SplitSoul

Ticket priced were a fraction of ENB/Northern etc. Having reflected on it for a few days, my overall impression was that the performers  all just seemed so unhealthy. We were in the front row, so v close up. I think the touring means they lead massively unhealthy life styles, they are probably underpaid and exhausted. I feel for them, I really do.

I would rather pay more for a ticket and have healthier performers. But sadly, ballet already prices out poorer people and I think these cheaper events (even if lower quailty) are really important. There were a few people I spoke to on the night and it was their first time at the ballet, they thought it was magical. Shame they didn't get to see better quality, but in the end, they wouldn't have come to a more expensive show and wouldn't have seen any ballet in that case.

Looking forward to hearing others' feedback from other MCB events.

I saw Swan Lake in Birmingham tonight performed by the MCB. I am not a ballet expert, having only recently got into it through my 8 year old daughter. We have so far only seen ballets performed by BRB, so that's my benchmark (not a bad one, I suspect).

1. The orchestra was appalling. Out of time, ropey, out of tune. The flute fluffed up so many entries. The music was played in quite a flat way. Some of the tremendous climaxes where completely wasted.

2. The dancers' entries were almost all out of time, possibly because the orchestra didn't settle into the tempi, but also just bad timing from the dancers.

3. The troupe seemed tired, lacklustre and at times bored. Hardly any smiles.

4. Odette was clearly talented, but so skinny I was put off by it. A skeleton covered with skin. The only bulge was on her calf muscles. 

5. Some of the corps were clearly not up to it. They seemed to not know the steps and be copying others. Something I have only ever seen in my daughter's end of term ballet recitals.

6. Too many wobbly arabesques, poor landings and general missteps. 

7. Someone was speaking very loudly in the wings in Russian. It rather spoilt the Prince and Odette's pas de deux. Also happened in the overture. It was in Symphony Hall, not normally a theatre, so may well be OK in the wings normally, but not here.

What I did like:

Costumes were fab. Choreography was really effective. Some amazing moments from Odette and the Prince.

Overall pretty disappointing, but then again, I was in a way just pleased to get out and see something that wasn't cancelled.

We were booked for the matinee today. Gutted it's not going ahead. Really feel for the company and dancers. 

I moved to the UK for uni from abroad. I am English, and was a confident 18 year old. I did not expect to be as homesick as I was!!! But I would say after 2 terms, I had adjusted and loved it. Guess I am just saying that you might get more homesick than you expect, but that it will pass. In those days there was no face time, I didn't have a mobile and emails had only just come in, so I had hardly any contact with my family and friends. That's obvs quite different these days!

Thank you, that sounds very nice and gentle.

https://www.londonchildrensballet.com/training/christmas-masterclass/

Anyone else going to this? It's my DD's first experience outside her ballet school. She is 8.

What to expect? 

On 29/11/2021 at 09:16, Jan McNulty said:

 

Oh dear.  There was me thinking I was being thoughtful buying the "makings" for Aperol Spritz for a friend for Christmas (because she likes it!).

Oh no, I didn't mean to offend! It can be a thoughtful gift, of course. 

I try to avoid alcohol. I don't drink much myself and find it a "lazy" gift. Don't get me wrong, I sometimes resort to giving a bottle because I can't think of anything better and in the case of one friend, she genuinely is into weird and wonderful gins, so I do get her a bottle!

The idea with this gift is partly to compensate the teacher for all the extra lesson time that she doesn't/won't charge me for. So I feel like a voucher comes close enough to payment but without insulting her.

Thanks everyone for taking the time to read and reply!

6 hours ago, Aklf said:

Another idea- I make ballet themed bracelets with semi-precious beads that I have sold to many people as teachers gifts and indeed gifted to my daughters ballet teachers! 
https://www.kirstengrace.com/the-barre-ballet-gifts

 

(Hope ok to mention this here mods)

Love your stuff!!!!

Thank you so much everyone for the great tips!

Hi everyone

My DD's dance teacher has been totally amazing, and her private lessons always overrun and she never charges extra. I want to get her a nice Xmas present as a thank you.

If you are a teacher, would you like a voucher for dancewear? Or do you have your favourite cosy stuff and don't want anything too fancy/expensive?

What shop does nice stuff that teachers would want to wear? She normally wears leggings and a tight top and she has a separate see through skirt thing she sometimes puts on. I noticed her ballet shoes have a hole in.

Or should I just do John Lewis?

TIA

I am just wondering what people think.

Will there be:

a) more applicants for JA (or whatever level) this year, because covid caused a backlog

OR

b) fewer applicants because covid has caused kids to lose interest/not progress/lose fitness etc?

Thanks for all the comments. My DD is super keen, I am just minded to let her follow her interest in dance but not to let her get swallowed up by it. She has many other interests and hobbies (music, to name one) and also needs time just to play! 

