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Going Back to ballet continued...


Fiz

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Yes I think that this is common , not just to ballet, I joined one class once where I was the only person who turned up and been to a few that a faltered and failed after a few weeks. I’m at one at the moment, my Wednesday class that’s doing a trial run of eight weeks, its already showing signs of dwindling numbers. However my Thursday Ballet class seems pretty solid. I’m at a dance class / dance tonight (Salsa) we heavily promote it, by dropping leaflets at other dances and in the summer put on a shows at various garden fetes, country fairs and town events, it does pay off, but you do need to have a good core of willing dancers to make it happen. The important thing is people need to care to make that happen.

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However its extremely slippy in Ballet slippers and has to be used with care, especially with foot on the barre during back bends.

 

We (with a different type of flooring) have tended to find that a bit of water on the soles of the slippers works wonders. Not sure how it would work with Harlequin, though.

 

I'm sure absenteeism must be a major problem with adult ballet classes. I used to do class at ENB when I was working in London, and they asked you to commit to the entire run, but all it needed was for the Piccadilly line to go down, or a lack of buses or delays to them and people wouldn't get there in time. Or work-related things (e.g. someone senior coming in to talk to you for ages when you were just about to dash out the door, or a computer backup failing, or whatever) get in the way. I'm currently doing a morning class, but even then, although I try and get there every week, I sometimes have to leave after barre due to pressure of work. Nothing's ideal. Plus, of course, most of us have social lives - or if not, then the children do - and those get in the way of regular commitments, too.

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Alison; Thanks for the info, I will try that otherwise I may have to consider changing the floor, but then it will have to do two jobs as I teach salsa other dances on an add-hock basis, I have a lady at the moment that comes for a two hour session every week.

 

At my Ballet class at the movement we have to pay by term, the only exception is someone who starts halfway through.

 

I have a social life too, but mine is very heavy as its nearly all about dance, as I liberally dance all over the country, the only exception is Mondays, but looks as if I’m going to close that one with another Ballet class.

 

My Ballet class always start on time and end on time, our socialising is done at the end but doesn’t last very long. My teacher also does a Dance Fever class which is an odd combination of Aerobics, Latin, with a little bit of Ballet in the warm-up and cool down, I attend that too. Then most of us, including our teacher, meet up for a coffee and chat afterwards, sometimes something to eat too, that is a really nice social element to the end of the class and I look forward to it

 

My other dance classes have a huge social content anyway, usually in licensed premises, where there is social dancing between classes and also when the last class is finished. Many of these start at 7pm and end around midnight. Needless to say I dance at all levels both as a lead and a follower.

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Alison: Fantastic, it worked a treat, almost forgot about it. I did the slippers, popped the reverence track I use on, and it was brillant, will have try it on a full workout to see how quickly it wears off and how often it needs refreshing, I can restructure some of the activities to match, that is when almost dry need the extra slippyness. Thank you again.

Edited by Michelle_Richer
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Balletmumfor2: I wonder what surfaces these stages have. I have danced on all sorts of surfaces from grass, carpet, vinyl, interlocking portable dance floors but mainly wood.

 

When we are seeking out new venues our preference is for wood, well virtually an essential requirement for proper Latin dance shoes, these have suede bottoms too, however the heel is generally rubber. However we nearly always talc the floor to make it more slippy. I have never noticed undue slippyness in ballet class on our wood floor with ballet slippers.

If we are dancing on grass, which we occasionally do at country fairs etc then its flats, For carpet, heels including stilettos work well as pivot turns become walk turns as they don’t slip at all.

Stilettos on wood have little heel friction and can slide sideways so very easily.

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I remember several documentaries over the years in which there are scenes of the students sprinkling water on the wood floors of the Vaganova School of the Mariinsky in St. Petersburg.

 

I have done that when necessary. It works better to do the floor than just the shoes - seems to last longer.

 

Also have sprayed a cola drink when desperate. Soap flakes work at first but then get even more slippery.

 

For pointe work, a darned platform and a slashed sole usually work on just about any surface.

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Hi Michelle. The slippery stages at festivals are usually some sort of vinyl as they are often held in school halls or small theatres. It is not possible to dampen the stage in these instances as not all peformers would want this and the different dance sections mean a variety of shoes are used throughout the festival. That is why people dampen their flat ballet shoes. A small amount of rosin is often used for pointe shoes.

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Hi Anjuli: Cola drink on a wood floor does sound desperate, are you sure it doesn’t strip the surface coating of the wood. It must also leave a sticky deposit too, hate to think of the state of the ballet shoes afterwards. I know my Latin dance shoes with suede bottoms pick up debris and the bottoms becomes smooth and shiny in places.

