MayKwok

@AmberM Anna actually taught in English so there wasn't really a language barrier. I see on their insta recently (https://www.instagram.com/vuxenbalettsthlm?igsh=MW16bndxaWVjdmFqeg==) I think they may have acquired their own premises so best double check with them location directions and timetable. And to be honest, I attended a class in Prague some time ago where the teacher didn't speak English, only Czech, but alas ballet corrections are quite universal and with a bit of pointing, demonstrating and good old universal ballet terminology in French, a good teacher would be able to get their point across. Hope you'll be able to take class there, please do report back how it goes!

I visited this studio a few years ago before Covid: https://www.danceperfect.cz/en I took class here once on a Monday evening. Teacher was Viktoria Vrublevská, she spoke Czech, I don't, and she didn't speak English, but I could make out ballet terminology and the corrections by teacher's demonstration. As far as I remember it was a lovely class. The entrance was inside the shopping centre, easily reachable by the Prague subway system. I think I took the yellow line to Mustek.

So.... my trip has been and gone and I realised I never made a report back here as to what I did! I ended up going to classes by https://vuxenbalettsthlm.se/ . I took the Intermediate 2 class on Tuesday. The class: Really lovely class by Anna Valev and light and airy studio, and a live pianist Chiaki. Live pianist! 😍 I've made it clear to Anna that I was only there for 1 day because I was there for work and I wouldn't be returning. Even so, Anna gave me LOTS of corrections. Something I was very nicely surprised by and completely didn't expect. I was lovely to feel valued and I felt definitely that I got amazing bang for my buck. Booking: On their official site they accept Swish, a form of payment only applicable to Swedish bank users. I emailed them and they gave me an IBAN to pay to through my bank transfer. Getting there: This class was held at the Swedish ballet school's premises. I found the bus that got me there and it took a bit of detective work to get to the studio.

Hi Kate! I'm going for work so will have some time in the evenings. I've got 2 young kids now so I can't do classes in London anymore regularly, so I find myself suddenly having child free evenings for work, I'm going to take full advantage of it! No I've never actually been to Nina's classes. Sad time.

Hello friends, On the off chance that someone has some knowledge of classes in Stockholm.... I find myself to be in Stockholm for a week at the end of September, and I'd love to be able to do a class there. Any recommendations of somewhere I can do a one-off drop in class? Looking for intermediate-ish level - I've danced for 20 years but the last 7 has been very on-and-off with children and the pandemic etc. I've also booked a ticket to see the Royal Swedish Ballet in Don Q, and I'm going to try visiting the Dance Museum as well! Any recommendations greatly appreciated! Or if there's other resources you can direct me to, also very welcomed. Thanks!

(Only just saw that this is already being discussed in the Bolshoi thread, and it is old news that came out yesterday! Apologies. Admin please feel free to remove...)

As reported on BBC News: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-60767490

Does anyone know what exactly will be available on Netflix and from when? I don't have SkyArts and I don't have NowTV but I do have Netflix, I hope to be able to at least watch something there!

I haven't combed through the entire list, but if I read this correctly, Siobhan Davies has been made a dame in the Queen's birthday honours 2020. Anyone spotted any other dance related awards? https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/queens-birthday-honours-high-awards

Hi mods, The tags on the new look are all red and can't be read.... Any chance of changing the colours on that? Thanks!

ENB are offering their adult classes from October again. Although they have now moved from Kensington to Canning Town! There's Dance Attic at Fulham as well.

Dear all, We have officially launched a short day option for our course. Start with either EBAS + Ballet (£200) in the morning, or just ballet class (£120). Then add pointe / men's technique (£85), workshops (£85) and/or group repertoire (£80). The full course adds stretch class at the end, is £500. All prices here are for the full 7 days. PM me if the number of days need to be tailored, or if you have any other questions. Thanks, May

Hi @resiegenthaler I'm afraid the intensive is the only program I'm running at the moment. There's plenty of open classes in London: Pineapple, Central school of Ballet, Danceworks, spring to mind. Do a search on the forum I think there's a thread somewhere which might list places that I've missed. Such a shame that we're not on when you're here! Hope you have a great trip in London! May

Due to unforseen circumstances we've had to have a venue change for our summer course. We will now be at West London School of Dance at Shepherd's Bush for 14-19 July. For 20 July we will be at The Urdang, The Old Finsbury Town Hall. All info is updated on our website. Please feel free to reach out should you have any questions! Thanks, May

Looks like Steven McRae is injured and out of R&J. He announced himself on his facebook page here

Dear Michelle, We ask that if a dancer has not been en pointe before to not start learning pointe during this course, but to participate in the class in flats. Dancers can also start the class en pointe and of course take shoes off as and when they need to. They can also choose to do the pointe class en pointe and then take shoes off to learn the variation. The EBAS DVD was available from Scott directly through his doebas.com website but I'm not sure if it is still in stock. I wouldn't recommend trying to learn the work through the DVD as the dvd is recorded as a series of cues without any of the explanations. In my personal opinion it wouldn't make much sense to someone unfamiliar with the work. I'm really looking forward to the new set of videos that Scott is making at the moment. Best of luck with your Ballet West intensive, and also with your leg injury! I've been reading about your journey of trying to get a correct diagnosis and treatment, fingers crossed it all goes well for you. Thanks, May

