rate them similar. However I’m looking more at the personal aspects of the teacher and their relationship towards me. For me its not about the workshop itself because I will have prepared in advance the aspects I want to take away, generally those will be associated with Solo variations. In any case what we did with Aurora variation was still simplified somewhat, the tricky petti-battements were removed and the petti-developpe-glissard thing added, which was really nice and fitted in well. But the ending of the high leg travelling turns around the room were removed completely. For solo rolls my model is based on that of professional performers, mostly RB but sometimes Bolshoi, but I will look at aspects of several to best match my own ability and artistic preference. I need a teacher that is not going to get upset if I start to add in the more difficult aspects of that rep, but who is inclined to recognise it and push me further. That exists with our lady at City, and In that I realise I am extremely lucky. But at the same time if I’m performing a corps be ballet part, then I am bound to do the same as everyone else, that’s only fair. You also have to remember I have a lot of contact with all repertoire provides, I try not to leave anything to chance. Some are extremely responsive others not. I’m sure next week is going to be as challenging as this one, as I’m getting back together bit by bit, and yes it’s a slow job. Yes I did go to see Le Corsaire, that was my first real trip out and it was a fantastic day and my bodily bits managed to hold together. I met several lovely people at the Coliseum to chat to including a Spanish ballerina. I won’t add anything to the Le Corsaire link as I was quite scathing to ENB last time when they did “Swan Lake in the Round”, but I did really enjoy their performance, their corps de ballet synchronisation and sense of timing was brilliant as was the lines and positioning of formations. It was far superior to the RB Jewels which I had seen a couple of weeks or so previously. But for me there was a little something, but I will put that down to something I missed due to my lack of concentration (that's my story and I'm sticking to it).

Hi Balleteacher Very nice, could you tell me what the movement is called that starts as a pas de chat but ends as at 1.59minutes. I know that particular DVD as I have his entire collection, its an extremely good reference.

Hi Lin No I don’t think Franziska would be a suitable choice for me, don’t get me wrong, she is a nice teacher and I like her, but her classes contain a lot of packing. If I'm sharing it with a class of other dancers, I cannot complain, but if Im paying a premium for a one to one that’s another story. I know my comment about teacher bounced somewhat and was interpreted as a disrespectful, but you may remember when we both did the Aurora variation with Franziska, I raised the comment about the number of retire’s at the beginning of the variation with Franziska as I was doing full number, Franziska had simplified it by one, but then the majority of the class started using the full number as it basically fitted with the music, then Franziska said, Michelle’s right we will use 4 I think it was. Where possible I try and exceed expectation not come into conflict with the teacher, but I recognise it is a fine line.. I have someone already and you already know who she is, we share the same mind-set and passion and I really don’t want to talk about her on here. In any case Lin my interest is in repertoire coaching, that where my heart truly lies, it’s about tidying up the technique and presentation skills associated with it. My return to ENB was never planned for this week, it’s too soon. I start with LAB on Thursday at RAD HQ having missed one week already, However Tom has sent me a video of the rep that was done last week, so today has given me a chance to get to grips with it, so catch up will be no problem. ENB, Lincoln and private hire of my old teacher’s hall come on line next week, then everything else the following week including the RAD Swan Lake Workshop if it able to fly. Extension had to be worked at, as it has reached a plateau for me. 90 degree is nothing that’s easy, I need to be above 135, its purely strength I need, I know I have reasonable strong Abs I’ve worked on them long enough, but unfortunately I do not know how to contact and utilise the iliopsoas properly. At the moments it’s a bit academic as I have a new minor issue and I have been banned from doing splits for the next 12 week, which is instrumental in my flexibility.

Hi Dancer Sugar Plum I appreciate your informative response, but I think it’s a time to draw a line under the controversial exchanges I have had, and apologise to those people that feel I have been disrespectful or alienated my any of my comments. As for my injuries etc that is now a closed book. That said I’m still interested in help along the lines I indicate, I think I exhausted most of the avenues with the teacher’s, My local teacher would often give me an extra 10 to 15 minutes after class for most things which was good early on when I was very inquisitive. As for extension, she was like most, I should be happy with what I had as it higher than anyone in her class, she also made the point she did not want to see high extension devant if you could not achieve the same derriere, to some extent that does make sense, and of course alignment had to be spot on, otherwise if one did a superman as she called it, you were really in trouble. I usually a extra 5 minutes or so from most of my teachers, that why I make it a point of thanking them and the pianist at most classes I attend, that is a not so common occurrence with other dancers. As for private tuition, you are right, most teachers are pretty well fully booked, I did for a while have private slot before class, but that has now got snaffled up with the pointe class, and this week that has been lost to Tap prep for an exam. But there are always options; I have an excellent rep coach who I’m hoping to start with in February and she does know my quite well and has agreed to coach me. I totally agree.

Lin when I opened this thread, I stated it was not mine, and in any case I think I've probably been sent to Coventry now so for goodness make use it. The thread should not belong to anyone person, that's why I came off the other one.

I sometime wish I was 5 year old, rather than treading on egg shells.

