Michelle_Richer

You are all right of course and I do appreciate your concern, I did in fact take 2 x 500mG then a further 2 x 500mg half an hour later, I did not do that lightly and yes there was some degree of risk attached to that, I was of the opinion that there would have been some degree of margin in the recommended dosage, so yes I did take a risk, but I was always a risk taker in my working life, and its always a question of judgement. I didn’t even know I could dance when I arrived at the class this morning, I had to abort both my gym and studio work beforehand, I couldn’t even do my favourite reverence piece (its different to that of the class). It was also dammed difficult putting my tights on, I really don’t do being poorly very well. In any case it was my own fault, just trying to beat time and the weather and getting my lawn done, when the mower got jammed up with cable BT left behind. At the ballet class this morning I played every bit by ear so to speak, I amazed myself that I got through it. JulieW: I will try the Ibuprofen, needless to say since those tabs this morning I haven’t taken any further medication, but if the ibuprofen is an anti inflammatory then it should help, but I’ve no more dancing now until Friday night. The injury it self is probably no more than a pulled muscle, unfortunately it does need time to heal. Thanks everyone I really mean it

Hi Fiz, I managed to survive my ballet class today but that’s was an achievement in itself. I was in severe pain in my lower back although I had rubbed in a good dollop of Biofreeze and taken 4 paracetamol’s (4 x 500mg). I think it was the fact it was to a leotard day as a result of me going in one last week, I was duty bound. As it was only Nicky our teacher and myself turned up in leotards, must be shy girls. I told Nicky about my back problem and said I would try to do the work at the barre but it was unlikely I could go any further. In the end, despite the pain I managed to do everything except the repetitive rises from fifth, that really hit me in the back and Nicky stopped me. I know my performance was along way below par, but for today I was just happy to get through everything. Overall I am so so annoyed with myself at straining my back with a lawn mower last week, I should have known better, let hope I have at least learned that lesson, Grrrrr. Next class monday, but thursdays class has two week half term break, but I have plenty of homework, back permitting.

Excellent Fiz, but it does seem a bit unbalanced though, with lots of work at the Barre, I take it that your show work is also centre work, is any of that prep yet for the show in February? My back is a bit better, I hope it hold out for tomorrow morning ballet class and not too many jumps, cancelled my dancing tonight and a conference this afternoon.

WOW tomuchtallent that really does sound fantastic. I don’t know why but over here, I think the guy are just too shy, dancing is not seen as a macho thing. About 4 or 5 years ago, I used to teach Salsa two lunch times a week at work, I did that for two years running, the money we made went to the companies charity. That was the same, could never get enough guys, but plenty of girls. One thing I can say, every senior lady within that company has learned to dance by me. It was real fun. OK about not needing to go to dance classes anymore, that’s fine if you are a follower, but as a lead, there are always far more moves than you can remember, many don’t even have names. I have a repateur bigger than most and carry a list of them. If I don’t refresh them regularly I loose them or bits and pieces of them as I loose the muscle memory. If I dance as a follower the perspective is completely different, I don’t even recognise the move but just follow where the guy leads me. I wonder what style of salsa you dance; Cuban, NY, LA or do you have your own unique style in Turkey. Last March I was in India for my company, I found a Salsa class but unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to go, as when I returned to the hotel in the evenings, I was working on procedures and documentation until after midnight, it was no holiday, but I would have loved to get a bit of Indian influence into my dance. You mentioned group merengue, I don’t understand that, we dance merengue as a fun partner dance as its so easy to do with 1-2,1-2 beat and there does not need to be any coordination of the hands with feet either. It nice to take someone on the dance floor that has never danced before and dance merengue, it really does light up there face, I love it. Salsa is danced as a group dance in the form of Ruada, not sure if you dance that there but that’s generally from Cuban style. Thanks for the Info, I will drop them an email tonight.

