Michelle_Richer

New Chelsea Ballet Master Class date (Venu as previous post) 16 April 8pm - 9.30pm with Richard Ramsey

Hi Fiz It looks as if today is the day for feedback; I think you must have started something. I went to my evening ballet class at Performing Arts tonight, third session today. I was the only one there, so it was a real one to one. It was fantastic as Karen my relatively new teacher and I got to know each other, I also cleared the air regarding wanting feedback, then I got it by the bucket full, it was really good. I think Karen enjoyed it too, as normally she finishes about 5 minute before time, we didn’t tonight. I also made it clear I am happy for them to cancel if I’m the only one going as I can switch to Peterborough, where I go on alternate weeks, but never the less I am more than happy to do a one to one if that’s still feasible for them. A really nice end to the day.

Hi Fiz Just done a couple of sessions this morning, at my local class I was the only one there for the first 10 minutes and Nicky our teacher really went to town on me. I think she was getting her own back for when I have been critical about her ballet movements, we do have a bit of friendly repartee, but I never shower up in front of class. Our second girl was delayed with a serious phone call, but came back to mine after, so she could practice the new routines we had this week. That will give us the edge on the other girls when they come back. Nicky always gives me lots of feedback as I ask her for it, she also know I can take it warts and all, so she never holds back. I know she is far more sensitive about how she deals with most of the rest of the class as their motives for being there are far different from mine. In some ways I wish Nicky would do a show that incorporates ballet, I know she did one for the tap crowd last year, but I guess there would be too few takers from our class.

No I havn't but there is no shortage of adult ballet classes in London, check out this link http://londondance.com/directory/dance-classes-and-workshops/ballet/ I personally attend the two ROH classes but only once a month. Pineapple Studios in Covent Garden do a daily class at 3pm for adult beginners plus some more advanced ones too. I'm so glad you have got that one in the bag, hope all goes well when you get there and it meets your expectations. Our rehearsal was a bit of a shambles tonight, unfortunitely our teacher is on crutches as she has pulled some legaments in her foot, she can just about hobble. So leading and demontrating our show sequence was a non-starter, all she could do is describe the moves. Fortunitely I have a copy of her notes which also includes next weeks additions when I wont be there ( at a performance with a friend to see Coppelia). There were several dancers missing too, not sure why. We have come to some form of compromise over the videoing of the sequence, basically my teacher will video me with the appropriate corrections in place, but we didnt do any tonight. Get the experience of this performance out of the way, then next year its solo for me where I have control, as I hate operating in the muddle caused by others.

Yes, I’m going and taking a couple of friends, one is a Salsa dancer the other is Ballet, needless to say I do both. I’m meeting up with a couple of other ballet girls too. Not sure how many are coming from this forum though. I assume you know that “JUST BALLET” has a stand there. I’m going on the 10th, at least you know who I am from my picture, I will have a name badge too.

2dancersmum: well you know what I look like from my picture on this forum, my hair is a little longer now, but I will probably have it in a bun. However I will have my name badge on, I guess that’s a bit of legacy from work when attending professional conferences. I too will be visiting the Just Ballet stand. I haven’t booked anything either, but given the opportunity to dance I don’t think I could walk away, not once the music started. Fiz: that’s fantastic, does that mean you have 15 minutes to go from one class to the other, so I hope they are close together. I wish you luck with that one. Peterborough was a nice class tonight, about 10 of us, very relaxed and nothing too taxing. I think it was just what I needed after yesterdays upset. I was worried before I went as I had an email from my Thursday Kings Lynn class advising me they were on half term; there was no class there last week either. That meant I became unsure about Peterborough too, I tried phoning them but only got the answer machine, that also suggested they were still on half term, anyway I did go and they were open Hooray!

Hi Fiz Yes it is a great loss, today my day ballet class is on half term, I have had one of the girls round for some practice in my studio this morning, but she has now gone home, the studio is lovely and warm and ideal to go though the next section of the show sequence, but what I have committed to memory really is not worth it, as I will be adding loads of corrections in later and unlearning muscle memory. My argument is, that I want to do as close as possible right first time, it’s far more efficient, and corrections take place early on before muscle memory is fully developed. Otherwise their bumbling methodology wastes everyone’s time unnecessarily including my own and that is unacceptable. I am really hacked off at the moment; something I was very enthusiastic about has suddenly turned bad, unless thing change I cant see me staying for long, I’m not a bumbler. Ah well, its Ballet class at Peterborough tonight, hopefully that will chear me up.

