Jan McNulty

SEPTEMBER 2020 LATE ADMISSIONS OPPORTUNITY AT ELMHURST BALLET SCHOOL Photo credit: Andy Ross Traditionally at the start of a new academic year, Elmhurst Ballet School welcomes the next cohort of students through its Birmingham doors. Many young dancers hail from across the UK and overseas and take up a coveted place in Elmhurst’s Lower or Upper School. This year as Covid-19 continues to create uncertainty across the world, a small number of students are sadly unable to commit to their course, especially international students whose country’s travel restrictions have halted the young dancers’ plans. Therefore, the vocational ballet school with a close association to Birmingham Royal Ballet, is inviting late applications for admission to its Upper School offering a three-year programme working towards a Level 6 Diploma in Professional Dance, validated by Trinity College London. The third and final year of training culminates in being part of and performing as Elmhurst Ballet Company. Elmhurst Ballet School is a world-renowned centre of excellence and one of the Department for Education’s specialist music and dance schools. Preparing talented young dancers aged between 11 and 19 to become the thinking dance professionals of the future, the school nurtures individuality through a holistic approach to its dance training, academics and pioneering health & wellbeing offer. Elmhurst students become independent, collaborative and versatile dance artists, performance-ready to take to the world stage. Albeit a very different graduating year for the school’s Class of 2020, offers have still come in from State Opera Rousse Ballet in Bulgaria, Teatrul de Balet Sibiu in Romania, Ballet Cymru in Wales, and Arts Ballet Theatre in Florida, USA. Throughout the three years of Upper School training, students perfect their dance skills and enjoy diverse and challenging opportunities in daily ballet class, contemporary dance technique, jazz, flamenco and choreography classes, all delivered by an expert in-house dance team and guest artists from Birmingham Royal Ballet, Studio Wayne McGregor, Rambert, and New Adventures, Sir Matthew Bourne’s multi-award winning company. Professional Dance Studies, a module of the diploma, is designed to help students prepare for professional life. Upon successful completion of the course, there is the option to ‘top up’ the diploma with a one-year distance-learning BA Hons degree through Middlesex University. Young dancers interested in this Upper School training opportunity should send recent digital footage of themselves dancing (so there is no pressure to record something new) to Rachal Torrance, Registrar of Elmhurst Ballet School via rachaltorrance@elmhurstdance.co.uk. Along with the footage, applicants should also provide their full name, date of birth, home address, parent/s name/s, parental email address, current dance school, number of years dancing, and information about any injuries that could help shape their Elmhurst dance training. Dance & Drama Awards, funding for students, is available for the Upper School course and helps towards fees and living costs. Although the new academic year begins on Monday 7 September, successful applicants can start slightly later if they wish, giving students more time to prepare. From this September, Elmhurst has planned a safe and full return to dance and academics by incorporating a range of initiatives into its daily timetable that will support students in their physical and mental health and wellbeing as they adjust to life back at school, post the extended period in lockdown. -ENDS-

Oh dear, I just thought you'd been on the pop for the afternoon!! I'll mention to our Administrator that you still haven't got your button back.

Hello Colman, has your edit button reappeared? A couple of people had the same issue and they seem to be OK now.

Hello Lily and welcome out of the lurking shadows!

This live-ballet-starved fan can't wait to hear all about this event!

Links - Friday 28 August, 2020 News Feature - ITV recap on their investigation into Ballet West Scotland: Peter Smith, ITV School Feature - David Hallberg on growing into the role of Albrecht: Marina Harss, Pointe Magazine Streaming Review - Birmingham Royal Ballet, Cinderella: Lyndsey Winship, Guardian Streaming Preview - Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, No Longer Silent: Dan Meyer, Playbill Video Feature - Inside Africa - Nairobi’s uplifting ballet school: CNN

Hello Bookish and welcome to the Forum!

Links - Thursday 27 August, 2020 Gallery - Edward Watson, Royal Ballet: Tristram Kenton, Guardian News - Sadler's Wells extends job cuts to 222 casual staff: Georgia Snow, Stage Film Preview - Jonzi D, Our Bodies Back: Lyndsey Winship, Guardian News - Rosie Kay returns to Birmingham stage with world premiere: Staff, I am Birmingham Streaming Review - David Mead, Seeing Dance Lenka Vagnerová & Company, Amazones VerTeDance, Correction Matsena Performance Theatre, Are you numb yet? Streaming Review - Nancy Karp + Dancers, piano piano: Rita Felciano, Danceview Times

I've hidden the duplicate post.

