Peanut68

Yes it’s my fantasy ticket purchase!! I’ll keep buying my lotto tickets…

Gutted I missed getting to either cinema screening…

Was ‘Five Soldiers’ (or it’s precursor ‘10 Soldiers’?) a piece that was shown on BBC2 late late nights as part of a repeat of several snippets of programmes that filled the void between last late night programme & the next day several years ago? I regularly stayed up to watch & rewatch & found it mesmerising & so moving as it evocatively portrayed the nightmare that was trench warfare of (I think) the First World War. It was so visceral & included vocal sounds from the dancers. I’ve never been able to find exactly what it was… I’d previously thought maybe it was from Akram Khans ‘Dust’ but I’m just not at all sure it was (never saw). Definitely felt the trench warfare soldier scenes in Rambert’s ‘Peeky Blinders’ drew (well) from this. I’d love to be enlightened if another forum member knows & id really love to view the whole piece…. Thanks in advance!

Lots of female dancers have same problem & it’s been discussed so you may find info from a search… I also know lots prefer to use stirrup tights where they can as this leaves the heel free….is this an option? Hairspray or Róisìn spray (Bloch I think sell this) sprayed on heel & shoe can work well too. Good luck!

Good points Emeralds - esp. the comparison with music & dance students. Yes, generally all students quite likely learn in a group a few variations/solos but there is too often the ‘chosen one’ (or a very few) who then get extra individual coaching & chosen by a school for comps. Otherwise it’s individuals having to source & pay for the extra one to one coaching they need & deserve to compete. All worthy to suggest costumes can be cheaply sourced… true…. But I’m the most part seeing things on YouTube etc all looks pretty dazzle dazzle & £££ to me…& I can quite likely see dancers feeling less confident if they find they are not so professionally attired as the majority…. This similar comparison happens over photos/showreels with some clearly able to afford more of this than others. Sure, you perhaps only need those few hood shots but again, when it’s a quick look over, you need to look your best & that’s likely going to be achieved by high cost pro shots. And also applications often state photos/video must be less than 6 months old so this required regular updating. The more money you can sling at this the ‘easier’ that element is. And whilst these things do not necessarily make fir a better dancer, I’d hazard a guess it certainly aids confidence for sending out those applications. This is where I do think a pure open call is in some ways preferable but then only if there truly are jobs to be offered at the end of the process…. I suspect - just as in the rest of employment world - all jobs must be seen to be advertised & active recruitment put in place even when there is already an in house candidate could be promoted or a desired candidate that can be headhunted. This is pretty much employment law isn’t it? But I do think that the process should stop at written applications/photos/videos/ online interviews if no actual dance jobs will ever be offered. Sure, dancers may do anything to get a chance just to be seen & have that chance to show what they can do to maybe be remembered for a future job….but it has to be transparent to make a cost ratio benefit analysis before spending money/time to attend! All IMHO For the record, have no personal experience of any overseas comps myself or as a parent but know of experiences of others. Very mixed reports as to the cost v benefit of these….and it requires an awful lot of input/support from either teachers or parents or both. Not every dancer is fortunate to have this backing them sadly.

The last sentence especially important....it costs VAST sums of money to prepare with private coaching (unless you just happen to be a favoured one at vocational school who may be coached within already paid for training), competition/audition entry fees, travel (often overseas) hotel & subsistence costs (& I have heard that often it is the expectation that the parent funds the travel/hotel/food costs for a teacher to accompany a student!), tutu/costume hire costs, it goes on & on...this is an especially hard thing to justify when a family/government/charity etc have paid for student to train to graduate level - all buying into the idea that the vocational schools offer the relevant training & performance experience & job preparation support, industry exposure through graduate showcase performances within their upper school & graduate year courses. I've yet to see this being even half provided in-house from any school/college despite the 'sales blurb' without it again incurring huge costs for photos/videos/costume hire/studio hire/private coaching/travel/often having to help fund any performance tour costs etc. And so the rip-off nature of this game goes on....sigh.

