Jan McNulty

Link to The Student Room website: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk

A lovely review of the first night from To the Pointe: http://tothepointemagazine.wix.com/tothepointemagazine#!Lamb-To-The-Slaughter-I-Think-Not/cmbz/56d757b80cf2bc6add167c15

Nice feature with Steven Monteith, who is retiring in April after Plymouth. http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/local/all-news/win-tickets-to-see-romeo-and-juliet-at-sunderland-empire-1-7787397

Well Birmingham Royal Ballet are doing a terrific mixed programme based on Shakespeare in Birmingham: https://www.brb.org.uk/whats-on/event/shakespeare-triple-bill I'm not sure where you are based TWL but Birmingham is commutable from London, especially the matinee. The dance company at Sadler's Wells is, I assume, LA Dance Project which is Benjamin MIllepied's small company. Over the last couple of years reviews for this company have intrigued me enough to want to go and see them but unfortunately I am otherwise occupied that week.

And it's even easier to get to London Rd from Lime St Station!

A couple of local reviews: http://leeds-list.com/culture/review-northern-ballets-swan-lake/ http://www.thereviewshub.com/northern-ballet-swan-lake-the-grand-leeds/

Hello Tuco123 and welcome to the Forum! I have slightly amended your title to show you are looking to buy in the North West. I have also added a couple of tags. If you click on either you will get a list of topics about pointe shoes. It could well be worth reading through them for some general advice. Good luck to you and your DD. Do let us know how you get on.

I love your spell Alison! After the day I have had I would cast a spell that would make trains always run on time! (I was going to MK to see a matinee - because of floods in area arrived 2 hours late at 1500 instead of 1300 so well missed start. Worries about the journey home made me not even leave the station. I spent 9 hours on trains or hanging around for connections with absolutely nothing to show for it!).

Hello Chloeballet96 - have you spoken to your Careers advisor? Our members have also given you plenty of advice in the other threads you have started: http://www.balletcoforum.com/index.php?/topic/11921-paediatric-nurse-can-dance-still-be-my-hobby/ http://www.balletcoforum.com/index.php?/topic/11804-can-my-dance-school-be-my-permanent-job/ I fear PITF is right and that opportunities to be a dance teacher in a secondary school will become ever more limited. Have you checked to see if there are any dance teachers in schools in your locality? That would give you an idea if it may be a feasible career path.

I still don't see that the origin of the person making the comment has any bearing on this discussion.

What has that got to do with the price of fish?

Sir George Martin, the record producer who recognised the Beatles talent and signed them to their record label, has passed away at the age of 90. Of course, he was so much more than the man who signed the Beatles and worked closely with, among others, Shirley Bassey. Sincere condolences to his family and friends at this sad time. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35761464

