The Royal Ballet: Ballet Studio Live

[Quintus]

I've been to a couple of daytime events in the Floral Hall recently - one of the Month of Sundays mornings and today the Ballet Studio Live:Class, and I thought both were well run events and a good use of the space to generate additional revenue.  Today apparently sold out quite early, and seems set to become a regular feature.

 

Today's dancers were mostly from the Aub Jebsen programme , which I hadn't been aware of before. Several were quite impressive, so fingers crossed for them getting full contracts in due course.   Taisuko Nakao had some serious height in his jumps, and of the girls Katherina Nikelski and  Yu Hang looked very neat and accomplished, while Lania Atkins was also both graceful and striking.

 

More of this kind of thing!

[alison]

Yes, indeed.  I'd have appreciated a list of all the dancers somewhere after the class: I recognised quite a few faces, but can't necessarily put names to them as yet.

 

This was followed by the first rehearsal: Marianela Nunez and Thiago Soares being coached in Winter Dreams by no less than Irek Mukhamedov and Darcey Bussell - we were spoiled!

 

Someone else will have to report on the second rehearsal, I'm afraid.

 

Overall, it went well, although they need to do something about the sound system - unless the acoustics of the Floral Hall make it impossible to do so. I think there were some feedback forms at the end, but I didn't get handed one.

[annamk]

1 hour ago, Quintus said:

 

Today's dancers were mostly from the Aub Jebsen programme , which I hadn't been aware of before. Several were quite impressive, so fingers crossed for them getting full contracts in due course.   Taisuko Nakao had some serious height in his jumps, and of the girls Katherina Nikelski and  Yu Hang looked very neat and accomplished, while Lania Atkins was also both graceful and striking.

 

More of this kind of thing!

 

Most impressive of all was 1st soloist William Bracewell, what great control he has. 

 

The second rehearsal was the Nutcracker pdd : Fumi Kaneko and William Bracewell coached by Lesley Collier and Gary Avis. 

 

It was a terrific event although I agree with Alison about the acoustics. 

[zxDaveM]

Just now, annamk said:

 

The second rehearsal was the Nutcracker pdd : Fumi Kaneko and William Bracewell coached by Lesley Collier and Gary Avis. 

 

 

I would like to have seen that for sure.

I'd seen this events listed, so was curious about them. Not knowing what you'll get put me off a little though - and all 3 events through the morning into the afternoon works out a little expensive for me sadly. I'm one for seeing the lot (for fear of missing out the best bit) - or grinning and bearing and not seeing anything (and so feeling sick with envy when missing out on something as good as the above!)

[alison]

Yes, that's why I only booked for 2 - and restricted view, at that!

 

I omitted to say that class was taken by Matz Skoog - looked like a nice one - and good to see him including chassés, as we know dancers don't really seem to know how to do them these days.  Wouldn't have minded doing it myself if I were anywhere near that level   Would anyone like to have a go at listing all the dancers involved?

[capybara]

I’d no idea that this was happening and don’t understand how I missed it. Does one now need to trawl through every single day on the ROH website or is there a special page for ‘pop up ‘ events that I haven’t discovered?

[annamk]

2 hours ago, alison said:

Yes, that's why I only booked for 2 - and restricted view, at that!

 

I omitted to say that class was taken by Matz Skoog - looked like a nice one - and good to see him including chassés, as we know dancers don't really seem to know how to do them these days.  Wouldn't have minded doing it myself if I were anywhere near that level   Would anyone like to have a go at listing all the dancers involved?

 

In addition to those already mentioned I think 

 

Harrison Lee

Harris Bell 

Stanislaw Wegrzyn

Aiden O’Brien

Joshua Junker 

Davide Lorricho

Joonhyuk Jun 

Taisuke Nakao 

[Mary]

21 minutes ago, capybara said:

I’d no idea that this was happening and don’t understand how I missed it. Does one now need to trawl through every single day on the ROH website or is there a special page for ‘pop up ‘ events that I haven’t discovered?

I know what you mean- I am getting confused ( getting??) and finding it hard to keep up.

I just had a good look round the website:

If you go to the main What's On page and scroll down, there are columns for each type of event- on the right hand side there are the ballet studio live events under 'Functions' ( odd word.)

They are all booked up- I am not sure when booking opened for these- was it at the same time as Insights?

 

[Blossom]

I remember seeing the class being advertised but not the rehearsals. Happened to be looking for what was on today and kept an eye out for returns on the 1.35 rehearsal. Was thrilled to get a place at 11am! The next one is on 11 Jan- appears sold out though. 

