Michelle_Richer

Hi Lin Don’t worry too much about no prep, most of the other girls will not have done either, plus we have at least one guy too (another friend from ENB). As for what was being taught, I ask City early on, and posted it on this forum, it wasn’t sent out by City to the other dancers. Also I have no idea which ballet company and artist rep this is taken from, more likely it will be simplified by our teacher. There is only one other that I know will have done prep and she is from my 3 level ENB class, as I gave here the info.

BOOKING OPEN: Evening Classes at English National Ballet Schedule of Classes for the Autumn Term 2013: 7 October – 11 December Booking for the Autumn Term of Evening Classes is now open. Please click on the relevant link below to book your place. (You may be asked to sign-in to the website or create a profile in order to do this.) For more information about the different classes offered please see http://www.ballet.org.uk/classes/class-descriptions/ Absolute Beginners Tuesdays, 7pm-8.15pm: led by Sarah Golightly Link here to book: http://shop.ballet.org.uk/absolutebeginners-tuesday-autumn Level 1 Tuesdays, 8.20pm-9.35pm: led by Sarah Golightly Link here to book: http://shop.ballet.org.uk/adultballet-tuesday-level-1-autumn Wednesdays, 7pm-8.15pm: led by Laura Hussey Link here to book: http://shop.ballet.org.uk/adultballet-wednesday-level1-autumn Level 2 Mondays, 8.20pm-9.35: led by Tom Linecar-Boulton Link here to book: http://shop.ballet.org.uk/adultballet-monday-level2-autumn Tuesdays, 7pm-8.15pm: led by Pippa Emanuel Link here to book: http://shop.ballet.org.uk/adultballet-tuesday-level2-autumn Wednesday, 8.20pm-9.35pm: led by Laura Hussey Link here to book: http://shop.ballet.org.uk/adultballet-wednesday-level2-autumn-term Level 3 Mondays, 7pm-8.15pm: led by Tom Linecar-Boulton SOLD OUT Tuesdays, 8.20pm-9.35pm: led by Alison Stuart Link here to book: http://shop.ballet.org.uk/adultballet-tuesday-level3-autumn Level 4 Mondays, 8.20pm-9.35pm: led by Laura Hussey Link here to book: http://shop.ballet.org.uk/adultballet-monday-level-4-autumn BalletFit Wednesdays, 7pm-8pm: led by Rhiann Keys Link here to book: http://shop.ballet.org.uk/balletfit-wednesday-autumn Youth Ballet Class Mondays, 7pm-8.15pm: led by Renato Peroni (Ages 13-17) Link here to book: http://shop.ballet.org.uk/youthballet-monday-autumn Prices: Youth Ballet class: £50 for a ten-week term. All other classes: £100 for a ten-week term (a concession rate of £75 is available for students, over 60s and those in receipt of benefits). ***Please be aware that no bookings are taken over the telephone*** For more information about the classes please see www.ballet.org.uk/classes

Thursday was a hard working day at ballet. My first class we only had two other girls turn up, both regulars, not sure what happened to the newbies, so at least we reverted back to its normal standard. However Nicky our teacher really worked me hard. Firstly she would demonstrate the movement as she always does, then came and stood at the side of me almost every time, scrutinising my every little move. It was “the supporting leg quivered, I see it”, “your chin was up but I see your eyes look down”. She really does have the eyes of a hawk. Don’t get me wrong, I love that level feedback, but I did really feed I had worked at that session. Between sessions was spent in my studio trying to cram into my brain and body memory Giselle’s friends dance for Saturdays workshop. That was hard going as I have left it a bit late, I guess too much time on the Solo, but I love that one. Peterborough class was really good, lots of turns and pirouettes again. On one accession we wee doing chaine travelling turns corner to corner ending in an arabesque in attitude, I was very tempted to turn the arabesque into a grand pirouette in attitude followed by a leg-swapping pirouette landing in a full down curtsey (all from Giselle). Having not done them quite in that order before, I wasn’t sure I could pull it off seamlessly; also I had been told off for adding a jete en tournant to one of the other teacher’s sequences. Then finished off the evening with a little bit more of Giselle

The ENB Adult classes are open for booking tomorrow Friday the 20 September for those that want to get into ENB.

