Going Back to ballet continued...

[Michelle_Richer]

Hi Lin

 

I always use split sole ballet slippers, my teacher for her Dance fever class uses split sole jazz shoes where everyone else uses trainers. Although it’s a fusion of ballet and Latin, its very aerobic. I'm seriously thinking of getting split soles for that too.

 

Your session sounded fantastic, I'm actively seeking repertoire classes myself.

 

My day yesterday (Saturday) was fantastic but a bit of a disaster too.

Ballet was good and I have persuaded my teacher to allow me to video her sequences, a real help for practice and my memory.

 

The third Saturday in every month we have a Salsa Party at a restaurant in Boston, unfortunately the proprietor had mixed the dates up and was expecting us next week. Our organisers found a very nice venue at the last minute. Dancing was going fine until about 10pm, I was on the floor most of the time. Our organisers decided to do something a little different. It was an American dance called the “Wobble” which is danced solo, and is great fun for getting non-dancers on the dance floor.

As virtually everyone came on the dance floor it was very crowded, so we extended to two more levels. Three of the organisers were on the top level, I and three others were on the next level and the remainder (about 60) were on the main dance floor. Firstly the music track is quite long, in excess of five minutes, the dance is very aerobic, it certainly works the hips and abs, it also has two small jumps where the whole sequence is repetitive to all four sides of the room. In my case the small jumps weren’t exactly small as I guess I’m a bit of a show off. That was a huge mistake by me, towards the end I could feel a sharp pain in my left knee, obviously I lessen the jumps until it ended, thinking I was otherwise OK.

 

Shortly after I went on the dance floor to dance some Salsa and at certain angles the left foot was agony and had to come off immediately, needless to say I was not a happy bunny with a full week of ballet ahead. I rested for about fifteen minutes and decided  to end the evening and go home, especially as I had no sports knee support with me.

 

One the way out, I passed through the bar, the lady behind the bar ask me why I was going so early, I told her I had hurt my knee and It may be a real problem to me next week and why. Another lady at the bar ask me if I did pointe work and I said “not yet”, then she said “do us a pirouette then”, I declined. She was very insistent so I slipped my coat and shoes off, not knowing how slippy the carpet was with ordinary tights, I gently went into a pirouette on my good leg, thinking that was enough to establish my credibility. “Oh show us again” she said, then three guys joined us, about a dozen pirouettes later I had three guys behind me trying to learn pirouettes. It was really good fun and I know they didn’t want me to leave, but that really did bring a smile to my face.

 

So I’m conserving my right leg for next week, especially for my two London trips to ENB.

[Fiz]

Our ballet teacher is now very happy with our pirouettes and in February I was so nervous about doing them in the show

[Michelle_Richer]

After my knee injury Saturday night, I have cancelled everything including fitness and dance classes upto my ENB class last night. But little by little its getting better. Firstly I was worried about going up and down steps especially the underground, as that was giving me grief on Sunday, but that was fine yesterday. However I did get a nasty reminder when dipping the clutch in the car, that certainly seem to find the spot, but by last night even that had gone.

 

Although I missed my dance fever class yesterday morning, I did go and meet the girls and my teacher in the Sports Complex Cafeteria afterwards, just to tell why I was absent. My teacher there “Nicky” is also my local Thursday ballet teacher.

 

I still called in at Pineapple Studio in the afternoon as I had promised RAD I would drop a “Romeo and Juliet” Repertoire Workshop flyer in for one of Pineapple’s notice boards. While there, just by chance I see “Maggie”, my Pineapple ballet teacher, she too had hurt her leg.

 

ENB went well as usual, but I had to hold back on Fondu’s on the left leg, it was only a token bend, but my teacher didn’t say anything, but I did tell her after the class had finished. I also think I have recruited two more for the Romeo and Juliet Repertoire workshop from ENB.

 

I’ve check out fondu’s this morning, whilst I can get down without pain, I still think I’m a little freighted to use it that far. I have a relatively light week left, with Rehearsal tonight, Local class tomorrow morning and ENB again tomorrow night, then that’s it. Next week is also fairly light with bank holiday and half term breaks, so a good chance to fully recover, as I then add another class to my Schedule at Lincoln for the following week.

