DavidW

As I mentioned to PointyToes22 above - I got in! Am really pleased and excited I also heard back from my RAD class last week: they say I can come back for classes "for the time being" until they start rehearsals (although they conveniently told me this the day *after* term had started and two weeks after I rang them to check). They also joked that I "better start looking for other classes" which I didn't find particularly funny - that's what I've been doing for the last three months! I'm back there tomorrow for my first class back (I reckon I'll have most likely forgotten all the RAD syllabus!) and I'm just happy that I get to take class with my amazing teacher again. One things for sure, if it wasn't for the amazing teacher I don't think I'd go back!

Pointytoes22 - well it lasted 4 hours... but they asked me to join! The teachers are both really friendly, class was at the perfect level to stretch me without being completely lost (which was good as in centre they kept swapping lines so I spent a few exercises front and centre!) and we started learning some rep: Swan lake Act II with the three lads learning a cool Van Rothbart solo (involving cool things like grand saut de basques en manege, attitude pirouettes and so on) and the girls learning the corps Swans part. Needless to say I can't wait for the next session in two weeks time! Porthesia - hello! Just talked to your dd on twitter - hope she's settling in well! Fiz - Oh no! That's awful news! Any idea why? I really hope there's another school nearby you can join...

Thanks Anjuli - looking forward to reading the rest of the series!

Personally my highlights were: Royal Ballet: Romeo & Juliet (Cuthbertson/Bonelli), La Sylphide (Rojo/Trzensimiech), Sweet Violets (2nd CastL Gartside et al), Prince of the Pagodas (Nuñez/Kish/Rojo) English National Ballet: Rite of Spring, Apollo (Muntagirov), Suite en Blanc ABT: Swan Lake (Semionova/Hallberg) National Ballet of Canada: Song of a Wayfarer (Côté/Kovalina) ROH2: Metamorphosis (Watson) BalletBoyz - The Talent: Void And I'm sure I'm forgetting some others. All in all a great season I think!

Fantastic article Anjuli! I was in a similar position two years ago and here are a couple of things I would add. If you're a guy, don't be worried if you are the only man in class. Who cares?! And don't be worried if you're getting a lot of attention from the teacher - the fact you're 'different' to the rest of the class can sometimes make you stand out to teachers. I've heard from some female dancers who get really annoyed at guys for this phenomenon, but there is nothing we can do about it so embrace it! I realise that I'm lucky in getting that little bit of extra attention so try not to waste it and make the most of it. I try to ensure this by writing my corrections in a 'dance journal' (i.e. notebook) straight after class as well as any imagery or exercises I found particularly useful (for example, an image about water running down my arms helps me get a nice second position). For guy's attire, standard uniform is black tights (with a dance belt! There is no excuses here, it protects you as well as stopping you being indecent!) and a white top (as an adult you generally don't need to worry about wearing a leotard). Black shoes are standard (though some schools may want you to use white ones) and guys pretty much always cross the two elastics when sewing them (compared to some girls who just have one strap of elastic going across the top of their foot). I don't know if there's a reason for that or not, but it seems traditional. And if the attire is a bit intimidating I'd recommend checking out the free e-book on BalletForMen: http://www.balletformen.com/free-e-book/ (I'd also recommend buying the physical copy from Amazon - it's the same as the ebook but you'll be supporting the website). Hope that helps if there are any guys out there wanting to start ballet!

Awesome - will hopefully see you there PointyToes22 if I make it through the audition!

I'm very pleased if the Royal Ballet decide to screen the Ashton Quintuple (or is it Sextuple?) Bill - I agree completely with patsomerset that the Royal Ballet season is a little too 'predictable'. Indeed, having seen Nutcracker and Alice last season it is unlikely I'll head to the cinema (where a ticket is around £15). I am surprised they didn't try to capitalise on the new audience from the Carbon Life Triple Bill and broadcast the McGregor/Wheeldon/Scarlett Triple Bill.

Just been in touch with the YBC and having my first/audition class on the 9th September - am both excited and nervous!

Thanks for all the lovely messages everyone! Robin64 - I did indeed enjoy the Summer School! Not only were the classes fab but I was also staying with some pre-pro dancers on the advanced course which made it a really fun week outside of the scheduled classes Jaylou62 - Nice to know there'll be a friendly face! I've not done all that much Russian technique (my classes in the US were loosely Vaganova based but I have mainly been doing RAD here in the UK) so am rather nervous. Hopefully it'll all go well!

I came here to say exactly the same thing JaneL! I was so happy to see it rewarded at the Oliviers and hope it does just as well across on Broadway. Well worth watching!