WOW you shouldn’t say things like that or you will find me on a flight out there, I was dancing with a lady last Sunday who had just arrived back from Turkey, she has a holiday apartment out there and spends a lot of time every summer out there. She was telling me about the late night salsa party’s. I joined a master class once on the south coast here, which was just an off-chance thing. There we had two British Salsa champions, I met them again some month later at Saint Ives in Cambridgeshire, got a hug from them both when they first see me and when I left too, the guy “ah, you the one that likes to lead”, which is very true. Sadly as a mature lady we don’t get asked to dance by the guys like the young pretty girls do, as a full on extrovert that does not sit well with me, so I soon learned to lead as well as follow. In any case there are usually more girls / ladies at dances and dance class than guy, so girl – girl dancing is very common. Last Friday I managed two dances in the same evening, I arrived at the second dance about 10.30pm, the venue was fairly full with low lighting, I see one table with people I knew but it was full, just went and said hello before I paid my entrance fee. Made my way over to an empty table near the bar, dropped my coat off, got a drink, took a couple sip’s, didn’t even sit down, collected a girl on the way and was on the dance floor with a minute or two of arriving, was on the dance floor most of the night. As one point I got an applause from the people on the table opposite where I was dancing, they were looking at me but I don’t exactly know why they were clapping. That I could never do as a graceful lady waiting to be asked to dance. Generally I wait for a guy to ask me, I don’t usually ask them, but there are exception. So I will never grow old gracefully. A few week ago, two ladies Mum and daughter, inadvertently paid me what I believe to be the best compliment I have ever had. The simply ask if I was going to the Dance at the White Hart Hotel, which I replied yes, they said “Good, then we will come too, because we know you will give everyone a turn”. I had never looked at it that way before, I know I always look out for newbie’s and take them on the dance floor, but I thought that comment was really sweet and wont forget for as long as I live. I was to go to a Salsa dance class tonight, but pulling my back last Thursday is really starting to play up now. I’ve managed on paracetamol’s all week including my new Ballet class, but its really bad now, so I think I must give it a miss even though the class is struggling for numbers and I do feel guilty about letting them down. I just hope it good enough for Ballet tomorrow, as that is the last one before the two week half term break, also it our leotard day according to our teacher, as a result of me going in a leotard last week, so I’m duty bound even if I have to crawl there. Hfbrew: Thanks for the RAD summer school info, I will check it out

Hi Fiz: What I did find strange, these were questions I specifically ask the organisers and to some degree we had a bit of an argument about the jewellery, as from my experience with other dancing, the issue tends to be bracelets with sharp edges or even long finger nails. Because I was a bit self conscious about the leotard, I put it on for my regular dance class as we usually wear legging and short tops, if it looked out of place I would rather friends told me, than strangers laugh at me, anyway my teacher had decided this week that everyone is to come in leotards, it will be a leotard day, I though that was wonderful support from her. Now I’m really comfortable in a leotard for any class, one of the ladies in my regular class said it made me look slimmer and suited me, so that was nice, she is definitely on my chrismas list. As for having the hair ties back, yes that was one of their stipulations too, but they said a band would be adequate, I didn’t need to put it in a bun, so I just used a large hair slide to clamp it straight back, that did the trick and was quick. The type of dances I go to Salsa, Bachata, Merengue, Club Cha cha and Kizomba, I wear alot of sparkley jewellery too, as these dances are hot and sexy.

Yes I agree, I guess I may as well bring it back to what Fiz started with her experience of her new dance class. Well I also attended a new dance class for the first time last night, my second weekly class. However I had mixed feelings about it, the dance studio was excellent, with one wall fully mirrored, portable extendable Barre, large room with sprung vinyl dance floor, but not very slippy. Contrary to Taxi4Ballet experience. According to their website and email exchanges, things were quite formal, however when I got there I was the only one in the stated appropriate wear (Black leotard, black chiffon wrap round skirt, pink tights and pink ballet slippers), also no jewellery was allowed, but at least one of the girls were wearing a necklace and the teacher too, including a watch. The session was fun but not very demanding, it started at the barre doing brushes forward and back, I was told I need not keep my legs straight which has been instilled in me as second nature by my other ballet teacher, I just smiled and carried on. This class to was very young, I guess in there early twenties, 4 girls and me, I’m told when everyone is there its 8 girls and 1 guy. I did get to do the odd move that I had not done before, but what was disappointing, there was no short choreographed dance sequence, as with my other class. Never the less it was fun and still had something to contribute and hopefully won’t be too long before I go up a class there. As for the teacher, I really liked her and we seemed to get on really well, as I did with the girls too.