[Fiz]

Good luck, Michelle. I'm not going tonight. My shoulders are really hurting from all the heavy cleaning at work and I cannot take any tablets in time for them to work. We are doing a lot of pirouettes, arabesques and back bends at the moment and I don't think my body wants to co-operate tonight, sadly ;( It's half term next week too, so I am annoyed with myself but more with my flipping job which I only do so that I can pay for my classes!

[Michelle_Richer]

Hi Fiz

 

Rehearsal went OK ish tonight, I did have one blank halfway through on one of the run-through’s when I lost concentration. Two of the other girls did the same thing but in other places. Just hope it doesn’t happen in front of an audience.

We are still doing rehearsals next week with no half term break.

 

OK about you pirouettes, Arabesques and back bends, wow, I wish I could get a good back bend, I know we do a fair amount of that in my Body Balance class, but not to the extent for good ballet.

 

Good news from RAD, we have 16 confirmed dancers for the “Romeo and Juliet” rep Workshop and I got two more from ENB last night. We won’t be long before we are up to their full capacity of 22 dancers.

[Aurora]

What's body balance like? I'm thinking of trying it but not a yoga person and not hugely keen on Pilates either, is it much different?

[Michelle_Richer]

Hi Aurora

 

Its not designed to be particularly strenuous, certainly the way its presented by my teacher but I always try a go the extra mile and stretch further than the class generally.

 

This is something I keep meaning to add to my own workout routines which my teacher refers to as the Indie Squat (Its in preparation for something called the Birdie Pose and that's not very popular at the moment). The Indie Squat is designed to open up the hips, your certainly feel it and it may have merit in increasing turn out, but that is still to be proven. I have only been going for a month or two myself.

 

Follow the link and see what you think: http://w3.lesmills.com/global/en/classes/bodybalance/about-bodybalance/

Edited May 23, 2013 by Michelle_Richer

[LinMM]

Because I'm really a music person I wasn't that attracted to yoga until I found scaravelli which is a gentle form and concentrates on the spine and easing in and out of poses etc. I find it complements the ballet quite well.

If you are younger and fitter the yoga style which keeps moving from pose to pose(name just escapes me) is often enjoyed by dancers because it has more continuous movement in etc but I personally prefer the contrast and time to really look at what the body is doing. I don't know whether Body Balance is to music?

One of the most enjoyable things I did before taking up ballet again was something called Chi Ball which were sort of set routines based on the seasons to music but moving the small chi ball around....some of that was quite balletic but I rarely see this offered anywhere unfortunately so I think they need more instructors in this so just lucky my local,Gym at the time had one(don't belong to the Gym now though)

[LinMM]

Ashtanga sometimes known as Vinyasa yoga is the name of the style with lots of movement in.

[Michelle_Richer]

Yes Lin:  Body Balance is done to music.

In-fact every exercise I do is done to music including those in my Gym at home. Somehow it helps endurance and makes things a lot easier, I usually use the faster paced Latin beats.

 

Even at the Awesome Abs class I attend on Sunday mornings is accompanied by music.

 

Coming back to Body Balance classes which I do twice a week, many of the stretches can be found in “The Front Splits Fast Flexibility Program (DVD set)”, Mary Helen Bowers Book “Ballet Beautiful” and Eric Franklins book “Conditioning for Dance”. So for me Body Balance does have merit, secondly its much nicer when you are doing it in the company of others, even if they have no interest in ballet.

 

Two other sources of inspiration are DVD’s I picked up at the Royal Opera House shop “Pilates + Preparation for Ballet students DYNAMIC 5^TH with Dreas Reyneke” and “Turning out Dancers ADVANCED PILATES with Dreas Reyneke”

 

I have also found the Scottish Ballet’s video “Core De Ballet” very useful, especially for cool down.

 

Now things are eased off for next week, I may get chance to rationalise my own workout training plan but utilising many of the aspects covered in these DVD’s and remove duplication where necessary too. It not about working harder, it’s about working smarter.

 

[Michelle_Richer]

I had a wonderful night at ENB last night, I attended their Level 3 taster and it was fantastic. I was a little worried about my knee before we started as I had a gentle reminder in the morning from my local class as we did jumps on the village hall hard floor, I said to Nicky my teacher I would be holding back a bit because of my knee, and I could feel it wasn’t fully healed.