Hi Fiz You are quite right Kat is starting pointe in January, I have some difficult decisions to make to try and incorporate Kat's classes in next year, I like Kat very much, but I'm becoming very performance orientated and need to incorporate ENB still and also become part of LAB's company of dancers. Many of my friends at ENB have already joined LAB. I would also like to incorporate City Academy's new performance course which starts next year, but I cant justify travelling to London three days a week. My new pointe class is with Katy at the Angles Theatre in Wisbech Cambridgeshire.

It is, but I'm also very cautious, I'm not expecting miracles as I wont be happy to just hobble on pointe. It also has a down side, that period was the period I sometime used to use for private tuition, and was one of my options for repertoire coaching. My teacher is also reorganising her schedule, so we may still find a compatible time slot.

Awe Fiz I was just making the comment there is still ballet in December if you really look for it. Anyway Christmas time is for families, and basically I don’t have any, anymore. Don’t get me wrong the run up to Christmas will be full of dance parties and the like as I’m very much a socialite, but Christmas day itself I usually spend on my own. So for once I get to enjoy my home rather than using it as base to operate from. Anyway its an excuse to go a buy two more gorgeous tutu's .

Hi Fiz I had a good night too at the Angles Theatre ballet class, the first one this term. We had a couple of new girls join us, but they didn’t seem to be beginners. Our teacher is starting a pointe class 30minutes before our ballet class, I will be starting pointe work in two weeks time as I will be doing Pineapple and the two Royal Opera House classes next Wednesday. Until we get to rehearsals, I will only be attending Angles every other week, Katy my teacher is happy with that. I also found out tonight that next years show is a week later, second week in July. That leave me free to do either the Northern Ballet show or the LAB show at the Bloomsbury theatre, as they both fall on the same day the week before.

Barr Humbug!: I've got two rep workshops in December and one public performance.

I'm just hoping it can stand up to my new run of six classes in one day and a 500mile round trip, I will trial it the first week ENB goes back, I'm not sure I can do it, but I'm going to find out. I think I can pace myself, as it will become a weekly occurrence. I tried the new leg of the journey out today at Northern Ballet.

Hi happymum I’m not quite sure how you would describe me, yes I am healthy and very active, but for the weight loss it’s a bit more than a few pounds. It’s a positive target of one stone and a stretch target of two, however when I have lost significant weight in the past it has always made me look gaunt and older, that I really want to avoid. As for preparing meals full stop, other than week ends I either eat on the hoof or grab a meal at a café. Admittedly I’m eating far more salads now in Café when in London at ENB etc as I do travel around a lot. It funny you should mention “it's not what you eat but what you do - what exercise, how heavy resistance, how many repetitions etc”, I was using my resistance band in the Northern Ballet Cafeteria this morning, after nearly 100 reps it gave up and snapped, two hundred reps a day each foot is usual, I have to get them in any where I have a spare moment. Apart from four fitness classes I do, I do a workout at home most days unless it’s a very early start. After a warm up on the tread mill, 50 demi plies are done in first with a pelvic floor exerciser and 30 full plies in second are done on releve carrying a spinnaker bar with 20kg of weight as I have my own home gym. Needless to say there is a whole lot more to my workout but that’s just to give you a flavour. To add to that 12 ballet classes a week plus the odd rep workshop. I spoke to one of my teachers on the topic of the thread on Monday night, apparently she did some post grad research some years ago on this and has a friend that has done some recent research too. She has offered to provide me with a copy of that research, so at least I should have something that is tangible to work with.

ENB Nutcracker Rep workshop (4 hours) on 5th of Jan

As I’m on break from ENB, I went to Northern Ballet today at Leeds and joined the over 55 level 2 class, god that makes me feel old and does nothing for my self image or street cred. Never the less I met a lovely bunch of ladies. It was quite a large class; someone said it was about 30. The class was very much about having fun and only going as far as you were comfortable with, so it really wasn't very challenging. I arrived early as I wasn’t sure how far Northern Ballet was from the railway station, it’s about a 30 minute walk. Fortunately they have a nice cafeteria, I got myself a coffee and started talking to a youngish lady at the counter, it turned out she was the level 3 teacher for the intermediate / advanced class, we had quite a chat and I will be joiner her class for at least one week as its in the evening and will conflict with ENB when ENB go back. Whatever happens I will remain with ENB, its almost my second home now. There was two parts to the class; the first was a typical Barre / Centre practice which lasted an hour. There was a further half hour class that is labelled Creative Repertoire, however up to Christmas its there for those that wanted to do pirouette and jumps. After Christmas its rehearsal for those that want to participate in the show, the choreography is created by the teacher, a lovely lay called Annemarie. There appears to be some sort of rep workshop based on Cinderella held at the Grand Theatre Leeds where Northern Ballet are performing, it was difficult to get any real details, I have emailed the head of learning at the Grand Theatre to try and find out about this course as I will most probably book it. Whilst idling myself during the break between the two classes, I slipped a bit of Giselle in. During the ride home it gave me a chance to start to study the second piece of rep we are to learn “Giselle’s friend dance”. I at least want to have some familiarity with it.