The main website for EBAS is here: https://doebas.com/ In our program page there is a video from Scott which talks about EBAS: https://www.aspireballet.org/summer-2019 Speaking from experience as someone who's been doing this program for a few years (when I manage to get an hour spare at home...!): The exercises for Level 1 link up as a series can be completed in around 1 hour. You start sitting and activate and mobilise the spine, while activating the legs and accessing turnout from the leg rotators. You then progress to lying down facing the sky, then return to sitting, finishing with a stretch series. After the hour I always stand up feeling like my spine has been lengthened, my pelvis is level, rotators gently engaged, without feeling like I have to work really hard in order to get things aligned. I try to do them regularly, maybe once a week. I try to do as much of the exercises as possible before a class as it always sets me up well. The way it works through the week for the summer course is that Scott would take time to fully explain the exercises, and in the first day it would only be the first few exercises. The next day we'd do the same exercises quicker then introduce new ones. By the end of the week he would cover the Level 1 program. I understand he's working on getting the videos for exercises packaged up to be available in some shape or form. I shall update once I have further info. @Kate_N it would be lovely to see you! If you cannot make the full week please still do PM me, we can work out a plan so you can participate some of the days if you wish.

Good morning Michelle, Thanks for your questions. The Advanced group did the Crystal Fountain variation, and the Intermediate group did the Enchanted Garden variation. The Intermediate variation was adapted to the dancers' abilities. They were based on the Royal Ballet's versions. We had leotards and practice tutus for the studio sharing. Not everyone had a tutu and our participants were very generous in sharing! It may be worth noting that what we wanted to achieve in the course was not solely on performing repertoire. In order to fit everything in the timetable and not overwork the dancers, we've combined the pointe and variations class together. In the beginning of the week the class would be a full pointe class. Once the sufficient foundations are laid then the variations work is introduced. We wanted to allow the students to process what's been covered in EBAS, technique class and the workshops and apply those principles into the dancing. (Not that we claim that foundations of pointe work can be laid in a few days! But we go back to the fundamentals and explain before building it back up. We have the luxury of seeing everyone every day, and being immersive in the same language for the whole week does allow the information to transfer faster into the bodies. We also have the opportunity to have the same movement explained in maybe a different way than you normally would hear it explained, and able to discover a more efficient way of moving.) Not that performance is an after thought (it's why we go to class afterall!), but we wanted the course to be an opportunity to allow dancers to really understand technique, as there usually isn't enough time during normal weekly classes to discuss the "how". We then apply the "how" into the "what", and have a little performance at the end to embody what we've learned in the week. Does this make it clearer somewhat? Thanks, May

Hi Michelle, Variations are indeed solos and group repertoire are corps de ballet pieces. We have not yet decided which pieces to do. In 2018 the variations were from Sleeping beauty prologue fairies. The group piece was an original choroegraphy by Scott. Hope this helps. Thanks, May

Hi @BeaverElliiot, Yes indeed it was Sun King that I have been to! We can consider Pas de deux lessons but the main concern is we need male dancers. This is the second year I'm running this and we had no male participants last year. As yet I do not have it in my budget to hire male dancers like Sun King does, but is certainly something I will look into for future years. If you are interested in joining for 2019 or in the future, please do send me a PM, we can always see what we can work out for you. Thanks, May

Six o'clock penché often feature in my dreams. As do pirouettes that I just keep turning and not come down. I'd slow down and mentally think "let's turn a few more" and I'd magically do another 3 or 4 before stopping in retiré and *then* coming down.

In case you are free on a Monday I can highly recommend Natalie Krapf's beginners class at The Place. I think it's a termly sign up, but she really gets you set up with the basics, making the class interesting enough but not overwhelming.

Hi DeveloppeD, I run Aspire Ballet, our next summer course is 14-20 July 2019, at the new headquarters of English National Ballet at London City Island, near Canning Town. Further details here. Feel free to PM me for any questions (or ask questions in this thread. I didn't want to hijack the TBR thread too much!) Thanks, May

Following the success of 2018, Aspire Ballet will be holding the next summer course for adults on 14-20 July 2019. The course will be held at the brand new headquarters of English National Ballet, at London City Island, near Canning Town in London. Content to include EBAS, ballet technique class, pointe and variations, workshops, and group repertoire. There will be an in-studio sharing performance at the end of the course. Returning from last year we have Scott Putman and Natalie Krapf in our faculty. Sign up early to qualify for £25 early bird offer. You can also benefit from refer a friend discount by telling your friends about us. Further details on our website.  Please feel free to reply here, PM me here, find us on Facebook, or use the contact us page on the website. I will be very happy to answer any questions.  May

Both tickets gone. Thank you!