Michelle_Richer

Thank you Just Ballet: I have some enquiries out via email, if I don’t get any responses by next week I will try phoning but I’m not sure if they are affected by half term breaks. I’m also of the opinion, that if such things don’t exist, to create it, or at least conduct a feasibility study to determine the critical mass of dancers required to make it viable. But there is an awful lot of ground work to be done first to establish the dancers requirements and choices, unfortunately I’m basing things on my own dance workshop experience which would be difficult to draw parallels, and the basis of my experience is a venue accomodating around 500 dancers of mixed abilities with at least two choices of class for each of the four possible grades, any dancer can mix and match grades, its entirely up to the individual to choose. That’s a big venue with lots of separate rooms and teachers at an appropriate level, my last workshop was the International Cuban Salsa Congress held at a castle in Wales, the builder was run by Warner Leisure. Not quite sure how ballet would match up, I guess there would be a need for multiple grades, not sure of the number but I guess at least three. Choices of venue comes down to costing and availability of the venue, if the venue is not a specialist ballet school then there will be hire of equipment ( Audio systems, portable ballet Barre’s and mirrors plus the cost of the initial setup). Down side, floors may not be strung. Specialist venues, all this is likely to be available in one hit, I know this is available from RAD, but it’s expensive at £40 to £50 an hour for each room. I guess discounting is available dependant upon the number of room / days required, Downside accomodation will need to be arranged outside of dance school as part of package. I think the first stage is a wish list of requirements, it may be if the demand is big enough, then we may even get someone like RAD to host it, I’m just thinking out loud at the moment. What do you think? PS will try Chelsea Ballet, Any details I get I will post, not sure if we need to set up a new thread?

Flexibility and heat. Anyone that has an hot-tub / spar outside will know, its give the most pleasure in the winter. That is when you are stiff with cold and you get into a hot tub with the water temperature around 40ºC, that stiffness just melts away. Its a wonderful environment to sit / lay and do stretches in. Air Conditioned / heated rooms; This I think depends upon the level of physical activity, if its high, not only will the body temperature rise, flexibility will increase and so will the room temperature. At dances, when the dance gets going, it’s not unusual for windows and doors to be opened to lower the temperature. Just last weekend we had a constant stream of dancers going out to the main entrance to cool off, where the temperature was around 7ºC. Some of the dancers inside had the clothing on their backs wet with sweat, as Salsa dancing can be quite energetic. Where AC is present, there tends to be a cluster of people under it and a clear preference for it. I can understand that a performance that was not particularly physically demanding, the need for a constant room temperature free of draughts, in that case elevated temperature would assist flexibility should it be required. I guess at the end of the day, its horses for courses, or one solution doesn’t fit all.

Fiz: That really is a shame, it must be gorgeous to perform on stage in a really nice tutu, and a real disappointment when its less. I wish I had nice legs and waist as I’m a bit plumper than I want to be, which you can see from my photo on the doggie thread, however it will come off, I have completely changed me eating habits against the guidelines of a couple of ballet books, and as you know I’m not short of exercise, I have set a weight loss objective of 2 stone and a stretch objective of 3. My only worry is previously when I went a bit mad with fitness training, the weight loss made my face look a bit gaunt.. Morning workout this morning was a bit tougher than usual, think it was because I woke up with a stiff back. Been out tonight at one of my dance classes, its week 6 and they are still struggling for numbers, I don’t know what there breakeven numbers are but I think it must be below it, I know they were testing the water with an 8 week run. I know they said they would try some local advertising and a free Salsa party, but I don’t hold out a lot of hope. It needs heavy promotion where the dancers and potential dancer are, that’s what we do for another group I belong to do. I’m surprised there was no comments to my post #153, do I take it that we are the only Adult ballet dancers under part time training, or is it that the majority of adults like ourselves do not know of this site? Or do other sites exist, I know of critical dance which I am a member of, but its international and not specifically for ballet. Michelle x