Links - Wednesday 26 August, 2020 Obituary - Istvan Rabovsky, dancer: Anna Kisselgoff, NY Times Interview - Choreographers Daniel de Andrade (NB), Gary Clarke & Jordan James Bridge (Studio Wayne McGregor): Catherine Sedgwick, The Upcoming News - Royal Opera House to stream fundraiser live from Covent Garden: Simon Smith, Rhinegold Streaming Feature - Australian Ballet’s Benedicte Benet, Capriccio: Jill Sykes, The Age Interview - Rulan Tangen, AD Dancing Earth: Tovah Strong, High Country News Preview Feature - The Playground NZ, Ecology in Fifths, Wellington: Kate Green, Stuff Feature - Jonathan Homsey, choreographer: Catherine Lambert, The Age Film Review - Daniel Belton, Astrolabe-Whakaterenga: Francesca Horsley, NZ Theatreview

Thanks for reminding me Janite - I'd completely forgotten all about it!

So far as I can see one performance has been announced for opera and one for ballet. If, as people have implied, there may be crowd control (in the nicest possible sense) and other issues with opening the ROH up to audiences at the moment perhaps they could consider an alternative theatre for future broadcasts. Andrew Lloyd Webber used his Palladium Theatre for a live performance trial so maybe that would be feasible... (BRB also have a home theatre in their home town.)

Silly question but would the performance have to take place at the Royal Opera House? After all Birmingham Royal Ballet are performing at an alternative theatre in Birmingham.

Hello Drballet, By ROI do you mean Republic of Ireland? (We use so many TLAs in Doing Dance that I get confused!)? If so, I don't know if this thread will be any help? Where on the mainland could you reasonably travel to? This may assist responders to your query.

You're welcome. I think it must be hard to get reviews of a school that is so new.

If you are looking for a school in Scotland there is also the Royal Conservatoire, based in Glasgow: https://www.rcs.ac.uk/courses/ba-modern-ballet/

Here's a thread from this year:

Links - Tuesday 25 August, 2020 Live Review - The Grange Festival, Precipice, Hampshire: Tim Ashley, Guardian Film Review - Jonzi D, Our Bodies Back: Helen Barrett, FT Streaming Reviews - Jacob’s Pillow Virtual Festival 2020: Tero Saarinen Company, Borrowed Light: Jessica Lockhart, Arts Fuse Michelle Potter, ... on dancing Streaming Review - Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company, SJD Shorts - Contagion: Marianka Swain, The i Covid-19 Cancellation News - San Francisco Ballet cancels Nutcracker: Staff, CBSN SF News - Scandal-hit Ballet West Scotland to close: Peter Smith, ITV News; Martin Williams, Herald Scotland Staff, Herald Scotland; Daniel Harkins, Scotsman Staff, BBC News; Georgia Snow, Stage Sophie Tanno, Mail; Simon Johnson, Telegraph