3 hours ago, Lusodancer said:

She was on a set special artisitic course, that had one hour instrumental 2x , piano for her, one hour theory, and 1.5 choir. Her sister did the same and is now a MusicD in bassoon on a B Music Performance in a conservatoire.  School here is compressed and finishes early with timetable allowance made for special artisitic FREE courses from aged 10 to those with interest and talent.

Yes when we had ballet shows and  music recitals it got really testing. But I am pleased to say they never missed one, so they always got picked for all the civic events because we never let down any of the teachers. Indeed when they moved away to other schools in the capital, the local mayor commented on their absence from the line up.

The fun thing was scheduling, music normally came first , then dance, so they left  for school at 08.10 and started music at 15.30/ 1600 and then went to dance at 1800 and arrived home at 2030/ 2100, with home work done over a soup or bifana in a cafe. If you had them going in opposite directions and doing their buns in the car and changing it got fun.I suppose when I read of parent  here on this forum doing these weekend associate programs, it reminds me of those days.

We got through a tank of fuel a week. Now we use one a month. Ballet parents do not save the planet, but shush don't tell Greta. 

What country are you in, if you don't mind me asking? 

1 hour ago, CMcBallet said:

My pleasure. 
 

I forgot to reference ‘physical literacy’ which is essentially the ability to learn and recall/ utilise many complex movement patterns. 

Also, can of worms alert! 

Firstly, current set exam syllabi across the big organisations are structured very well and can ‘build’ a dancer up in a safe considered manner by layering and adding complexity through the grades. 

 

However, if a child is only studying a set exam syllabus it may stifle their physical literacy if the teacher doesn’t test what they are studying in other contexts. 
For example - giving free classes where the vocabulary is arranged in different exercises (enchaînements). This gives the student the opportunity to test their knowledge and apply it in a different context. 
 

This is perhaps slightly off topic but still a worthwhile consideration when choosing a class/ teacher. 

This is very interesting. My DD does show work as well as grade exams - usually 6 months of one and 6 of the other, although when preparing for shows they also do technique work which includes some improv.

1 hour ago, meadowblythe said:

 

 

The sight of me and my Ikea bag hand delivering books around the school  (picked with gloves on, placed in a bag and quarantined for three days on return)  is, apparently, one of the enduring memories of the last year.  Students reserve books on line (or email me) and I take them to their classrooms.  Fortunately the school has also invested in a high quality ebook scheme which includes a large wellness and mental health selection.  Otherwise my knees would have given way a long time ago under the weight of books lugged around the school site.

Oh bless you!

Thank you @CMCBallet, very interesting links and thoughts!

13 minutes ago, Lusodancer said:

At 7 , my DD was training 1.5 hours in ballet 2x per week and 1 hour 3x week in Character dance (and 4.5 hours music lessons)if not more , resulting in a gold medal win in a world competition 8 months later in national dance group dance  that set her and one other on the road to vocational  studies in the long run plus launched three medical students and three architects students, one into pschychology and another into medical sciences. The value of that world class win that was repeated with other excellent presentations in other years and allowed small town kids from the end of the world to think bigger than working in the local tourist restaurants and changing hotel beds, and with these Covid times, thank goodness.  

 

If  your DD has  the desire and stamina get ready for the ride because it sets them up for anything later. 

Wow! That is amazing commitment and achievement.

4.5 hours of music lessons as in instrumental lessons? That's a lot, specially with music practice between lessons.

Completely agree about reading! She does that a lot already, as she is in afterschool care every day until 6pm.

An aside, I have been really shocked that the library in school has been closed for corona, and bringing in books from home into the class room has been forbidden. There are books knocking around the afterachool club, but it's not a great selection.

Bonkers!

Fingers crossed all these daft rules are abandoned from Sept onwards!

The cheerleading is an afterschool club. It's either that or sitting around colouring in the wrap around room. So she does it for fitness and lack of anything better to do. I am no great fan of cheerleading, nor is she!

They don't do any risky moves, just marching and jumping around. They don't even have pom poms! She doesn't enjoy it all that much, but it's not taking up any time she could otherwise be doing ballet, and it does have some fitness value and vague relationship to dance (like memorising routine, moving in time).

So for a private lesson, would you say 30 mins, 45 mins or 1h? It's a lot more intense 1:1, I think.

Thanks everyone for responses.

The teacher has offered her to join the class above and also a private lesson, so will say yes to that.

The teacher says she has potential, to my amateur eye, she looks very "balletic" when she dances.

Thanks for tips on schemes, I will look those up!

My DD is 7.5 and obsessed with ballet and any kind of dancing.

She presently only does 30 mins of ballet a week in a Grade 1 class. She also does 30 mins each of tap and jazz, and 45 mins of what is described as "cheerleeding" but according to my DD is more like random jumping around. She also does a gym class.

She will add a 30 min Grade 2 class from Sept.

She is really keen to audition for a junior associate position. Is this enough? She wants a private ballet lesson in addition (30 mins). Is that too much? Not enough?

I know they don't judge on technique etc but I can't help but think that it does come I to it somehow.