FullContretemps

Haha Lin it was a typo! I meant hip construction - I am guessing that the shape of the pelvis will mean there is a physical limit to possible extension height but I may be wrong as I don't know much about anatomy!

I found this video by Jon Still about the making of the new syllabus music really interesting. I had been wondering about why they had chosen to include the wide variety of styles/instruments etc, being by nature something of a lover of tradition (and I just like piano music). The video made me think again and see the merits, and also the huge amount of work over years that has gone into it! And coming from someone who is such an intelligent, thinking musician who really understands dance like nobody else I have met it added extra weight to know how thoroughly they have thought everything through and the journey they went on to create the music. I think as dancers we can often take the music, especially syllabus music, for granted so do take a minute to have a look! http://pilot-rad.org.uk/news/the-rad-syllabus-a-musical-journey Edited to add link - duh!

Lin brisees are one of my bugbears too! They just seem like very hard work and never seem to look nice when I do them (unless it is a massive one with lots of momentum from the preparation). I think maybe I find it hard to get off the floor enough to get the second leg up to do the beat. They work better with a cheat I have discovered myself doing of taking a little extra step with the front foot (if doing a brisee over) to 'push off' from, so now trying to make them work without doing that! With regards your question about how far they travel I have been asked to do them differently (with different dynamics is maybe a good way of explaining) in different contexts. In petit allegro they tend to be smaller and more on the spot; in grand allegro more travelling. But that is only from thinking back on free classes so feel free to correct, those people who actually know! I have issues with back flexibility/getting leg up derriere too - it goes up at the front fine, goes up-ish in second but I need more strength to get it there slowly/keep it there but derriere feels very restricted. Trying to work out how much of it is hip contruction and how much I can work on it. Anjuli's exercise sounds really good so I will be trying it as soon as mean tendonitis has gone away and I am back to the studio properly! Edited to add last paragraph

Haven't been to either yet (hoping for YBA this summer finances permitting!) but I live in York and one of the committee for York Scholars is one of my regular teachers. Yorkshire Ballet Assembly is the summer school in Escrick, which is run by the same people as the York Scholars scheme (http://www.yorkshireballetscholarshipcentre.com/) and the Yorkshire Ballet Summer School (YBSS: http://www.ybss.co.uk/index.php) is separate. YBSS is run by Marguerite Porter and the contact address is Richmond, Surrey so maybe related to Elmhurst or something? Someone else will be able to tell you about that! It's a bit confusing but hope that helps! Edited to say sorry I was posting at the same time as picturesinthefirelight

Of course we are interested do you even need to ask?! Just need enough space to try it out!

Haha glad I am not the only one with this problem! I have managed half a week of my enforced 3 week (!) break so far. I wasn't the one to make the connection but my family have pointed out I get really grumpy and depressed when I don't dance for more than a week or so. Oh dear! Will also be sitting on YouTube lots, trying to distract myself by enjoying time with family I haven't seen for a while, and mostly being a menace by trying to do pirouettes and penchees where there really isn't enough space, and probably destroying a few things/people in the process (have been know to break fridge handle off with my knee trying to do pirouettes in the kitchen!). Good job my family are used to my flailings and having to walk over the stretching me that takes up the whole free floor space in a room!

Haha I only threw in foot size because I always feel like I don't have time to stretch my feet on quick petit allegro exercises. (I have 6 1/2 feet and am 5'7") It feels like I don't have time to get far enough off the floor for them to stretch before the music says I should be down again! Probably just because I am lazy though This is all getting very interesting!

Maybe that explains why I tend to be slightly ahead of people. I thought it was just because I wanted to be bang on the music, but maybe I'm starting early (esp on jumps like you say) to try and give my legs and long feet time to fit the jumps in. I'm 5'7'' and she is taller than me. The annoying exercise is an adage one so doesn't really apply there but fascinating stuff to think about. Do you think it's a habit to try and kick or is it necessary in order to keep the jumps in time?! Or sometimes OK and sometimes not? On a positive note, we had a really good class with her today. Only 3 of us so we worked really hard and she gave us loads of good and useful stuff to work on and I tried to show her I was enjoying and working hard on the corrections so hopefully she'll forgive any forward-ness that might have escaped yesterday!

