CharlieChuck Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 Hello, so first let me apologize if this has already been done, this is my first time on this site that was recommended me by Just Ballet. I have always loved Ballet, it had always been my release. I suffer from chronic depression and Endometriosis as well as a heart problem and dancing was my release until I fell really ill and my weight ballooned to nearly 15stone. I am now nearly 12.5 and slowly started getting back into dancing, I taught myself by following along to video's on youtube, ballet for dummies, RAD's official census. The list went on. It wasn't until one of my art tutors saw me practicing my Tendu's that she asked me who taught me and I told her I taught myself to which she offered to teach me privately once a week. As of January this year she put me onto pointe work to help me catch up faster. Everything was brilliant, I was getting my flexibility back, my turn out has improved greatly. I can hold a full 180 degree turn out in first and second position but struggle to hold it through out the rest. Everything was perfect until a few weeks ago my instructor suddenly died. My world fell apart and now it looks as if my world is falling apart again. Everywhere I have tried is either too expensive or won't help me. I don't want to have to give up on ballet as it helps me cope with everything, ballet is my freedom, it makes me happy and the very thought of never being able to dance again is heart breaking. It has always been my dream to maybe dance as part of corps ever since I watched Giselle, I've always waned to be part of the Willis' or the swans, anything as long as I'm part of a Corps but now that's I'm 27 that door is quickly closing for me. Can anybody help me, it terrifies me that I might have to give up ever being able to dance again. My Doctor said I would never be able to reach pointe work but the fact I did has gave me such a confidence boost. Please can anybody help me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hfbrew Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 Dear CharlieChuck Welcome to the forum. I do hope someone on here will be able to suggest something. Please dont give up though even if it means going back to practising at home until something turns up. And you have ballet.co now for company and there are lots of lovely people on here especially our hard working moderators. Good luck! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 Hello CharlieChuck and welcome to the Forum. I can't answer your query but I think HFBrew has given some good advice. Good luck and please let us know how you get on. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa O`Brien Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 Hello CharlieChuck and welcome to the Forum.I`m sure you,like me,realise that Ballet isn`t exactly popular here in N.Ireland,or indeed anywhere in Ireland.! You can find endless Irish dancing classes,or even schools that teach a bit of Modern and Jazz. I get the impression there is virtually no provision at all for adults to take up or go back to Ballet. Believe me,i`ve tried.! One place never even bothered replying to me.! There are a couple of Ballet teachers in Belfast. I suppose you could ask them if they would take you on;there`s no harm in asking. I too, practice at home with my RAD DVD`s to refresh my memory of the ballet vocabulary. I stopped dancing professionally in 1992 and i`ve done no dance at all since[or any other form of exercise for that matter !!]. Good luck.! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swanprincess Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 Hi CharlieChuck, welcome to the forum I'm sorry I can't help with your query but just wanted to say, I really admire your courage to keep going after all you've been through! I am so sorry to hear of the demise of your beloved teacher but you definitely posted on the right forum, everyone here is wonderfully supportive, hopefully we'll find a way to keep you dancing!!! As someone very wise once said to me "A bend in the road is not the end of the road- unless you fail to make the turn!" Life throws lots of challenges at us but we just have to keep going- it isn't until we look back that we realise our own strength in difficult situations xx 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hfbrew Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 Swanprincess you have wisdom beyond your years. Very special. Dont ever lose it. X 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2dancersmum Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 I'm really sorry to hear about the death of your instructor and hope that you find a way to keep on dancing. RAD have a 'find a teacher' facility and they also have a facebook group for Ireland (Northern & Republic), called RAD Ireland - a post on there might help you find something. I.D.T.A. also have a search for a dance school on their website and I.S.T.D have a database that lists their qualified teachers too. Hope something here is of use to you. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheila Beelam Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 Welcome Charlie! Glad you joined the club Sx 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moomin Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 Sorry I can't help either but have you tried looking for a syllabus class or adult class? Private lessons can be few & far between & I imagine would be expensive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieChuck Posted June 15, 2014 Author Share Posted June 15, 2014 Thank you everyone for your lovely advice, I didn't expect this type of response, I am over whelmed, thank you. @2dancersmom-: I will give them a look and see if they can help, I'm waiting on replies from two people before I contact anyone else. @Swanprincess-: Your words brought me great comfort, thank you so much. @thequays-: There used to be a dance school in Antrim town but it has now became a hair salon, it was lovely. The girl who taught there helped me understand so much, my parents couldn't afford classes but I would watch video's and read books. I contacted Rana's in Belfast but have not recieved a reply, rang them up to inquire and they told me they never got my email and hung up on me. I'm tempted to try again as one of my close friends who is now at R.A.D in England (Or she could be finished by now, we've not spoken in a while) was taught there. I may give them another try and see if they can help me. I remember when I first started dancing I rang Rana up and spoke to her and she gave some amazing advice and informed me of a number of books I could use as back then affording lessons was out of the question. Who knows maybe you could teach me, haha Again thank you everyone, it means a lot to know I have such amazing support here. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CeliB Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Hi CharlieChuck and welcome. I completely understand that you love ballet primarily but have you thought of widening your search for a teacher to other related dance forms? My DS started out being completely wedded to Russian classical and was adamant he couldn't do and wasn't interested in anything else. However since being at vocational school he has done a Balanchine piece (a year earlier he had confidently stated he hated Balanchine and couldn't do it) and in his most recent performance did a contemporary piece choreographed by one of the the other students, which he LOVED dancing. Classical is still his main focus but I was really surprised how enthusiastic he was about the other types. So you might find you get as much joy out of contemporary.... It might at least be worth trying in case there is more provision (sorry I don't know NI at all so this may be a red herring). Good luck with your search... