swanprincess

Congrats to your dd Rachaelballet12!! Having to undergo assessments at ballet theatre uk associates to see if we will be offered another year was stressful enough, I am totally in awe of the courage and strength that vocational school students must have to cope with the incredible pressure of their appraisals!!! Big hugs to all xoxo

"The Reason I Jump" by Naoki Higashida. It's about autism and is an incredibly uplifting and inspiring read for anyone affected by Autism (or Asperger's syndrome, like myself), it really makes sense of some of the quirky behaviours that we see as normality! Also, the short story at the end is incredibly beautiful

Don Q would definitely be my 2nd choice after Swan Lake..... Is it odd that I'd rather dance Basilio than Kitri?! The leaps and pirouettes in Basilio's variation are phenomenal, and I could listen to that music forever!!!!

Hi Jane, if I pm you my email address can you send me some photos of the leotards please?x

Does Doreen Wells run a vocational school?! I've been looking through the school's Facebook & Twitter pages, the holiday courses look very good.

Me too! The Swan corps would be just as good as Odette I think, anything to get me on stage in that final scene... <3

If I'm dancing Odette, does that mean I get Odile too?! Hasn't thought about that one but I suppose it'd be fun.... Especially if I could fouetté

Hi all Does anyone know how to make pointe shoes quieter? I have a new pair of Capezio Glisses, and although they have a lovely supportive box and wings, they are very noisy, even echappes and pique turns make a thudding sound! Is there any way I can quieten them without softening the box too much?! Thanks x

Ooh good point.... I'd want to do Basilio from Don Q, the jumps and pirouettes are phenomenal!

It's bizarre how it has 15 bids though!! Why would anyone want a "haunted" doll?!

Most definitely Swan Lake, it'd be worth spending eternity in heaven if I could dance Odette!!! <3 (Although you probably guessed that from my username ) Edited to add last sentence

Anyone who has done EYB in Wolverhampton, where are the rehearsals held? Im thinking of auditioning in June, but need to make sure getting to rehearsals by train (preferably with not too far to walk from the station to the rehearsal venue as I may be travelling alone) is feasible incase I get in!

I sure hope so Busymum I am so grateful for all the support I've received through Ballet.co, you have inspired me to keep going & try again next year, thank you x

Congrats on your Ballet Theatre UK offer

Hi Balletkai, welcome! I am in the same position as you regarding flexibility vs strength- I was advised to join the gym, which I have done, I also take classes in Pilates, Bodybalance (a mix of yoga, Pilates & tai chi) and yoga, so hopefully that will help...

I have a black dans-ez camisole leotard for sale, size small, with ruched front and low back. It is slightly faded but still has plenty of wear (too small for me so id say it would fit age 12-13.) £3 plus postage, can send photos via email. Please pm me if interested!

Awww Anjuli that is so beautiful <3

That's an awesome achievement, well done

Jaqueline, I just thought, about your dream- you have so much stuff and only a few bags- so you'd have to pick out the most valuable stuff to put in the bags and leave the rest behind? I interpret that as meaning your life is rather cluttered and frantic, you need to let go of the things less valuable to you??

When I was about 7 years old, every single night I dreamt I was at the swimming baths. In the dream, There was a strange little tunnel down some steps- above the tunnel was a sign somewhat like that on a motorway which flashes to warn of delays- and it said "Warning- Shark" . I never saw the shark, it stayed in it's little tunnel- but every night, I dreamt that a girl I knew, called Georgia, went down that tunnel and didn't come back. The shark never got me, so I didn't fear the dream exactly, it all just felt rather bizarre!!!!

I don't have it with me right now but Gaynor Minden's "The Ballet Companion" has a lovely section on arabesques, with lots of pictures and explanations of which line applies to which method x

Thank you Spannerandpony that's really useful x

Is it normal for dancers joints to click loudly? My spine and hips crunch a lot-for example at school whenever I stand having been sat for an hour, my back and hips feel tight, then crunch loudly. Also, when I lie down on my back, the middle of my spine tightens, making it painful- is this normal? I have a mild scoliosis- last time I went to the clinic we asked about the clicking/crunching and were re assured that it was natural- but every time I stand up I have to push my pelvis forward so my hips can crack- this releases the tension but obviously no one else I know has joints that click so much so I was just wondering if that is normal/healthy???

That poem is so beautiful Balletteacher thank you for sharing!! It really is inspiring tomorrow I'll have a look on my laptop & see if any of my poems are worth sharing... That's a really lovely way of thinking, thank you Anjuli! x

Ah yes, that, good point luckily the ones I chose are mostly coursework so I only have 9 exams- unlike my very academic (non dancing) friend who has 17!!!!!! And LinMM it's lovely that you managed to keep dancing even though it wasn't to be as a career, the joy of dance is something that never leaves us