LinMM

Well you are not going to believe this as went to reply to Sim and Emeralds and there was my original Paluch post🤔. But definitely an empty space when first went back to post. So it did store but just wasn’t there when I wanted it to be! I do everything on my iPhone as my iPad is now defunct and I don’t have a computer proper as it were so don’t have the computer keyboard Emeralds.

I usually really like Paluch’s reviews though he can be a bit on the cerebral side sometimes but wonder whether he should have gone more than once! This is because sometimes and nothing to do with the Ballet one can have an “off” night so can be a bit dissociated from the performance so more easily drawn out into what’s going on around you than what’s going on on the stage. Obviously I didn’t go this year but he seems to make a lot of people laughing at certain points but was this widespread throughout the theatre? There is a hint of dancers going through the motions not being truly connected to themselves as artists but that’s not at all the impression I got from reading the reviews here! Still I do respect Paluch as a reviewer so will re read a few times to see if can really discern whether he was on an “off”night or has some valid points! Not easy when I’m having to remember this Giselle from quite a few years ago when my impression was definitely favourable!

I’ve just lost my post I was writing! Have I the energy to do it again!! I don’t know why this happens!!! I just went to double check the spelling of “Paluch” and when returned to post it was gone!

Already got ticket for March 27th!

Oh no you two!! Ive become completely neurotic about the prospect of falling over at the moment so am doing this rather exaggerated heal/toe walk ( emphasising the heal) so as to minimise tripping up definitely don’t need anything sticking out of the ground or holes to fall down right now!!

Well I had no idea she was Mrs. Cliff!

I don’t remember doing anything really drastic to my pointe shoes just bashed them around a bit but once they were worn in they were practically with me for life lol! I’m sure I didn’t do my feet much good ( they are certainly rather ugly these days) dancing in soft pointe shoes as I hated having to buy new ones so much!! I’ve enjoyed the comprehensiveness of this series and Fonteyns engaging but purposeful delivery.

Glad you are okay Jan Such reckless driving could cause someone to lose their life. Very scary.

Finally finished The Magic of Dance and what a treat Marguerite and Armand was!! It’s very difficult to imagine any other dancer getting that unique vulnerability in performance that Fonteyn had. In the performances I saw for real the necklace ripping off scene was far more dramatic and demeaning than it seemed to come off in that film. Also Nureyev more distraught right at the end than the film seemed to show. Also it was lovely to see the Salut D’Amour Piece again as I was at that gala and involved in the flower throw!! I don’t think there was a dry eye in the House when Sir Fred came on. Treasured moments!

No sorry Geoff completely off topic so referring to Ballet 🙄 Me causing confusion not you!! Somebody had asked when the Ballet was last shown and I replied fairly confidently in 2015… then I discovered it was in 2020 and I’d actually been then and commented on Forum…..completely forgotten! Just sympathising with Mary’s comment above.

Ha ha Mary I just did that to myself regarding Onegin!! I could have sworn I hadn’t seen it since 2015 and said as much on Forum and that I loved Onegin ….….but then saw my comments for 2020!! And that I didn’t really like the character of Onegin!! I do like the ballet as a whole though! Usually only read this section of the Forum but couldn’t resist commenting when saw your post Mary!

I think you need replies from teachers currently teaching or in a similar position to yourself recently started a Teacher Training course. Have you been able yet to bring up these issues when attending your Course?

Well in that case if you were to take over as the Head you should be able to set up the school as you want eventually! It does mean though that there’s not really a lot you can change currently Presumably this is just the one class though ….so you are enjoying the other classes you teach so can look forward to those at least!! In the challenging class it’s best to concentrate on those who really want to learn even if not as “talented” and gain some satisfaction from improving their technique at least. I don’t know if eventually you can introduce a sort of contract that parents have to sign up to if their child attends to give you some authority to increase behaviour standards for the future.