 

Although I did a lot of walking in London that afternoon, my knee was fine. I only had one incident in class and that was something I had never done before. We were doing Plié, the second demi we were doing was with a simultaneous back bend, I think I must have been trying to go too far and allowed the back bend to go down into my legs, I cant remember which position it was in as we were doing first, second, fourth crossed and fifth. It felt as if my knee had popped, the pain was excruciating, but immediately I came back it stopped, the amazing thing is, it had no lasting effect. We did go on to do jumps and that was fine with the sprung floor.

 

My highlight of the evening was, when everyone had left except my teacher, we were able to go through my introduction choreography to a piece I’m doing, I wanted to add feeling with mime to the introduction Port de bra, she had come up with some brilliant ideas, so we danced them together, that really was fantastic, she is so so very helpful and enthusiastic, I think she is my favourite teacher now.

 

I think I have managed to recruit another dancer from ENB last night for the RAD repertoire workshop, so that must be filling up nicely now.

[Aurora]

Hmmm might give body balance a try but not completely convinced its my kind of thing. Got Zumba today though

[LinMM]

Zumba is great fun another one used to do at the gym but always looked forward to it....the teacher was South American and when he really let go he was such a terrific dancer fascinating to see how it should be done up to speed etc!!

 

I really wish I could do that RAD repertoire workshop but hopefully if have one in Autumn will be able to do then. I must admit Michelle Ive never heard of setting a demi plié and back bend SIMULTANEOUSLY! I'm not surprised your knee popped!! Usually with plies the port des bras may be part of the exercise but in between the plies so to speak.....or if it is set like that should be for pretty advanced students!! However I don't know what level 3 means with ENB classes so perhaps it was at advanced level. However with lots of ballet classes for adults the material used is above beginner/ beginner improver level etc. Like grande ronde de jambe en L'air at the barre...usually more of Intermediate or grade 7 level!! especially if set with a releve as well....but often set in classes where adults only been doing1-2 yrs!

Anyway no ballet for me now till next Wednesday so bit of a rest while in France.....but no swimming either as the weather is pretty bad cold windy and cloudy!! Good job I'm not here for the weather then.

[taxi4ballet]

Where on Earth do you lot get the energy?

[LinMM]

I could not imagine 2 years ago doing what I do now!! So I guess when you do start doing more exercise it somehow increases your energy levels. I know when have been feeling very tired and thinking should I give class a miss etc I usually go and then feel much more energised afterwards and am glad I went......and might even get other jobs done after whereas would have done one of those tv slumps if I didn't go to class!!

A plus side is 3 yrs ago was slightly osteopenic and on a recent scan my bone count has gone up(to the GP's amazement) which I am sure is mostly due to the ballet! At some point will start new thread on this (ballet and health) so can give scores etc. Could be interesting for people in 50's and 60's particularly.

[Aurora]

Just discovered there is a body balance class on at the gym at the same time as my dd's swimming lesson tonight so I guess I'll give it a shot!

[Aurora]

Just done body balance and really enjoyed it, will be going again next week!

[Michelle_Richer]

Lin: ENB’s grading system starts at level 1 for beginners through to level 4 advanced, so I guess level 3 is highish.

 

Aurora: That’s fantastic I’m glad Body Balance meets with your approval.

 

My favourite fitness combination was a stretch and tone class that followed ballet class, it was also run by my ballet teacher at the time. It was similar to a no-stop Zumba session for 15 – 20 minutes as a warm-up prior to stretching, that warm up was very effective in increasing flexibility for stretching. That was my most flexible time and I do miss that class now, which occurs at the same time as my Angles Theatre rehearsals, but when our show is finished I’m thinking of adding back in on time share of one week in four.

 

I went to Salsa tonight, but cancelled my Sunday Awesome abs class and my part in the Salsa performance at Carrington Country Fair as I really need to claw back time. I still have another Salsa event on Sunday night which I will be at. My garden and my home hardly ever see me other than for sleep.

[LinMM]

Do you do ballet as well Aurora?

[Aurora]

Yes I do an adult class most weeks

[Michelle_Richer]

Well I never thought I would say this, but the weekend was a really nice break from ballet, I finally got a chance to spend some time and loose myself in the garden, it was wonderful and the weather was very kind too. I even see a beautiful electric blue kingfisher flying down the river adjacent to my home. But today (Tuesday) was my first day back to ballet with Pineapple Studios and ENB. Pineapple was really good, we did a sequence including pirouettes landing in an arabesque, a new one for me, and it didn’t go too bad either. I even got the boro of a studio after class to work on my Choreography, especially as I have possible a new requirement, to dance it at a wedding reception.  That is still a maybe at the moment. So there’s lots of changes to do and mime to be added, as it needs to tell a story with a happy ending.