Great video, love the way its presented and the choice of music too. However it depend what Tutucute22’s DD is likely to be doing at home with her ballet bar, as PVC is not all that rigid. The wooden rail would offer a better choice in terms of rigidity, however there are other considerations. If DD is still growing then you may have to consider raising the height of it more than once and filling unsightly holes , a commercial portable one usually incorporates this. If it’s fixed to a wall, the distance from barre to the wall is important especially if she places her foot on the barre to do stretches. If she has mirrors, the orientation of the barre to the mirror is also a consideration unless the morror is portable. As an adult dancer, I have a studio in a large conservatory with a wooden stair rail, its only fixed at the two ends, even that tends to flex a bit without a centre bracket. I do find there is only just enough room in the widow pain recess to accommodate my feet during stretches. I have a fully mirrored wall on the opposite wall which is not ideal for some ballet positions. That caused me to look at portable ballet barres, and yes they are expensive, I did buy from Ebay from a seller in the US and it does everything I want. So I think the big question, is, Is this something just for now to get DD going, or is it something she can use for her long term future. I now use both barre’s with mirroring on three walls, all for different requirements including correction of video displays to my own orientation (video display appears behind me) and floor work. Good luck Michelle

Fiz: You’re right its not the same, have you not got any influence with the choreographers/ designers of the show?, I’m sure you can put a good case forward, are there others in the same position, how do they feel?, after all you are paying for your ballet training, so you should get some say in it. Had a bit of fun this afternoon: After chatting to one of my other dance teachers about my Ballet Aerobic training plan, she suggested the possibility of adding a weight lifting bar to my pumping grand plié in second position. If you pump at the bottom end of a grand plié you can really feel it working the leg muscles. She also teaches Zumba and various other fitness classes, she did ballet when she was younger and her mum was a professional ballerina. Anyway I went to Argos and bought a spinnaker bar, the sales receipt said caution weight 20kg, when it arrived at the dispatch desk the assist said “be careful it heavy”, Another guy in a suit possibly the manager said “I can see its not for you”, I said “Oh yes it is” and picked it up. I was expecting 20kg, it wasn’t it was considerably lighter, the guy in the suit said “I can see you know how to handle that”, so I said “yes its for my ballet”, he was speechless. I gave him a big fat smile and walked off with it in one hand. I really love teasing macho guys like that. The bar was only 6.3kg. Not going to use it yet until my back is fully recovered.

Fiz: AWWW no Tutu’s so what costumes will you ware? As for pirouettes, Nicky my local teacher has already said she will not teach those, however I am sure she will give me guidance once the class has left. My other teacher Kat has started us on pirouette prep this week, so I expect when we get back after half term she will follow it through with simple pirouette exercises. I have tried at home with varying degrees of success, but I know I’m not doing them properly. Until my back is fully recovered my balance is a bit crap, I couldn’t even stand on one leg during the cool down last night without wobbling, something I’ve done tons of times before in all sorts of classes. I even go for two to three minutes on my wobble board with out any problem, so I just put it down to a little additional core stiffness. I thought I was home and dry Sunday night at my dance class, we were doing Bachata at the end of the sequence was a dip for the ladies. Before we went into it Debs one of my teacher say I didn’t have to do it. I was dancing with a really stocky guy (lot of counter balance), I was well loosened up by then, he looked at me and I said “go for it”, I went into the best part of a 180 degree swooping low back bend dip, far exceeded what the other ladies did. Debs said, that therapy seems to have fixed your back. I’m OK if I keep it mobile, but I’m extremely stiff first thing in the morning, but it clearing and no more tabs since my ticking off. Michelle x

