Angela Essex

Yes that was him! He’s a lovely dancer.

Yes @JohnS I thought it was Olivia Cowley too. There were two ladies who I couldn’t stop watching (maybe Katharina and Marianna?) they were just beautiful dancers. Also the male dancer in white (maybe James Large?) really stood out for me.

Thank you - he was fabulous!

If anyone was at the RB Class on stage today I’d be very grateful if someone could please let me know the name of the male dancer who did the amazing grand allegro (there were multiple, but the dancer I was thinking of might be Joonhyuk Jun?) Many thanks in advance.

I’ve only been watching ballet since lockdown lifted so I’m not at all knowledgeable about ballet pairings, but here goes: my favourite dancers are Nunez, Takada, Hamilton, Anna Rose O’Sullivan, Kaneko, Bracewell, Clarke and Sambe. So pretty much any combination of those would be amazing. Especially Kaneko/Bracewell. For some unexplicable reason Vadim does not fully do it for me (I feel like that is an utterly absurd and unfounded statement given that he is excellent, but something isn’t connecting for me) so top of my wish list is to see Marianela dance a lot more often with William Bracewell and Reece Clarke. Also, I saw Olivia Cowley dance the Arabian a couple of years ago and the performance blew me away. I know she’s not a principal but I just love watching her - I find her so mesmerising. I’d love to see her dance with Reece or Will Bracewell. Finally certain times I’ve see Megan Grace Hinkis (eg as Gertrudis) she has been amazing. I’d love to see her dance a main role again soon, but I can’t think what or with whom.

Oooh I love it when I see dancers do that - I wish I could do even one pirouette like that. If I could I’d die happy 😂

I’m 47 and doing RAD intermediate foundation on 15th July if that helps 😊

Gosh it really does sound like you’re both doing it tough at the moment @Michelle_Richer I hope Aidrian’s treatment goes well and that better times come soon.

Ours didn’t get put on at all (Basildon). Lots of elderly people trying to make it down the steps in pitch black as the credits rolled. Luckily no one fell down the stairs though. Agree with what others had said. I could watch Marianela all day - she is perfection and so joyful. Would have liked much more Vadim and less ugly sisters too. I think the film relay focused close in on ugly sisters a lot whereas in person they’d be less prominent as one could watch the whole scene. Summer was my favourite fairy - Melissa Hamilton was beautiful.

Miss Suzie on ballet running: ‘try to look elegant, not like you’re running for a bus’ 🤣❤️

Totally agree @jmhopton

Hi All, I’ve got a date for my RAD Intermediate foundation - 15th July. Not finished learning Variation 1 and Allegro 2 & 3 aren’t at the standard of a pass yet 😭please send help!

Yes I’ve got the Marianela/ Vadim DVD from 2017 and Kirsten McNally as Carabosse disappears into a trapdoor covered in dry ice.

Same! Started dancing about 2 years ago now. It’s physically hard and annoying that at 46 I can’t do what I could’ve been able to do if I’d of started in my 20s or even 30s but at least I found ballet at all. How long have you all been dancing?

Thank you. Maybe I’ll have to practice upstairs where the floors are boarded or in the garden. I’ve been doing one of the allegro exercises (allegro 1) on my yoga mat or on the rug on the cement floor but I’ll stop now as I don’t want to do myself any damage 😊

Hello everyone I’m wondering if it is safe to practice petit allegro jumps at home? I have a cement floor covered with vinyl and would like to practice jumps (allegro1, 2 and 3 for RAD intermediate foundation) at home. Is it safe for my joints to do this (I’m 46)? If no what sort of flooring would I need? Hoping someone knowledgable about such things will be kind enough to advise me. Thanks in advance.

Not this term @EverHopeful - my teacher has said I’ll be doing my intermediate foundation in June, but I don’t think she’s entered me for the exam yet as I’ve still got allegros 2 & 3 to learn and the last bit of variation 1. Enjoy your exam preparation - I think anyone doing exams as an adult deserves a medal. Ballet is hard, let alone when, as in my case, it’s not something you’ve done in the past.

Yes wasn’t it just. Love the way the whole house erupted into cheers after Marcelino’s solo and the way he gave a little triumphant ‘nailed it’ flourish at the end of it 🙌🙌🙌🙌

What a beautiful, heart warming story John. Than you for sharing. Such a lovely thing to do for your wife and very kind hearted of Laura.

Hi Rob, It’s yours - just replied to your PM.

Ticket is central balcony standing Row D. £12.

Wow those are fantastic results Viv especially the 9 for barre 😮🙌🙌🙌 you should be very proud ❤️

Yes it really was wasn’t it? Francesca Hayward & Marci Sambe were utterly sublime. The score is amazing and the set design and lighting out of this world. Laura Morera danced beautifully and her acting was top notch. Meghan Grace Hinkis as Gertrudis - wow, wow, wow she is amazing in that role. A privilege to see. I really do hope it comes back to ROH soon as I’d love to see lots of other casts. It’d be great to see Marianela as Tita or even Gertrudis. Got to say it was pretty raunchy compared to every other ballet I’ve seen though (which isn’t that many to be fair as I’ve only been going since lockdown lifted). Can’t actually believe Marci and Francesca were both topless at one point 😮 I love seeing backstage before the performance- spotted Alondra walking across with her son - lovely to see a workplace that acknowledges the importance of family life - good on you ROH. Unfortunately where I was the film stopped midway through tita & pedro’s pdd in act 1 scene 5 and rewound to earlier in that act but when it got to the pdd again it cut to the interval so didn’t see all of the act 1 scene 5 pdd and the whole of act 1 scene 6 was missed out completely. The cinema manager told us it was nothing to do with the cinema and that everyone everywhere watching would be having the same issue as the fault was with the broadcast from roh itself. Not sure if that is true though so I’d be interested to know if anyone else experienced similar this evening.

🤣🤣 yes or how not to hold the thumbs - “not like your holding a beer - you can hold a beer at 8 o’clock after class” or “hands lightly on the barre - not like you’re pushing a trolley in the middle of Lidl” love it 🤣

🤣 yes it’s gone up from £1 to £1.50 so a 50% increase - well above inflation 🤣🤣🤣