Tonight class has turned out to be very frustrating, we have added quite a lot to our show sequence, far more than I can remember in one hour long session. The last sequence before the half term break I videoed, that was invaluable and has allowed me to practice thru many repetitions the sequence, so I’m now extremely familiar with it. According to my teacher the authorities, not sure who they are have put a ban on videoing class work, even thou it only ever contained my teachers demonstration. For me this is like being asked to do a job without the tools to do it. I don’t just want to dance this sequence; I want to dance it really well especially as my position is also one of the nearest to the audience in our formation. As soon as I got home, I wrote down what I could remember, but it has a lot of holes in it. Fragmented sequences lead to errors or misinterpretation which has to be un-learned in terms of muscle memory developed over several iterations of practice off site. This is very inefficient and certainly not the way I want to work. I would rather choreograph my own sequence and dance it solo, at least I would fully understand what I was doing and would have the opportunity to polish it. Needless to say I am very disgruntled even furious with this type of antiquated culture. There is no risk of me wanting to publish such video training material on Youtube etc, in any case a simple solution to this is a non-disclosure agreement which is used by companies all the time to protect their products and technology.

I have a feeling you will, you take care x.

Sorry to hear that Fiz, I was looking forward to meeting you. Yes its not just the cost of the course, its only half of it if that, its the accomodation too. I think I will be stopping at the Ibis which is one of the lower cost options and within walking distance of the Lanterns Theatre. Im fortunite is some ways as I only have myself to look after, but there are times when I miss my partner too, but I try not to think about that as its emotionally a big deep black hole. Look forward to seeing you there next year if they still let me go, ha ha ha.x

Right on 2DancersMum I will be there on the 10th, bringing some girls with me from Lincolnshire, and meeting some others there. I know Just Battet will have a stand there too, are you going?

This is what Tom has said Although the rep for the Summer Intensive hasn't been finalised yet we will definitely be looking at a large scale corps de ballet section from one of the big classics… so it's likely to be Tchaikovsky! (although not guaranteed!) I'll definitely be asking people to bring wrap around rehearsal skirts and I may suggest that practice tutus would be a good idea but I won't a make it mandatory as I know that the expense can be a little much for some… I promise that I'll get an information pack out to everyone as soon as the participants are confirmed. The course is now almost full so I hope that will be within the next few weeks… Tom Linecar - Boulton Artistic Director & Founder London Amateur Ballet admin@londonamateurballet.com www.londonamateurballet.com Hope this helps, its still worth trying, if I can find the application form I will email it to you. PS Cost £295 but if payed early you save £20, booking deposit I think was £50, I have emailed you the application pack too. Michelle x

Very well done Fiz, I really mean that, I am so so envious. I don’t loose my “L” plates until my performance in July. I really don’t know why JB is so worried, if everything else fail, I’m bound to make her look good, as she is far more advanced than me and I’m at LAB too. It will be fantastic, hope its Swan Lake we are doing.

Well done Fiz, when is your next two shows?

Hi Fiz That really does sound over the top. I’m not sure what our lot are doing, I guess we are fortunate as we have a number of studios and our main one is quite large, it also helps with it being the town theatre. I know we are on rehearsals now all the way up to our performance at the beginning of July with a dress rehearsal on the Saturday before. Our shows are nearly all evening shows running Monday to Saturday but no Thursday performance, except the Saturday where we have a matinee to do as well. I guess we could be there most of the day on Saturday but I really don’t know at this stage. Anyway good luck I hope it all goes well.

Went to London earlier than usual for my monthly ballet classes at the Royal Opera House, had a chance to look round the area in daylight and check out the Travel Lodge for my August Summer school with Chelsea Ballet which is held at the Pineapple Studios. I met a really nice guy at Pineapple called Giles, he gave me a conducted tour of the building, unfortunately we couldn’t see into many of the studios as they contained classes and had their blinds down, but some were open and the odd one unoccupied. It seems one should be available for me to practice in, when between class although other dancers may be chilling out in it too, he showed me such a studio. As for others being there, I really don’t mind an audience, I guess I’m a bit of a show off at heart. Although he did say he couldn’t guarantee one would be available if it got booked. I think when it comes to my summer school with Chelsea Ballet (the last of three consecutive summer schools), it will be time to let my hair down. The sessions I have booked with them ends at 3pm each day, Pineapple have there own a daily ballet class at 3pm so I will join that. Pineapple also runs evening Salsa classes, a dance very close to my heart. It will be like being a child in a sweetie shop with big open eyes; I will definitely have to do those classes, if only to find out how good the teachers are. While I’m there I will also incorporate my ROH classes for that month as it saves on travelling costs. I think future monthly trips to the ROH for me will also incorporate the 3pm ballet class at Pineapple too, that will really make the trip worth while. ROH was a nice class last night, well attended as usual, same small group of us doing both classes. We had some brain teasers with some of the movements but had fun with pirouettes again. Finally got back to Peterborough station just after 11pm only to find my car covered in snow, got home just before midnight. Did two ballet sessions this morning the first class at 9.30am, still tired from the night before and our hall was very cold too, a few sautés help sort that out. No more ballet classes now until Wednesday, I guess I will be like a fish out of water for a while, but I still have ballet practice to do for our annual show, and polishing that should see me through.

