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Adult Ballet - questions, answers, classes and info


munchkin16

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13 hours ago, Peony said:

Sorry I don’t know your area. The main ballet examination boards should have a teacher finder on their websites. Or would you consider travelling into central London as there are classes available all day, every day pretty much!

 

Thanks, yes - I've considered this but already travelling into London at least twice a week for Baroque dance and historical fencing so hoping to avoid.. and for a 45 - 60 min session...

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It's not quite a "class" and very hard to obtain tickets as only ~20 are released for every (~3 weekly) session, but ROH has an Insight event called "Dance with the Royal Ballet". I was lucky enough to go last month, and it was only GARY AVIS leading and Kate Shipway on piano! 

 

It's held in the Lindbury foyer and consists of a short-ish barre followed by choreo from a ballet currently in repertoire, which in this case was the peasants' courtship dance from Act 1 of Onegin. My session was a real mix of levels, but there didn't seem to be any "absolute beginners" and the rep seemed to have been chosen to be generally accessible. 

 

I don't think I'll get over Gary complimenting some of my barre, even if just being nice. And he is such a lovely person, giving us lots of time for questions and pictures after 🙂

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Just spotted this announcement made a few days ago on Olivia Cowley's blog - she and husband Henry St. Clair are starting Friday evening drop-in adult ballet classes in West London (Beginner and Intermediate).  I might give the Beginner one a go, though at only 55 minutes I wonder what the format is.  I've tweeted her to ask, and have also asked if she foresees the Beginner class being suitable for absolute beginners.

 

https://www.ballet.style/classes

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18 hours ago, Meetmeatthebarre said:

It's not quite a "class" and very hard to obtain tickets as only ~20 are released for every (~3 weekly) session, but ROH has an Insight event called "Dance with the Royal Ballet". I was lucky enough to go last month, and it was only GARY AVIS leading and Kate Shipway on piano! 

 

It's held in the Lindbury foyer and consists of a short-ish barre followed by choreo from a ballet currently in repertoire, which in this case was the peasants' courtship dance from Act 1 of Onegin. My session was a real mix of levels, but there didn't seem to be any "absolute beginners" and the rep seemed to have been chosen to be generally accessible. 

 

I don't think I'll get over Gary complimenting some of my barre, even if just being nice. And he is such a lovely person, giving us lots of time for questions and pictures after 🙂

I am so jealous.  I adore Gary Avis.  I've tried to get tickets for this but never yet managed.  It sounds amazing. 

 

I went to one of the choreo workshops at ENB on Nutcracker last year though and that was also very good, accessible and understandable and really well explained. 

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16 minutes ago, RuthE said:

Just spotted this announcement made a few days ago on Olivia Cowley's blog - she and husband Henry St. Clair are starting Friday evening drop-in adult ballet classes in West London (Beginner and Intermediate).  I might give the Beginner one a go, though at only 55 minutes I wonder what the format is.  I've tweeted her to ask, and have also asked if she foresees the Beginner class being suitable for absolute beginners.

 

https://www.ballet.style/classes

 

That looks interesting.  I wish it wasn't Friday because that's when I have my usual class.

 

By the way has anyone done the classes that Bennet Gartside is teaching at Everybody Ballet?  I see Leanne Cope is also involved.  I had my first ever ballet class with her before she went off on the last tour but see she's teaching here now.  Does anyone know the studio and have any views?   I'm tempted by the Thursday beginner class. 

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13 minutes ago, Tango Dancer said:

 

That looks interesting.  I wish it wasn't Friday because that's when I have my usual class.

 

By the way has anyone done the classes that Bennet Gartside is teaching at Everybody Ballet?  I see Leanne Cope is also involved.  I had my first ever ballet class with her before she went off on the last tour but see she's teaching here now.  Does anyone know the studio and have any views?   I'm tempted by the Thursday beginner class. 

 

I haven't tried them, though I know some people who do.  They seem REALLY expensive, especially as I seem to recall they are only 60mins.

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Just had the email from ENB announcing that next term's adult recreational classes have gone on sale.  There are some changes from the current term's timetable, though, among which I note that what was the Improvers class at 20:20 on Monday with Mark Kelly is now Intermediate level, and the additional Absolute Beginners class they introduced this term on Thursdays at 19:00 with Juan Rodriguez is no more, but there's now an Absolute Beginners on Wednesday instead with Kate Hartley-Stevens.

 

Term starts in the week commencing 13th April (but not till Tuesday 14th as the Monday is a bank holiday), and one-off taster classes are available in the week of 7th April.

 

https://www.ballet.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Spring-2020-Term-Schedule.pdf?utm_source=wordfly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MARSpringTermClassesOnSale0220&utm_content=version_A

 

Just been and booked myself some Tuesday Improvers :)

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You may all have noticed that various posts about adult ballet have been moved across to this thread.

 

Please use this thread for adult ballet queries, information and experiences that you think will be helpful to other users.

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Wish I were! Where is it being held? I enjoyed a 2 day ballet retreat  held at Rambert last year...it as my first (only) one. Teachers & other dancers (many who all knew one another & teachers from previous retreats/masterclasses/regular classses) all very welcoming & inclusive so I soon felt part of it all!

Lovely to have 2 days to immerse in ballet & nothing else (I tied it in with watching ballet in the evening too!) 

Enjoy!

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8 hours ago, RuthE said:

Just wondering if anyone from this forum is doing The Ballet Retreat this weekend?  It'll be my first time...

Yes, I'm doing it. I've been to lots before (I think this is my 8th). I'm sure you will love it.

 

They always used to be held at Rambert but they have had difficulty making bookings there recently so have switched to Sadler's Wells. The studio is not as spacious as at Rambert or at Northern where they hold their Leeds retreats. But the lunches are pretty good!

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13 hours ago, Peony said:

They look good but unfortunately way too expensive for me!

 TBR  is worth it 

theres 3 reasons why TBR  costs what  it costs 

staffing  ratio ( especially Leeds) although London   is often less generously staffed than Leeds  normally  there's at least  3  members of  team TBR present all day ( although i am aware of one London where  it was just David and the pianist - as Georgina was on maty leave and none of the Leeds based people were available )   (Leeds usually  4 or 5 members of the team   H +  DPK  , plus a selection of  Gav / Kev / Nic G / Giuliano / Antoinette - although this January  saw a DPK less  retreat  due to him being unwell - and  two  guest teachers for company  class  Pippa Moore on Saturday and Simon Kidd on Sunday  )  

you have a pro standard Pianist  all day every day - ( 'company class'  , rep relevant class, and rep  - only falling back to recordings if the rep sessions  split into  boys and girls   )

the overall package  (food and drinks , plus the management processes)   

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Hmmm..... the TBR I went to was combined Xmas & Birthday present.... now wondering if I forego the promised birthday shopping for a few clothes & ask for another TBR instead....trouble is I’d look like a tramp as not really had new clothes for over 10 years!! 

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