Thanks everyone - I will be sure to update you all! This will be the third repertoire group I'm in - with three big gala performances in Spring 2013 (e.g. one performance has 3 PdD's and a Pd5). Let's hope my brain doesn't confuse all the choreography!

I posted a few weeks ago in a different thread about being asked to leave my current dance school for 6 months whilst they prepare for a school show in March and how I was rather hurt by this (and the way the school went about it). I'm happy to report that I've been in touch with two local schools and got some great replies. The first has replied to say I'd be welcome in their Intermediate classes and their Adult Advanced/Open class (all taught by the owners son: ex-RBS and professional dancer). The second (suggested by BalletCo-ers) replied asking if I'd be interested in joining their Youth Ballet Company which meet every other Sunday and have an ENB Principal as their Patron (and she occasionally teaches Masterclasses!). And (amazingly) none of these clash with my current classes and rehearsals. So, all in all, a rather horrible situation has turned into two fantastic opportunities. The only question now is, with 10+hours of ballet a week, when on earth am I going to do my PhD work!

It's worth noting that if you have Sky Anytime+ (don't know how widespread this is; my parents have Sky+ HD and have it) you can go to "Channels" then "Sky Arts 2" and find a load of full-length ballets on demand: RB Swan Lake, RB Bayadère, SFB The Little Mermaid and many many more! You click on them, they download to your planner and you can watch them for free! Awesome!

I sat front row for Matthew Bourne's Cinderella a couple of years ago (think it was AA or BB) and struggled to see their feet whilst being considerate of the people behind me...! Reckon Row A should be fine though.

I second pretty much all that has been said so far! As a guy, here are some specific points if there are any guys in the class. First off, try to make sure they're integrated in the class - I've seen a few adult classes where the men (or man!) are warming up separatey to the women. I know as a teacher this might be hard to do but it's just something to be wary of. Don't be afraid to treat them slightly differently: I've had teachers who only let the men get the portable barres out, makes sure the guys stand a the back during centre, and make all the guys go together in exercises across the floor. I actually quite like this! If at all possible try to (every once in a while) include some "guy steps" - I had to wait until I started RAD classes before I tried a tour en l'air. And if you have a live accompanist you can get them to play slightly slower when the guys are jumping. Also, try not to heavily include lots of feminine moves (eg 3rd arabesque arms, bouréeing across the floor) or include alternatives for the guys - as I've grown more comfortable with ballet I'm now managing to make these kind of moves a bit more masculine so it doesn't bother me anymore, but they can be off putting for newcomers. Hope that makes sense - in short I guess it's just to realize that guys are a little different to girls It's often a bit harder for a guy to join adult ballet classes so it's just to be aware of that Good luck with you qualifications!

Thanks for the suggestion guys - I'll definitely get in touch with them. I don't know whether I'll be able to fit in the time to head to Bristol for the third time each week (I already go for two different performing groups) but will see! I notice on their website they offer an Adult Ballet class and also a "Boys Class" which I would definitely be interested in (got to work on those double tour en l'airs!). Will let you know if I manage to fit in some classes there!

Thanks for all the support guys! I'm more bothered about missing classes than the show (I perform with an adult group in Bristol and have a big performance coming up in December so I'm not missing out too much, though it would have been nice to have been asked) and hopefully something will get sorted. I'm going to call the school this coming week and see if anything has been decided. Otherwise I guess I need to go dance school hunting...

I know a little of how your DD feels. I (24yr old guy) was taking RAD Intermediate classes at my local school with the most amazing teacher (ex-Royal Ballet Principal). I've been working on the syllabus for about 8 months now and have it all pretty much down except for the variation. Then the secretary of the school takes me aside before my last class before the summer break and tells me that the school is putting on a show in March (for which I obviously mustn't have been considered for participation) and as such they think I should "take a break" and leave the school for 6 months or so until it's over. It actually really hurt when she said that - I've worked really hard to master the syllabus (I only started ballet/dancing a year before I started taking the RAD Intermediate classes) with the ultimate aim of taking the exam (my first ballet exam ever) and it all seems to have been a bit in vain. The teacher thinks it's a bit ridiculous that I have to leave and has even offered private lessons, but being a postgraduate student there is no way I can afford that (she's not exactly cheap!). The school said they'd make a final decision at the start of September (which doesn't exactly give me too much time to search for other schools). It's so frustrating, it seems being a 'serious' recreational adult ballet dancer is one obstacle after another! I hope you DD finds somewhere else or the school sorts out a venue.

