audsjcanuck

Dd is sleeping around the clock - yes 'après' ballet was perhaps a little too much fun! She wants to come back next year but I have to remind her that I can't think that far ahead. It's been a wonderful ride .... I think we are both in love with England!

There are photos of week 2 and more coming. I met and chatted with the photographer and he showed me new photos and then he went into a class to get more so hopefully you will see them soon.

Arrived and am horribly jetlagged but watched dd's pointe class

Met one balletco'er already lol. Too foggy to actually properly introduce so my apologies!

Sea gazer was your son dancing with the blonde? That's my dd but there is another Canadian with dark hair.

DD seems very happy with the class and yes it would have been great to watch. BUT.... leaving for the airport soon and will be in York for tomorrow afternoon YAY

So very excited for dd as she will be participating in this evenings pas de deux masterclass! Can't wait for her to ring me after and tell me how it went.

Thanks for that tidbit

Its 5 &5 for pas de deux with Donald McLeary. Don Quixote repertoire. Hoping someone will give a review!

Will anyone be attending tomorrow's masterclass?

Thanks for the heads up.... in London as tourists and will alter the itinerary slightly now.

The first year dd was in residential school (11yo then) I would get the odd homesick call and would talk/cry/sing her to sleep with the cell phone. I would worry all night and into the next day just to have her call later with a happy voice having forgotten the night before. She would always say "I was just too tired but Im fine now".

kids!

Thank You! SOOO excited!

Just want to clarify. I purchased tickets on-line for ROH performances and tours for box office pickup. Do I need to bring the paper copy or is just having a phone photo of the order number good enough (along with the cc used for purchase)?

Week 2 starting shortly meaning only days til I am there!

I was only planning on attending the mini performance at the end of the week but can you pay to watch morning ballet class? Would be awful nice to see that.

LinMM thank you for the updates. I look forward to seeing your posts.... every little bit makes me feel a little more connected.

Does anyone know who does next weeks master class ?

I will have to agree to disagree with your thoughts drdance. But I do get the sense that you lack knowledge of how professional ballet classrooms are conducted. Perhaps I am wrong about that but your comments about robots and lack of self-awareness is entirely incorrect.

So now I am wondering who is all in same class? My dd has Yasvoni Ramos for ballet. Today Ms Porter for pointe.

Just adding another note. My dd's school has annual choreography workshops as well as compostion classes. And I googled to see that all the top British schools likewise have these opportunities.

drdance, while I agree with you regarding young children, there is an age and timeline where if a student chooses to persue ballet with the intent of a career, the discipline must fall in place. Classical ballet is an exacting art form. Passion comes from within but first you must earn your place in the any environment.

drdance..... we abhor and critique the harsh ways of Russian ballet training. And then we applaud and idolize the results.

The strength ballet requires does not come from making it up as you go along.

"who are free to think and question, and learn and discover the ins and outs of what they do."  - try getting a job in the corps with this attitude.

I haven't read the article but I have been reading the comments. I've watched student performances from many of the world's leading schools recently and noticed a dominance by the make roles and it bothered me for sure - maybe because I have a dd who I want to have opportunities in the future so I am biased, But then I started thinking about the differences in male and female capabilities.

Historically, male dancers in ballet had a primary role of supporting the ballerina. The romantic lead to showcase the female. But, with modern, contemporary pieces and choregraphy, that isn't the case anymore. And the male dancers can jump higher and perform feats that the women are not either trained for or simply not as strong for. It's not uncommon now to see choreography strictly generated for male roles that has an entirely different flavor to classical ballet and yet is still pure ballet. And the result can be quite spectacular. The downside is that the focus on the prima ballerina has shifted and perhaps since training hasn't shifted, our girls are losing out.

I'm game for a balletco meet-up before the viewing's on Friday August 2nd. Anyone know of the closest pub or café?

Janet - I'm kinda hooked

Linmm - 2 weeks

A big thank you for all the info, offers of assistance and camaraderie of the balletco moms (and dads?). It's a scary thing to let your teen travel so far and joining balletco to get information and a better feel for things was so sooooo helpful in calming my nerves.

Thanks to the mom who is delivering jetglue! Thanks to the moms who gave me phone numbers for emergencies!

DD is settled into YBSS now and I can relax

I will be in York on the final day and may see some of you!

Greetings from Toronto.

Just had a good chat with DD (16, travelled from Toronto with a classmate alone!). Check in is anytime between 2-4... there are class lists posted along with schedule info. 3 classes a day - ballet/contempary/pointe variations. Classes mixed boys and girls. Studios are a very short walk. She starts at 9;30 and ends at 4:45. She found the university wifi common areas and thank goodness because I couldn't hear a thing when she was using Starbucks wifi!  First dinner at 5;30.

Rooms are dorm small and simple but come with a sink in the room.

My dd arrived this afternoon (Friday) as that was the only flights available. Learning as we go!