It could be that some of these girls are genuinely losing interest. Some who attend ballet classes are highly self motivated and want to learn inspite of any peer behaviour going on so won’t be influenced by it. But some might be there still because a close friend is and some because a parent wants them to be there! I agree it’s around about 14 ish that you can start to say to your parents I’m not doing this any more!! Though most parents don’t want to keep on paying for something their children are no longer interested in. Perhaps Ballet is no longer their thing though might want to be doing something connected to Dance. For some it could just be the first signs of self consciousness about the body and new “girl issues” These might just need encouraging through a year …arranging a theatre trip or similar is a nice way to get to know the girls a bit more personally which might help to get them on your side. The dilemma I feel is the “keeping up the numbers” problem. In that event it seems to be harder for the Head to actually say what she expects in terms of general behaviour in classes and that there is a minimum standard required! This situation is something that is happening to teachers in general education fairly routinely however It does seem odd to me that you get this attitude in an activity which is supposed to be an activity of choice .. it’s not like it’s part of a curriculum you have to be part of like it or not! My mum would have been furious if the Head had called a meeting about my behaviour in class …I’d have definitely got an ultimatum! I hope it improves for you and presumably you are a new teacher at the school? So they might be “ just getting used to you” (poor things lol) Also I see you are just starting your teacher training so is this a temporary placement or somewhere you were thinking of becoming part of for longer. If it’s temporary at least you know it’s coming to an end. When you finally get your qualification then you might begin to get an idea of the sort of Dance establishment you might really want to work for.

Yes I understand I missed a chance back then but I didn’t really do a lot of Ballet watching until I moved to London in 1972. As it happened I went to see Sadlers Wells Touring Company in Oxford 68-69 which started me taking up ballet again (and decorating my college room with dancers I’d seen ( David Wall and Alfreda Thorogood stood out a lot for me!) as stopped when 15 first time. But then had a big gap till 72 though saw the embryonic now Northern Ballet up in Liverpool around 1970-71 I did see Marcia Haydee eventually in London in Taming of the Shrew. She had become one of those must see dancers by early 70’s and she didn’t disappoint! Such a stage presence!

Yes Stuttgart would be great to visit too and it has special memories for me as that’s where I did my student exchange to!! Though didn’t go to the ballet while I was there. It was in 1968 so lots of things were up in the air and on strike whilst I was there!

Well no worries you cheered me up MAB 🙂 What worries me is when I see I’ve made a mistake and then it takes me 3/4 times to still hit the correct letter!! My finger just won’t go where my eye is telling it to lol!!

Hmm I know Dowell is getting on a bit now but definitely in pretty good nick then for about 140 years old!!

In my Raqs Sharqi class ( no longer do) both the teacher and one of the really good dancers in that class had never done any ballet. It takes quite a while for ballet people to really let go of their hips and core!!! I’m a bit hesitant to say though that you can only be any good at something if you come from a particular culture though almost certainly may find it easier.

That will be a blow for ENBS though. She seemed to be doing such a great job there. One shouldn’t speculate but if there is a move to another well known Ballet establishment at least you know they will be in a very good pair of hands!! I really hope ENBS can find a replacement equal to Viviane but won’t be easy.

Ah thanks yes took me straight there and….what do I know!! I didn’t miss Onegin last time around at all!! I went on Feb 12th 2020 to the Nunez Bolle performance. It was the last thing I attended before lockdown so must also have been free of the crutches by then!! That whole time from September 2019 to July 2021 is all a bit hazy in my memory!!

Can somebody tell me how to access the reviews here for Onegin in 2020 Ive tried putting Onegin in search but nothing is coming up

As someone who started with ballet and from a young age I’d say it’s one of the most difficult Dance forms to actually look accomplished in because it requires so much strength to develop first. However when I had a very long break from Ballet I did loads of other styles of dance both National type dances, Limon style modern dance, Indian dance ( mainly Kathak but a little Odissi mixed in) and the most beautiful form of “belly dance “ Raqs Sharqi the classical Egyptian form (which doesn’t have any ballet moves in!) What I found was that when I eventually went back to ballet some 20 plus years later having engaged with these other forms of Dance had helped enormously with my expression there. I felt so much freer! So I don’t think you need to do ballet to be good in other forms of dance but I definitely think if you have done ballet it will make you generally stronger which is helpful.

Yes I’ve found this with Colmans posts on other threads you can’t “like” them Perhaps you can opt out of this if you want to I don’t know.

Thanks oncnp! I missed the 2020 run then because I was still on crutches in early 2020 after a bad ankle injury in 2019 I missed the whole of the Autumn 2019 season and then 2020 ran into Covid so tickets purchased for April 2020 performances were gifted to ROH!!