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 http://www.queenssport.com/sites/QueensSport/ActivityProgramme/Courses/Dance/ I have found this link which may be helpful as not sure where you are in NI This ballet class is Vaganova style apparently but not sure who it's aimed at but am presuming its adults. I think you could look for a contemporary class as well ......some styles are quite balletic and I started one a few months back as Inhad an injury and thought would be a little easier on the body than ballet which I really love now and any ballet training you have had will help with contemporary. But don't give up on the ballet just yet you would be surprised that there is usually more going on than first appears once you start looking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieChuck Posted June 16, 2014 Author Share Posted June 16, 2014 http://www.queenssport.com/sites/QueensSport/ActivityProgramme/Courses/Dance/ I have found this link which may be helpful as not sure where you are in NI This ballet class is Vaganova style apparently but not sure who it's aimed at but am presuming its adults. I think you could look for a contemporary class as well ......some styles are quite balletic and I started one a few months back as Inhad an injury and thought would be a little easier on the body than ballet which I really love now and any ballet training you have had will help with contemporary. But don't give up on the ballet just yet you would be surprised that there is usually more going on than first appears once you start looking. Hey thank you, I live about half an hour away from belfast but my boyfriend lives in Sydenham, East Belfast so it's handy enough. Thank you so much, I've sent them an email Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieChuck Posted June 16, 2014 Author Share Posted June 16, 2014 Hi CharlieChuck and welcome. I completely understand that you love ballet primarily but have you thought of widening your search for a teacher to other related dance forms? My DS started out being completely wedded to Russian classical and was adamant he couldn't do and wasn't interested in anything else. However since being at vocational school he has done a Balanchine piece (a year earlier he had confidently stated he hated Balanchine and couldn't do it) and in his most recent performance did a contemporary piece choreographed by one of the the other students, which he LOVED dancing. Classical is still his main focus but I was really surprised how enthusiastic he was about the other types. So you might find you get as much joy out of contemporary.... It might at least be worth trying in case there is more provision (sorry I don't know NI at all so this may be a red herring). Good luck with your search... I have this set as a last resort at the minute, Jazz and Contemporary are my other two options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balletdancer5299 Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Welcome to the forum CharlieChuck. Have you tried APPA NI. Academy Of Professional Physical Arts. 5 REGENT Rd, Belfast. Phone number 02895607474 I know they run adult ballet classes. One of the ballet teachers used to be the head of dance at the prestigious Hammond Ballet School in Chester. England. So the standard of teaching in APPA NI. Should be quite high. Good luck with were ever you choose to dance. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieChuck Posted June 17, 2014 Author Share Posted June 17, 2014 Welcome to the forum CharlieChuck. Have you tried APPA NI. Academy Of Professional Physical Arts. 5 REGENT Rd, Belfast. Phone number 02895607474 I know they run adult ballet classes. One of the ballet teachers used to be the head of dance at the prestigious Hammond Ballet School in Chester. England. So the standard of teaching in APPA NI. Should be quite high. Good luck with were ever you choose to dance. Thank you ever so much, I sent them an email. So far that's 8 places/people I've contacted. Hopefully one of them is bound to get back to me. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Let us know how you get on, won't you? And a belated welcome to the forum. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2dancersmum Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 (edited) I will also suggest APPA in Belfast, now I know Belfast is doable for you. It is a fairly new venture but set upby very experienced people. Edited June 17, 2014 by 2dancersmum 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieChuck Posted June 17, 2014 Author Share Posted June 17, 2014 So APPA got back to me and are actually a lot more affordable than I thought they would be. I'm thinking of maybe taking up ballet/contemporary with them (55 for a five week term) and private lessons (15 per lesson) I've also been talking to another woman who teaches privately who replied to my gumtree advery but I'mlittle weary that she's an imposter (see other topic started in general discussions) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munchkin16 Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 I hope these work out for you! Just found another option in Belfast whilst I was researching (i might be at uni there next year and was looking for ballet classes too.) The Crescent Arts centre has loads of contemporary classes and a class called second chance ballet for adults. Hope this helps let us know what you think of the classes you try, I might be asking for your advice in a few months! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieChuck Posted June 19, 2014 Author Share Posted June 19, 2014 I hope these work out for you! Just found another option in Belfast whilst I was researching (i might be at uni there next year and was looking for ballet classes too.) The Crescent Arts centre has loads of contemporary classes and a class called second chance ballet for adults. Hope this helps let us know what you think of the classes you try, I might be asking for your advice in a few months! I've never heard of that :3 but I am going to be joining Appa-NI. I go and see the Ballet instructor next friday to talk to her about where we should start, how many lessons I'll need plus extras etc etc. I'm so excited. Who knows if we both end up in belfast could have coffee meets ups if there's enough time in between break. XD 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billyelliott Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 I've been following your thread and wishing for you to find some way to keep up your ballet which is clearly so precious to you ! I so glad that forum members have been able to help you and look forward to hearing the reports of how you get on . All the best 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 I too am very happy for you. It took me many years to find an adult ballet class and know the frustration you must feel. I am sorry you have lost your instructor who seems to have been a wonderful person. Good luck at Appa-NI. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieChuck Posted June 27, 2014 Author Share Posted June 27, 2014 I posted a new topic but just wanted to say here that I registered for appa today, I start on the 17th September 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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