Dance*is*life

If anyone is interested in seeing the original M & A with Fonteyn and Nureyev it's on youtube in two parts - I think this was made especially for TV as it has a documentary aspect with Ashton, Fonteyn and Nureyev talking about the ballet.

Well my son and I are mad Les Mis fans - one of our favourite pastimes is watching the 10th anniversary stage celebration.  I also bought the 25th anniversary at the O2, but that was totally spoilt by the 17 year old boy band pop star who can't act and whose voice was drowned out every time he sang with anyone else.  They brought back the 10th anniversary cast to join them at the end and when Michael Ball's voice soared over everyone else's the whole audience clapped like mad. 

So what did I think of the film?  Generally depressing rather than moving   I agree that Hugh Jackman was pretty good, but didn't age enough. I really hated Russel Crowe as Javert  - watch the 10th anniversary Javert to see how his songs should be sung.  Perhaps because the stage show is not so realistic or in permanent close up, I have always found it moving, but bearable.  I hated the close ups of Anne Hathaway's downfall into depravity and the whole thing was just rather disappointing.  Perhaps I should watch it again, but I can't be bothered. I'll stick to the 10th anniversary concert version - nothing can beat Michael Ball singing Empty Chairs at Empty Tables!  And I had such high hopes for it....

Hello everyone - this is my first post - just discovered this forum and look forward to logging on when I can. I started pointe at the barre when I was 9 and a half, but when I moved to a different school, they promptly took me off pointe for a year and only allowed me back on at 11. I'm an RAD teacher and have been so for many years and at the school I teach we only start pointe at around 11/12 years of age - in time for Intermediate Foundation. I don't really see much point in starting earlier than that. The students are stronger physically, more advanced technically and the bones in their feet have pretty much ossified (ie hardened) by that age. Those who start later and those who start earlier seem to be at the same level by age 16 anyway.