Email Tom Linecar - Boulton, Artistic Director and Founder of London Amateur Ballet at Admin@LondonAmateurBallet and mention you have seen details of the new intensives on this forum.

Hi Lin What is the door handle for, an improvised barre?, I would have thought a girl with all the vast ballet experience you have would no longer need the support of a barre. I use open doors, or more properly doorways to do leg extension stretching. Stamford class was good this afternoon, our teacher ended up teaching two standards as we have quite a few newbie’s, however in one of the centre sequences most of the regular girls joined the newbie’s, only leaving four of us to do the more advanced option, so I guess I joined the big girls, ha ha ha. It was similar in another sequence we repeated from last week, I only see two other girls using the cabriole as well as me. I now have a couple of possible dates or our Lincoln show; it’s down to negotiations between two theatres, so it will be a public paying show. I can’t wait or the rehearsals, they must start soon.

Hi Sheila I have just seen Toms email, only just got home from Lincoln tonight 10pm. Guess I will be there on all three, just booked next term both classes again at ENB, trying out Northern Ballet tomorrow.

Hi Alison That was my reaction, but at the end of the day I don't like making assumptions without foundation, My thoughts are, there must be those on this forum who really know, hence my question.

I guess I should have videoed my practice session tonight (Giselle), as I look a sorry sight with a knee pad on the left leg, couldn't find the right one, I've also pulled a muscle in my right shoulder, so upper arm movements are a bit painful which causes a bit of a wince. But as mostly is the case, none of this is sustained doing ballet, its just a casualty of it.

Thanks Janet Yes I am aware of the low GI diet, that was part of the Rosemary Conley plan I did a few years ago, to some extent I still follow it, particularly of limiting fat content to no more than 5%, otherwise I just don't buy it.

The reason I have raised this topic, firstly I know so little about it and secondly my diet for weight loss seem to have got somewhat stuck. But in saying that, a friend came over last weekend for a Salsa party and stayed overnight, so the following day we had Sunday lunch at a local pub, this weekend was a wedding, but I didn’t over eat but I know my weight will have gained a pound or so. Although my diet consists mainly of fish and chicken, I do tend to eat a lot of fruit particularly bananas and drink quite a lot of Orange Juice (not from concentrate) . Banana and orange juice I guess have high sugar content. As for supplements I take multi-vitamins, Fish oil, Co-enzyme Q10, glucosamine sulphate and occasionally calcium, as many ladies at my time of life do and this predated my starting ballet. However each time I go to the gym, I see at reception they have large jars of supplements on sale under the brand name GoPro, amongst these supplement compounds is WHEY and Creatine. There are several others too. I have also noticed that supermarkets like Sainsbury’s also stock these under a different brand name. The obvious question is, are these supplements beneficial to adult ballet dancers, as the last thing I want to develop is large unsightly muscles. I’m not looking for quick fixes, but to those things which are genuinely beneficial and will preserve my ability to dance for years to come.

Try 5 then two becomes easy.

Last term I was doing about 500miles a week in the car plus a bit of rail too, I'm hoping the car mileage doesn't get any higher this term, but the rail travel will, but at least on the train I get time to read and closely study DVD's of the classics for repertoire I'm working on. That way travel time no longer represents dead time.

