Jan McNulty

I've just picked this up via a newsletter from Phoenix Dance Theatre: https://www.phoenixdancetheatre.co.uk/whats_on/lets-move-an-national-dance-summer-school-presented-by-danceeast-and-the-place/

Hello BalletmumH and welcome to the Forum!

Two points: 1). If you have an issue with a post or topic then hit the report button. 2). When you respond to a post you bring it back to the "top of the pile" when otherwise it may just slip down the topic list and disappear into the mists of time.

I finally caught up with Sleeping Beauty last night. I will state from the outset that this is in no way my favourite production (that is SPW's for BRB) but I loved the performances. Fumi Kaneko is just sublime as Aurora, she has a joyous and radiant presence. Federico Bonelli is elegance personified and a wonderfully generous partner. Yasmine Naghdi and Matthew Ball were terrific as the Bluebirds. So an evening well spent!

Rest assured Bunny that the Mods keep an eye on all posts. The original post does not breach AUP and has sparked some interesting and useful responses.

We don't know who was seen.

BRB take the dancers they perceive to be the best fit for the company whether that is RBS, Elmhurst or elsewhere (eg the wonderful Max Maslen came from Central).

Me too! I wondered about the NIA where they performed many years ago?

I'd already signed it but thanks for sharing.

Hello Amme76 and welcome to the Forum!

Check the dates for Southampton Tony. I was chatting to a friend yesterday who told me the dates have changed from January to February.

Very sad news from the Birmingham Hippodrome this morning that the Nutcracker (and the theatre's pantomime) has been cancelled.

But devastating news this morning that the Nutcracker in Birmingham has been cancelled. Feeling rather sad.

Hello Olver, Are you doing ballet or other dance lessons with a teacher? You need to learn the technique that will enable you to do these moves without injuring yourself.

And the official press release: PRESS RELEASE 3 August 2020 CARLOS ACOSTA ANNOUNCES JOINING & DEPARTING COMPANY MEMBERS AS BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET DANCERS BEGIN TO RETURN TO THE STUDIO This week marks the return of dancers to Birmingham Royal Ballet’s studios. As the Company begins its preparations for a return to performance, its Director Carlos Acosta announces the full list of joining and departing company members at Birmingham Royal Ballet. Departures: Delia Mathews (Principal) Maureya Lebowitz (First Soloist) Aitor Galende (First Artist) Joiners: Start with the Company on 1st September 2020 Lucy Waine (Royal Ballet School) - Artist Sofia Liñares Vazquez (Royal Ballet School) - Artist Matilde Rodrigues - Artist Shuailun Wu (Royal Ballet School) – Artist Start 1st November 2020 Darel José Pérez - Apprentice Start January 2021 Javier Rojas – Artist Promotions: There are no formal promotions, but we congratulate our two apprentices Ryan Felix (Elmhurst Apprentice) and Tessa Hogge as they formally join the Company as Artists. Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet, Carlos Acosta CBE, comments: "So far, 2020 has been a formidable challenge for all of us. The lockdown has forced Birmingham Royal Ballet to work very differently, and to postpone or adapt our planned performing schedule. But as we start to ease back tentatively from lockdown, the moment arrives in which we announce the names of dancers who are joining the Company for the start of the 2020/21 season. This gives us a focus on building for our future, and brings a welcome element of new hope and excitement. Among those dancers joining the Company from September, we are delighted to welcome Sofia Liñares Vazquez , Lucy Waine and Shuailun Wu, graduates from our sister organisation, The Royal Ballet School. Our historic affiliation with The Royal Ballet School grows stronger with time - some 60% of our current dancers are alumni of the School. We take great pride in being a 'Royal' company alongside The Royal Ballet School and The Royal Ballet. Closer to home, we congratulate our Elmhurst Ballet School apprentice, Ryan Felix, as he joins the Company as an Artist. We also give thanks for the contribution made by those who will leave the Company this summer. Delia Mathews who has been with the Company since graduating from the Royal Ballet School (Outstanding Graduate 2008) and was made Principal in 2017 is delighted to announce with her husband, that they are expecting their first child and will be returning to raise their new family in her native New Zealand. Departing artists also include Maureya Lebowitz and Aitor Galende. We wish them well in their future ventures as they extend the spread of our international family of alumni. The Company has proven its resilience in these difficult times and we are thankful for the contribution everyone has made on and off stage during 2020/21. We wish all of our dancers, whether with the Company or beyond, great success in the future and thank the Royal Ballet Sinfonia and our brilliant backstage team for making Birmingham Royal Ballet such an extraordinary place to work and perform. I am reminded at times like these, of the wise words of Dame Ninette de Valois, Founder of The Royal Ballet School and Companies: 'Respect the past, herald the future, but concentrate on the present'. I look forward to meeting some of you and hearing your views, as the lockdown lifts and the Company's public events become possible once more.” As the Company return to studio, Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Clinical Director, Nick Allen PhD MSc (Sports Med) MCSP SRP who has been an active member of the DCMS Events and Entertainment Taskforce will be overseeing the health of all dancers and ensuring studio work follows the latest government guidelines.