 

Balletmumfor2: Never done anything in school halls, during this last year we did one event in the school playground, it was part of a garden fete with the school at the centre, they had an Olympic torch runner to open it with the Lancaster flyover, it did 3 flypasts before our dance group could get started. It was a real fun day with lots of audience participation particularly from young mums and children. Dancing does not seem to be a guy thing.

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Hi Ian

 

Sorry Ian, I guess I hogged it on floors

 

That link is an inspiration, we have a lady of 80 in our adult Ballet class, Our teacher lets her choose between the beginners options and the little more advanced ones that some of the other girls do. But I guess 80% of the class work is exactly the same.

 

Something which I think is on topic: Monday evening I start a second Ballet class, it’s a bit more formal than my current one. I asked this question of the course organisers: “Would I be allowed after class to video the teacher doing moves that are difficult to remember or have precise technical provisions, also the short ballet sequences that we may do. This allows me to practice them in my own studio at home. In this case no other member of the class would get videoed. Will this be possible with your teacher?”, the answer came back it would not be possible.

 

This is common practice in other dance circles and is an extremely effective learning aid. My existing Ballet teacher has no problem with this, she is a gem. I wonder what the experience of others are regarding videoing teachers examples?

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Last night was the best dance class I have ever had! There was me and two about to join vocational dance college girls of 18 and 19. It was super.We really worked and Ailish and Grace are such lovely dancers, as is Mary, my teacher. It was also very funny and I had a blast! :D

(Edited for spelling mistake)

Edited by Fiz
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Oh how I wish there were ballet classes for me, no chance where I live!I'm so gealous but love reading your posts xxxx but I do get the next best thing and that's watching my dds ballet class.They must think I'm mad as I'm the only mum who watches the whole class every lesson without fail from the tv in the waiting room!

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Hi tomuchtallent, that’s really sweet, you must be so proud of your DD’s. Like Fiz and I, you have to travel to find classes, I’m very lucky with my first class as its within walking distance, but my second class at Lincoln is about 40miles away, I start that for the first time on Monday. Unfortunately I did a silly silly thing in the garden yesterday and hurt my back, I knew I shouldn’t be doing what I did and I know it entirely my own fault. Had to stop my two hour ballet aerobic workout this morning after an hour and quarter, jumps rubbish and so is balance. I so wanted to give a good account of myself at the new class. I hope it clears up over the weekend but I don’t think it will get much chance as I’m dancing (not Ballet) all over the weekend including two different venues tonight (Boston and Stamford). I will still go, but paracetamol’s at the ready

 

Finally, they may think your mad, but I think you are a really caring and dedicated mum, bless you.

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And how lucky you are to have a waiting room! At various times before dd left home I had spent time waiting in a kitchen, various corridors and quite a lot of time sitting in the car. Summer was ok as could sit in car and work or go for a walk but cold, dark winter nights were something I am definately glad not to have to do anymore.

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Michelle,I am currently living in Turkey! I would have to fly abroad for class!even though there are very good teachers and so many children doing ballet here,no chance for adults!I did do one class with my dd once,even though I loved it I think the parents thought I was even more crazy!!especially as they can watch on the t.v. Lol.

Taxi,yes,I am very lucky to be able to watch my dds class!and all the dance schools have t.v.s

and very nice waiting rooms with cafe and sofas.

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Hi tomuchtallent, Have you ever considered private tuition, it may not be as expensive as you might think, its worth finding out, there must be ballet teachers in Turkey with some uncommitted time. Its certainly something I will not rule out here, if I need extra tuition. At the moment my existing teacher is very accommodating if I need an extra 10-15minutes on something after class, I always warn her by email first, then she can always say no, or defer it to when she has more time. I only use that occasionally as I don’t want to over due it and spoil things, but she is brilliant.

 

As for being crazy, join the club. I’m sure people at the dances I attend think I’m crazy, dancing 7 days a week with only the occasional Saturday off and doing more that one venue in the same evening.

 

That TV facility you have is absolutely fantastic, I hope it will be a catalyst for people that view these posts to request a similar facility to view there dancing children. We have the technology all we need is the will to use it.

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I'm not sure it's as simple as that, Michelle. It all depends on where you learn to dance. My dd's local dance classes are in a local secondary school, and use the hall, gym, dining area (for tap) and dance studio. So it certainly wouldn't be feasible to have cctv outside each area.

