BristolBillyBob

2 minutes ago, capybara said:

 

The count of people watching via YouTube was showing on the screen throughout the relay and the highest number reached there was around 800. Maybe there were more via Facebook, but this seemed far fewer than I would have expected.

Beforehand they mentioned it would be thousands, so I guess they were including hits on Youtube after the event. It's already up to 15,000 there. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqjWNhmd6Hw

I notice Jewels' Insights event on youtube is up to 118,000! 

What's included

• Tickets in the Upper Circle, usually £29.50, are now £17.70
• Tickets in the Side Stalls, usually £34.50, are now £25.88
• Tickets in the Side Circle, usually £40.50, are now £30.36
• Quoted prices include all booking fees. A £1.05 postage fee applies

When

• 20-23 September... 7:30pm
• 21, 23 September... 2pm

Hope this is of interest to someone!

https://www.travelzoo.com/uk/entertainment/northern-england/-17-70-up-Top-rated-Aladdin-ballet-in-Salford-2520599/?searchGuid=12c059a2-c374-4450-b712-b836865885d3

I was lucky enough to make it to the Insights evening too, and it was wonderful. I thought it was a fascinating insight into the care and attention that goes into pretty much every step. The dancers were all amazing, and as capybara mentioned, it was particularly interesting to watch the two Hatters dancing simultaneously but with subtle (yet noticeable) variations on the interpretation of the character.

The other thing I felt, too, is that all four dancers should be commended for sharing their rehearsal with thousands upon thousands of people watching online. I'd imagine all dancers, particularly those who've carved out successful niches at the Royal Ballet, take a certain perfectionist pride in their work. To have their performance in its raw, unpolished form, broadcast to the world, along with corrections (which some may incorrectly interpret as criticism) must leave a dancer feeling quite vulnerable. So double thanks to all four for being so generous with their art.

For me, as well, it was exciting enough to be in the Clore Studio. I really enjoy the Dancers: Behind The Scenes With The Royal Ballet photo book, and there are some gorgeous shots of the studio in there. It definitely felt like hallowed ground.

I've found on a number of occasions before last night - such as watching company class at BRB, or seeing dancers rehearse during a previous ROH tour - that I find ballet in rehearsal almost more compelling than on stage, but it's difficult to put in to words why. There's something about seeing dancers practice their art in civvies that reminds me that it's mere mortals creating such beauty on stage, rather than the bedazzling characters they inhabit during performances, and I find it utterly remarkable. I am in complete awe!

Hi all! Haven't posted for a while, but just wanted to say hello! If anyone is going to the matinee or the company class at Bristol Hippodrome on Saturday and would like to say hello, I'm always happy to meet fellow ballet fans.  

Tenuous dance link here, but it's pretty and I though people might be interested in it. It's a spinning 'zoetrope', which when light is shined on it projects a ballerina (or multiple ballerinae). Pretty neat! 

http://sploid.gizmodo.com/this-spinning-illusion-is-obviously-some-sort-of-light-1782762439?utm_campaign=socialflow_gizmodo_facebook&utm_source=gizmodo_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

Links I post never seem to work on this site... I wonder what I'm doing wrong? Oh well. Thanks, Janet.

Ooh, maybe I could just use the Twitter button?

@@dancingtimes

Edit: Oh, I see. Somehow the link missed out the ':' after 'https'. Dunno how that happened. I'll keep an eye out in the future! Can you edit it, Janet?

As the title says, Dancing Times are having a clear-out of their stock in advance of an office move. Everything is a quid TODAY ONLY, so get in quick!

Phone or call into the office in London. Details on their Twitter account:

https://twitter.com/dancingtimes/status/747796328554565633

It will surprise nobody that my favourite is Nancy Osbaldston, currently at Royal Ballet Flanders, [speculation] soon to be returning as principal to Birmingham Royal Ballet who are currently planning their relocation to Bristol [/speculation].

Hi all,

In booking my tickets to see the ever-amazing Ballet Central at the Redgrave Theatre in Bristol, I spotted this other event:

http://redgravetheatre.savoysystems.co.uk/RedgraveTheatre.dll/TSelectItems.waSelectItemsPrompt.TcsWebMenuItem_2496.TcsWebTab_2497.TcsProgramme_50409

I've never come across JSLN before, and can't seem to find any mention of them on the forum, so I was wondering if anyone has seen them or had any experience of them? It might well be worth a tenner just to check them out, but any views welcome!

Thanks!

I bagged the £10 DREAM deal on this for tomorrow night. After what seems like an eternity of seeing very little ballet - flat deposit saving, see - this marks my first pilgrimage up the M5 to Birmingham to see my beloved BRB in over a year. I simply can't wait. Great to see some old favourites on the cast list too; Nao Sakuma, Joseph Caley, Matthias Dingman (twice!) and Karla Doorbar. Happy times.

Any other forumites going tomorrow?

Another one for the list.

http://www.travelzoo.com/uk/entertainment/-17-40-up-English-National-Ballet-Nutcracker--2169033/?utm_source=localdeal_uk&utm_medium=email&utm_content=2169327&utm_campaign=2169327_html_london_deal%3A206001&IsPresentationMode=1&tz_adid=2169327

There's a similar offer on Time Out as well...

http://uk-offers.timeout.com/deals/entertainment-rhapsody-the-two-pigeons-january-2016?cid=lon~tow~Tickets+and+Offers+leaderbox~me

Before they turned the Crush Bar at the ROH into an exclusive and very expensive restaurant, which is off bounds for the plebeians, I saw a lovely birthday party there at one of the matinees.  All the little girls were in old-fashioned "sticking-out" party dresses full of frills and ribbons and I could only think of how much I would have loved to have had a birthday tea there when I was a child.  I can't imagine a more perfect birthday treat!