Hi Balleteacher This is like saying “How long is a piece of string”, certainly for practice I always ask at Pineapple if there is a free studio for practice, so its understood what I am doing but obviously not its contents, as that is largely irrelevant. It is also quite usual at ENB when dancers first arrive some may just sit on the floor, others stretch, some do releve’s etc, and admittedly don’t generally perform much of an enchainement, mine is just a bit longer. The majority if not all establishments I dance with, we have to sign a disclaimer, removing the responsibility for injury from the school while dancing there. However I do have a local class that is reluctant to teach pirouettes because of the elderly nature of most of her dancers and the possibility of falls. Conversely another one of my class the attitude is, if you fall over doing a pirouette, you just get back up and carry on. That is very much my mind-set, I really don’t want anyone mollycoddling me to that extent, and it really would not be welcome. In ballet, injuries do happen, even with the most experienced dancers, you just have to be mindful of that, but also I take responsibility for my own actions, if get it wrong it was my fault no one else and I’m definitely no running off to “No win no fee company” to claim my a free buck. In other world the buck stops here. Sorry if that’s a bit blunt, but that’s how I feel about responsibility

Hi Sheila Its coming along, I've almost got rid of the old body memory from somewhere that automatically wants to fouette the second turn. But I think I'm going to have temporarily wear knee pads as the knees are getting a bit sour from repeated landing, but there is no way I'm not using those. I really love the way Natalia executes this move, most other dancers don't go fully down but I most definitely will. I did try it a couple of times before our class started this morning, but all I got was "Show off". See the link at 1.05 and 1.08 , I can see this becoming one of my favourite movements. Although this morning class (in my village) was super simple, as it was beginning of term, plus we had three new dancers who had not done ballet since children, a returning dancer who has been away for several months, but only had a few months of ballet from scratch. I found it quite difficult, everything was done in first, no port de bras in plié's, arm positions for all barre exercise were either bras bas or second. It just seemed so unnatural and required quite a lot of conscious effort, even harder when the music started, I just wanted to flow with the music. I also spoke to Nicky my teacher as I will be hiring the same hall shortly to rehears my repertoire, otherwise I'm frightened of loosing it, or at least will require lots of rework to get it refreshed in memory. I know Nicky is not interested in providing private tuition for repertoire as I have already asked her, but I thought it only courtesy to tell her, as she is well away of my other ballet activities.

Wednesday was my first heaviest day of the week back since the summer break starting with my Dance fever class (a Fusion of ballet and Latin), at least I did get a chance to try out some new trainers on the hard Gym floor, especially as we do jumps. They turn out to be the best I have had for cushioning the impact of returning from a jump. Pineapple was very busy; it looked as if lots of auditions were taking place, so consequently there was no spare studio for me to do my Giselle practice in. When I arrived in class expecting to see Maggie our regular teacher, we had Ian who normally teaches the advanced class there, my heart sank a bit, I though we are really going to work hard today as I have had him before. It turned out to be a really nice session with lots of pirouettes added in to the sequences across the room, but noting out of the ordinary. While in Covent Garden had a quick look in the ROH shop to see what they had to cover my up and coming sessions on Nutcracker and Cinderella, but I didn’t buy anything this time. I arrived a little early at ENB as we usually cannot get in before 6.30pm (class at 7pm), by 6.30 I was changed and in the upper studio, I managed to get nearly half an hour of Giselle practice in, at least I had the space as the variation is quite roomy. The leg switching pirouette thing is still quite illusive. I get 3 or 4 successful one’s out of about 10 tries, my brain really has to strongly override my body, as my legs instinctively want to do something else. The first part is like an en dedans pirouette with the right foot as the pivoting foot, the left is taken in retire to the back as in a pose turn, as you approach the full turn the gesturing slip down in front of the pivoting leg to make contact with the floor, ever so slightly after that the right foot is ready to effect a push off with weight transferred to the left pivoting foot. The right foot assumes a retire position in front of the pivoting leg this time, until the turn is almost complete, then it slips back to allow a full knee landing in a curtsy style position (long fourth). Its very tricky. I have checked the video out with a couple of teachers and they confirm that these are normal pirouettes and don’t have any special name, although they are unusual. Level 2 class seemed to have a bit of a holiday atmosphere as it was end of term, we seem to do a lot with port de bras exercises this week and very little turns. Level 3 was a bit of a surprise as we didn’t know what teacher we would get, as our regular one went on holiday last week. The teacher was a guy (forget his name) but was the guy from ENB that taught at LAB SI. It was a good class with lots of pirouette, both types and lots jumps to end. Tuesday turned out to be a really good day for the first heavy loaded day back, arrived home at 1am, even the milk was delivered before I got to bed. Thursday class just didn’t happen, I emailed my teacher last week to check if it was on, and again today (Thursday), I got a reply after I set out tonight. Needless to say when I arrived at the Angles theatre it was in darkness, unfortunately I did not have her phone number. I have had a similar experience with Northern ballet, they don’t appear to reply to emails and I have to ring them.