Pas de Quatre

Please don't go, your posts have been so informative and enjoyable. This forum is not only about the training years. So few students become professional dancers it would be a great help if you can give us insight into what is happening in the world of employment, so we can follow their journey of your DD and friend.

It was Ofsted which lead to changes at Tring. This may be why Tring is not named in the current invitation to submit experiences/problems.

Many teachers who have Exam Board accreditation have little experience or knowledge outside their board. So not necessarily able to teach beyond the basics.

There was an unannounced Ofsted inspection a few years ago at Tring. It was in response to many parental complaints. The then Director of Dance was suspended and officially left soon after. This was after years of pupils and parents being unhappy with the school and various allegations of an undesirable culture of favouritism, negativity eating disorders etc.

When I was a student, one female friend suffered from Anorexia. As a ballet teacher I had two cases in my school a few years apart. It is very hard to understand why these particular students suffered, when others were fine, although in each case their own circumstances may have been a factor.

Central School of Ballet do various single day courses for all levels, which is separate from their Associate schemes.

I think possibly it is a French rather than English version. After all he came to the West with Ballets Russes.

The most basic hold for a lift is round the waist with the palms flat against the body, thumbs and fingers trying to meet. This squeezes the waist in, so that the female's ribs are ontop of the upper side of the male's hands. If this isn't possible then a firm grip round the ribs is next best, but has a danger of slipping. A much looser grip is used to support pirouettes as you want sliding there.

In the article it says YMCA theatre Scarborough is closed by RAAC, but this is not current A crack in the structure lead to an inspection, but it was not RAAC and they reopened. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-66718282

Another "excuse" often trotted out is that they can't cope with being a little fish in a big pond, they are too used to being the big fish in a little pond!

Many articles in the press and online are blaming the shortfall in finances on the fact that the Council have paid recently huge amounts of money to female employees as a result of Equal Opportunites legislation. It is in the Guardian article Ondine has posted the link above.

Chris, I fear you may indeed be cruelly disappointed. No matter how well Thangam Debbonaire advocates for the Arts, she would be a lone voice in the wilderness (if Labour is elected but it is far from sure). I have just read Richard Morrison in Times 2, and he gives a good over view of the causes of Birmingham Council's financial woes. To blame it on equal opportunity legislation, i.e. they have to pay those pesky women is a classic of Labour Party misogyny!

It used to be standard at Covent Garden for there to be a one act ballet before Giselle! I remember how short-changed I felt when they dropped it.

But that was why such triple bills were popular. Very different contrasting ballets, not an artificial "theme". Also quite a substantial programme, Firebird alone is 47 mins.

Facade is a wonderful ballet when done with subtlety. However it is very easy to ham it up. To get the flavour it is worth going back to Edith Sitwell's original poems which are recited to music. It use to be a staple of Touring RB's Triple Bills during the middle of 20th century.

Unless you know the family personally, it is unwise to judge. They may have their own Russian connections, not just through the teachers. A Russian teacher friend, who trained at the Vaganova Academy, has lived here for many years in UK and has lovely children (not dancers). She goes regularly on visits to St. Petersburg to visit family who live there.

Actually I disagree, no need for a comma. There are two categories of items, one is larger bags, the other is backpacks, so linking them with and is correct.

To be more correct, it is a selection from the Athelhampton performances, not just from last year.

It must be lovely having a Gala in Italy. This programme looks almost identical to last year's at Athelhampton with a few additions. So probably easy to revive after the Japan tour. I loved Les Lutins and it made me think that Ashton's pas de trois Tweedledum and Tweedledee with Alice would be a perfect piece for them!

It is not only at summer schools, during term-time some dancers do too much with classes all week and then even more on Saturdays and Sundays. At least one day should a rest to let the body recover.

It is funny how the fashion for names of companies changes. Western Theatre ballet became Scottish Theatre Ballet and then eventually Scottish Ballet. Northern Dance Theatre also changed and became Northern Ballet.

Mark Morris Snowflakes I love Mark Morris ballets. It's difficult to choose a favourite, but his Hard Nut is fabulous. In particular the Snowflakes scene where male and female dancers wear the same costumes and dance the same steps, just makes you want to join in. Mind you I have also quite fancied dancing the role of the tipsy mother at the party too! Likewise with Matthew Bourne's swans, I just want to dance along.

As I remember it SWRB were simply the touring company of RB and had a very similar repertoire, so definitely Classical. If you star defining ballets in that way, Giselle Act 1 is Demi-caractère and Act 2 is Classical. With regard to contemporary, there are some lovely joyful, musical dances such as those by Richard Alton, Glen Tetley and Paul Taylor, but angst is very fashionable at the moment.

Most Contemporary companies alternate classes, one day it is a contemporary class, the next a classical class. Some years ago when Ailey 2 were on tour in UK, I did a masterclass with them which was Horton based. However, I remember vividly that they said they do a lot of classical classes and the girls do pointework too. Dangers of Fille - in the Karsavina mime Lise spanks her child for not knowing the book lesson!

Are many of the venues the same as last year, I thought most were new?