I'm unsure whether the length is the issue (it seemed to fill the middle section of the triple bill quite nicely and was, I'm sure, longer than Ballo della Regina in the recent RB La Sylphide bill). I imagine the real problem is getting two technical and charismatic performers for such an intense performance (following in the footsteps of Nureyev). They now certainly have one in Zdenek, they just need to find another!

I was lucky enough to catch Guillame Cote and Zdenek Konvalina perform Song of a Wayfarer at National Ballet of Canada last month (whilst passing through Toronto for a conference - perfect timing!). In a very strong (and varied) mixed bill it was sandwiched between Elite Syncopations and Chroma. For me, Song of a Wayfarer was the stand out performance of the night - if not my stand out performance of the season (out of performances from RB, ENB, ABT and NB of Canada). It is a rather dark and intense male pas de deux which, for me, spoke of a man battling against his conscience, or perhaps his inner demon. A demanding piece for the dancers (neither leaving the stage for the duration) and set to some stunning music by Mahler the piece blew me away. I certainly hope it gets a chance to be performed here in the UK. Obviously with it now in Zdenek's repertoire it would certainly make sense for Tamara to place it on ENB - I wonder, however, if it is enough of a 'seller' to warrant inclusion in today's tough financial climate, especially if there is the added cost of Cote (who is superb) guesting. I hope she is allowed to take such a risk! I think Muntagirov would be great in the 'innocent' role also. I feel it would be a safer bet at the Royal Ballet where they could absorb the financial burden of a lower turnout for less well-known triple bills (at least that is my uninformed impression!). I could perhaps see Bonelli and Watson in the more 'innocent' role alongside perhaps Acosta or Soares as the inner demon. Allowing for non-principal dancers to be given a chance I think Dawid Trzensimiech would be superb to inject youth into the piece. Anyway - a fantastic piece that I think would well deserve a place in a UK company's repertoire! (EDIT: Bits and pieces of bad grammar - oops!)

In the Opening Night Cast for Sweet Violets there were 7 Principals out of the 8 named parts! There was another 2 principals in Polyphonia and I can think of at least 5 in Carbon Life. Can't recall a night quite so Principal-star-studded

I (24) am off to Ballet Cymru on their Level 4 ballet SI. They do a week long `general dance' SI (at various levels) the week before followed by a week of ballet SI's ranging from pre-pointe to pre-pro.

My school tends to move people straight from Intermediate into "Advanced" but this consists of a fairly 'open' class (mainly off-syllabus) that gets more specific when students are working towards a particular exam. Although I guess the option of doing Adv Foundation is there most people seem to go straight on to Adv 1.

Fantastic pictures! (Although I think it was Brian Maloney as the King of the South in the rehearsal, not Ricardo Cervera?) I personally thoroughly enjoyed both the rehearsal and evening performances of The Prince of the Pagodas. Whilst not a perfect piece there are some truly fantastic bits of choreography, in particular the pas de deux sections in each act. Fantastic performances by the principals in both casts and great supporting dancers too. The Belle Rose's were both beautiful, the Belle Épine's deliciously wicked (and Rojo rather sultry too!) and the Prince's were heartbreaking (both Bonelli and Kish giving superb protrayals as the Salamander in Act II). The Fool was a much larger role than I expected and Zucchetti (a late replacement for Paul Kay in the rehearsal cast) and Campbell gave great character to it. The highlight of the day, however, was undoubtedly Marianela Nuñez. Giving a truly world class performance she floated through the role of Belle Rose with weightless posé arabesques and truly impressive jumping (a particular grand jeté in Act I got an audible gasp from my section of the Amphi thanks to its astonishing height). Her Act I solo (the one seen in #RBLive) was stunning, bringing me close to tears with her perfect developpé arabesques. In particular I also noted her arms had a fascinating fluidity to them throughout. If the old adage of a ballerina coming into their prime after thirty is true then we are in for some very special performances in the next few years. All that being said, I wasn't overly keen on the baboons nor the courtiers sections and felt the Kings' costumes in particular looked dated. Overall a great production though and one I wish I could see again, in particular Beatriz Stix-Brunell's début next weekend. Here's hoping they revive it in a couple of seasons time (and hopefully Lauren Cuthbertson won't be injured - I'm sure she could bring a lot of depth to Belle Rose).

Thanks Aileen! I'd heard of Chelsea Ballet before (although I didn't realise Gary Avis was the patron - that's so cool!) - I currently dance with a couple of groups in Bristol (I'm doing a PhD at Bath at the moment) and the lady running one of them used to dance with Chelsea Ballet and used it as inspiration for the group at Bristol. I feel really lucky to be able to perform as an adult - I know how rare the opportunity is and I've managed to find 2 repertoire groups here!