Wild Card dotdotdot dance Lilian Baylis Studio, EC1R Thursday 26 May 2016 Performance at 8pm Tickets: £17 Ticket Office: 020 7863 8000 or www.sadlerswells.com Sadler’s Wells’ Wild Card returns with more bespoke evenings curated by a new generation of dance makers. This edition invites dotdotdot dance, a new company of three young British Flamenco dancers to the Lilian Baylis Studio on Thursday 26 May 2016. dotdotdot dance is a UK based dance company formed in March 2014 by Magdalena Mannion, Yinka Esi Graves and Noemí Luz. The three British artists all trained in different dance styles prior to dedicating themselves to Flamenco in it's native land, Spain. They had been performing in prestigious venues across Spain as solo dancers before joining forces in 2014 to create a full length original production No Frills which they have been touring ever since. The production won the Buxton Fringe Dance Award 2014 and 2015. Last year the three dancers took part in a workshop with Sadler’s Wells Flamenco Festival regular Olga Pericet at the Lilian Baylis Studio. dotdotdot dance aims to make work which explores how flamenco can be expressed in a contemporary context, acknowledging the intertwining of cultures that shape our lives. In this Wild Card, they explore the emblematic figure of the solo flamenco dancer, taking advantage of this art form’s ability to condense and transmit life stories in a short space of time. About the evening, the company said: “Wild Card is providing us with both the freedom and the nurturing atmosphere we need to continue developing our distinct voice as a British flamenco company. We’re thrilled to be collaborating with London based interactive sound and spoken word artists who will be adding new dimensions to our work and encouraging us to think outside of the box.” For this Wild Card the company are joined by London-based interactive sound artist Yuli Levtov and poet, performer and spoken word artist Toni Stuart, creating a bilingual soundscape. London based Yuli Levtov’s work has been exhibited at festivals around the world, and he is considered a thought-leader on the topic of the music formats of the future. His company, Reactify has collaborated with musicians, dancers, and technologists from a variety of disciplines. The company produced visual elements for short film Primitive starring Dane Hurst and The Human Harp with choreographer Di Mainstone among others. Their work continues to push the boundaries of the interaction between the physical and digital worlds. South African Toni Stuart’s work has been published in a variety of anthologies, journals and non-fiction books all over the world. In 2013, she was named in the Mail and Guardian’s list of 200 inspiring Young South Africans for her work in co-founding I Am Somebody!, a Cape Town based company that uses storytelling and youth development to help build integrated communities. In 2014/2015 she was a Chevening Scholar in the UK where she completed an MA Writer/Teacher at Goldsmiths, University of London. Wild Card is part of Sadler’s Wells’ programme of support for emerging dance talent, alongside other initiatives including the New Wave Associates programme, Sadler’s Wells Summer University and the National Youth Dance Company. Pre-show activities from 7pm to be confirmed. See sadlerswells.com for details. Notes to Editors Listings information Wild Card dotdotdot dance Lilian Baylis Studio, EC1R Thursday 26 May 2016 Performance at 8pm Tickets: £17 Ticket Office: 020 7863 8000 or www.sadlerswells.com ABOUT WILD CARD Wild Card is a unique initiative providing a glimpse of the rich variety of work that makes up the current dance landscape. Increasingly popular with audiences and artists alike, Wild Card opens the stage to an exciting and adventurous community of dance makers, giving a broad range of artists the unique opportunity to curate their own programmes of dance. These specially curated evenings feature exploratory approaches to choreography and combine different mediums, broadening audiences’ perspectives on dance made today. Wild Card is part of Sadler’s Wells’ programme of support for emerging dance talent, alongside other initiatives including the New Wave Associates programme, Sadler’s Wells Summer University and the National Youth Dance Company. ABOUT SADLER’S WELLS Sadler's Wells is a world-leading dance house, committed to producing, commissioning and presenting new works and to bringing the best international and UK dance to London 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. Since 2005, it has helped to bring over 100 new dance works to the stage and its award-winning commissions and collaborative productions regularly tour internationally. Sadler’s Wells supports 16 Associate Artists, three Resident Companies, an Associate Company and two International Associate Companies. It also nurtures the next generation of talent through its New Wave Associates and Summer University programmes, its Wild Card initiative and hosting of the National Youth Dance Company. Located in Islington, north London, the current theatre is the sixth to have stood on the site since it was first built by Richard Sadler in 1683. The venue has played an illustrious role in the history of theatre ever since, with The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and English National Opera all having started at Sadler’s Wells. Sadler’s Wells is an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation and currently receives approximately 10% of its revenue from Arts Council England.

A couple of years ago both Josh Barwick and Isabella Gasparini danced with NEBT after they had danced with Northern Ballet for several years. I think, given that they are usually producing new ballets, it would be good experience if you could get it but as others have said most of the dancers seem to have had previous performing experience. Josh Barwick is now with Rambert and Isabella Gasparini is with the Royal Ballet.

I love coming to Norwich! My friend and I are there for the weekend.

A nice trailer from Northern Ballet: http://northernballet.com/swan-lake/video/swan-lake-trailer

There's a nice interview-let with Martha Leebolt in the Big Issue: http://www.bigissuenorth.com/2016/03/preview-swan-lake/17345

Thanks Sian, Your photographs are terrific and I love the way they appear as the slide show on You Tube. (Member Capybara posted the link earlier too!)

This link should take you directly to the blog, which is well worth a read: http://transballetboy.blogspot.co.uk

David Nixon, AD Northern Ballet, said (obviously paraphrased) that many of the students he sees are not "stage ready" and that is why NBA's professional graduate programme was set up. I know that most vocational students get stage experience but perhaps it is not enough and the schemes listed up the thread help give that extra experience that can make a difference.

I have just seen on the internet that tenor Jose Ferrero has passed away. Sincere condolences to his family and friends. http://slippedisc.com/2016/03/sudden-death-of-international-opera-tenor-aged-43/

No, probably not but for as long as I can remember published writers have to seek deals with publishers and have editors to help/mentor them. Self-publishing is a different ball game as I have discovered when down-loading self-published books to my kindle. Some are fabulous and others could do with either a blummin' good editor or not being published in the first place.

Hello CaineGreyson and welcome to the Forum! Thanks for the info.

Thanks Jane.