Hello LilyLongLegs and welcome to the Forum!

People who have had to work in public facing jobs throughout have done so because they are considered essential workers despite the risk to themselves. No matter how much I want to go and see a live performance it is not a matter of life and death.

The final paragraph of the linked report stating: "Disclaimer: the article has not been peer-reviewed; it should not replace individual clinical judgement, and the sources cited should be checked. The views expressed in this commentary represent the views of the authors and not necessarily those of the host institution, the NHS, the NIHR, or the Department of Health and Social Care. The views are not a substitute for professional medical advice." Given the conflicting information and statistics being bandied around by so many experts, so many of whom have a different point of view how are we supposed to know which report is correct. Or did the spike in Leicester not happen and the spike in the Blackburn area a figment of people's imagination? Spikes are happening all over the world so I'm afraid that desperate though I am to see a live performance (I even said to a friend I'd go and see Northern Ballet's Jekyll & Hyde if that was what was on offer despite the fact that it is the 3rd worst thing I have seen in a theatre EVER) I think it unfair to expect people to perform for me if they think there is any risk to them let alone other members of the audience. (I'm not an apologist for the government but I do try to look around the world at what is happening. Given that Australia had been doing so well how do you think Prof Carl Heneghan would explain away what is happening in Victoria?).

But we don't know how many people who have had the virus and were asymptomatic and how many people have not actually been exposed to it so the potential is still there for it to be caught. It was sobering to hear a couple of weeks ago that if lockdown had happened even one week earlier then thousands of the lives lost would not have been lost at all. As I understand the situation dancers who were offered contracts pre-lockdown have not yet been able to join the company. There is already a second spike happening in various parts of the country and the government are anticipating more so perhaps we should be somewhat more cautious. Would you want the dancers, musicians, technicians, ushers - basically everyone who works in the theatre during a show - to risk their lives for your vicarious pleasure? Apart from the fact that if an audience member caught the virus in a theatre, how many people could they pass that virus on to? The people in the supermarket? The people on the bus... I'm desperate to see a live performance, to see dancers I know dancing on stage again in front of a full audience but we have to move cautiously or there will be more unnecessary deaths.

As we've got so many experts contributing to this thread can I ask about ballon. Can that hanging in the air moment be taught or do you have to have a natural facility to achieve it? Ashley Dixon of Northern Ballet always looks as though he isn't going to come down from jumps and I notice a lot of male Danish dancers have the same facility which is why I wondered about the training.

I absolutely agree Quintus - there is no need whatsoever to leave poo bags lying around. I have occasionally been to the Lunt Meadows Nature Reserve where there are no bins. If Chipdog does his business as we are setting off I put the bag by the wheel of my car to pick up on my return otherwise I carry the blummin' thing around with me!

WOW!!! How horrific for your neighbours.

Well he's certainly been keeping me sane during the pandemic crisis.

It's really cooled down here (Liverpool) having been very hot yesterday. We went for an on-lead walk and now he's snoozing in the porch. As one of my friends said to me yesterday - he's got me well and truly wrapped round one of his paws!

As my FB friends who are also Forum members know my Chipdog had to have a wart removed from his side on Tuesday after it started changing suddenly and quite rapidly. He had had the wart since I got him nearly 4 years ago from the dogs' home and I have always kept an eye on it. Although Tuesday could best be described as stressful, Chip came through his op with flying colours. His stitches are coming out on Friday but until then he's got to wear his doughnut collar and is very restricted in allowed exercise. Here's a picture of him looking doleful in his doughnut collar.