Yaffa

Just saw that White Lodge will be in included in this year's Open House London and will be open to the public without charge from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on 21st and 22nd September. See: http://events.londonopenhouse.org/building/3214 There won't be any opportunity to see classes - just "entry to selected rooms on ground floor of main villa, White Lodge Museum, view of west front from garden." NB The WL Museum also has free entry (and a Park and Ride service from Sheen Gate) on other dates. See: http://www.royalballetschool.co.uk/wlm_visitor_info.php?s=3 Yaffa

In the first year http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vv9q1JZOAmw she's the third from the left at the centre barre (close-up at: 11:43 minutes into the video) In the second year video: http://www.youtube.c...h?v=3QGxDs8MRBI she's the pupil closest to the camera at 56:25 Yaffa

Her talent is already very evident in videos of her 1st year class: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vv9q1JZOAmw and her second year class: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QGxDs8MRBI Yaffa

I was at Linbury but needed to be overseas on the 14th, so am very grateful for the above reports. How were the different works adapted for the main stage and how did they come across? Also was there any student choreography at the matinee? For me this was one of the highlights at Linbury - some really amazing talent. Thanks Yaffa

But I believe the ones who joined earlier this season were plucked early out of the same class... and some other companies will be getting exceptional dancers from the same year... Yaffa

Details for the annual Paris Opera Ballet School 'demonstrations' (December) and 'Spectacle' (April) - All take place in Paris: a) 'Demonstrations' 8th (Sun), 15th (Sun) and 21st (Sat) December, 2013 Identical performances on all three dates: students in the lower grades in the morning and those in the upper grades in the afternoon. You need to book separately for the morning and afternoon performances. Show ('Spectacle') 5th (Sat eve), 6th (Sun matinee), 8th (Tue eve) and 10th (Thurs eve) April, 2014 Details at: http://www.operadeparis.fr/en/saison_2013_2014/Ballets/ Booking for overseas groups has commenced for all the above. If you know me, send a PM if you'd like to join my group. If you don't, PM me and I'll be happy to advise re setting up your own group. Public booking doesn't start until 24th September (for the December performances) and 13th January, 2014 for the April performances. Can also give details of group Eurostar tickets and other cheap accommodation/travel options. N.B: The school recently had its 300th anniversary and has put out some very interesting videos and other materials about life in the school and its anniversary performances. Yaffa [edited to correct typo]

I have absolutely no personal knowledge of this subject, but I was told that the issue with certain glues on flights is flammability. A couple of hobby websites say specifically that Jetglue is flammable so cannot be shipped by air. You can find non-flammable shellac-type compounds online, but I have no idea how well they work with ballet shoes. Yaffa

Indeed very portable. But (perhaps because I'm not used to those things) also pretty uncomfortable. And if there are children playing around and one knocks against it - you're on the floor. For the same reason, I wouldn't use one of these when standing/sitting in queues. I've tried out a couple of similar non-foldable devices . Again, too flimsy for me and bulky to carry around... when I sit down, I need to be able to use a laptop without worrying about toppling. The foldable camping chairs are good - but I wouldn't normally want to lug one of those around. What I now use and love is a wheelie shopping trolley with a foldable seat attached. (Google 'shopping trolley with seat' for more info and pics or PM me for more info). I got a second hand one for £5. You don't have to use it for shopping - I use it to store and wheel around my laptop, food, books etc.... and when I need to rest (including in a supermarket queue) I just pull down the seat. It is even small enough to count as hand luggage on some airlines (but not those which require you to fold down the handle). Yaffa [edited to correct typo]

Thanks, actually my own stick now has a new home. But if anyone else has one, probably best indeed to ask each theatre about their policy. Yaffa

Sorry - to clarify, I'm fortunate not to have special needs myself. My gut feeling, like yours, is that it is somehow 'wrong' to use this device in the ROH. Still, as opposed to more 'obvious' portable seating, the Foldaway Flipstick isn't something that would draw attention. It fits easily into a handbag. And when opened, it is just like a walking stick. Yaffa

