mimi66

Yes I thought it was rather interesting results... This year it looks as though a greater emphasis was on the potential (including the body type/hight) when selecting the prize winners, Wonder if the jury make-up had something to do with it.

As to the home or correspondence secondary education, Australia or the States, perhaps. Not at all the case in Japan. I don't know about other countries, though... Also notice that this year many candidates are already at European ballet vocational schools.

I really wish they showed more classes and coaching... We had more chance to see them before when they did the video blogs. I just love Patrick Armand's class and coaching and this is the main reason for me to watch videos of Prix. Cynthia Harvey's coaching was very nice as well. One thing that these class/coaching reminds me of is how important the basic technique of ballet is, even at this level. The more accomplished the teacher/coach is, the more attention they pay to the basics.

Official list of the Finalists http://www.prixdelausanne.org/2016-prix-de-lausanne-finalists/

For those who will be watching previous days' Livestreams tonight . List of candidates with nationality, training institution and ...and the number! http://www.prixdelausanne.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DP_20160128_EN_1.pdf Finalists has been announced... not this time around for both UK candidates, but they have done a great job. I should expect the South African candidate to do well at the final... He is still under 17, would be wonderful for him to have a chance to train in one of the best ballet schools in the world.

Myth Australia, Thank you, that makes sense.

I just noticed that one of the jury is Nikolay Tsiskaridze....the current rector of the Vaganova Academy. A bit odd, given that there are two Russian girls from Vaganova Academy. Would it not be seen as conflict of interest?

Yesterday's livestream is now up on YouTube.

LinMM, I don't think they do video blogs any more, since last year. I enjoyed the video blogs so much myself, pity they have scrapped that. The livestreaming (although I normally watch it later on youtube) is great as well, though, I really love watching classes and coaching.

So Miko has come home... after all, she is English (though trained abroad).

today, 6 March, is Julio Bocca's birthday (1967). Probably best known here as Alessandra Ferri's dance partner at ABT.

Just in time... today, 28th February is the birthday of Jorge Donn (1947). Though some say (including English Wiki) he was born on the 25th, in Argentina, his birth country, today is the day of Dancers...after his birthday. Ooops, I just saw MAB already mentioned it above... well I think it's worth repeating!

Lin, he is Miguel Pinheiro from Portugal. No South and Central Americans were in the final this year.

A good way to demonstrate how difficult it is to became a ballet dancer would be to compare the number of premier league football player in the UK with the number of ballet dancers on permanent (well, of sort) contract for classical ballet companies like RB, BRB, ENB, Northern, Scottish ballet (if I missed any please feel free to add...). It really is a profession for chosen few - though general misconception is that you just have to be thin and pretty (and bendy). I have seen the numbers, and it is almost shocking. And some argue that there are too many ballet companies. I also heard that in the boys class in Russia, they were sometimes sarcastically told to "try something easier, like football!".

I am missing "video blogs" they used to put on.... because of the timing, I haven't yet managed to watch the live stream, Wonder why they decided to scrap the video blogs... unfair exposure/extra pressure for those who were chosen? But I really miss them.

Ahem, just because one wears black tights, that is not the end of the story. Worn out tights see-through,,, forward cambre could be ... well, unbearable for those behind you.

The great ballerina, Maya Prisetskaya's birthday is today - 20 November 1925.

Victoriapage, she is amazing...! Naturally I became a bit curious about her dancing past.... this is her dancing in 1922 short film.

Are you looking for RAD only or also non-grading method (eg Vaganova)?

I agree with others and it might help to view each class as a "process" and not some sort of competition ... you are not on Strictly but leaning ballet, after all. Surely the point of leaning ballet is not how high your leg goes up or how many times you can turn in one go, but to be able to "dance". In addition, it may help to know that "concentration" (or rather, the length of time and depth of concentration) is also a skill which improves with time and needs constant training to maintain - rather like muscles. Having said all this, I am sure you actually know it already....and you will get over your anxiety in three months' time.

That reminds me of something... One of the amusing posts doing the round on FB at the moment about the Ice bucket challenge.. "It's called "leaving the house" in Scotland!".

Sylvie Guillem has announced today that she will be retiring at the end of 2015. For some reason, this news has not seem to be circulated by English media yet... http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/2014/8/14/world-renowned_ballet_dancer_guillem_to_retire.htm the end of an era...

Didn't realise that Kenta Kura retired. He would be a great teacher at WL!

Thank you balleteacher for the links! As it happens, I am recovering from a minor surgery which requires me to stay away from too much head movements for quite some time (eg no chaines, pique turns across the floor or foutte turns), so can't yet go to my usual classes. I shall try the tendu one first.

At least you could eat snails... Slugs, alas, no.