 

Plus, unless you are at a secure location, there is the possibility of many people, unrelated to the dance school, being able to wander in and out. I'm not sure it would be appropriate to be broadcasting footage of children in leotards to an area where anyone could come and watch.

 

In any case, we get to watch class at least once a term (and dd's teacher often invites me in to watch dd's private lesson).

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I myself would not want to attend a class that was being screened to all and sundry in a waiting room, I personally would think it an invasion of my privacy. I don't mind dancing in public but consider my classes my own.

 

As a parent I would not have been happy to have my ds classes open to viewing in this way.

 

As a teacher I know that many of my older students would not like it, particularly the young men who are sadly keeping their ballet classes quiet. I have personally allowed parents to film classes but only under certain circumstances and legally,if other students are involved I have to ensure that permission has been granted by them (and their parents.) These days we even have to ask if anyone minds the taking of photos on open days.

 

Spanner is right, the vast majority of British dance schools hire premises so we have to be doubly careful about childrens privacy. I remember one poor child being sick as well as wetting herself, how mortified she and her mum would have been if this incident had been publicly displayed.

 

Like Spanners dd s teacher I do allow watching at at end of term anyway and I too encourage parents to watch private lessons or coaching, especially if I would otherwise be the only adult present. (Most of the classes I teach have up to 4 adults present!)

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As a teacher (drama not dance) I wouldn't be happy with this. Young people should feel confident that they can take risks without feeling foolish. In the classes I run parents are welcome to watch twice a year. Once is the actual show and once is an open class for which the children are prepared in advance.

 

Parents who are interested in entitling their child are welcome to observe part of a class as part of a guided tour.

 

As a parent myself of a dd who dances I would live to look in on her classes but I won't. In fact I never even watched a class at her current ballet school as I trusted the reputation of her teacher.

 

Dh teaches at a vocational school NAND in the past has taught at other vocational colleges (voice not dance) and he agrees with this especially as students are often very nervous in his subject.

 

 

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You are probably right, but lets put it this way, there are those individuals in society that are pushers or drivers that make things happen, and those that are cautious and just content to winge. If you want it, make it happen.

 

Have you ever tried to persuade a village hall committee to make a decision on ANYTHING?!!! I know I have... :wacko:

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My friends, I say that sincerely as we are all part of this Ballet community,and I dont intend to offend anyone, however I do on occasions play devils advocate in provoking a debate.

 

Firstly I have made some assumptions that don’t exist for many on this forum, that is these are dedicated purpose build Ballet schools, which indeed would or could have secure waiting rooms. But instead share facilities at schools, village halls and sports complexes.

 

There appears to be two main issues:

1) Violation of privacy, I guess to some small degree that’s already lost when you begin a class with others.

 

2) Open access to all and sundry, and this is not what I am suggesting, a waiting area which in the type of establishments seems difficult or almost impossible. However I would ask you to consider as a parallel what happens in sports complexes with swimming pools. I raise this one, as my Friday night dance venue is at such an establishment, it’s called the Princess Royal Sports Arena in Boston. Anyone can view the swimming pool, girls from the pool area often cross the main concourse there as three of them did when I made my way to our dance room (the Rugby club). The reason I remember, two of the girls in there early teens did a couple of well executed cartwheels in front of me, there was another girl in her cosy was about 8.

 

The complex itself is situated well off the road and I’m sure anyone lurking about would get noticed and reported.

 

 

I guess at the end of the day, this facility has to be “Where appropriate”, but I also think, as these dancers mature they need to be confident and comfortable at being seen. After all their ultimate goal is to perform in public and present themselves well.

 

For the younger ones, allowing a limited number a parents in to watch seems a fair compromise, however if it were possible to substitute that for a remote monitoring system, then I think that additional isolation would have merit and to the benefit of the younger dancers.

 

As a active dancer I’m always caught on video and photo’s at dances, its become a normal part of our culture. Some dancers regard it as essential, if you’re not in the photo's you have missed something, almost like not being part of it.

 

One question I do have out of your responses, how well are these non purpose built establishments equipped:

 

Fixed and portable ballet barre’s.

Walled mirrors

Audio system.

Room / hall acoustics

Adequate flooring (material and size)

Exercise mats for floor work

 

 

Taxi4ballet: In answer to your question “YES”, many years ago we had an haulage company expend in a residential area which was totally inappropriate, My partner and I raise a petition presented to our local council which resulted in a court of enquiry involving the department of transport, where I and other residences has to present our cases against them and be cross examined by their legal council, needless to say we won and they moved out. The site is now a residential estate.

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