Hi Fiz: Drive to Lincoln tonight was awful, thick fog for half the journey there and for most of the journey back. Two of the girls from last week were missing, but we had some new faces, there were 6 of us all together, all but one in there early twenties, Kat our teacher is only 28, nice enough but only focuses on the positives, I seldom get the feedback when its crap and to me that devalues the compliments. With my other teacher Nicky, you really do have to earn the compliment, so then they mean something. I’ve planted the seed for a Christmas get together for the class, spoken to Kat and one of the organisers, should be putting it to everyone after our half term break, I think it should be a flyer. OK about the tap, I guess I will only join out tap class, is if it’s a route to a performance which can include ballet. I have been to a performance which has been a fusion of several dance types including ballet and tap. You still haven’t told me about your show, are you keeping it under wraps to increase the suspense I wonder? Michelle x

Fiz: I know you will. I assume from what you have said, that you know what you have to do in the show. Are you dancing in a single scene, multiple scenes and multiple rolls, please tell me all about it. I really envy you, I know I’m not ready for it yet but I cant wait. I hope I can persuade Nicky may dance teacher to put on a ballet performance at our local theatre next year. She did put on one for tap this year and two of our ballet girls took part, they have tried to recruit me for tap but it’s just not my thing. Manage to do a full workout this morning as its ballet for me tonight at Lincoln after a 40 mile drive. PS Thank you for your comments on the other threads too Michelle x

I dont usually win anything, but heyho I've had a go.

Best give the performance of your life then and become the ballerina you always hoped to be. Then you WILL make your mark in your own history, thats what memories are made of, so go for it. x

Thanks Sheila: My studio is now reasonably well equipped and have those items you mentioned, I’m so sorry no shipping orders from me, but there will be a few bits and pieces when I get myself sorted out. The main thing I have to get now is a sprung floor. The floor I have is Vinyl by Harlequin dance floors; I originally got it so it would not get penetrated by high heels for Salsa, that it does very well. But having done ballet on a sprung floor particular with jumps, it feels completely different, both from the fall and the energy release on the next rise. Never the less I will keep an eye on your site for your new products. Michelle x

Thank you girls, he was so very special to me. I can’t leave it on such a sad note, here is a picture of happier times, Chino and I in our lounge, you can see some of his toys between the two chairs. Clearing dog hairs was always a difficult and time consuming thing, on my hands and knees with a damp cloth (more effective than a vacuum cleaner), now I don’t have to do it, but I would swap that to have him back. PS the door on the left is my dance studio.

Thanks JulieW for pointing me to this thread. My little dog Chino who has since died in June this year, has no great claim to fame. He did come first in obedience classes once, I still have the rosette. We dropped a couple of points because I gave him the command twice, he didn’t need it, it was me, I lost him the point but we still came first. Chino really was my best friend, he gave me purpose to my life when my partner died in 2005, as it felt my life and whole existence had ended. He got me out of the house to take him walks, so I met people. I had to cook for him so I cooked for myself. The world then was a very strange and unfamiliar place and I had no reference other than Chino. The down side for Chino was I was still working and he had to go to kennels every day as a day boarder, but there was little else I could do other than let him go, and that would break my heart. So we had to make the best of things, I still had my career and Chino had a second home at the kennels every day, I tried to make his pen as comfy as I could, the lady at kennels let me bring his own fluffy basket, carpet and other bits. Occasionally I had to go away or overseas for my company, that I felt very guilty about but it didn’t appear to bother Chino, I know he was well looked after, but I did really miss him. Even when I took up dancing, I still had to consider Chino, mostly he would go with me if the parking was secure at the venue, I would pop out a couple of times that evening and taking for a walk then go back to the dance. Where that wasn’t possible, that gave rise to my two dance evenings, where I would call home after the first venue, take Chino for a little walk, make sure he was OK the go on to the second venue, but times at these were always limited. I guess indirectly Chino introduced me to Ballet, I had taken Chino to our local park for a walk, On the village hall door was a notice “Adult Ballet Class, call Nicky”, so I did and the rest is history. Chino like many Cavaliers developed a heart problem in later life (there average life expectance is about 10 – 12 years), Chino’s condition was detected early monitored and medication introduced at the appropriate time. I finished work at the end of april this year so we could spend the remainder of his life together with me a home. Life was just wonderful, it was perfect. I tried to make a clean break from work, but was asked if I would continue to be a member of the board of trustees for the company pension scheme, that I agreed to. On the 13th of June I was to have a trustees meeting in London with an early start, which meant Chino would have to go in kennels the night before. The previous day we had 3 lovely walks in the sunshine, I held back for his last walk for as late as I could then I had to take him to the kennels. The ladies daughter took him into the building, Chino stopped at the door with a biscuit in his mouth and looked back at me, so as to say “do I have to go mum”, he looked so sweet, and that was the last time I see him alive. Apparently he was OK that night, but in the morning when they let the dogs out he was having trouble breathing. The proprietor took him strait up to Chino’s own vet, which gave him oxygen and medication but could not save him. I found out when I phoned on my way back from London, my only thought was to get Chino home and put him to rest. In the end Chino save me from making that awful decision that many dog owners have to make and that’s having to have their lovely dogs put to sleep. For me Chino was the best dog and companion in the world.

