Peanut68

Thank you! Is there any footage of this to watch out there?

I used it to watch the livestream of Fonteyn comp & it constantly froze or buffered so I missed big chunks - very stop/start. I was only watching on the ‘free to view’ basis not subscribed (so that might have meant I got inferior service) but it made me wary to use again & even more wary to pay….

I guess I rather niaively imagined a better than home use camcorder plonked on a cushion in the best seat in the house ha ha… guess it is rather more complex just as you so accurately explain! Also, I’d be wary of too much being filmed for fear a whole trench of audience may gradually disappear from theatres or newcomers never arrive

Slightly off topic - my apologies - but I’m interested to know the ‘copyright’ associated with ballets (the choreography, the music, the dramaturg & staging etc) and anything associated in gaining the rights to use a certain ballet or piece of music or story…? How does one find out about this type of stuff?

That should have read as seeing the RB screening (as am pretty sure there will be a live transmission of SL from the ROH) Does ENB ever get filmed & screened or streamed too?

Ah yes - good idea! I too will take advantage of opportunity to still see EB via cinema screening (nor really am ‘in stead of ROH ticket purchase’ - more an additional sale)

How many Nutcracker versions does ENB ‘rotate’ & which are they? I recall seeing photos/clips years ago of a version (maybe ENB?) where the land of sweets had images of a dancer leaping out of a giant fridge…. But have never seen again or worked out what/where/who company was etc…. Or was I having my own sugar-rush dream???

Is it heading further South at all?

Well that’s decided me….I’ll give RB’s SL a miss in favour of seeing this! (sorry RB..)

Rather laughable isn’t it I say ‘shortage’…. One thought of course is that the shortage refers to filling male dance positions not of course sex discrimination would prevent stating that & so by opening up to gain enough male dancers actually also opens the door to hiring international female identifying also. And I guess who can blame a director for taking the best on offer…& let’s face it, international training seems to create more advanced & with very polished solo presentation skills (often gained through doing the comp route) And it’s this high standard & skilful solos that come across well in videos to get selected to audition…. So again, some are disadvantaged as don’t have opportunity to train in same manner (& it could be deemed illegal here as we expect academic education far longer than seems ok for some overseas training). I do also wonder though how well a dancer with supersonic skills dancing principal level solos at comps can ever settle into being just 3rd from left, back row of corps de ballet in the classics for maybe years on end?

Think you need to place this post in main doing dance thread…. Look at CAT scheme based at Northern Ballet in Leeds plus I think Chantry Dance in Grantham

Yes, it still happens at pre-selection too! I can hear the phrase ‘character building’ being shouted out - ha ha! Maybe the system of audition tours that USA companies/schools adopt could be more of a thing? And I seem to recall a thing called ‘Grand Audition’ whereby you could go do a day/few days (?) & be seen by several company directors? Trouble can be with some of these things that they become a bit of a jamboree & money making opportunity & also likely have the same people who are judges at the big comps attend (they seem to all like all expenses paid overseas trips! 🤔) And so it always seems to come down to money… money to train to be high enough standard, money to coach in solos, money to have photo shoots, money to hire studios & videographers, money for flights & hotels & food to fly all over the world to attend any auditions you get invited to… & the money to be able to have the time to do this (ie. most likely not working or able to afford to be in flexible work where you can disappear at the drop of a hat - well, that’s probs part time hospitality & let’s face it unlikely to cover rent, travel, food, regular dance classes let alone the other costs listed above…!) A solution?? Well, I think if only companies could move away from feeling they have to be ‘international’ could be a bit of a start…. And to have governments policies reflect this… ie. to remove the crazy ease to hire overseas dancers when our homegrown ones are unable to even get seen at audition…(& I agree that overseas countries should do this too). Certainly at entry level. I get the whole international guest artist or soloist etc but think visas to work should require that only at a certain level should overseas recruitment be allowed (incidentally, maybe the new ‘minimum £38K I think it is a year salary for overseas work visa to UK might by default actually enable this as I’m pretty sure a corps member in any UK company is unlikely to earn that much…?) In UK I certainly think much if this having ‘foreign talent’ is a hang over from the early days of British ballet when dancers were encouraged to change name to sound ‘foreign’ with the idea that the best dancers all came from Russia etc…(Margot Fonteyn was Peggy something I think?) & so audiences ‘trusted’ foreign dancers to be worth paying money to see….when all they had to go on was advance marketing by way of posters on walls & adverts in newspapers I kind of get that….and people wanted excitement away from the norm…. But now? With all the possibility to see people & companies in advance on TV, online & share reviews & knowledge, this is not at all needed. Wouldn’t it be truly fab for instance if London City Ballet actually has UK dancers? And English National Ballet surely too???!!!

