TYR

3 hours ago, Peanut68 said:

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….🤔 🚗💥

 

This reminds me of when I'd been talking about this and asked my dad if he had a favourite correction from his brass band's musical director and he said...not really, and then my girlfriend jumped in and said "but how do you get better?"

Good grief. It doesn't rain but it pours.

ok I just learned the word "floint".

I...believe she was.

"This is a men's turn traditionally because it needs strength and [she points at her backside] you've got the CANNONBALL!"

I am so sorry.

"Ballet isn't a place; it's more of an energetic field. And the way you have to release that energy is like a SUPERNOVA!"

"The front does not exist, but there is always forwards"

8 hours ago, taxi4ballet said:

Several years ago I watched a documentary about Usain Bolt. Much of it showed young Jamaican runners during their training, and the difference between that and what ballet students go through was jaw-dropping. They were continually told they were the best of the best, that they were amazing and their self-esteem was through the roof. That's how to train world-beaters. You tell them how great they are, and they respond to that positive encouragement, and genuinely believe they can achieve anything if they train hard enough and put their minds to it. Failure is not an option in their minds, and they go out and win.

A couple of years ago I switched teams at work from one that was managed in the UK to one that was managed from the US, and the difference was really stark. We tend to enjoy making fun of Americans being either earnest or smiley or gung ho or all three, but just a bit of positivity and some vague idea that what I do was appreciated and important to somebody was frankly a huge improvement.

Point about locking the knees is a good one - tried to maintain the tiniest bit of flex in class yesterday and you know, it's bothering me less today even though I've done a heavy squats workout this morning.

David "President" Nixon at Central School yesterday:

"I'm not sure I'd even give a one for musicality after that. You could sing this movement - you could sing it to The Greatest Showman."

*demonstrates, singing The Greatest Showman, rather well*

So I am that guy who says not to be obsessed about stretching and to lift weights! but now I have stereotype dancer anterior patella pain (doesn't bother me in plié on both, twinges and seems stiff in fondus on that side). I have the impression my calves are ultra tight and this is communicating itself to the knee.

What's a good stretch programme and does anyone have advice?

Hubert Essakow or Nina Thilas-Mohs at Central School of a Sunday - Nina's is a crack higher and more Balanchiney

Luke Ahmet at Danceworks on Saturday mornings and some weekdays - dancey but technical and will put hairs on your chest

Anna du Boisson at Pineapple every weekday lunchtime - terribly classical for all ages (as long as you're already pretty damn good) with herself's unique leadership

The Place intensives are back!

And with them, really astonishingly weird contemporary corrections!

"Be faster than your brain can notice"

"Your eyes are now in your pelvis"

I think this thread could probably relate to this picture:

https://twitter.com/sovietvisuals/status/1671510073657421825

[JOKE]

Yes, so long as you make sure that you wear something from every associate scheme whenever you take class, so nobody can be left in any doubt that you are better than they are.

[/JOKE]

good one, that.

16 minutes ago, Alexander said:

 

Well, hmmm, going to have a bit of think about this one. Hmmmm... well beyond my meagre efforts.

 

Can we do Sarabande? Real slowly.

In any case I think Anna sees me as an agent of chaos

So you're hoping organized chaos is at least better than just chaos?

A vintage showing from Anna!

"Dance is...a conversation without words"

"In ballet, it's better to love the effort than the results because the results are fleeting but the effort lasts"

"Excited, but not frantic" (this was about piqué turns)

"You need to think about the inner circle and the outer circle, if you get it right it's an incredibly strong position" (about arms in turns in general, v good)

"sweep the leg out before the jump, otherwise it's so laboured" (jétés)

"the responsibility of any dancer is to hold their own line"

"if you're ever on stage and you can't see anything in the lights, your arms should be the reference for where everything is"

Haunting question is surely "I could get rid of the body, couldn't I?"

I'm thinking "Showing off" has got to be in the first column, "masochism" and "is Katie actually better than me?" in there too...

https://pointemagazine.com/ballet-class-pianists/

although it doesn't explain why they're so grumpy.

🦭

(This is a much prettier seal emoji than the one on my phone, in fact I think it is technically a sealion)