I was recently given a Foldaway Flipstick (http://flipstick.co.uk/sticks/flipstick-foldaway/) and was considering using it next week, when I have standing tickets for the Linbury RBS performances. But grateful to know if it would be generally acceptable, and for any reasons for and against using it. Might it be ok for people with special orthopaedic needs but less acceptable for someone who just wants to pay for a standing place and sit down? Does the informal/informal nature of the performance and/or the theatre make a difference? Is this foldable stick likely to be more acceptable (and less of a fire escape hazard) than a bulkier foldable chair? I'm not entirely convinced that using this stick is more comfortable than standing... But it seems a shame to leave it unused in a cupboard.. Talking of which - whether or not I end up using the stick for Linbury, I probably won't use it again until next year. So anyone who'd like to use it until next year's Linbury week is welcome to borrow it. Just PM me... Yaffa

Hi Balletmummy and Julie, Do hope we'll be able to meet up, though unfortunately the nets and books are already gone. Weather forecast says there's a 60% chance of rain. Let's hope they are wrong.. Yaffa

If all goes well, I'm hoping to be there and would love to meet up ... Wasn't really expecting to make it this year, as I've had to miss all recent ballet events because of a tricky work and financial situation. But a couple of ultra-cheap travel deals turned up, and after 20 hours of travelling, I'm finally waiting to board a plane from Barcelona Airport to Gatwick.... If anyone will be there tomorrow and can use a box of around 40 children's ballet fiction books (no charge), please PM me. I also have around 20 unused hair nets (brown, thick) from a girl who is no longer dancing. Free to a good home. Yaffa

This year's YAGP is now in its final week, with the finals tomorrow (17th April) and the gala performance (''Stars of Today Meet the Stars of tomorrow") the following day. Unfortunately, the live broadcast of this week's activities isn't cheap: http://www.visualartsmasters.com/purchase-live-broadcast-access. - though they do have a daily videoblog , currently at http://www.youtube.com/user/vamproductions/featured (So far it's without narration - unlike the detailed videoblogs of the Prix de Lausanne, which also broadcasts its final without charge). Of the free videos at the YAGP site: http://www.yagp.org/eng/yagp_videos.php - a very interesting one is "How Judges Judge" - http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/13164978 - Seven contestants from the 2011 competition perform their variations in front of the judges (including RBS' Gailene Stock), who give detailed feedback on the performances and comments about what they are looking for. Yaffa

According to this source, none of the three suspects were granted bail. Yaffa

For anyone who's doing the POB summer programme - or who's just interested in the School - it celebrates its 300th anniversary with a Gala performance tonight, followed by its annual Spectacle on Wednesday and Thursday, then a gala with several other international ballet schools (including RBS) on Saturday. There's already nice coverage about the anniversary and the school online (do a Google News search on 'L’école de danse de l’Opéra de Paris'). Unfortunately I won't be able to make it to France, but if any of you will be there, I have details of good deals and coupons for use in the area, which you are welcome to use - Send me an email/PM. The School's next public performances are the annual Demonstrations, which will take place on December 8th (Sun), December 15th (Sun) and December 21st (Sat), They give a wonderful insight into the system of training at the school. If anyone's interested, I hope to get group tickets when priority group booking starts in a few months. Yaffa

Sorry, accidentally sent this twice. Yaffa

Chiltern Railways have just released 50,000 tickets between London (Marylebone Station) and Birmingham (Moor St) for travel up to 17th May, via an Evening Standard offer. There are currently many tickets available at peak travel times. More details at: http://www.chilternrailways.co.uk/eveningstandard50offer If you're travelling further afield, you might want to combine this with other train offers - there's a good (but not complete) list on the moneysavingexpert.com site: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/cheap-coach-train-ticket-deals No connection to any of the above. Just passing on the information. Yaffa [edited to correct typo]

