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Adult Ballet - questions, answers, classes and info


munchkin16

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Well I have just progressed to standing up demi plies and tendus, Fiz, so you can keep me company. Still too scared to try rising as have an unstable bone in my foot. Let's hope the muscles can hold it in place as really do not want metal pins. There is no doubt that going back to basics is very good for all of me if a little boring. I tend to do in front of TV as not ready to try a few exercises in class yet until I see how this goes. Maybe there is a documentary in it 'Injured Ballet'????. That would also stop people pursing a professional career without size being the issue!

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There are indeed dancers who just suddenly disappear off the scene one assumes from some sort of recurring injury. There was a really nice dancer called michael Batchelor some years ago and he suddenly stopped appearing....I heard he had some sort of accident and injury prevented him carrying on his career. Must happen to quite a few.

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Sadly the store have conveniently deleted all but 30 secs of my accident from CCTV. The floor can be seen to be wet on this but given they deleted the 30 mins of store opening time before I fell that morning we cannot get an accurate account of whether the appropriate safety checks had been carried out although if they had released this and shown these had been put in place then it would have closed the case. It's a waiting game I am afraid and likely to drag on for another 18 months if I go through court processes. All I want to do is to be able to move, make up the loss of earnings and dance again. Baby steps...quite literally.

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I hope the video deletion will count against them if it does go to court. I really feel for you, Balleteacher. I once pulled all the tendons in both feet, stupidly showing my two dds how I could still go en pointe. I couldn't. This accident was my own stupid fault. The pain was hideous and went on acutely for months and can still twinge from time to time. How you must feel from your injury and all the attendant pain and frustration, when it was all the shop's fault, I cannot bear to contemplate. :(

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That made me smile Fiz! Every so often I like to put on some completely non ballet music usually some current or past hit pop/rock song and sort of freak out to it with some very non ballet like moves!! I find it quite cathartic for some reason and feel much better afterwards!!

 

The last time I did this was to a couple of Adelle's songs......I think from the album called 21.......Rolling in the deep etc......but not that track ...the one with.....honestly my memory is dreadful.....fire and rain in the title....Actually I love every single track on that Album. I was in a shop in Oxford Street when "Someone like you" was playing and asked the young assistant who was singing and then went straight to HMV and bought the CD!!

 

The weather is just so awful.....I'm really getting fed up with all the wind and rain here now......it's hailing now as I write!!

You are very brave to attend your London classes when there's a tube strike on PLUS awful weather Michelle. I'm not surprised your energy gets zapped at this end of the winter.....my energy is the lowest it's been for ages....but I think February is often a difficult month because we're all lacking sunlight so much at the end of the winter and particularly this year!!

 

Still the birds are already singing away and chasing each other round the garden.....the tits really in full spring mode so can't be far off now!!

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That's me too with the ironing - got both Adele albums and often dance along with them as I iron. Tube strike is cancelled so Michelle should be ok for her London classes. I say should because who knows with this weather. 25 minute journey to the orthodontist this morning in the rain and hail took 1 hour 20 mins because the roads were so bad.

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According to the RAD a new programme for mature dancers will be marketed under the sign "Silver Swans".

 

Here is the material extract from an article I have written elsewhere:

 

"According to the RAD Silver Swan workshops offer a specially designed morning programme for the mature dancer. They includes "a gentle ballet class alongside the opportunity to socialise with other like-minded people, as well as providing the chance to experience another dance genre". They are aimed at the over 50s who either already enjoy ballet and want to improve and develop their interest in dance or for those wanting to start dancing again after a break. The classes can also accommodate complete beginners for whom this may be their first experience of dance. These workshops take place at

  • St Peters Community Centre in Haslingden, 
  • Richmond Dance Centre and 
  • Heatherlea Dance Studio in Glossop. 

Further information can be obtained from Louise Wilkie  of the RAD.

Northern Ballet already runs wonderful beginners and intermediate classes for the Over 55s in Leeds.. Prospective students can attend a taster class as well as many other events at Northern Ballet's Open House at Quarry Hill on the 15 Feb 2014."

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Last night I mentioned the Silver Swans programme. I emailed Louise Wilkie of the RAD for some more information and she responded this morning which is impressive in itself.

 

Here is the material bit of Ms. Wilkie's reply:

 

"Royal Academy of Dance Silver Swans events are specially designed mornings including two  classes for the over 50’s led by RAD teachers taking place in March 2014. For some, these mornings will be an opportunity to try out dance for the very first time. Others in attendance may have danced in the past and want to rekindle their interest. For those who have previously experienced ballet and want to further their interest, the workshop includes a second class in which participants will be introduced to another dance genre for example tap or jazz.

 

Recently featured on BBC News, these classes are aimed at the mature dancer and include gentle ballet and non-ballet classes that will get your whole body moving to music. The workshops, which include both classes, costs £10 to attend and take place at the below venues.