 

ENB was good as usual, but was told we only have another couple of weeks to go for this term and not sure when we get notification of bookings for the next classes as they are generally over subscribed.

 

Only one session left this week and that’s rehearsal Wednesday night, must practice that in the afternoon so its squeaky clean and well polished.

[Michelle_Richer]

 Pineapple was really good, we did a sequence including pirouettes landing in an arabesque.

 

Should have read, including pirouettes landing in arabesque en l Air.

 

It was late, my Tuesday trips to London for ballet usually result in 1AM returning back home.

[LinMM]

I'm back to ballet again tonight after a week off......and yes it's great having a break every so often to give the muscles and joints a bit of recovery time and I usually really enjoy that first class back except this time for me it's the hardest class I do of the week so hopefully will be up to it!! And gardens start to need lots of attention for next few months......we've just had a nest (in box) of starlings hatch out....five babies and they are very noisy at about 5.30 am all screaming for food! The great tits should be any day now too.

 

Pirouettes into arabesque sound quite hard too....though have done into attitude...extend leg.....place in fourth...probably easier as not having to hold any position that long! You are very brave to dance at a wedding....is this on your own? Will it be actually in the church? I have danced with a group in a largish church....not recently.....and it happened to be a nice space to dance in I remember...it was lovely music which I can hear.....but name of which escapes me it's a famous piece though! It wasn't for a wedding...so less pressure!!

 

I will investigate the ENB classes for the Autumn to see if I can commit to one day a week up in London regularly(I can do it in a day easily) so will be either RAD or them. Do ENB have a sort of taster day at all to try a level out.....The RAD do....because if you are paying for a term up front it's important to be in the right class. I imagine too people who've committed before will get preference so places hard to come by......and we're just adults doing for pleasure!!!

 

When is the choreography you are practicing for to be performed first?

[LinMM]

The music was Albinoni...Adagio for strings in G minor and we wore long floaty white costumes....very nice!

[Michelle_Richer]

Hi Lin

 

No the wedding is not mine. I received an invitation last weekend from my brother in laws Grand Son. I guess there will be music at the reception after the meal. I will find it almost impossible to resist using the disco (assuming they have one) to get everyone on the dance floor doing strolls which I’m happy to lead. I have quite a repertoire from the dance parties I attend. Only and only, if it’s conducive to add a ballet performance (Single track), I will do it as a tribute (full costume). Firstly the track is “Lover’s tears”, so I must turn it around with a happy ending through mime (Something else I need to learn).

 

I have found a few examples of mime on Youtube, I also found an old listing of Anjuli’s that was very helpful, plus I have ordered a mime DVD from RAD.

 

I did body Balance this morning; I ask sports centre about borrowing an un-booked sports hall, but unfortunately I have to pay. I desperately need a large studio, as yesterday in Pineapple I had to change the orientation of a lot of the sequence for the audience, my own studio is too small, so I have to zigzag the sequence which give false orientation when it’s danced on a full floor.

 

As for ENB, the only thing I can say, keep checking the website, the only ones I know of, have just gone and they were advertised internally. I did level 3 and it was fantastic. Originally I wanted to do levels two and three together, which is possible, but most classes get fully booked very quickly. Internal dancers get advance notice, that’s why I had to take level one to get into the system. But even so, nothing in guaranteed, even though my teachers and also the head of learning know of my determination to do these two classes in parallel. I just have to wait for the notification and hope I get in early enough.

 

As for my first performance, I must have something ready for next Thursday when Kings Lynn are back, as I have to perform my choreography to that track to the class, so no pressure! It will be a work-in-progress version

Edited May 29, 2013 by Michelle_Richer

[Michelle_Richer]

I will investigate the ENB classes for the Autumn to see if I can commit to one day a week up in London regularly(I can do it in a day easily) so will be either RAD or them. Do ENB have a sort of taster day at all to try a level out.....The RAD do....because if you are paying for a term up front it's important to be in the right class. I imagine too people who've committed before will get preference so places hard to come by......and we're just adults doing for pleasure!!!

Hi Lin

I found this on the ENB website and thought it may be of interest.