SADLER’S WELLS HOSTS UNIQUE RESIDENCY AND PRESENTS PRIVATE SHARING OF WORK FROM NATIONAL YOUTH DANCE COMPANY Sadler’s Wells is delighted to welcome dancers back to its building for the first time since lockdown, with a special residency and sharing of work from National Youth Dance Company (NYDC) and Guest Artistic Director Russell Maliphant. The 2019/20 cohort will reunite at the company’s home at Sadler’s Wells to complete their year, culminating in a set of private COVID-secure sharings for friends and family. NYDC were half way through their creative process with Russell Maliphant when the UK went into lockdown as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Their April residency, premiere and national tour had to be cancelled. Now, the 39 dancers will be returning to Sadler’s Wells to rehearse, re-work and share extracts from the originally conceived work in progress. The dancers will work in small groups of no more than 10, enabling them to follow social distancing measures. Each group will rehearse separately for four days at Sadler’s Wells, and then share their work on the final day of their short, intensive residency. The sharings will be staggered between 27 August and 5 September. The events will be attended by a privately invited audience of friends and family, giving the young dancers a special moment to complete their year and share their practice, whilst reflecting on the year that has passed and celebrating the company. These are the first events staged at Sadler’s Wells since it closed its doors as a result of the escalating coronavirus crisis in March 2020, with this residency being the first time that artists and dancers have returned to work in the building since that time. These events also mark the first steps taken by Sadler’s Wells as the organisation works towards re-opening and ways to present work and welcome audiences with social distancing measures in place. National Youth Dance Company is the country’s flagship company for young dancers run by Sadler’s Wells. It creates and performs innovative and influential dance, bringing together some of the brightest dance talent from across England and Wales to work with acclaimed dance artists. Now in its eighth year, the 2019/2020 company’s guest Artistic Director is internationally renowned choreographer Russell Maliphant. The next cohort of dancers for 2020-2021 will be led by guest Artistic Director Alesandra Seutin, with recruitment of the cohort beginning this October. This year’s full-length dance piece, to be created by the dancers and Russell during their year-long experience, was due to premiere at  DanceEast on 18 April. This was meant to be followed by a UK tour culminating in a performance on the main stage at Sadler’s Wells in July. However, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, all intended NYDC activity was cancelled in spring 2020. Despite this, the company adapted creatively, quickly assembling a ‘digital residency’ in April - with dancers, choreographers and guest speakers meeting together each day online. Since the end of the residency, the company has continued to keep in touch online. Outside of dance, life has been hugely unsettled for the NYDC company this year: schools have been closed, exams disrupted, and future training opportunities changed. These unique events are a reimagined celebration of the company members, representing the culmination of NYDC’s year, and its dancers’ resilience, talent and hard work, before, during and after lockdown. Alistair Spalding, Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Sadler’s Wells, said: “We are delighted that the dancers of NYDC are able to return to their artistic home at Sadler’s Wells, create and rehearse work with Russell Maliphant, and share that work from the Sadler’s Wells stage with their friends and family. The coronavirus pandemic has had a profound effect on all dance artists, professionals and organisations. This effect has been acutely felt by the talented young dancers of NYDC. So, it feels very special to have these dancers be the first back on our stages since lockdown began, as we take our first steps towards reopening our theatres. With all the challenges we have faced and will face, this feels like a welcome act of optimism and hope for the future of dance and Sadler's Wells.” Hannah Kirkpatrick, General Manager for NYDC, said: “It feels wonderful to overcome the challenges created by coronavirus, and enable the NYDC dancers to complete their year in person at Sadler’s Wells. Designing and organising this project under social distancing requirements is completely unprecedented for us, but being able to do it is a testament to the hard work and dedication of these dancers and the support and leadership they have had from Russell Maliphant, his artistic team and Sadler’s Wells staff. The work reflects the beautiful diversity of the company--in their dance styles and backgrounds--and we are so pleased to open the theatre up to the company’s family and friends for these unique events.” Please note that these are private sharings for friends and family of NYDC. -ENDS- About Sadler’s Wells   Sadler's Wells is a world-leading dance organisation, committed to producing, commissioning and presenting new works and to bringing the best domestic and international dance to UK and worldwide audiences. Under the Artistic Directorship of Alistair Spalding, the theatre’s acclaimed year-round programme spans dance of every kind, from contemporary to flamenco, Bollywood to ballet, salsa to street dance and tango to tap.  Audiences of over half a million come to Sadler’s Wells’ three London theatres each year, with many more enjoying its touring productions at venues across the UK and around the world and accessing its content through its Digital Stage. Sadler's Wells commissions, produces and presents more dance than any other theatre in the world, embracing the popular and the unknown. Since 2005, it has helped to bring over 180 new dance works to the stage, many of them involving its 16 Associate Artists, three Resident Companies and four Associate Companies – the most exciting talents working in dance today.   Sadler’s Wells own productions have toured to some of the most prestigious theatres and festivals around the world, such as the Sydney Opera House, the Lincoln Center’s White Light Festival in New York, and the National Centre for Performing Arts in Beijing.  Sadler’s Wells also nurtures the next generation of talent through a range of artist development initiatives including its New Wave Associates programmes, its Wild Card initiative and the National Youth Dance Company. A further 30,000 individuals take part in its learning and engagement programmes each year.  During the Covid-19 crisis, Sadler’s Wells has continued to connect with global audiences through its Digital Stage, an online programme of performances and workshops for people to watch at home. Since 27 March 2020, the programme has been enjoyed by audiences all over the world, generating over 2.7 million video views globally.  Sadler’s Wells is an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation and currently receives approximately 10% of its revenue from Arts Council England. www.sadlerswells.com    About National Youth Dance Company Founded in 2012, and run by Sadler’s Wells, NYDC is an exciting young company that creates and performs innovative and influential dance, drawing together some of the brightest young talent from across the country. The company has a track record of putting young people on paths to successful dance careers, with over 80% of NYDC dancers going onto further dance studies, in vocational training or working professionally.   NYDC is jointly funded by Arts Council England and the Department for Education. Since NYDC’s inception in 2012:   240 dancers have joined the company, working intensively with renowned dance artists including Guest Artistic Directors: Jasmin Vardimon (2012-13), Akram Khan (2013-14), Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui (2014-15), Michael Keegan Dolan (2015-16), Damien Jalet (2016-17), Sharon Eyal (2017-18)  Botis Seva (2018-19) and Russell Maliphant (2019-20). These 240 dancers come from over 80 different towns and cities in England  Over 3,500 young people have worked with the company   NYDC has delivered 147 workshops in 44 different venues across 29 towns and cities   NYDC has reached an audience of over 45,000 people  NYDC has featured in 79 performances, visiting 26 different venues across the UK, including some leading theatres in the country 