Sheila: it a very attractive and impressive site, love the logo too. I was a little surprised at the range you have. However I was a little surprised to see your section on “exercise and barres” , I was expecting to see something like portable ballet barre’s etc, rather than resistance bands especially as I had just bought a portable double ballet barre from the US, but that was OK. I would hate to have seen something similar or better on your site knowing I had already bought one and had to wait a long time for it delivery. It’s really a very nice site; I’ve popped it into my ballet short cuts and no doubt will be shopping with you in the near future. Michelle x

Thank you ladies, hopefully we can now put this to bed where it belongs. I was doing Bachata tonight had a really great time although neither of my dance students turned up, which was a little disappointing, but there will be other occasions. Next weekend our dance has a Halloween theme, must get something for that. Love the doggie picture, that’s new, sadly I lost mine in June this year, he was a little King Charles Cavalier spaniel called Chino, he was just under 9. He really was my baby, he was the only thing that held me together when my partner died in 2005, I really miss Chino now, but still not ready for another just yet.

Taxi4Ballet, I don’t wish to offend as I though we were all friends on this forum, but I don’t see any point in raking over old coals again. Firstly I never said YOU had an allergic reaction, I was talking generally regarding my tolerance. Secondly using you own words and criteria, if you had taken the codeine to maximum safe limits you would now be dead. Thirdly: I have come to no harm, and are clearly on the mend, but I’m not too proud to say it, possibly a little wiser from the advice from my friends here, so lets leave it at that.

Just ballet: Well I am disapointed; I thought this was something exiting “Hot Ballet”, as we give hot salsa a completely different meaning that is, to be hot and sexy. But joking aside, yes it does make sense to improve your stretch and add flexibility. Each morning until the last few days I do a two hour Ballet aerobic workout. Firstly I would go into my gym for a warm-up of body temperature but mainly my legs (treadmill) before stretching in various position including splits (as far as I can get them), I have also included some of my old Tai Kwan Du exercises such as high kicks front and back too, when I’m finished in my gym, my back is wet with sweat, at the moment its unheated. The rest of the workout take place in my dance studio, it is heated, the only bit that is not an aerobic exercise, is, reverence at the end, as that just adds a bit of style for me, and I love doing it too. Without dought self generated heat, not too sure about room temperature alone, does increase flexibility, and certainly for salsa dancing make the moves far more fluid. Once I’m warmed up I can dance for hours, although I sweat, I don’t tire, but you do consume lots of fluid.

Awww tomuchtallent, it a pity you are so far away, OK about the British expat community in Fethiye, I know my friend has danced near her apartment, but I think it was a one off. She tells me the style is slightly different, according to her there is a little hip/belly wiggle which is not in our styles. Went out this morning and got a bit of pampering at the hairdressers only to find when I got back, a message on my answer machine that the lady I have been teaching Salsa has cry off going to the dance tonight. I guess she has lost her nerve, but I do hope she continues coming to me for her dance lessons and doesn’t feel too bad about things. I have a guy too from one of the other classes I help out with, I tried to get him to go, he said he would try, but I think he may turn out to be a no show too. I guess it is a bit of a psychological hurdle, going to your first dance thinking perhaps no one will dance with you, or you feel intimidated by dancers that dance really well. But I love to see them taking that first significant step on the dance floor and gain confidence, its really thrilling knowing I made that happen.