Well it seems from the majority of the comments that we are definitely not ready for culture change, basically because we have never done it before, but its OK for swimming pools because that’s what is expected. There is still an assumption of a public audience out there looking in, rather than one or two mum’s in a secluded waiting area, remember what tomuchtallent said “she was the only mum”. I’m also assuming, correct me if I’m wrong, that the majority of these DD’s go home after class as they are not residential, if so, do they practice at home and is mum likely to watch. I guess performance there is not perfect either. I take the point about teenagers being self conscious, that’s not just limited to teenagers, I am teaching a lady privately at the moment to dance, she did not have the confidence even to attend a dance class with others, in 5 short weeks at two hours a week she will be attend her first real dance. I meet this all the time, even tonight I have been helping teach a guy in our beginners class who has attended the full course at least three times, mostly this is down to lack of confidence. So non of this is new or unique to a particular type of student, its inbuilt in the human psychy and ultimately you have to come out of your comfort zone to move on. So why not help prepare the way.

My friends, I say that sincerely as we are all part of this Ballet community,and I dont intend to offend anyone, however I do on occasions play devils advocate in provoking a debate. Firstly I have made some assumptions that don’t exist for many on this forum, that is these are dedicated purpose build Ballet schools, which indeed would or could have secure waiting rooms. But instead share facilities at schools, village halls and sports complexes. There appears to be two main issues: 1) Violation of privacy, I guess to some small degree that’s already lost when you begin a class with others. 2) Open access to all and sundry, and this is not what I am suggesting, a waiting area which in the type of establishments seems difficult or almost impossible. However I would ask you to consider as a parallel what happens in sports complexes with swimming pools. I raise this one, as my Friday night dance venue is at such an establishment, it’s called the Princess Royal Sports Arena in Boston. Anyone can view the swimming pool, girls from the pool area often cross the main concourse there as three of them did when I made my way to our dance room (the Rugby club). The reason I remember, two of the girls in there early teens did a couple of well executed cartwheels in front of me, there was another girl in her cosy was about 8. The complex itself is situated well off the road and I’m sure anyone lurking about would get noticed and reported. I guess at the end of the day, this facility has to be “Where appropriate”, but I also think, as these dancers mature they need to be confident and comfortable at being seen. After all their ultimate goal is to perform in public and present themselves well. For the younger ones, allowing a limited number a parents in to watch seems a fair compromise, however if it were possible to substitute that for a remote monitoring system, then I think that additional isolation would have merit and to the benefit of the younger dancers. As a active dancer I’m always caught on video and photo’s at dances, its become a normal part of our culture. Some dancers regard it as essential, if you’re not in the photo's you have missed something, almost like not being part of it. One question I do have out of your responses, how well are these non purpose built establishments equipped: Fixed and portable ballet barre’s. Walled mirrors Audio system. Room / hall acoustics Adequate flooring (material and size) Exercise mats for floor work Taxi4ballet: In answer to your question “YES”, many years ago we had an haulage company expend in a residential area which was totally inappropriate, My partner and I raise a petition presented to our local council which resulted in a court of enquiry involving the department of transport, where I and other residences has to present our cases against them and be cross examined by their legal council, needless to say we won and they moved out. The site is now a residential estate.

You are probably right, but lets put it this way, there are those individuals in society that are pushers or drivers that make things happen, and those that are cautious and just content to winge. If you want it, make it happen.

I’ve just had a look at their website, the breaks are for youngster only, which is a great shame. I have dropped them an email asking them to look at the feasibility of running breaks for adult ballet, starting with a one day taster. I go to a number of dance workshops anyway but not ballet, my next is just before new year run by MamboCity near Heathrow. If any one knows of any adult ballet breaks I would be very interested.

Hi tomuchtallent, Have you ever considered private tuition, it may not be as expensive as you might think, its worth finding out, there must be ballet teachers in Turkey with some uncommitted time. Its certainly something I will not rule out here, if I need extra tuition. At the moment my existing teacher is very accommodating if I need an extra 10-15minutes on something after class, I always warn her by email first, then she can always say no, or defer it to when she has more time. I only use that occasionally as I don’t want to over due it and spoil things, but she is brilliant. As for being crazy, join the club. I’m sure people at the dances I attend think I’m crazy, dancing 7 days a week with only the occasional Saturday off and doing more that one venue in the same evening. That TV facility you have is absolutely fantastic, I hope it will be a catalyst for people that view these posts to request a similar facility to view there dancing children. We have the technology all we need is the will to use it.