Yes she is tall Anjuli! I certainly wouldn't have thought of that! Yes I've tried the 'I don't quite understand' method and it often does work to get things sorted out (especially as it's just as often me that's got it wrong as her when it comes to steps/setting) but sadly not this time! As drdance picked up, though we regularly refer to the written syllabus if you just can't count it time it's not that helpful, but the DVD idea might be useful. One other student picked something up off the DVD that we'd all (including the teacher!) forgotten about and that was fine, so might see if I can get hold of a copy to look at. In answer to some of the other questions, she is pretty experienced but a bit insecure which is why I don't feel I can be too pushy in class. Perhaps I'll see if I can look at it on the DVD and then find a moment with just her or at one of the adult classes where she feels less under pressure to always be right!

Thanks for the responses She does teach us this class regularly - twice a week for at least the last year though we sometimes do free instead. It's not usually that she doesn't know the syllabus (if it is we usually do things like you have suggested, say we don't understand and get her to check) but particularly on that exercise she knows the count it's supposed to be on but just counts it in the wrong place! Legs eleven I do go to another teacher twice a week too, for a different examining board but I do really enjoy both teachers, seeing the different insights etc as discussed on other threads so I don't really want to leave her (they are the only 2 teachers teaching at this level in our city). Guess I will just grin and bear it and try and explain every now and then at a good moment!

I have just come out of class and my usual go-to person for rants wasn't there so sorry if this turns into a rant! Does anyone have any tips on how to work with unmusical teachers?! One of my teachers is a great teacher in most ways - technique-wise etc but she is unfortunately not very musical. It's not her fault - she tries but it's just not the way her brain works and I'm not sure whether she's even aware that it's much of a problem. As someone who is naturally musical and mathematical, came into ballet via music and has a music degree, this sometimes causes me issues! Mostly I can switch off the pernickety part of my brain to work out what she wants us to do rather than what she says she wants us to do but occasionally there are problems with syllabus work. We are working on Advanced 1 RAD at the moment and one thing that bugs me is that every week she tells us a different timing for the ports de bras on the plies and gets frustrated when we don't do what she thinks that week that we should be doing but at least she is sometimes right and I think we're finally coming to an understanding in the class of possibly how they're supposed to go (if we all do it together sometimes she doesn't notice if it's not what she thought it should be!). But on the fouette and rotation exercise it drives me up the wall because there is a fouette on count 6 where you have to whip round (surprise surprise!) and she keeps on repeating that it's on 6 but she counts 6 on 5 and a half! And then gets annoyed if I do it on 6. I've tried trying to explain it to her but don't want to get too forceful because I don't want to be disrespectful, especially in front of the class, and I know there's relatively little chance of actually getting her to understand that she's not counting the counts evenly. Do I just grin and bear it and do it on 5 and a half and pretend that's right (the OCD part of me dies a little every time...) and then just do it on 6 in the exam if I ever do it. I don't really think doing it on 6 anyway is an option because that annoys her (I think she sometimes thinks I'm awkward - probably because I do point these things out though I try to do it in a respectful way!). Or try and talk it through after a lesson but I just don't think she'll understand! Also, because I also do adult tap with her and there's another musician in that class and sometimes there are different words used between tap and music - accented/syncopated/dotted rhythms etc - she just thinks it's a 'musician' problem and that I am not understanding her and that I am wrong! So, sorry for the long-winded post, but does anyone have any advice for how to work with an unmusical teacher?!

Thank you everyone! The Russian one is the one I was thinking of but will give her the details for all of them and she can chose. So glad to have a bunch of great helpful people here!