Hi Janet Re “I think people were suggesting caution and rest and querying some of the things you were apparently advised in many instances because of their own experience.” As regards caution and rest, if you recall I ceased all workouts and ballet activity for the past 3 weeks, I also ceased the physio’s procedure, admittedly I physically could no longer do them. Do you think Im not just a little bit scared of returning back to ballet this week, I have had to take an educated view against my recovery, that if I phase it in by Thursday l should be sufficiently recovered for a single class, others to be phase in later, I think that qualifies for a cautious approach. This of course is dependant upon my physio tomorrow. Finally I am especially sorry that Anjuli feels that “this thread is no longer one in which I want to participate” . Well it seem many of you feel the same way as Anjuli, so what ever I do it will be wrong.

Hi Anjuli In previous posting following my injury I took a lot of flack, both me personally, my physio and my teachers too, the implication that we were all rubbish, that why in the end I gave examples of my rubbish technique of not specifically following a teachers instructions. For me I was using my own initiative and talent the BEST way I know how. Admittedly some teachers may get upset, others complement what I do by demonstrating technique in a similar way, which happed recently at one of my rep workshops, as I know it is a fine line I tread between the acceptable and unacceptable. But at the end of the day I’m not passive but a thinking dancer with a lot of fire in my belly I attempted to turn things around, I assumed there was a helpful body of knowledge out there, but the silence was defining. It seems when there is something negative to say everyone has an opinion, request for specific help, nothing. I know I could not demand a response, but when I can help others I most definitely do. As for naming names as to THEY, quite simply I’m not going there, as it’s know where useful to go.

Hi Dancer Sugar Plum Firstly thank you for replying to my post, for a while I thought I was never going to get a response when I turned things around and said these are the issue I want to address, any ideas?. I thought for a moment, here we go, nothing to criticise, they must be Sunday afternoon dancers not to be taken seriously. But at least you replied. If someone shows concern for me, of course I will thank them, it is only right and proper in my book to do so. Similarly I usually thank the teacher and pianist at virtually every class I go to, that just me, for them it’s recognition that they are appreciated. As for being picked on I thought Tulip had summed that up well in post #372, however I do feel things were getting catty with constant reference to me returning to beginner classes because it seemed very much as if this was down to the fact I didn’t belong to the same club of attending many years ballet classes. One point I made many times but it fell on deaf ears, time is not on my side. OK about the leg extension ('improved and sustained leg extension'), first of all flexibility to get it there is reasonably OK, I'm 5ft 3, with momentum I can top 5ft 7, but I cannot do a static lift and hold. I have already spoke to a number of teachers on this one, most seem to think I should be happy with what I have (Grrr they must think I'm old and past it), one of my teachers did bring in a number of books covering this item, but generally I'm doing those things anyway. I'm not saying I haven't improved things, as I'm basically from a scientific background I tend to measure things, admittedly the only measurements are devant. When I first started to record my results my dead lift for the right leg was 2ft 11, now its best is 4ft 2, the left leg was 3ft 6, best now 4ft 8. One element that accounts for about 6inches is a Splits stretch when warm before hand. Difference between best and average at most is a couple of inches. As for lifting on and off the barre, that really is no problem. I have both fixed and portable barres in my own studio, the fixed is 3ft 3 high, the portable which is a double barre is 3ft bottom, and 3ft 10 top. As for where it is in second, I'm not really sure other than it is above 90, but not as much as 135, but I can hold it there in class. I always resist the fall, otherwise if you just let it go the foot flexes which look rubbish, however I am aware that my foot is not quite as strait as I would like it, so I hold that tension there until the foot hits tendu on the decent. For me to get above 135degrees on the developee used in Odette's solo with the double beat would be the icing on the cake. I think the key to this is to be able to contact and utilise the iliopsoas, rather than rely on the abs, I'm not sure I'm doing that, or doing that properly. I know in our body balance class we go into a tree pose, well at least the others do, I go for a retire with a flat supporting foot, my toe is always above the knee and I think my working leg is at 90 degrees to the body. That is certainly a lot harder than the tree pose which is taught there, by my instructor does not seem to mind as she knows of my ballet background. That is supposed to use the iliopsoas, but I'm not sure how to visualise or sense it in any meaningful way. As my Body Balance Instructor is a qualified full time gym instructor that seems to know her way around muscle groups etc, and Body Balance consists of a good deal of Pilate and Yoga. As for turnout and alignment, I will worry about those. Backbends, yes I will try Anjuly’s suggestions. We seem to have a good deal of opportunity in Body Balance to exercise this one and I do push my limits as far as I dare, and I can certainly feel the pinch in my lower back, but I am sure I should be able to go further. UPDATE Visit to London on Saturday went well, although I did have to stop off at Boot at Kings Cross and get some gel pads to support the ankles in my shoes against the hard concrete surfaces, otherwise they were fine. Did my first body balance class today, in bare feet as always. However I held back as another issue appeared at the last class before Christmas. The Gym was cold as it had a canopy all round it in preparation for a party. Not taking account of that, there is a splits type exercise we go through, I felt my left leg go, I thought I had caught it in time, a couple of days later in my own gym after a good warm up on the treadmill I gradually lowered down into splits, it was still there. I tried again yesterday (after a couple of weeks), it seemed clear, then all of a sudden it hit me, no second chance. The muscle itself does not appear to be a problem for most movement, so I hope it wont impact my ballet too much until it heels, it just a real annoyance. In any case will get it checked out with Physio tomorrow. So far its full steam ahead for LAB on Thursday, I have a video of the Rep they did last week to help me catch up, that’s fantastic, they have the same mind-set as I.