Hi tomuchtallent, that’s really sweet, you must be so proud of your DD’s. Like Fiz and I, you have to travel to find classes, I’m very lucky with my first class as its within walking distance, but my second class at Lincoln is about 40miles away, I start that for the first time on Monday. Unfortunately I did a silly silly thing in the garden yesterday and hurt my back, I knew I shouldn’t be doing what I did and I know it entirely my own fault. Had to stop my two hour ballet aerobic workout this morning after an hour and quarter, jumps rubbish and so is balance. I so wanted to give a good account of myself at the new class. I hope it clears up over the weekend but I don’t think it will get much chance as I’m dancing (not Ballet) all over the weekend including two different venues tonight (Boston and Stamford). I will still go, but paracetamol’s at the ready Finally, they may think your mad, but I think you are a really caring and dedicated mum, bless you.

Gosh Fiz that’s fantastic, I’m really please for you. I just hope mine go have as well when I start my new class on Monday. Today’s was OK but we have a two week break coming up, so I don’t know what I will do for my ballet fix then.

Hi Ian Sorry Ian, I guess I hogged it on floors That link is an inspiration, we have a lady of 80 in our adult Ballet class, Our teacher lets her choose between the beginners options and the little more advanced ones that some of the other girls do. But I guess 80% of the class work is exactly the same. Something which I think is on topic: Monday evening I start a second Ballet class, it’s a bit more formal than my current one. I asked this question of the course organisers: “Would I be allowed after class to video the teacher doing moves that are difficult to remember or have precise technical provisions, also the short ballet sequences that we may do. This allows me to practice them in my own studio at home. In this case no other member of the class would get videoed. Will this be possible with your teacher?”, the answer came back it would not be possible. This is common practice in other dance circles and is an extremely effective learning aid. My existing Ballet teacher has no problem with this, she is a gem. I wonder what the experience of others are regarding videoing teachers examples?

Hi Anjuli: Cola drink on a wood floor does sound desperate, are you sure it doesn’t strip the surface coating of the wood. It must also leave a sticky deposit too, hate to think of the state of the ballet shoes afterwards. I know my Latin dance shoes with suede bottoms pick up debris and the bottoms becomes smooth and shiny in places. Balletmumfor2: Never done anything in school halls, during this last year we did one event in the school playground, it was part of a garden fete with the school at the centre, they had an Olympic torch runner to open it with the Lancaster flyover, it did 3 flypasts before our dance group could get started. It was a real fun day with lots of audience participation particularly from young mums and children. Dancing does not seem to be a guy thing.

Balletmumfor2: I wonder what surfaces these stages have. I have danced on all sorts of surfaces from grass, carpet, vinyl, interlocking portable dance floors but mainly wood. When we are seeking out new venues our preference is for wood, well virtually an essential requirement for proper Latin dance shoes, these have suede bottoms too, however the heel is generally rubber. However we nearly always talc the floor to make it more slippy. I have never noticed undue slippyness in ballet class on our wood floor with ballet slippers. If we are dancing on grass, which we occasionally do at country fairs etc then its flats, For carpet, heels including stilettos work well as pivot turns become walk turns as they don’t slip at all. Stilettos on wood have little heel friction and can slide sideways so very easily.

Alison: Fantastic, it worked a treat, almost forgot about it. I did the slippers, popped the reverence track I use on, and it was brillant, will have try it on a full workout to see how quickly it wears off and how often it needs refreshing, I can restructure some of the activities to match, that is when almost dry need the extra slippyness. Thank you again.

Alison; Thanks for the info, I will try that otherwise I may have to consider changing the floor, but then it will have to do two jobs as I teach salsa other dances on an add-hock basis, I have a lady at the moment that comes for a two hour session every week. At my Ballet class at the movement we have to pay by term, the only exception is someone who starts halfway through. I have a social life too, but mine is very heavy as its nearly all about dance, as I liberally dance all over the country, the only exception is Mondays, but looks as if I’m going to close that one with another Ballet class. My Ballet class always start on time and end on time, our socialising is done at the end but doesn’t last very long. My teacher also does a Dance Fever class which is an odd combination of Aerobics, Latin, with a little bit of Ballet in the warm-up and cool down, I attend that too. Then most of us, including our teacher, meet up for a coffee and chat afterwards, sometimes something to eat too, that is a really nice social element to the end of the class and I look forward to it My other dance classes have a huge social content anyway, usually in licensed premises, where there is social dancing between classes and also when the last class is finished. Many of these start at 7pm and end around midnight. Needless to say I dance at all levels both as a lead and a follower.