It seems this summer school also caters for adults, got a reply today, but did have to wait a week or more.

Lincoln was a good class tonight, the last of this term and one more dancer too, that makes four of us. I must confess I would be more comfortable with twice that number even though I prefer small classes which are far more personal. This week is going to be a quiet week for me as most of my classes are on half term break. My Wednesday class at the theatre finished last week, just after we started rehearsals for our show, which was a real pity. So I have had to switch my end of the month visit to ROH for their two ballet classes this week, they are on break next week. Both my Thursday evening ballet classes are on half term break just leaving me my Surfleet daytime class this week. So I guess normality will be restored the week after next. So I guess it not a total disaster, as this girl just need her regular weekly ballet fix.

Me too

Hi Fiz I did wonder if it was a number of shows, I found out Wednesday that we are to do six in July, they started the first part of the rehearsal work the week before when I was at the ROH, but I videoed the sequence so far as it was impossible for me to remember two weeks work, after coming in cold. We are to do Monday to Saturday with no Thursday performance, but we have a matinee on Saturday as well. Looks like we will be going through the costume thing, but all the girls are going for dresses; my teacher has a budget of £50 a dress, so I don’t think we will have to buy one, especially as we are all dancing together for the first part, so I guess they must match. I know some of the girls get to go on a second time, but this time on pointe, but I’m not there yet. I didn’t intend to do pointe this year at all, but talking to Chelsea ballet they have suggested I can do the first day of the beginner’s pointe class on their summer school, but that is not until August. So in the meantime I will start conditioning my feet. I’m really looking forward to the London Amateur Ballet performance that we have to do as part of their summer intensive course in late July. Next week is going to be a bit of a flat week with half terms, the Angles Theatre are on half term so I have had to switch to the ROH which are still running, then both of my Thursday evening classes are off, so no ballet fix then.

Hi Addy You sound like an expert on Salsa or do you do other dances too. Do you teach salsa ? How often do you dance? And where? Do you attend any special salsa events?

Hi Fiz How many performances do you do of your show, or is it a one day only event?

Hi Fiz Fantastic, I admire you confidence, I hope I’m as confident when it come to my LAB performance, but I doubt it as that will be a new experience for me. As if that wasn’t enough, I have booked another summer school, this time with Chelsea Ballet for the week after. Only dilemma now is, if to go home at the weekend (check house & mow the laws) or to stay in London, especially as our LAB performance is on the Friday night. I think I can anticipate some celebration afterwards even if it relief that is over, so I will need stay at the hotel for Friday night too. My chaotic week is this week, car issues again, needed to replace my tyres today, it wasn’t worth just changing a couple as I will be doing high mileage this week and apart from today and Friday there is no time to get it done. So I had to bite the bullet and get it done this morning, ready for my Lincoln class tonight and now my purse is £400 lighter. Lincoln as usual was brilliant with a 50% increase in dancers, yes another one turned up (TOOW) tonight making three of us. Wednesday and Thursday are both manic, with multiple classes on both days, a hospital visit and a conference too. My mileage is going through the roof at the moment fuel costing at least £100 per week, and then I wonder sometimes why I get tired. On the upside, since my leg giving way incident at Lincoln two weeks ago, it seem pretty well recovered and I can now do Fondu’s on it with full body weight. Now I can restart my morning fitness routines again. I remember when I first joined this forum you said something to me that went something like this; Miss as session and I notice, miss two sessions and my teacher notices, miss three sessions and everyone notices. That certainly has a ring of truth about it for me; I have lost at least seven inches off walking developee height, I’m down to five feet now. Hopefully that will soon be back.

I assume from what you have said this was a very small class, I have two very small ones, which recently there has only been two of us. When you pay upfront, if you are absent then yes you do loose those weeks. However if the class is unavailable due to teacher cancellation, then usually you will be credited with those weeks, that’s right and proper. If the teacher cancelled the class, then it’s no longer available to you and your should either be credited with those weeks or a refund due. If however the class was still available at the beginning of the session but no dancers present, and she cancelled it and went home, then she is fully entitled to the course fees for that session. I hope you soon find a new one and you are fully recovered now.

I haven’t come across a class yet that wont let you come just for a first taster session. Many charge by the term, but then they offer a discount e.g. one or two weeks free, but usually there is a drop in rate tt. The drop in rate is something I have to use when time sharing, but I still have a couple that I pay by term. There are a lot of classes that struggle for numbers, so a new dancer is very welcome to them, personally I like the smaller classes and classes that I have influence on what is being taught. Also I have not had a teacher complain about the variety of classes I go too, they all know my training schedule and plan. Most adult classes I belong to don’t have a syllabus, however one of them generally follows ISTD grade 5 syllabus.