Details in the News thread.

The Royal Opera: Live in Concert, will be broadcast live on Friday 4 September 7:30 BST. Curated by the Royal Opera House’s Director of Music, Antonio Pappano, the concert will feature much-loved classics by Bellini, Bizet, Donizetti, Dvořák, Massenet, Mozart, Puccini, Rossini and Verdi. Buy tickets now Join us on 4 September for a night of live opera from our stage in Covent Garden! The Royal Opera: Live in Concert is proudly supported by The Royal Opera: Live in Concert will see Aigul Akhmetshina, Charles Castronovo, Gerald Finley, Lisette Oropesa, Sonya Yoncheva, and Vito Priante take to the stage. This outstanding cast will be joined by current Jette Parker Young Artists Filipe Manu and Stephanie Wake-Edwards, 50 members of the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House and the Royal Opera Chorus performing together in person for the first time since we closed our doors to the public on 16 March. Hosted by the BBC’s Katie Derham, the event will be broadcast live via Vimeo, priced at £16.00 per household and will be available for 30 days. Buy tickets now Please note: Participating artists are subject to change due to challenging travel and quarantine restrictions. You will need to make/use an ROH Stream account to buy tickets. You can do this when you buy them. For more information, click here. Coming Soon... On Friday 9 October, The Royal Ballet will perform on their home stage for the first time in seven months with a programme showcasing their heritage and contemporary favourites. More information to follow... Subscribe to our social channels for the latest information about The Royal Opera: Live in Concert Thanks Capybara. It is better located in News.

But we don't know how many people have been tested for C-19 so we don't know how many asymptomatic or feeling better but still infectious people there are out there. It should not be forgotten that the masks are to help save others from you not you from them. When I had a recent outpatient appointment I asked the staff who were wearing non-medical grade masks how long they should be worn for. They told me that they wore them for about 4 hours but less if they became damp.

Actually, in countries where mask wearing is also commonplace I believe a lot of mask wearing (pre-Covid) is to do with air quality (or lack thereof). There was a ludicrous meme on FB a couple of weeks ago saying that mask wearing has been mandatory in China since 1984, implying that it gave more control for the government over people's lives) and that was just plain nonsense because went I went to China on holiday in 1991 no-one was wearing masks (but there was still lots of bikes and less traffic). Even before the pandemic emergency I had seen people wearing masks on the streets of London (albeit probably holiday makers from countries where mask wearing is common place). The fact is that the wearing of masks in indoor public spaces in England is now a legal requirement unless an individual has a medical exemption or, most bizarrely, in places like gyms.

Michelle has been testing different masks. If you look back up a couple of pages you may find more detail.

You make a very good point there DVDfan and we must all be mindful of people who genuinely cannot wear a mask. However, I was in a local supermarket on Thursday (not the one I usually go to) and was shocked at the number of people who must have medical reasons for not wearing a mask so there will be a degree of scepticism over non-mask-wearing. I don't know about anyone else but I am wearing reusable masks including some made by young ladies from BRB!! I see loads of "fashion" and "designer" brands are bringing out their own versions ... perhaps that will encourage more people to wear them because they will become a fashion accessory.