Carlos Acosta The Classical Farewell Royal Albert Hall, SW7 Monday 3 – Friday 7 October 2016 Performances: Mon – Fri at 7.30pm Ticket Office: 020 7589 8212 or www.royalalberthall.com “Carlos Acosta is the great male ballet dancer of his generation, a virtuoso performer who could – from the moment we first saw him as a gauche 18 year old – soar across the stage as if suspended from the sky” The Telegraph Carlos Acosta bids farewell to classical ballet with his final performances at Royal Albert Hall for a limited run from Monday 3 - Friday 7 October 2016. The Classical Farewell celebrates highlights from Acosta’s career which led him to become the most famous male dancer of his generation, and marks the final time for audiences to watch the ballet superstar dance classical works. The production follows the popular format of his 2006 show Carlos Acosta with Guests of The Royal Ballet, for which he won an Olivier Award, and A Classical Selection which was performed at London Coliseum in December 2015 to critical acclaim. Acosta also embarks on a UK tour to Nottingham, Birmingham, Southampton and Salford in May 2016. The Royal Albert Hall programme for The Classical Farewell features an all new repertoire, to be announced shortly. Acosta has thrilled audiences throughout the world with his breathtaking performances, including principal roles in many ballets in the classical repertoire. For The Classical Farewell Acosta has put together a programme featuring some of his closest contemporaries from The Royal Ballet, presenting some of his favourite pieces from the classical repertoire for the final time. The evening’s programme is accompanied by a live orchestra conducted by Paul Murphy. Acosta trained at the National Ballet School of Cuba and won the Gold Medal at the Prix de Lausanne (1990). He was a principal with English National Ballet (1991–2), danced with National Ballet of Cuba under Alicia Alonso (1992–3) and was a principal with Houston Ballet under Ben Stevenson (1993–8). He joined The Royal Ballet in 1998 and became a Principal Guest Artist in 2003. Acosta has frequently appeared worldwide with companies including American Ballet Theatre, Paris Opera Ballet, Kirov, Bolshoi and Australian Ballet. Acosta’s past productions have played to sell-out audiences and have been lauded by critics and audiences alike. He was awarded the CBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List in 2014 for his services to ballet and is passionate about nurturing and inspiring the next generation of dancers through the Carlos Acosta International Dance Foundation. The award marked the end of a remarkable year which had seen him stage a new production of Don Quixote at the Royal Opera House, release his debut novel Pig’s Foot, which was subsequently named as one of the Waterstone’s Eleven, an annual list of some of the most promising debut novels. Acosta choreographed Chichester Festival Theatre’s production of Guys and Dolls in 2015. The show is currently playing in the West End and Acosta has been nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Theatre Choreographer. At the National Dance Awards 2015 Acosta was awarded the De Valois Award for Lifetime Achievement. For his final Royal Ballet season Acosta choreographed and took the lead role in Carmen which ran at the Royal Opera House from October to November 2015, marking his farewell to the company after 17 years. Acosta is currently working in Havana, Cuba with his new company Acosta Danza. Full programme details to be announced. Co-produced by Sadler’s Wells and Valid Productions Presented in association with Como No Notes to editors Listings information Carlos Acosta The Classical Farewell Royal Albert Hall, SW7 Monday 3 – Friday 7 October 2016 Performances: Mon – Fri at 7.30pm Ticket Office: 020 7589 8212 or www.royalalberthall.com 2016 TOUR SCHEDULE Carlos Acosta will also tour the UK with A Classical Farewell in May 2016. To book tickets and for further details please refer to the individual venue websites Royal Concert Hall Nottingham Tuesday 3 & Wednesday 4 May www.trch.co.uk Birmingham Hippodrome Thursday 5 - Saturday 7 May www.birminghamhippodrome.com Mayflower Theatre, Southampton Tuesday 10 & Wednesday 11 May www.mayflower.org.uk The Lowry, Salford Friday 13 - Sunday 15 May www.thelowry.com ABOUT SADLER’S WELLS Sadler's Wells is a world-leading dance house, committed to producing, commissioning and presenting new works and to bringing the best international and UK dance to London 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. Since 2005, it has helped to bring over 100 new dance works to the stage and its award-winning commissions and collaborative productions regularly tour internationally. Sadler’s Wells supports 16 Associate Artists, three Resident Companies, an Associate Company and two International Associate Companies. It also nurtures the next generation of talent through its New Wave Associates and Summer University programmes, its Wild Card initiative and hosting of the National Youth Dance Company. Located in Islington, north London, the current theatre is the sixth to have stood on the site since it was first built by Richard Sadler in 1683. The venue has played an illustrious role in the history of theatre ever since, with The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and English National Opera all having started at Sadler’s Wells. Sadler’s Wells is an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation and currently receives approximately 10% of its revenue from Arts Council England. ABOUT VALID PRODUCTIONS Valid Productions has been a promoter of the performing arts in the UK and Europe since 2009. It has always worked closely with Carlos Acosta and is the co-producer of his Classical Farewell Tour throughout the UK and the rest of the world in 2016.