I think we are perhaps being hard on LCB for holding auditions that purportedly only 4 dancers then gained contracts from. That hit rate is quite likely high in comparison to many a closed ie. Invite only following applications company audition. I guess as it was in effect a start up the feeling was that there were 14 jobs up for grabs. Yes, but just like in any industry there will likely have been a bit of head hunting & active recruitment going on well before & after these auditions. Let’s just hope that LCB proves a big hit with UK audiences & that they do lots of audience research. If we audience goers support them & at the same time feedback how we’d really love to see more UK dancers within a UK company then maybe that will help for future recruitment opportunities - both in increasing the numbers of dancers but also perhaps looking to improve the ratio of UK/overseas talent

I don’t think anyone expected nor would want LCB to create a company entirely employing recent graduates - any ballet company needs to have the relevant levels of experience & expertise that comes with seasoned professionals & also to gain the ‘cross pollination’ of styles that aids the art form by dancers learning from each others training styles & repertoire knowledge. But it’s sad to think this could not have been found (or offered) to more UK dancers… but the roots of this are now deeply secured as it’s been going on for way too many decades. If LCB recruited from just UK companies & just UK graduates then the odds are that this would still mean that the pool of candidates were in the most part not UK born citizens. Btw - I noticed too late to correct in my firmer post - spellcheck has changed my typed word of soloists to soldiers!! Apologies!

In reply to Colman - Personally speaking yes! If the UK provided employment for UK dancers then fewer would be seeking overseas opportunities - but again, I do wholeheartedly support the guesting & ‘exchange’ of senior dancer roles that traditionally went on years back. Dancers ‘cut their teeth’ in the corps & artist roles & once they became more famous as soldiers they get invited to perform in galas & guest in seasons with overseas companies. Win win all round Id say.

This is where our government really needs to step in & remove the job of ballet dancer from the list of employment roles that are unable to be filled & thus ok to easily hire overseas dancers. I am not against overseas talent but feel that should be used in the capacity of guest artists in principal roles - this giving opportunity to enjoy very many overseas dancers. But I do strongly believe that all UK based ballet companies should employ only UK dancers & professionals in at least the bulk of their positions. It seems ludicrous that the government spends millions funding the training of UK dancers through MDS & DaDa awards as well as supporting ballet schools through other arts & education funding & charity status to then not try & protect in some way the company vacancies for these home trained dancers.

Too funny…. But guess we have to respect the decisions made by mods whom I greatly respect for giving their time to this forum which in the greatest part is a fantastic source of info, debate & fun!

I bet they were not only thinking about your dancer but also about their statistics to quote to future cohorts…. I’d love to drill down deeper into the % quoted as working in the industry/going straight into jobs etc as to just what the ‘jobs’ & ‘destinations’ really are…. So many are just short term ‘freelance’ or again actually more paid for training under guise of being a job. Congrats to your dancer Mummy Twinkle… I hope her current role is a springboard to where she wants to be x

Some of just those schools listed could fill these vacancies from its annual graduates…. I do feel there are far too many places in upper schools which promotes the dream it’s possible….an awful lot of money (from government/charity & family funds is being pumped into training to chase such a small likelihood of gaining a company place. The reality is clear to see but then the carpet gets further dangled with ‘junior companies’ , ‘training companies’ ‘graduate programmes’ all requiring yet more funding in most instances….Families struggle to find the standard years of training but its very hard to feel ‘so close’ knowing the dancers are skilled & trained enough already to not just pay the money for ‘just one more year’ when ‘this is the course that will get me seen by the right people’ etc etc. It’s so painful. Would the UK train perhaps 10,000 plumbers annually if only 100 were needed in the workplace? I imagine more likely we need an extra 10,000 plumbers!

That’s very well put Colman - (found I couldn’t ‘like’ or ‘thank’ on the post…)

And therein lies why I have never dared try a Zumba class….me & my uncool hips would be a nightmare for others in class!!😆

Hmm…. Actually I’ve heard that often it’s people who do things like Zumba who indeed struggle with the idea of corrections & being taught…. But to me, any class be if ballet or Zumba should offer an element of correction & teaching to ensure participants stay safe & avoid injury etc & to get better! Unless of course the class members are already perfect - ha ha! I think it can be a sign of a lazy/bored teacher or gym/school & ‘students’ whatever the age or ability deserve proper engagement & teaching!!

