lartiste

Out of interest - whether I agree with Michelle or not on this - is the modus operandi of the forum now going to be that if one person happens to differ in opinion from everyone else we all wade in as a gang to ensure they think in 'the right way' id est in accordance with our own personal dogma. To be quite frank sitting on the side lines this baiting isn't pleasant to observe. The forum was a nicer place when adult dancers shared their experiences of ballet in this thread without fear of retribution.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-3765557/Passion-deux-explosive-chemistry-Royal-Ballet-superstar-Natalia-Osipova-bad-boy-dancer-Sergei-Polunin.html In this article the RB principal Natalia Osipova discusses her dietary requirements for maintaining her lithe frame and in a nutshell 'salads' seems to cover it. I remember reading this article in September and being quite shocked/surprised that this constituted the staple of a diet. I mean this not as a criticism - Osipova is and has always been a source of inspiration to me. Though I think Balanchine has a lot to answer for in the changing demands on - women especially - physiques in ballet. I could be wrong and don't object to being corrected but the 1800s dancers were a far different physique than what is demanded today and I'm not sure that it's necessarily a good thing the current physique that's being bandied about as the norm looks like osteoporosis waiting to happen. I think Tamara Rojo made an interesting comment when she stated in an interview ' Just a beautiful body? That bores me to death' http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/dance/11137955/Tamara-Rojo-Just-a-beautiful-body-That-bores-me-to-death.html

Thanks LinMM that's very good news as I've always thought it grossly unfair that a good dancer should be excluded from training based on finances alone. I never realised until reading the boards how much investment -in every sense and not just financial - it takes to get a dancer on stage. I have to say I really do applaud all of the parents who support their children through the trials and tribulations of a dance career. They may never receive a standing ovation like their DDs or DS' but they definitely deserve one!

Thank you for creating this thread for quite a while now I share similar sentiments. Increasingly yes I am sadly inclined to agree that ballet has become an elitist art form the preserve now of the few and not the many. The extra tuition required to attain a suitable level to join a company - also factoring in with whatever arbitrary body requirements are en vogue, whatever tricks are in fashion etc - is an astronomical cost in my opinion. I remember watching a documentary about Elmhurst a few years back where a young child whose father was a lorry driver was asked to leave the school as his parents could no longer afford the school fees. I was wondering to myself in spite of all the token outreach programmes how many young dancers of real talent are lost because the fees are out of reach to most families. I am inclined to believe that it is the structure of current society in Britain that is encouraging this elitist attitude as a good thing and if this continues it will be to the continued detriment of the arts which have already faced all too many cuts. Amazing dancers arrive from all socio-economic backgrounds and ability of parents to pay tuition should not be a factor for consideration in supporting young talent in my opinion.

Could I ask how I go about reporting a post I find superficially offensive? I would prefer to keep politics out of the thread too when I feel personally affronted by the suggestion I have only a modicum of intelligence for my political beliefs. I haven't felt this forum to be a welcoming place for a long time the tone has very much changed. I used to love ballet, I regularly spent upwards of £100 on those grand tier tickets but I after some of the comments on this thread fail to see why I should support the up-and-coming dancers when we are to be treated with such disdain.

Apologies I wanted to edit my post to clarify that I'm not a dance professional but I couldn't find the edit button. I would advise speaking to a legal professional to see where he/she stands in declaring before or after the offer of a contract. Personally I would be swayed towards after if reasonable adjustments are required but as I'm not a legal professional I can't say this would be the correct course of action without repercussions in legal terms.

Personally as someone who is labelled differently abled the most common reason cited in the UK - that I have heard - for declaring a condition is employer insurance which I believe can be invalidated if a condition is not declared and could lead to ramifications if the employee is injured in the workplace and has not declared his/her diagnosis.That doesn't make me any more comfortable in declaring a condition given how some people can still be unwittingly prejudiced both in and outside the workplace especially being unsympathetic to conditions of psychological distress. According to the Equality Act 2010 it is illegal to discriminate on the basis of disability. While this may be UK legislature I believe there is a difference between theory and every day praxis. I would say in the end it's a personal decision that has to be made on a case by case basis. Websites such as Rethink and Time to Change offer advice on the pros and cons of the declaration of being differently abled may be worth checking out.