 

What fascinated me about this rehearsal of the grand pas was realising I should keep my eyes on William Bracewell as much as Fumi Kaneko. I love the lifts and the holds, but watching Bracewell I noticed how hard he had to work but how easy he made it look. Obviously a lot of training goes in from muscle building to no doubt practicing the lifts, but there must be so much trust involved. I would love to have a bit more insight into the preparation of these big lifts from what they learn in pdd in school through to soloist/principal roles. 

 

Really enjoyed the thoughtful and very detailed coaching from Gary Avis and Lesley Collier (the first Sugar Plum Fairy I saw on VHS courtesy of my grandma). 

 

 

[capybara]

And now I see from Valentino Zuchetti's Facebook page that there was a Draft Works on last night which I didn't spot either. Grrrh!!!

[alison]

4 hours ago, capybara said:

I’d no idea that this was happening and don’t understand how I missed it. Does one now need to trawl through every single day on the ROH website or is there a special page for ‘pop up ‘ events that I haven’t discovered?

 

I did flag it on here somewhere ...

[KathyE8]

I received an email highlighting the studio rehearsals, and foolishly only booked one which was today with Nunez and Soares (as mentioned above) and I could not have been happier.  I was on the balcony, £8 of any one's money (pre-Brexit, post-Brexit I'll turn up!).   I would say that some of the acoustics or audio mics needed a little improvement or perhaps I need to see a specialist.  

[bangorballetboy]

11 hours ago, capybara said:

And now I see from Valentino Zuchetti's Facebook page that there was a Draft Works on last night which I didn't spot either. Grrrh!!!

 

You didn’t miss spotting it; like last year it wasn’t available for public booking.

[capybara]

1 hour ago, bangorballetboy said:

 

You didn’t miss spotting it; like last year it wasn’t available for public booking.

 

So who were the lucky ones, then?

[bangorballetboy]

9 minutes ago, capybara said:

 

So who were the lucky ones, then?

 

No idea.  Not me (though I had thought about calling the development office and offering them money...).  Wouldn't have been able to go anyway as work got in the way.

[John Mallinson]

Photos by Rachel Cherry of Ballet Studio Live on the ROH flickr account 

 

[alison]

Well, I attended both rehearsals today: don't read on unless you don't mind being green with envy!

 

Carlos Acosta coaching Marcelino Sambé in his solos from Don Quixote

Christopher Carr coaching Yasmine Naghdi and William Bracewell in The Two Pigeons.

 

All I shall say is that I think Bracewell could well be heartbreaking in this!

 

I spotted a couple of little girls sitting spellbound through the second one  

 

Disappointingly, there were a number of empty seats.

 

 

[capybara]

5 hours ago, alison said:

Disappointingly, there were a number of empty seats.

 

 

The empty seats are unforgiveable. I have been looking for returns every day, A lovely session by the sound of it, though - and, yes, I'm very envious.

 

There seems to be a tendency, for some of these 'cheaper' events, that people buy tickets on the basis that it gives them the option to come - or not. It's seems to have been the same with the cinema season in The Linbury.

[Lizbie1]

5 hours ago, capybara said:

 

The empty seats are unforgiveable. I have been looking for returns every day, A lovely session by the sound of it, though - and, yes, I'm very envious.

 

There seems to be a tendency, for some of these 'cheaper' events, that people buy tickets on the basis that it gives them the option to come - or not. It's seems to have been the same with the cinema season in The Linbury.

 

I wonder whether the increase in handling fee for returns has something to do with it - perhaps they should return it to £2 for tickets costing less than £20, for example.

[Lgny]

7 hours ago, balletyas said:

 

They do  not accept returns for these  rehearsals or classes. 

[alison]

6 hours ago, Lizbie1 said:

 

I wonder whether the increase in handling fee for returns has something to do with it - perhaps they should return it to £2 for tickets costing less than £20, for example.

 

I thought that the other day, when I spotted a whole batch of really good standings unoccupied - again.  I didn't mind for myself, as I "upgraded" myself to one of them, but knowing that the performance was sold out and that others would have liked to use them I was distinctly annoyed.

[capybara]

3 hours ago, Lgny said:

They do  not accept returns for these  rehearsals or classes. 

 

That’s terrible when places are at so sought after.

[JohnS]

3 hours ago, Lgny said:

They do  not accept returns for these  rehearsals or classes. 