I do miss the days of good old ‘open audition calls’ without video pre-selection…. Yes, I know it could save dancers potentially thousands of pounds in travel etc but I still feel that the audition pool can get small & miss out on those who struggle to have the support (money/studio use/teacher assistance etc) to prep a decent video & also those who lack the self belief & the ability to objectively see a video of themselves as being ‘good enough’ to send out. Plus that special ‘stage presence’ or hunger to be hired can never truly show up in the tiny video clip they may watch before putting you in the invite to audition or the outright no piles. Also, dancers I am sure only travel to auditions if they have truly researched the company & job & feel it’s right for them. Plus gaining ‘in the flesh’ audition experience is invaluable & if it’s the same pool who come across well in video & get audition invites then many miss out on gaining that experience & the dance company directors potentially miss out on seeing the wider variety out there & then we audience likewise miss out on variety & possibly some true talent is just lost to us all…. This could also help explain why there is a seemingly endless supply of rather bland overly similar dancers…. Just IMHO… Fewer risks taken these days & fewer ‘break the mould’ types to stand out & make us go ‘wow’!

Out of interest what is/where is Asami Maki Ballet?

I often think it would be nice if dancers could swiftly change into the nicest of the costumes they wore in a performance for the bow! Also, where dancers double up in corps & solo parts or dance in more than one ballet in day s triple bill, I’d love it if they could take bow in the cystine twisting to their personal ‘star part’ of their evening! Would help me identify who is who too!

It would be helpful to have an indicator of the age of the recipient!

I’d suggest this is actually a positive approach to bring all parties around the same table creating open communication links & less chance for ambiguity or questions pupils or parents may have being missed…

I recently heard that they are back using Hampton Lodge after a full renovation & all new furnishings…. Kind of pleased that the legacy of the original school building does live on! I had wondered if covenants/trusts would actually make it very hard to sell…. Pleased in a way it’s still part of Hammond! I do hope staff changes etc are not negative & do hope the Carols in Cathedral return for all… was the highlight of year & one to take a grandparent too! (Book Xmas lunch beforehand in the cathedral restaurant - really good! )

I’m intrigued - need to Google these!

I’d meant to suggest the gel super strong spray they tend to use at school to get the super slicked ‘not going anywhere’ hair look!!

Oh dear - I have no idea how my post above somehow merged two lots of typing - clearly ignore the last sentence as does not relate to the heel slippage at all! Tried to edit but clearly spotted too late 🤷🏻‍♀️

A generous spray of super firm holdhairspray to back of heels/ & inside back of shoe is a good trick to help hold heel of shoe in place useful for other parts of costume era). A full on spray on ribbons/shoes before performance might really make a difference & directors may make adjustajebrd based on weather/light

Think I do need one of these!!! But then also someone to wield it as I imagine it’s quite hard to get to just the right places at right angles & right pressure yourself….

It’s hard to let dreams lead the way but better to try to follow that path when passion is there than to look back & wonder ‘what if?’ Academic ambitions are far less time/youth dependant to achieve success & often passion for this may return later on & then studying will no doubt be happier & more successful! (I was given the chance to follow my dream as long as I took A levels too…. The latter diluted the dance content & frankly both ended up pretty much a failure…. This was in the 1980’s so different times….I did then - in my mid 20’s - return to education to take 2 more A levels in one year when I was keen to study & enjoyed doing them!) good luck all!

I’ve never before heard of a massage gun….am intrigued!! Can someone please post a photo or link to item/video to show what one is/does… would be really helpful! Thanks