I find it really odd that anyone wouldn’t want corrections….??? It’s a ‘lesson’ afterall so whole point is to learn! Imagine saying to a driving instructor that you don’t want any corrections….🤔 🚗💥

Might be worth contacting Vyne Academy in Berkhamsted might be able to help perhaps? It’s on very good train links & easy to get to from M25 & this Essex https://vynearts.co.uk/vyne-academy/ I believe they teach adults at high levels & maybe could create a programme for you - good luck! Think they may also do occasional adult intensive short courses too. Sadly I am too far away to go there myself….but seen & heard good things! I too share your frustration over lack of personalised corrections that is often the case in adult drop-in classes. I think it’s down to a few things… not scaring off the customers (it is a useful revenue stream for teachers), partly ensuring everything stays upbeat, body positive etc & avoiding any possible conflict or things that could be misconstrued as criticism or body shaming or that may trigger anyone’s underlying issues of lack of confidence/former unhappy dance experiences etc. Adult drop in lessons should at their core be about fun & fitness I guess & it’s a careful line for teachers to follow to ensure this for all participants & to take into account range of of ages, abilities, experience, fitness levels & underlying health conditions. The only way I found to get personalised corrections/training in lead up to an exam was to have a few weeks in advance of exam with lessons for just the 2 of us adults taking exam. We were fortunate in that it was the teacher’s first year of entering students so she was happy to facilitate this & only charge us regular class rate. I think more teachers could push adults to fulfil their dreams to improve, progress & gain that feeling of achievement an exam can bring. I think it really could be a way that dance schools could add to their offering & income stream & also help in retention of dancers as there does seem to be that drop out of dance in the teen years. Since all I’ve been able to do locally has been 1-2 adult drop in my levels have plummeted & it makes me very sad 😢 A former adult teacher felt confident enough of the class to advice the few of us who could manage things more advanced to say we did it in Demi-pointe or did doubles or raised legs to 90 degrees etc etc. No one else took offence but or felt it wasn’t fair or favouritism but I partly suspect that the new teacher quite possibly worries about this so we all just follow on. I do still enjoy the classes but I worry the ‘use it or lose it’ is all too true….I’m not motivated enough to rent myself a hall to work alone - at the core of any dance I do is just wanting that joy that working hard in a ballet class brings me….I just love the feeling when technique just works, when the music inspires a natural flow for emotion & artistry & the great camaraderie within the class when every dancer is loving it! 🥰

I saw the info on a regular email newsletter from BRB…

Just seen this…. BRB regrets to announce that due to unforeseen personal circumstances, Alina Cojocaru will not be performing with the Company at Sadler’s Wells theatre on 25th & 27th April as previously announced. Updated casting for our Sadler’s Wells shows is available on our website. Were these all the performances she was scheduled to dance with BRB? Great shame & I do hope all is well with Alina. And do hope she is still planning to dance with London City Ballet in September…. Anyone here know more?

I've heard of this happening to lots of dancers too...it's almost as though directors enjoy giving hope in person...then it's actually quite easy for them to dash these by an impersonal email.....not good HR practice is it? would this be allowed/tolerated in any other profession?

I think the only 100% bursary that might be awarded at any school would most likely be to male dancers as they are still in short supply & money may be deciding factor in a boy selecting one school over others when several offers are quite likely received. Also 100% funding might be secured from a one off sponsor agreement from an individual donor/supporting body/charity but invariably these days anything charity based will be means tested so full support unlikely - even by MDS/DaDa - unless at the very lowest end of household income.

Brand ‘Aristoc’’ do excellent ‘barely there’ tights….found in Dept Stores or good independent underwear shops. They do many colours to match any skin tone & have nice shaped ankle that mean they fit slender ballet legs well! Think they also do a ‘Sandel Tight’ that has such minimal lines in knit they can be worn successfully with open toe footwear. I’ve seen 5,7 & 10 dernier - the lower the more ‘barely there’ (& more easily laddered) of course! Also Pretty Polly (though not seen these in a while??)

I hate seeing empty seats & then to find they were sold (good for production) but unoccupied (bad for the dancers & rest of audience) I think the trouble is with ‘event’ ballet/theatre/concerts you get the ‘glitterati’ social set & their fixers who just buy up anything that’s expensive in case their diaries work out or they’d charges fancy that night out in the day…..ironically, if tickets were cheaper I reckon there would be very few no shows. Or it were for charity & thus they can be seen to be ‘doing good’, more of ‘the wealthy set’ would take up their very pricey seats & probably give much more in auctions etc….. I take it this gala is purely commercial? And nothing wrong with that btw - I’m all for more opportunities to employ dancers & for audiences to see more ballet!

Gosh I imagined it would’ve been a sellout…. Maybe if prices had been a little lower??? I also think a Sunday night quite tricky… if had to be a Sunday I wonder if a matinee or late afternoon start would be better?