The code to obtain the £10 rail voucher from redspottedhanky.com is in today's Sunday Telegraph, but I heard it's not necessary to buy a physical copy of the newspaper. You might want to look at the thread on today's newspaper codes at moneysavingexpert.com: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=4513991 The redspottedhanky.com offer appears to already be live; but officially it will start only at 9 a.m. UK time. Only the first 30,000 people to enter the code will get the voucher. And it can take up to 72 hours to receive confirmation that your application has been successful. One possibility is to enter the code into your account once as soon as you can; and then to click 'update' in your account again right after 9 a.m.. Yaffa

This week's Money Saving Expert mail ( http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/cheap-coach-train-ticket-deals ) features some good travel deals including £10 off almost any train journey with Redspottedhanky. This deal is also apparently good for people who already have accounts at RedSpottedhanky.com. You need to buy the Sunday Telegraph (£2) on Sun 24th March and follow the link given in the paper between 9 a.m. and 11:59 pm the same day to obtain a discount code. NB: Not sure if purchasing the newspaper is actually necessary. Last time the link was given out online (apparently with the company's blessing), and no proof of newspaper purchase was requested on the train. Details of this and other (though not all) train and coash deals/strategies, including some free London to Birmingham tickets to 02 Network users in London at: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/cheap-coach-train-ticket-deals Yaffa (with no connection with any of the companies above - just passing on the info)

If you do a search for the 'Ruth French award' on the 2010-2011 RAD Annual Report: http://www.rad.org.uk/files/ART34_RAD%206797%20Annual%20Review%20and%20Report%2010-11%20Spreads%20FINAL.pdf there's a list of the regional awards which were awarded (though no further info). Yaffa

Such a pity that the semis and finals are always in such tiny venues - (RBS for semis and Linbury for the finals). So only a tiny proportion of those wishing to get seats are successful, and others have to juggle around tentative plans in case last minute seats become available. Looks as though the same will happen next year (see the ROH's schedule at http://www.roh.org.uk/news/201314-ballet-and-dance-season-announced, with the YBDY final in Linbury on 8th March). In the past I was told that the use of small halls was because of 'scheduling difficulties' with larger venues. But couldn't something be worked out? NB: If anyone wasn't able to get to YBDY and would like to watch some of the same talented young dancers joined by others of a very high calibre, I have two spare tickets for the Phyllis Bedells Bursary competition at RAD tomorrow (Sunday) at 1 p.m. . See: http://www.balletcoforum.com/index.php?/topic/3227-phyllis-bedells-bursary-selling-2-tickets-sun-17th-march-1-pm/). Grateful if anyone knows of someone who can use these tickets - it would be a pity for them to go to waste). Thanks, Yaffa

I understand that 50% of WL students were offered places to start at the Upper School next September – seven girls, four of them had been at WL for the full five years from Year 7. Prisca Bertoni writes a very interesting blog about life at WL: http://all4ballet.com/ Yesterday she reported the great news that she now has a place at Upper School! Congrats to Prisca and all who did get places; hoping it won't be too long before the others have good news.... Yaffa

In case anyone didn't book and is still interested in the performance tonight, I have two spare tickets which you can have for half price or whatever you are willing to pay. (The Coliseum isn't taking returns.). Details on the ticket trade forum http://www.balletcoforum.com/index.php?/topic/3157-russian-ballet-icons-10th-march-coliseum-2-tickets-for-sale/ Sorry to post about this here, don't want to see the tickets go to waste. Yaffa

For anyone who missed the live transmission of the finals, there's a complete video on the Prix de Lausanne website: http://www.prixdelausanne.org/ (The finals video is at: http://prixdelausanne.tv/ and on Youtube: ) Next year's competition will be from 26th Jan to 1st Feb, 2014. Yaffa [edited to correct typo]