swanprincess

She was very sweet although did seem in a rush to get away (understandable I suppose!!)

By the time she came out, there was just me & my mum, a Chinese gentleman, and a small group of women who seemed to speak fluent Russian- and didn't seem fazed when we were told that Svetlana had left, leading me to think that they were perhaps friends of hers who had been forewarned!!!

I managed to get a cast sheet signed for the three lovely young girls who go to the same school and will post it to them; I felt so sorry for everyone who left just moments before Svetlana came out!!

It did occur to me that Svetlana might have requested for the woman to say that she'd gone, so as to not be mobbed by fans- just after you'd left, Cavycapers, myself and a young man ventured inside the stage door; there was a man sitting the other side of the glass who also politely but firmly assured us that Svetlana had gone and there was absolutely no dancers left in the building!

 

 

But if no dancers were left in the building, why were the lights still on, door open & security man sitting in his booth?!

Persistence is key, I got some lovely photos with Svetlana and a very precious pair of signed pointe shoes!!!!

It was lovely to meet you, Cavycapers!

I'm usually quite organised, although I did recently arrive at the theatre and realise that all of my stage makeup had been left at home!!! Whoops!!

Is the mango sorbet served in the amphi bar? Yum!!!

Hi Sarah, I'm not at Hammond but would like the dans-ez leotard please!x

Yes that's the one, Trog!!

Before I went I was assured that the "beautiful dance studios had recently been renovated and they were so very proud to have such excellent facilities....." !!!!

I agree Duck, I've been on the lookout for badges but am yet to spot one!

Someone on another thread suggested a 'balletco meeting place'- is there a particular place in the ROH where forum members congregate?

 

I'll be at the Swan Lake matinee tomorrow (balcony standing) if anyone else is going??

Thank you for the replies!

The advert was on dance Europe magazine's website, which doesn't have any contact details for the magazine- does anyone know how to contact them please? I've emailed the woman who taught the course to complain but doubt I'll get a response!

 

Yes, Pictures, it is concerning..... When I was taken back to the airport, we dropped another girl off to the train station first, then the lady returned to the station to pick up girls who had just arrived..... Meaning that the students who were staying for 2 weeks (a 10 year old & 4 other girls aged between 15 and 18) were left at the house alone for around 5 hours!!! Goodness knows what could've happened..!!!

I just wanted to warn people; I made a huge mistake with my summer school applications this year, and applied for a course that isn't very well known, declining a summer school scholarship offer at a UK vocational school, because I wanted to do a course in France. It could've easily turned out much worse than it did; at least now I am home safely!!!

 

 

A summer school called "Ecole Europeanne de Danse Classique" was recently advertised in Dance Europe magazine, as an idyllic ballet retreat set in a castle in picturesque countryside 20km south of Bordeaux, with daily classes in ballet, pointe, repertoire and pas de deux, taught by Silvie Legrand.

 

It was the worst summer school I have ever been to, and I'm very glad to be safely back in the UK!!!

 

The "castle" was in fact a very dilapidated, dirty building, not dissimilar to a cheap, neglected holiday home. Despite paying £450 for the week, the accommodation was filthy, with four girls cramped into a tiny bedroom, and one bathroom between nine of us, with cobwebs and spiders everywhere!!!

 

The "dance studio" was a small barn like room, with no air conditioning; some days we danced for 3 hours in 42Celcius heat! The floor was exceptionally slippery wood, coated with a very thick layer of roisin which made it no more suitable to dance on; the floor was uneven, and after a few days I began to have a grinding pain in my knee and ankles which I've not had before. Having recently recovered from an injury, I was aware that the potential to get injured again was very high due to the unsuitable working conditions- also, despite the fact that all but one of the other dancers looked as though they'd never danced before, the classes that we were given were well above RAD advanced 2 standard!!!! The teacher made no attempt to adapt to our needs as dancers- she said she was teaching us the classes that she had done aged nineteen in the graduate year of the Paris Opera Ballet School, despite the fact that we were no where near that standard!!! I felt reluctant to try any new steps, firstly incase she was teaching them wrongly (despite telling me beforehand that she spoke English, she could speak only a few words of English!!!) and secondly due to the risk of injury.

 

The food- advertised as "organic, with vegetarian and vegan options" was on more than one occasion reminiscent of 18th century workhouse gruel!!! The breakfast every day comprised of a choice of 4 cereals; coco pops, sugar puffs, Frosties or another chocolate cereal (no oats, weetabix, granola, yoghurt, eggs, fruit etc etc) and bread. For lunch we mostly had melon (the only fresh fruit we got all week!!) and plain pasta or couscous. The dinner was frequently soup and bread- snacks were readily available, although the snacks consisted of brioche, crisps, bread and icecream..... Hardly appropriate dancer food, although we were offered tomatoes a few times! I politely explained that in England we eat a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables so could I please have an apple or banana with my breakfast- I was told that the week's food was purchased in advance so nothing extra was possible!!