Heh. For me, this would've probably been my childhood birthday treat...

I hate to say it, but count me in with the new-format DT naysayers. I took out a 3 months subscription which included the first issue with ballroom and didn't really fancy carrying it on - ballroom is of nil interest to me. I might check out an issue or two of Dance Europe - thanks for the heads up on single issues, Sylph! 

I saw this programme on Friday evening, and it was a real treat. I'll keep my thoughts short! Well, ish.

I've never been a fan of Monotones I (I've got the blu ray of it). It doesn't really 'speak' to me in any particular way and the long, held poses don't do much to add to the elegance of it where it seems determined to undo any unwary dancer that goes anywhere near it. On this occasion, the trio, while dancing it very well individually, didn't seem to move completely as one. I put this down to probably having little time to rehearse together due to Emma Maguire's substitution, so I guess it's understandable.

Monotones II, however, is a wonderful piece. Like all the best abstract ballet, it is an intriguing puzzle of shapes, movement and emotions. Danced as beautifully as it was by Christina Arrests, Ryoichi Hirano and Nemeniah Kish, it was pure, liquid perfection. I have to echo echo Mary's thoughts above, Arestis was indeed a revelation. She was simply divine, owning the piece completely and moving as though she were a direct conduit for the music. I can't wait to see more of her in the future.

The Two Pigeons was one I've been looking forward to seeing, having heard it spoken about so fondly on these forums elsewhere. And it didn't disappoint. McRae and Salenko danced it wonderfully, the warm comedy of the opening scene communicated deftly with a real chemistry between them. Salenko was great, and really lived the part; at one stage a gold 'coin' flew off one of the male dancers' costumes (as it detached itself, he even managed to inadvertently punch it mid-spin in a remarkable ballet trick shot) and Salenko subtly scooped it up. Sitting forlornly at the side of the stage, she examined it sadly in her hands as though it was a metaphor for these interlopers stealing her love away. It was these little touches that make Salenko such a watchable performer. 

I enjoyed the choreography, but I can't help but feel that it's the ensemble pieces that are the most fun in this ballet. The costumes, particularly for the gypsy girls, are probably the best I've seen. With long, colourful feather-like skirts that flow like waves on the spins, the group pieces are explosions of colour and movement. It reminded me a lot of La Valse, the way the dancers fill the stage with motion. 

Finally, I think the ending was probably the sweetest thing I've ever seen in a ballet. It's beyond me how they train those little birds so well, my hat is completely off to the team at Amazing Animals.

What a great little ballet The Two Pigeons is.

One more thing to add... I don't think I've heard the Royal Opera House Orchestra sounding so good before. The conducting was spot-on and the players performed beautifully both in the solo passages and as an ensemble; the quieter passages in Monotones II in particular were performed with a gossamer delicate touch. They were a complete joy to listen to. 

All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

I'm not being silly here, but could you take a cushion, or a thick blanket or something with you? Depending on where you sit in rows U, V or W, you could be on the back row and might not have anyone behind you so it won't matter if you elevate yourself a little bit?

Hi Munchkin. Others will be able to answer better from experience (I'm not a regular myself), but just to check - are you aware you can see the view from any particular seat on the ROH booking website? If you go through the booking process (pick any show with a few seats available) and click on a seat, it shows a photo of the view.

Apologies if you already know about this, thought I'd make sure you were aware in case it helps your decision.

I saw Cedar Lake once, and once only, at the Millennium Centre in Cardiff, and that show was enough for me to mourn their passing as much as anyone. They performed a Crystal Pite piece called 'Ten Duets On A Theme Of Rescue' and it was simply mesmerising. This is fantastic news.  

Glad to see this is being received so warmly! I'm off to see it next Friday and will be flying solo, so if any fellow forumites fancy saying hello in the interval(s), I'd love to put faces to names.

 

 

This special offer is only open until midnight, Sunday 29 November. It is valid on all weekday performances from Monday 28 December until Friday 22 January, for the dress and upper circle of the London Coliseum (excludes £79 seats).

http://www.standard.co.uk/esrewards/english-national-ballet-s-nutcracker-and-le-corsaire-at-the-london-coliseum-a3113696.html?&S2REF=47317

+1 Thanks for the heads-up.

Thanks again! Booked. I'm travelling back from Norwich to Bristol that day, so a stop off in London works quite well and so it was too good an opportunity to miss in the end. Time to lug the ol' 1/2/5/10p jars down to the bank! The theatre tokens can wait!

Thanks for this. When I saw how poorly it had sold, I thought there might be a good deal to be had to use up my Theatre tokens, but it doesn't look like I can use them with See Tickets. If anyone spots any offers with promo codes for the ROH website, I'd be really interested as I can easily make it to London on 27th November.

I thought I'd booked in to see this at the weekend at St James' Theatre in London. Turns out that because I didn't scroll down the page before I clicked 'buy tickets', I wasn't made aware that it was actually two shows, and which one you see depends on which performance you book for. My presumption was that it was the Ballet Central tour performances at the end of the year because, well, it is the end of their year. So now, even though I'm fairly sure my ticket says 'Ballet Central' on it (although I will check), I'm actually booked in for the End Of Year Performance, which is a different thing. And the evening Ballet Central tour performance is completely sold out now. And I've booked coach tickets for me and my friend too.

I'm completely crushed that I won't get to see the Ballet Central show, which is one of the highlights of my ballet calendar, as a result. :'(

For BRB I would like La Sylphide and Onegin. 

Seconded!

Are we allowed to proffer up new ballets we'd like to see? If so, I'd like to see New Adventures create a ballet around Baz Luhrmann's 'Moulin Rouge!' story.