There is an excellent book by Gretchen Ward Warren 'Classical Ballet Technique' Now available on DVD there is 'The Video Dictionary of Classical Ballet' Both available from Amazon Finis Jhung has a very precise teaching style focusing strongly on technique - some videos available on his Youtube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQeqResmdq2tqURhHDQHdgg Hope this helps

Hi beckyl! Not sure if I can help re: ISTD but I am sure some of the better informed balletcoforum members will chip in however with reference to adult leotards Porselli has a Sky Blue Leotard with attached skirt in the sale at the moment: Wear Moi Olga https://dancewear.co.uk/products/details&prodid=848 Hope this helps

LinMM I truly hope so it will be excellent to meet you - or to meet again if we have already met. I am excellent with faces and abysmal at remembering names to my detriment I'm a very visual person! Michelle thank you for such an in-depth overview of all the courses available you're making my life much easier as to which courses to decide upon please let me know which courses you sign up for as it would be lovely to see you again I remember meeting you at BRB fondly!

No problem chaperone if I spot anything in the inbox from MK Theatre relating to ENB I will send you a PM too if that's ok?

Thank you LinMM and 2dancersmum you are both stars for posting these links to the forum! LinMM I will look up Franziska Rosenzweig asap and I completely agree next time I e-mail LRBS I may politely request an adult workshop as their teachers are brilliant and former principals familiar with a great deal of Russian repetoire on the whole! Recently Vladimir Varnara - a Golden Mask winner who has partnered Svetlana Zakharova - performed at their recital at Cadogan Hall I wish I had been there to witness it but was not discharged from hospital until the 18th December, just in time for Christmas. I also feel your pain as I also missed many classes and all workshops in 2014 including summer and easter intensives due to injury - I've been in and out of hospital twice in 2014 and once in 2013 which put paid to some of my aspirations in those years. I hope 2015 is a fantastic year for all of us in ballet terms and beyond! I have a lot of catching up to do but I know it will be worth it! Looking forward to catching up with you at, at least one of the workshops LinMM if you don't mind once it's finalised I will PM to you my workshop schedule and we can see if any of the dates intersect? 2dancersmum - sorry if this question has been covered by yourself earlier in the thread I still need to catch up - will you be scheduling for any workshops this year?

Thank you 2dancersmum I really appreciate your post! I'm printing off a copy of the application form and it will be winging it's way to BRB asap. I actually live a good 200+ miles away from Birmingham but I'm always dotting around the country in pursuit of the next ballet experience I'm a balletomane in every sense lol!

Chaperone sorry to jump ahead of Michelle and I hope you don't mind my answering the question but I attended the excellent ENB MK course and I believe there was another similar course scheduled Easter 2014 again at MK Theatre as I subscribed to the theatre newsletter and received an e-mail about it. Fingers crossed that something similar is arranged for 2015

My new year's resolution for 2015 is to surpass the level of ballet knowledge acquired in 2010 and 2012/13 when I was at my peak. 2014 has many highlights - classes at the Royal Ballet School and London Russian Ballet School - but 2015 I have decided is going to be The Year, With that in mind I am investigating: City Academy Workshops Danceworks Masterclasses English National Ballet Workshops LAB Summer Intensives McAlpine Ballet Crystal Ballet Easter Swan Lake Workshops Full Time ballet training - please this be the year! Royal Ballet School Classes - please, please with all fingers crossed that these classes are reinstated Possibly jollying across to Capezio Peridance or Sunking Dance in North America As I've been out of the saddle in terms of workshops this year - are Birmingham Royal Ballet still running adult classes? I remember attending an excellent Aladdin 1 1/2 hour evening class/workshop at the BRB studios back in early 2013 and I was wondering if anyone knows off the top of their head whether these continued in 2014? Compared to when I first started a summer intensive at The Place in summer 2010 there are so many options for adult dancers now as to be completely spoiled for choice in the UK it's an excellent position to find oneself in! A further resolution is to catch up with all the goings on of everyone I have missed by catching up with this thread. I have already started picking out the leotards I would like for next year Bloch do an amazing range at the moment and not just their Mirella designer styles as do Wear Moi. Again compared to when I first began to seriously commit myself to ballet even in terms of adult leotard fashions there is so much selection I really feel the opportunities opening up to older dancers can only be seen as a positive thing!