Sim Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 Dear Forum Members, Five years ago today, BalletcoForum opened for ballet and dance fans everywhere to be able to share their experiences, review performances, ask questions, learn and help each other. Aside from the moderators, on that day we welcomed Pas de Quatre, Stirrups36 and Fiona as some of our first members. They continue to post today! I am so pleased to say that today, five years after this start, the forum has grown to 3,916 members (and many more lurkers), and our views are read and taken seriously by many in the dance world. I am even more proud of the fact that a real community has been established on this forum over these years; friendships have been forged and a close group of mutually helpful parents of dancing children are very active and supportive of each other. We have also reached a total of 184,500 posts on a huge range of different subjects; a very impressive tally! We do hope that the forum will keep on growing and thriving, but without all of you there would be no forum; at least, not the lively one we have become now! So a big thanks to you all for your support and input. As Chair, I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the moderators for the time, dedication and hard work that they all put in. Running the forum is not always easy, and can be time-consuming and even, sometimes, unpleasant. I am so proud that the moderators today have all been in place since Day One; we haven’t lost one of them, and that shows how seriously we all take this forum, and how committed we are to it. We do our best to get things right and walk a balanced line, but it isn’t always easy. Despite this, the moderators always approach things with a mixture of wanting to get it right, and some humour thrown in. I thank each and every one of them. Thanks are also due to Bruce Marriott who, having decided to stop Ballet.co.uk, listened to the cries of “but what will we do now?” set up this forum and, once established, asked us to take the reins and ride forth. We would like to wish all of you a very happy festive season, and a peaceful, happy and healthy 2017, full of good cheer and good ballet/dance! With thanks and best wishes to you all, Simonetta Dixon (Sim)ChairBalletcoForum Committee 23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Wall Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 (edited) Dear Sim, What an elegant and much appreciated epistle. To your glorious self, Alison, Janet, John, Ian, Lee and ALL of your wonderful Moderating cohort - HUGE THANKS AS EVER - and my sincere best wishes for the happiest Xmas and most promising New Year YET. Bless you ALL. Oh, and ... erm .... 'Keep Dancing' Edited December 23, 2016 by Bruce Wall 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 Happy Birthday BalletcoForum! And so many thanks to the moderators who do such a fantastic job, day in day out, to ensure that the Forum is the stimulating, enjoyable and valuable 'resource' that it is. Happy Christmas and thank you. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 Is it really 5 years? Huge thanks to the Moderators for doing such a good job of keeping everything under control, especially when things get a little bit heated. But I would also like to thank my fellow posters, for your entertaining and informative posts. When I am travelling, I rely on this forum to keep me up to date with events in the ballet world, and I really appreciate the wonderful reviews and discussions on here. Really looking forward to 2017. Happy Christmas. Fonteyn 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Q Fan Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 (edited) 5 years?! How time flies. I would like to add my thanks to the mods for giving their time to the forum and to everyone else for making this a nice place to be. Best wishes to everyone for Christmas and may we enjoy lots more fab ballet in 2017. Edited December 23, 2016 by Don Q Fan 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmhopton Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 I remember being one of those who cried 'But what will I do now'? Living 200 miles from London I relied on the Ballet Forum then and now for finding out what's going on in the ballet world; vital for when I need advance notice to book leave from work for future performances (have just booked leave for the Mariinsky!) and just keeping in touch with news and opinions. BalletcoForum is an important part of my life and enables me to feel part of the ballet world by 'meeting' likeminded people online and hearing different views and opinions. it's been wonderful to actually meet several members and get to know them better. Every time I logon it's like meeting old friends rather than just accessing a website. Without the moderators giving of their time and enthusiasm this would not be possible so I thank them very, very much and wish them every happiness for Christmas and the New Year. Without them and BalletcoForum my life would be very much poorer. Here's to the next 5 years (and hopefully longer!!!) 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penelopesimpson Posted December 25, 2016 Share Posted December 25, 2016 Thank-you to everybody who works at keeping the forum such a wonderful place. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrankH Posted December 25, 2016 Share Posted December 25, 2016 (edited) As a relative newcomer to serious ballet appreciation, I have special reason to thank this forum. I really became interested in ballet in late 2014, and it's possible that the interest might not have grown as it has, had I not found this forum, with its multitude of enthusiastic and knowledgeable posters. I have learnt so much from you, and am sure that I will continue to do so. Best wishes to all posters, and especially to the moderators and other staff, for the New Year. Edited December 25, 2016 by FrankH 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melody Posted December 26, 2016 Share Posted December 26, 2016 Thanks for all you do to keep this forum going; I know that running forums like this requires a lot of work behind the scenes. So much appreciated, though - it's a lifeline to home for me! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blossom Posted December 26, 2016 Share Posted December 26, 2016 Having had ballet on the backburner while having young children and lacking the freedom to spend time in the theatre until the past year or so, I was delighted to find the forum. I may not be as well informed or eloquent as some of the long standing members but I adore having a place to read up on recent performances and catch up on news. The forum also helps fill the grandma-shaped hole in my ballet world. I don't have any real world friends who take an interest in the ballet beyond Nutcracker at Christmas and while I am nurturing my young daughters' appreciation (and an adult or 2) it's wonderful to feel a part of an ongoing ballet conversation. Thank you Sim and to all of the moderators. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewinelake Posted December 27, 2016 Share Posted December 27, 2016 Goodness - hadn't appreciated how young it was! Maybe this sense of timeless classicity was there from birth! It's a good thing that has been created. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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