Peanut68

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?

Out of interest, did this get filmed & might it be available as pay to view somewhere some time? Couldn’t justify another expensive ticket & travel etc so soon after Manon but would love to see these dancers & this programme:- a great way to ‘discover’ new dancers/choreography etc! Mind you, I’m typing this reading through watery eyes with a streaming cold whilst drinking a lemsip so probably just as well I wasn’t there!!

So to clarify, mumtotwoballerinas (your name sounds like life must be expensive!) Your son was/is a fully paid/salaried coach contracted dancer with the professional company rather than on a trainee programme which requires payment (either by way of a fee or waiver with awarding of scholarships). Where I am confused is the use of term ‘apprentice’. Where this and other dance ‘companies’ offer ‘apprenticeship’ positions, what are these? Are they properly paid or merely a chance for work experience? I’ve heard in some companies the word ‘stipend’ being used which suggests a nominal level of money being paid to dancers but that it’s not enough to live on so they still require to be able to financially support themselves (probs by parents). It is all rather Dickensian - didn’t ones families in bleaker times have to buy a trainee position in a firm to guarantee a job centuries back? Or buy a position into the clergy… (thinking Jane Austen era now) Even in more recent times (early 30th Century) I think sometimes serving an apprenticeship was a way to get paid whilst learning & getting qualified on the job with low salary to start but seen as a sure fire way to learn a trade & earn for life. Does seem bonkers that ballet companies use this term. Reckon being an apprentice plumber would be a better bet for longterm earning potential & job satisfaction!! And better ROI for parents investment in education!! Congrats to your son for his success & to you for seeing the journey through! Always good to hear from all sides too

I doubt it though tbh they do make it very clear that finance matters must remain confidential. If ever 100% bursary is given I imagine it’s to make dancers only

My thoughts exactly!!! And it had loads of extras incl higher fee for non Spanish & I think there was additional fee for costumes!!! That’s rich as bet any audiences pay standard ticket prices & assume they are watching professionals (which they are) but I’m guessing they also assume the dancers are paid as such. It’s disgraceful & isn’t this the sort of thing that should be outlawed? Like paid internships to the legal industry were years ago?

Wow….& am I understanding correctly that dancers (family) are actually paying to be part of this? Or at least the dancers are not being paid a salary or living expenses at least?

Reading the RAD article, this part made me laugh...yep, we actually need more boys to take up dance & need to put an awful lot of girls off from doing it as way way too many with the same dreams/talent/training but but not the jobs for the vast majority the end. move girls This almost suggests they want to move girls into other fields! To be fair, many would be wise to do just that....wonder if there are more properly paid jobs in cricket for female players than ballet dancers?? Hmmm....

Why so few Southern slots? Bournemouth or Poole or Winchester would be a great addition….I could easily go then too!

My inter at 50 was a sort of ‘Bucket List’ wish list to do…. Maybe I could make Adv F a goal for 60 😂 I reality think that could only be possible if moved less rural &/or could find & afford a teacher for private lessons…. Good luck with your Inter too! I loved the Inter pointe work (esp. the barré exercises!) & really wish I’d had longer prep time & had kept it up! In reality were I ever to do another exam it’s more likely to be grades 6 & onwards as no pointe & I hear nothing ce & dancey but never really seen syllabus. Again, nothing near where I live though

I did try watching that way a few months ago but it was not great quality…(might work better on computer or TV screen rather than phone of course!)

Of course…will contact now & thanks!

I bought it so long ago when tickets were first on sale & bizarrely the QR code ticket just says row & seat number…

Still available! Will have to return to box office before noon tomorrow…

Off topic but relevant to discussions here about strange allocation of budgets perhaps…. Saw local arts centre jobs posted… the massive disparity between a marketeer told & technical staff really grates with me…. So much money spent on a role to presumably find out what audiences want etc (hence all the blinking surveys these folk send out ti justify their existence!) yet the tech teams who help create the actual magic of theatre that is what brings audiences back are paid paltry minimums… World gone mad

Have sent you a pm…

I have visions of ballet dancers being corralled in to then go through a sheep dip pen!!😂