 

I may be wrong and things may have changed but I thought tickets could be returned for resale - it’s that no refunds are given and the original ticket purchase is treated as a donation.  Returning tickets that cannot be used gives other people the opportunity to purchase tickets, generates additional income for the Royal Opera House, and helps ensure that performers play to full houses.  Whilst there may be no monetary incentive to return tickets, hopefully people recognise the wider public benefits.  And of course they may be direct beneficiaries in being able to purchase returned tickets.

[Blossom]

5 hours ago, Lgny said:

They do  not accept returns for these  rehearsals or classes. 

They do accept returns. In December, I only found out on the day and spoke to the box office to see if returns might come in. They did. The alternative which I asked about was if I could turn up if no returns came up and pay for a seat if any appeared to be empty once the event started- luckily I only work a 10 min walk away so would have been doable!

[Lgny]

To clarify my earlier post: I stopped at the box office early this week to return, for refund upon successful resale, tickets for the rehearsal at Paul Hamlyn Hall that I could not use. To the good fortune of BalletCoforum members the Box Office told me that they  do not accept rehearsal and class tickets for resale.

[JohnS]

For rehearsal tickets the website states:

“What happens if I cannot attend a rehearsal for which I have bought tickets?
You can always return a rehearsal ticket for resale to the Box Office. Please note that, as the cost of the ticket is treated as a donation, we are not able to refund rehearsal tickets and nor can we exchange them.”

 

As regards tickets on public sale, the website states:

“Returned tickets may become available at any time, so please keep checking the website or call the Box Office on +44 (0)20 7304 4000. We sell returns for all ROH performances and venues.”

 

It’s a great shame if Paul Hamlyn Hall events are not covered by ‘all ROH performances and venues’ or by the ‘Rehearsal’ section (although that is for General Rehearsals in the main theatre for Friends).

[Lynette H]

Someone asked where do you find out details of these events.  They are listed on the what's on page as it currently exists, but direct links are

 

http://www.roh.org.uk/functions  

 

(includes studio live, family Saturdays etc). Booking for next period from 30 Jan.

 

http://www.roh.org.uk/workshops

 

(the above includes dance with the Royal Ballet) Booking for next dates opens 30 Jan. 

 

http://www.roh.org.uk/recitals

 

The above includes Crush room performances and the Friday lunchtime events. 

[jmhopton]

I just placed a query in the ROH Public Spring Booking thread but perhaps it would be more appropriate here. I just want to know if it is better to book for the stage or balcony area for the Paul Hamlyn Hall rehearsals or if it doesn't really matter. Are the stage seats level with the dancers and so could the view be obscured? Are the acoustics more problematic in the balcony? Any feedback welcome as I fancy booking for them. they seem good value and 2 events mean a good days ballet watching and no overnight stay.

[alison]

I haven't yet worked out what counts as restricted view in the balcony, but the seats I've had so far have been watching from the back.  The stage level seating is 3 rows all on one level, and the row C seat I had certainly had viewing restrictions with 2 rows of people in front of it, so I imagine you'd want to avoid those, given your height.  Not sure how much the acoustics differ, if at all.

[Riva]

I sat in rows a and b of the floor/stage area during the January events and found the view from row b mostly fine (with the exception of a patron in the front row who was repeatedly leaning right over to the side obscuring my view).

 

Sitting on the balcony would potentially be more advantageous during the class, but I wouldn’t say it’s a necessity. 

 

In my feedback forms I suggested that the seating on floor level could be staggered for future events to improve sight lines - hopefully this will be implemented!

 

There was a microphone for the presenter and teacher so hope it should be possible to hear from all parts of the hall. 

[jmhopton]

Thanks very much to everyone who has taken the trouble to reply to my query (especially Alison who sent me a personal message). Now all I have to do is to decide which date to attend! Given that one rehearsal date is 15th March and the other 10th May could those who have attended previously give any idea which ballets may be rehearsed. Is it ballets that are currently being performed at the time or ones more in the future?

[alison]

From the ones I've seen, I'd say it's likely to be something that will be performed in the fairly near future.  (Or was there a Nutcracker one in the first batch in early December?)  It's also a fairly small space, so more likely to be a solo or pdd than a group dance, I would think.

[Mary]

I know what you mean: I finally managed to get one of these rehearsal tickets: but hoping I won't be treated to a run through of  the bit where Frankenstein chucks body parts round the  stage....🙂