 

Venues;

Tuesday 4 March

Manchester Road Methodist Church, Haslingden

Ballet & Jazz (teacher Charlotte Omerod)

 

Saturday 8 March

Richmond Dance Centre, North Yorkshire

Ballet & Jazz (teacher Maureen Mundell)

 

Wednesday 26 March

Heatherlea Dance Studio, Glossop

Ballet & Tap (teacher Joanne Craven)

 

Timetable

10.00-11.00 Ballet class

11.00-11.30 Cakes and coffee

11.30-12.30 Non-ballet class

 

Anyone over 50 who is either new to dance or is keen to re-join, or wishes develop an existing interest can attend. The mornings all include the essential social aspect where participants can meet new like-minded people, enjoy refreshments and hopefully make plans to get ‘back to the barre’ at the next available dance class or RAD event."

 

Ms. Wilkie attached an application form and flyer to her reply.

 

I think this is a wonderful initiative.   A similar scheme in Scotland seems to have worked very well.   I shall certainly try to participate but the timings and locations are inconvenient. The nearest centre to me is Glossop but I work very long hours and I already do ballercise and core on Wednesday afternoons and ballet on Wednesday evenings at Huddersfield University.  The Saturday class would be ideal but Richmond Dance Centre is nearly 80 miles from my home and and between 90 minutes and 2 hours drive away.  Never mind. I will try to find a way and will report back to the forum as to what happens.

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For all of you who love to dance and are close to London,how about this .....http://bit.ly/1lCyUc6

 

I would love to take that class but what do they mean by "some previous experience of ballet"?  In particular, would I be good enough?

 

I have requested what we lawyers call further and better particulars of the phrase.

 

Here is the relevant part of my requisition:

 

"I would love to take Paul Lewis's classes but I am uncertain as to what is meant by the phrase "some previous experience of ballet."  To be more precise I would like to know whether my "previous experience" comes anywhere near Mr Lewis's required entry standard.
 
I never studied ballet as a child but I did take some classes when I was an undergraduate at St Andrews between 1970 and 1972.   I took up ballet again last year and spent one day a week in a mixed age, mixed ability class in Huddersfield.   These classes were supplemented by Northern Ballet's weekly classes for students aged over 55.  I am very keen and I work hard but I am rather elderly (65 tomorrow) and I am certainly not as strong as I used to be.  I wobble like a jelly in arabesque and I cannot always get pirouettes from 4th or pose pirouettes right though I try.  I live in Yorkshire but I work in London could contrive to be in London every Wednesday except the 19 if I were good enough and if there were space on the course."
 
I will let you know what the Royal Ballet School says.   I can but dream and a cat can look at a king after all.
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Paul Lewis used to have a class at Central until very recently. If this has turned into an alternative venue for that class then it will be quite advanced so it depends how much gall you've got!! Some people don't seem to mind having a go at classes above their level. It was too advanced for me when I first returned to ballet but liked him as a teacher etc.

 

In London "open ballet" classes usually mean Intermediate to advanced level (with occasional professionals and ex - professionals in) and are not always that suitable for beginners or those with less than about 3 years experience.

 

He had a very good pianist so music was nice and it was a class would have aspired to at Central eventually but then he left.

Definitely would be a lovely class though for those at the right level.

 

It will be interesting to see what they reply Terpischore......it would be great if he is running this at a slightly simpler level then I can definitely recommend and may have a go myself if happen to be in London on a Wednesday. The studios will be fantastic as well!!

 

Thanks very much for this info. Anyway and yes I think for the venue £10 is an excellent price......I pay this for some classes here in Brighton!!

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Paul Lewis taught open classes before - for a long time. His class was normally billed as "advanced" or "pro".  As this will be a new class, he might be changing his target audience - at least at first. 

 

But normally "some previous experience" is a ballet short hand for at least intermediate level (elementary for places like Pineapple and DanceWork)... 

 

Having said that, there is no problem in trying out and see how it goes.  Paul Lewis has quite a few "followers" as well, so I would expect they will all be there.  There should be plenty people to follow if you get lost ;) .

Edited by mimi66
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Thanks LinMM, mmi66 and Balleteacher.

 

I don't really hold out too much hope of getting in or of keeping up if I am allowed into the class but if you don't ask you certainly don't get. Paul Lewis or the School can only say no.   Also, as they say in America, if you aim for the stars you may clear 2 feet.

 

I am just so lucky to be dancing and working at a job I adore at an age when many people are forced to retire. We had such a nice class in Leeds today. I have a good teacher and delightful colleagues all of whom have lived very full and interesting lives.  When we leave class we chatter like teenagers especially when it goes well as it did today.

 

If I get into Mr Lewis's class it will be like icing on the cake but even if I don't the cake itself is still really yummy.

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