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For professional reasons I once had the opportunity to view a series of recordings of Sadler’s Wells and then the Royal Ballet performing the Sleeping Beauty over the decades, more versions than are generally available. This fascinating comparison showed, yes Makarova could be slow but in fact the company had started slowing down years before her production. Things were beginning to slip by the 1970s. Some recordings are commercially available and worth looking out for. The Sadlers Wells film of the ballet, with Fonteyn, Somes, Ashton and Grey (currently on dvd though it can be hard to find) is eye-opening for a number of reasons. Other archive recordings, of varying quality, have been issued on dvd over the years and are well worth getting hold of when they turn up.

Tickets gone back to the box office

I saw this production at Sadler’s Wells for the first time this evening and I really liked the way the prolonged sledge ride Prince Florimund and the Lilac Fairy go on to find Aurora had been cut and replaced by a corps number - hooray! Also raining glitter at the end was lovely. I did miss the fairies all having very distinctly different coloured tutus as they do at the RB. The BRB version has all the fairies in similar hues of tutu which makes them stand out less imo. Also the scene with the 3 weaving ladies that illegally use spindles and the king threatens to hang them with the Queen begging him for their life had been cut. I missed it a little bit, but it didn’t detract from the performance overall. The dancers all beautiful especially Max Maslen whose Prince Florimund Act 3 solo was powerful. Bluebird danced by Shuailun Wu was especially good too I thought and the white cat (Yuki Sugiura) and puss in boots (Eric Pinto Canta) were danced with a lot of personality and got quite a few giggles from the audience. Gabriel Anderson as Carabosse was fantastic - first time I’ve seen a male Carabosse and he was very imposing and wicked with a faint touch of diva.

Just spotted this on instagram so thought I'd share as it sounds very exciting... It looks like Vadim has been working with Latvian Figure Skater Deniss Vasilijevs (European Bronze medallist, 2x Olympian) on a new skating programme set to 'La Bayadère'! Deniss shared this photo from his instagram account - what a fantastic opportunity for him to get to work with Vadim (and vice versa). I can't wait to see the finished product! Timing-wise I assume this will be a competitive programme for Deniss next season (this is prime 'next season choreography' time), so unfortunately we will likely have to wait until around September to see the finished product! I've been a figure skating fan for many years (far longer than I've been following ballet!) so this is absolutely wonderful and so exciting to see.

I watched it and loved it back in 2020. Very atmospheric iirc.

Are we really going to know the 2024/25 season on May 1 or is that a rumor?

Rehearsal clips https://www.instagram.com/stories/jameskpett/3354036269849175909?utm_source=ig_story_item_share&igsh=MTg0Ynd2YjRrcXUwag==

Love them both and wishing each a full and speedy recovery process.

https://www.dancetheatreofharlem.org/dthondemand-creolegiselle/ Still there! https://youtu.be/LreKPkVoUnk?si=-6tlXKhduYIx-FsH

Hardly comparable! It’s a great poster and idea for BRB and Black Sabbath to collaborate. I found the actual ballets (there are 3 separate acts) … to be fun but trite. Think ‘high school musical’.

It was made available online for ages in 2020

Search “Creole Giselle” or “Dance Theatre of Harlem” Giselle on YouTube for clips of legendary Virginia Johnson in that version.

I was happy with the classical ballet training my DD had at Tring

Sitting in the Stalls Circle saw it very clearly. Loved the coda..

A very interesting insight with lovely dancing. I had no idea there was another version of Giselle set in New Orleans, it would be great to see the whole thing.

Perhaps he fell for her because she was unattainable and beautiful and ‘other’ - one has known men who find elusiveness very beguiling….often men who have lots of women falling at their feet as Prince S so obviously does in Act III.. And perhaps because she so obviously needed help/rescuing - he might’ve responded to that too… I didn’t see Nagdhi’s portrayal as cold at all but she certainly didn’t have the eager readiness to fall in love that she exhibited in Giselle or latterly in Manon, so whatever she was doing and feeling was obviously an artistic choice. Anyway it’s all speculation really and one either responds to someone or one doesn’t so I’ve probably said enough!

I get what you are saying, but I still struggle to understand why Siegfried would ever have fallen for her with so little encouragement or much of anything. But what works for some is not what works for others. Never really though Benno as much more than a fairly fun-loving sidekick / wingman, who's trying to encourage his friend the prince to let his hair down a bit more!

This pretty much describes my feelings. Particularly the 'calculated' presentation - I hadn't thought of it that way, but it captures what I was trying to articulate to myself.

I also can't comment on the past couple of years but I would find it unusual. Tring seems to have gone from strength to even stronger recently.

Im afraid I have to disagree on every level. My dd has been there 5 years and loved it. The training is very high quality, yes not everyone 'gets in' to associates but most dont want to with vocational training so intense, my dd didnt want to. the evening recreational classes are taught by top teachers and so are highly valuable, giving more opportunity to train and not interupting academics. In all they have 8 ballet classes per week plus jazz, contemporary in years 10/11. my dd has done partner work, solos and other repertoire, workshops with industry professionals, plus many more opportunities. The set up is different to other schools, but thats does not mean it is not equal in value terms. LVBS is a wonderful caring nurturing school. Dont believe everything you read in the press. Happy for anyone to dm me.

A couple of years ago there were 5 students at RBS upper school from Tring ( one had just graduated) That's probably more than from White Lodge! From personal experience, the Ballet training is exceptional and from experience also, exceeds other well known establishments. This is personal experience and opinion as we've experienced both. My dd always remembers the positive energy and vibe which really brought out the best in her. This is not the case with all schools.

Yes. I noticed this too and thought it a bit strange. I wonder, if I would have noticed if I was sitting in ROH though? I must mention that I thought Yasmine's Act II White Swan Coda was stunning. I forgot to mention that earlier. I absolutely love that part of Act II and I thought she was gorgeous - one of the best I've ever seen.

I wouldn’t take anything from the fact that some people turn down Tring - people are just trying to find the school that suits them best and often the same kids who have been offered MDS at Tring will have offers from other schools too. It stands to reason they can only choose one. Others will have turned down places to choose Tring if they thought it suited them best. I don’t have personal experience of the school so can’t comment on it but lots of people seem very happy with it and there is a huge amount of movement between the different vocational schools with lots of students moving either to or from Tring at various stages.

When my daughter started at NBS, they all seemed to find each other on social media!. Not sure if one of the students for this Septembers intake is happy to pass on details to parents here in the forum. I had a few moms message me, to pass on details to my daughter, whose dd & ds wanted to be added to an NBS insta group which they formed for their year, they got to 'know' each other before they even reached NBS. It's maybe an idea? Mj

Two of the most stunning young dancers I’ve seen (both currently in their final year at RBS upper school) were both at Tring prior to going to RBS. Just to point out also that the reverse also happens - I’ve seen at least one dancer turn down a place at RBS to be in Tring and a few who turned down places at Elmhurst to train at Tring (in recent years).