Back to Topic: ADULT BALLET CLASSES I would like to pose this specific question which is still in keeping with the thread. That is the availability of adult ballet summer schools and ballet workshops. The reason I ask this, is, I already attend a number of weekend dance workshops for other forms of dance. I am not sure if this type of thing exists for adult ballet dancers or not. I currently have 4 enquiries running for 2013, but have not had any responces yet. If no such venues exist, I wonder how many adult ballet dancers would be interested if one should become available?.

I wonder which part of Turkey your in, I have spoken to my Salsa friend tonight and I now have an invite to Turkey, she it located at FєTHIYє. I hope I have the є symbol correct. Do you hapen to know the Salsa dancing venues close to this location. Sorry everyone for being off topic

Well it seems everyone is after my hide: Firstly I went out this evening very upset as generally I agreed with what was being said about me, and yes I do agree with being careful at what is being read by the wider audience particularly the young dancers. However I am going to challenge to following points because I personally think there has been an overreaction containing both incorrect and spurious information: 1) Reaction to medication equal to or less that the prescribed dosage is irrelevant to this argument. 2) Attempted or successful suicide again is irrelevant 3) Accidental overdose is not relevant here. 4) My ballet teacher did not tell me to exit the class, she merely stopped me from doing the move which resulted in pain causing me to cry out, I continued with all the other exercises, but she did modify the centre work for the class to exclude sautés which was for my benefit. She was fully aware of my condition and I believe she took the appropriate action. 5) The word injury has been used a lot, unfortunately that covers a whole spectrum from minor wounds to broken bones or even worse, I think it conjures up exaggerated physical damage which was never the case. 6) Keep away from dancing completely until you're better, yes that does sound like common sence, however you body give you feedback as to what is happening. As it is I too 1 x 200mg ibuprofen first thing this morning and another about an hour afterwards as I have never taken these before, I honestly think they didn’t help. My decision then was to take nothing and listen to my body. Most of the day I was resting at home and very uncomfortable. About 4pm I had to go to the supermarket, that in itself eased things considerably. I went to my dance class (Salsa) tonight with the intention of light dancing, well that was not to be, however it has been very beneficial both from flexability and pain reduction. But I must note while dancing there is virtually no back bending which was the main site of the problem. Not wanting to push things too far I left at 10pm rather than my usual after midnight. Conclusion: There are some instances where resting is not the best solution, this was one of them. I Also agree that we have drifted off the topic of “Adult Ballet Classes”

AWWW I missed the 26 Minute I thought that was its length, the position of the report is actually 26.47Minutes

Hi Taxi4Ballet: No I’m not offended at all, I’ve been around the block to many times for that. As I said in the quote you highlighted, I did not do it lightly, and generally I would rather suffer pain than take anything at all. I’m not trying to excuse myself but when push come to shove, then sometimes one has to think outside the box and way up the possible risks. At no point did I consider it was OK, also I know I was not allergic to paracetamol and probably do have a high tolerance towards it. Yes that is a sad tale Fiz, and an accident too, thats awful. Anyway today I have just taken a couple of ibuprofen first thing this morning, I am still very immobile which is getting me down. I’ve dropped my morning workout for the next few days, although I am going dancing tonight, I will not spend much time on the dance floor and will probably cancel sundays dancing in order to do Ballet on Monday,that is my only ballet class next week.

Noted, I will add a little more care in my posting in future, I do understand what you are saying. Spooky I’m really sorry I brought back those type of memories.

Look people, you are preaching to the converted, I actually agree with what you are saying, but sometimes in life its necessary to take things to the edge (with care, not negligently ). I was always one to go the extra mile.