I remember a while ago there were some discussions of a school in or near Bristol (I think) for adult ballet but I can't find it using the search tool (excuse my incompetence). I think David somebody went there and one or two others I can't remember. Can anybody shed any light on this? It's for a friend who lives in Bristol who used to do ballet when she was younger, just recreationally, and is looking to start again - probably just a once-a-week hobby thing for her but I thought somebody here might have some pointers to some classes even if not that school. Thanks for your help!

On it

Definitely ask her teacher, especially as she's so new to pointe, but on the subject of 3/4 shanks I have to say I love them. I dance as a hobby but 8 hours-ish a week and have been on pointe since about 16 (now 24) and my most recent pair (Gamba 3/4 shanks) are my favourites I've ever had. Because I don't have a very flexible ankle or high arch - only just flexible enough to allow me to do pointework - they are the first pair that it didn't take me about 6 months to break in and I can easily feel like I'm right on top of them. But my feet are of a strong construction and I am used to pointework.

Not sure if we met. I don't remember discussing flutes with anyone... I was front of line A2 for the waltz if that helps! Who were you?!

Stop taunting me I'm already missing it enough after this week and now I'm back in exile in the North

I'm sure there is someone short called Louise around the place but couldn't tell you exactly which one she is! So many people to try and remember! Really enjoyed today though - lots of hard work, interesting discussions and I'm 99% I have never sweated so much in one day before... Or worn a tut u in so many different ways...

Yes it is Tom Linecar-Boulton. He is fantastic! And the pianists absolutely brilliant! Having lots of fun Haven't run into any other Ballet.co-ers except Michelle yet though. Will have to try and hunt you out. I'll be wearing bright red tomorrow so come and say hi

They gave us a couple of options of where to get them but I think as long as they look pretty much the same it's OK. Have they narrowed leotard colours down to white then? Because I'm sure I read white or pastel and mine is a pale green colour so hope I'm not the odd one out or have to order a white one I'd probably never wear again...

Bag already packed (!) as I'm going on holiday on Friday and not coming back to my house before then. A form of procrastination as dance bag was easier to pack than holiday bag will be! Sadly I'm not coming to the Weds night because of commuting but I reckon quite a lot will be. Not long now!

I did think it might be a dodgy idea taking stitches out. Have also realised it would probably have the same effect changing the straps as the fabric under the arms will gape, but I might try the idea of inserts - could even make it look a bit extra special. Thank you all

A question for the more sewing-gifted amongst us. I've been looking for a specific colour leotard which is surprisingly hard to find and ordered one to try on which might be possible. It's a Capezio low-backed one with a gather at the front and back and fits quite nicely in most places which is impressive in itself as most leotards don't fit me! I'd like to change the straps so they cross over at the back (they are adjustable but just go over the shoulders so if I move them it would help them stay on better and hopefully get rid of the funny bend in the line of the back where the shelf lining is attached) which I don't think should be too difficult unless I need to find a matching elastic if the current ones aren't long enough. My main question, though, is whether it is possible or wise to undo the front gather. Because it's a v-shaped front it comes quite low and I am rather well-endowed for my size so prefer straight/scoop tops. Would it work if I just undo the stitching or would it leave holes/marks and would the fabric just pop up into a sensible smooth shape or would it just look hideous?! Many thanks!

I've always been able to get them at local shops - originally Basingstoke but that was many years ago and I think the shop is gone now, but this year got some at a local shop in York. Maybe they just still have old stock because they are smallish shops but could be worth trying local shops. I had Blochs in between and never liked them so will be sad if I can't get hold of Gambas in the future!

I only know of two places in York - Linfoots on Walmgate and Fancy Dance Shop on Micklegate. I have bought from Fancy Dance Shop but only once I knew what I was doing. Being a local shop they don't have a huge selection though they are willing to order in if you want, but for at least the first few pairs I'd go over to Leeds. If you do go to Fancy Dance try and get the older lady (I think the younger is her daughter) as she seems to have more of an idea. I haven't been to Linfoots for a few years but when I went before they didn't seem as informed as Fancy Dance. Whereabouts are you based Boogalou (if I'm allowed to ask...)