Yes I think that this is common , not just to ballet, I joined one class once where I was the only person who turned up and been to a few that a faltered and failed after a few weeks. I’m at one at the moment, my Wednesday class that’s doing a trial run of eight weeks, its already showing signs of dwindling numbers. However my Thursday Ballet class seems pretty solid. I’m at a dance class / dance tonight (Salsa) we heavily promote it, by dropping leaflets at other dances and in the summer put on a shows at various garden fetes, country fairs and town events, it does pay off, but you do need to have a good core of willing dancers to make it happen. The important thing is people need to care to make that happen.

I tried another one to day that Nickie gave me, someone called Clair, appently she tried opening a course for adults but with absenteeism it was not sustainable, she has over 300 Children. So that was a bit of a flop, I must admit after a good morning I have really felt deflated this afternoon, such a long time to the next class and I really need to get on.

Hi Fiz I guess she must be rich then, or does'nt have the facility. Went to Ballet this morning after doing 2 1/2 hours workout at home, think it payed off. I was late taking up my position so I got the spot nearest my teacher (normally ist in the middle), thought Oh Sh**t, but got several not bads and only one watch that hip, some of the other girls got a bit of a pasting though, made me feel good. Think I will go for that position in the future as it does consentrate the mind a bit (a bit of motivation with a big stick). Had an email from another Ballet class but they are 40miles away, spoke to a lady on the phone, that will give me another day a week possibly two, I can organise one with difficulty but two is almost impossible with other commitments I have which involbes too many other people. I am sure Nickie my current teacher will tutor me privately on an ad hock basis, especially as I have my own studio, nearly ask her today but need to get things sorted out first, anyway Nicky will be organising any possible performancies at our local theatre so I need to keep in with her, even if im only the ugly duckling

AWWW that awful Fiz, are you in a position to fund private lessons with your old tutor, thats if she has the facility to do this. I do hope thing come good for you, Take care.

Webfoot: I am right at the beginning of the learning curve of Ballet as I only do one day a week which is tomorrow, when I found a class locally it was a dream come true as I had never do it when I was little as some in our class have, Some time back I had enquired but it was only available for youngsters. However I do dance every day except Mondays on other classes and dance socially, I was also teaching dance last night but that’s another story. In the beginning I was happy with that, it was well within my capability. One of my dance instructor’s (not ballet) mum, who was a professional Ballerina often asks after me and ask if I intended going for grading, at that time it never entered my head, but it planted the seed. Where I live there is no opportunity to do Ballet locally other than the class I already do, however after remarks on this thread, I have contacted a class some 40miles away that can accommodate me, but that’s still only two days a week. I also do a one hour Ballet workout every day without fail, even on ballet days, but that’s more about fitness than technique. As for faults at this stage I have many, but then so do the rest of the girls in my class, non want to be professionals, however it is my intention to ultimately perform as I am a bit of an exhibitionist anyway. My teacher this year put on a show with tap at our local civic centre theatre, two of the girls from my class performed in it, I’m not interested in tap. As far as I am aware she has never staged a Ballet performance, that what I would like to participate in and intend to plant the seed one day I’m shortly going to increase my daily workout significantly, I have ask my teacher to look at the plan as it will be documented and basically comment on it for approval as I’m inclined to stretch the envelope a bit. I have my own gym and dance studio at home anyway, the only drawback is my dance floor, as it was never intended for ballet, its by Harlequin dance floors and is intended to be resilient against high heels during Latin dance, which it does very effectively. However its extremely slippy in Ballet slippers and has to be used with care, especially with foot on the barre during back bends. So the frequency of my classes is not by choice, I shall simply work round it, but I have the determination to succeed meeting the objective I have set for myself. I do actively listen to what people say on this forum and even though I may play devils advocate a bit, it in my nature to question everything.

Hi SpannerAndPony Off topic what a gorgeous dog, sadly I lost mine in June this year, he died, he was a little tricolour King Charles Cavalier Spaniel, my best friend. Hope yours is still with you