trog

There was an advert on the TV last night for the BRBs Nutcracker. I don't know what channel as I saw it while I was in the gym. I haven't seen a TV ad for the BRB before.

The same is true of gyms. You get idiots who do a set and then rest on the piece of equipment for 10 minutes, fiddling with their phone. They could do this for free at home. The body builders gym I use, doesn't really have much of a problem on that front, which is odd as body builders are generally the gentlest, politest and most helpful people around. At the community gym I go to sometimes, phone fiddling is a real problem, although it doesn't affect me too much. There is never anybody on the pull-up bar, and rarely on the dipping bars.

A banana is good before class - not too heavy and and pushes up your sugar levels.

In 2007, Amande Concerts bought The Big Ballet to the UK and the ladies where all 100kg plus, and danced on pointe. Graceful too. In an interview, one of them said they had to modify the pirouette to get around. I thought that I did a review but I can't find it.

Time is what is required. The more lessons you do, the more your body remembers things and the leg/arm coordination improves. There is no set pattern for arms and legs, but generally, taking grand battement as an example, for devant, the arm is in fifth, a la seconde, the arm is in second and for derriere, the arm is in arabesque, and travelling forward, an arabesque generally works. Of course, it depends on the choreography. Teachers like to challenge the class and might well do different arms. I tend to concentrate more on the steps and let the arms do what they will. Generally they work out OK. I know that when I first started ballet class, it was all a bit overwhelming, and as I'm a bit of a perfectionist, I put a lot of pressure on myself. Also, being the only bloke in class (it was like that for the first 7 years), added to the pressure. After a year, I was more relaxed and it all starting to make a more sense. Twenty five years on, I'm still learning new techniques, and as I know vaguely know what to do (when my body obeys), I find ballet class very relaxing and a great way to unwind at the end of work. It's only dancing, the world won't end if we make mistakes (and even the greatest dancers do).

Another oldie here. I've been doing ballet classes for 25 years and I didn't start until I was 37. I miss doing syllabus classes; I can't fit any in with work, gym and life in general, but in the past I did RAD grade 1 to 6, BBO to grade 8 (I prefer the BBO syllabus to RAD) and some Cecchetti (confusing with the different arms) and some IDTA. I intend to carry on with class until I drop dead. I have been in a few shows too, which are always great fun.

The DanceXchange here in Birmingham, did a show a couple of years ago, where each class did a short piece. My ballet class was behind the backdrop, waiting for our turn, while the jazz class on stage. We all thought they should have filmed us free-style dancing to the jazz score, rather than what they did film of us in front of the backdrop.

Yes and very beautiful is was too. Delicious Delia is always on top form, and last night was no exception. Whether it was the coy Giselle, the bolder dancing Giselle, the mad Giselle or the ghost Giselle, every character was played distictly. I especially liked her in the ensemble pieces, when she is dancing with the villagers. I never really been a fan of Tyrone. There is no doubting his ability but for me he rarely seems to fit the role, although last night he somehow did. Beatrice Parma and Lachlan Monaghan gave it they're all on the harvest pdd. I think it is probably amongst the most joyous times that I have seen in danced. I have always preferred the second act to the first. It is a feast for the eyes. Alys Shee was very aloof as Myrtha. Men would certainly be compelled to obey her orders! A nice little moment. There were three girls sitting on a bench, sharing grapes from a basket. The look of horror on one them as she dropped a grape I found quite funny. One of the other girls retrieved it before there was any mishap.

I saw Shostakovich Trilogy at Sadlers Wells. I don't think it was exceptional, but it wasn't dire. Sutra and Swan Lake were on in Birmingham, but I didn't go, and I am fairly sure that Bird Song was shown on Channel 4 as part of their long forgotten Summer Dance series. I think it is was too soon to pick a best of the 21st century. I think we should reconvene in 2100 and see how many of these works are still being performed. That to me is the true test.

I have always thought the Sleeping Beauty as being too slow and boring, until the story is out of the way. One the BlueBird, Puss In Boots and Little Red Riding Hood appear, I think the ballet improves no end. Romeo and Juliet is another that needs a good prune. There is far too much music. When you prune the garden, it looks so much nicer and there are several ballets that I feel the same about. :)

I've only ever heard it as letters, ie are aye dee - same as RADA - the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

A heads up for The Man Who Loved Redheads with Moira Shearer on Talking Pictures (Freeview 81) this Saturday 18:35 I haven't see it for ages, so I can't remember how much she dances. IMDB says "John Hart dances the part of Sergei in the Sleeping Beauty extracts and appears by permission of the Covent Garden Trust."

The Firebird Nutcracker Sweeties Apollo Concerto Barocco (pretty much the entire Balanchine catalogue) Far From The Madding Crowd

Spotting who was in the audience was great fun! I would like to add to Janet's review and say that I think the first pdd between Maggie and Mossop is one of the most beautiful in any ballet.

I think it was one of the worse :) As to the Unleashed Triple; I don't know what was off the leash. Lyric Pieces has always been a favourite. The movement of the cardboard is quite hypnotic at times and the choreography is wonderful. I thought Sense Of Time was really good. The wall of suitcases is a real surprise, although clearly the stage crew haven't quite got the hang of setting it all up, as the performance started about 5 minutes late. With delicious Delia Matthews, Celine Gittens and Brandon Lawrence on stage, I was very, very happy. I don't like Peter And The Wolf. I have seen it three times and it isn't growing on me. The decision to have Peter as a girl just doesn't work in my opinion.