I have been an ethical vegetarian (eating fish & eggs) for 2 years now, but would've devoured a steak by the 3rd day, my body was so desperate for protein! We were given no protein whatsoever, with the exception of one night when our soup was made from lentils and oats!!! Obviously, this impacted hugely upon my dancing, as I felt weak, my muscles felt heavy and lethargic!

 

On the 3rd day, I asked when we would have the pas de deux and repertoire lessons that had been advertised- only to be told that we would not be studying either, only ballet and pointe!!!! I could've studied both of those at home and learnt far more!

She then went on to insult my teachers and my training, saying that I am not of a high standard so shouldn't be studying pas de deux or repertoire anyway (despite being at vocational school....!!!) she also told me to not do any conditioning or stretching outside of class, then contradicted herself by saying that I was weak technically and physically! Okay I'm not the strongest dancer in the world, but my teachers at ballet school are excellent, so for her to speak badly of them made me livid!!!

 

Also, I recently brought a new pair of Apple headphones- I used them in the afternoon & put them on my bedside table- the following afternoon they had vanished! I told Silvie, she helped me search for them- then she concluded that the other girls were all too kind to have stolen them, so I must have put them somewhere else and forgotten!!!! The day I was due to go home, I asked again whether they'd been found. Silvie replied no, then said "if they turn up when you are home, Silvie Legrand knows your address & will post them to you." I stared at her in shock and said "But you are Silvie Legrand?!" (Before I went, mum and I had liased via email, phone and Facebook message with Silvie Legrand, the woman who claimed to be running the course, and who told me she would teach all classes herself.) Silvie was in fact an admin assistant; the woman claiming to be Silvie was actually a woman called Laurence!!!!

 

Thank God she wasn't anyone with malicious intentions!!!

 

When I was due to return home, we dropped another girl off at the train station; the woman watched to ensure the girl was safely on her train before taking me to the airport. I had informed her that I would need help obtaining my boarding pass- but she didn't park her car, instead pulling up outside the airport, telling me that she couldn't stop and that "it is a small airport, you will find your way okay."

So I was alone in an airport in a foreign country, able to speak very little French, not knowing how to get my boarding pass!!! My poor parents have been physically ill with worry all week; I arrived on the Monday & by Tuesday afternoon was desperately trying to find an earlier flight home!! So I just wanted to advise people to be very wary in future- if ever I apply to another summer school (which I don't think is likely!!!) I'll make sure that it's a well known one run by an established vocational school!

 

Luckily I got home safely (after a 3 hour flight delay!), but...

 

"Ecole Europeanne de Danse Classique" is NOT a real ballet school

 

The conditions in the "school" are neither suitable to live in nor dance in

 

"Silvie Legrand" is not a ballet teacher

 

The advert in Dance Europe magazine was not placed by the woman who taught there; she did not even know of the advert!

http://ballerinadreamsdancediary.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/royal-ballet-school-performance-opera.html?m=1M

 

Saw the White Lodge performance at Holland Park on July 2nd and finally got round to reviewing it!!

Hi,

Does anyone have any experience of the ISTD/Cechetti DDI qualification? I'd like to study for it through distance learning, but don't really know much about it!

Thankyou x

I am selling a black Bloch practice tutu, size petite, only worn twice, £20. A few layers are tacked but it isn't fully tacked.

Postage £4, unless a BW student wants to buy it in which case I'll leave it at BW and you can collect it from me so you don't have to pay postage x

I think there is a glossary in the syllabus ringbinder.... I'll have a look tomorrow for you x

My dd has a Gamba pair but they're not widely available. Got hers from Barnum in Warrington.

Katz Dancewear in Nuneaton sell Gamba x

Ahh wait, are they split sole?

Yes please!!x

Is anyone selling a copy of the RAD advanced 1 syllabus book?

Hours and hours! Marvellous!

Hehehe I'm quite perfectionistic!! Lol!

Glad it’s not just me! I just scrolled through an old post where Swanprincess describes her mum saying ‘3 more minutes then I’m stopping taking photos!’, then carrying on for another half an hour or so.

Hahaha my mum no longer takes my photos! I've found that by using a tripod & my phone on video, I can video the poses and then screenshot the video- also, doing it myself means that I can spend hours & hours playing with the positions to get the best shot

Just wondered if anyone has attended this course, and if so what did you think to it?

I have a Norweigian friend at ballet west who has also struggled to get funding, but I believe she applied for some kind of government scholarship, so that might be worth a try?

Also, many BW students go on to do Masters degrees, so it certainly isn't impossible! Hope that helps xx

Ooh, interested in the leotards!!! Can you send me photos of them please? X

But if a dancer is a left turner... Would she be expected to do her variation to the right when it would look better done to the left?! I only recently realised that one of my favourite variations (swan lake pas de trois) becomes so much easier if I do it to the left!!

I'm 5ft3 so the petite might fit her.... They were £30 each new so I'll sell them for £15 each or £40 for all 3, they have obviously been worn, but are in very good condition x