 

The next Taster Classes will take place on Friday 23 August. These classes provide you with an opportunity to sample either a Level 2 or a Level 4 class without the committment of signing up to a full term.

 

Please note that booking for these classes has not yet opened. To receive notification of when these classes go on sale,make sure you are signed-up to our Adult Ballet mailing list - email your details to classes@ballet.org.uk

 

 

Needless to say I will be trying out the taster for level 4, as I will try and do levels 3 and 4 in the same evening for that term.

Edited June 1, 2013 by Michelle_Richer

[LinMM]

Thanks Michelle that's really helpful....I will definitely get on the mailing list ASAP and hopefully get to try out both those levels....I'm probably level 3 ish really but if I like the class/teacher etc don't mind doing level 2....always great to slow down and really work on technique, correct placement, turn out and coordination of arms etc etc. I'll have a good perusal of website now anyway....I think R my partner would prefer if was in the week rather than on a Saturday (RAD one) if on regular basis..but lets see what happens. X

[LinMM]

Have sent email to be on their mailing list.

 

Out of interest I couldn't see an actual timetable anywhere. I think you said you go up on Tuesdays .......are ALL the adult classes held on the same night but at different times etc(or concurrently?) or is just the level you are doing now on a Tuesday?

It could change next year anyway I suppose.

Also how do you pay.....can you just send them a cheque or do people pay online so to speak!! I rarely do online transactions so hope it's the former!!

[Michelle_Richer]

Hi Lin

 

You pay on Line, when the new classes are available they will show, just go to "what's on". Most classes are available most nights of the week, so there are 4 classes running, that is two classes at the same time. I think levels two and 4 are first then levels 1 and three. That is for Tuesdays. I'm not sure of the order for the other days. The only class that's different and I think only on a Friday, not sure of its name but it dance conditioning or fitness. You will see it under "classes".

 

If you don't want to pay on-line I would suggest you ring them when the classes are visible on the site. According to an email I received some time ago, I should receive notification on the next terms classes starting in July, the first week in June, that's next week. Not sure when it goes public.

[LinMM]

Hi yes ...this would be for me...to start in September....if I manage to get on this taster day!! So won't be doing the summer term. Could be difficult for me if want you to pay online.....a bit like trying to book insight evenings at ROH....if you don't do it pretty quick like within 5mins of the tickets going on sale then you won't be lucky! So by the time you've phoned they're already all gone!

 

How do you know which classes to book if there isn't a timetable on show though......does this go on once places are available? If there are classes 4days a week maybe a chance though!

[Michelle_Richer]

Hi Lin

I get prior warning as I'm already in the system, that why I started on level 1, I originally contact them via email as I wanted to do levels 2 and 3 in parallel, but was told they were already fully booked, it did turn out that level 3 wasn't, but I didn't know that at the time. If you are only going for a single class, you have the option of a number of days. Tuesday is the only day I have free, as I have multiple classes on the others.

 

My plan now is once I've completed levels 2 and 3 for this next term, then its levels 3 and 4 for the following one and that's most probably where I will stay for a while, while the teachers continue to bring new material to the class.

 

Slightly off subject: Have you ever done "Conditioning for dance" at DanceWorks, it see its available from 6 -7 on Tuesdays, I may try it as a fill in on the ENB break, however it is just do-able between my Pineapple class the late ENB class.

Edited June 1, 2013 by Michelle_Richer

[LinMM]

No I haven't done that particular class.....I'm not good at doing Pilates and all the other classes supposed to help ballet but I should really. The prob is if I am up in London I nearly always want to do a ballet class that I can't normally get to which doesn't leave much time for anything else and I'm also not good at doing more than one class a day yet and certainly not two consecutive......I might get away with one in early morning and one in the evening(done this once so far!) where a nice big gap!

 

However have also just discovered an RAD class (intermediate/advanced) locally on a Tuesday eve I'm trying it out next week and that could be a possibility too. If I can find good classes locally I prefer that really and I'm just so lucky having this choice where I am.

[Michelle_Richer]

Hi Lin

 

The RAD class sounds fantastic and especially having the bonus of it being local too.

 

For me I have to travel every where usually up to 40miles, a little further at my new Lincoln class tomorrow (Monday) as the Universities performing arts department is the wrong side of Lincoln, so I’m not sure of the mileage, perhaps about 45miles.

 

I do multiple classes most days, except Saturday then its only one with Elite Dance Academy at Grantham.

 

My London day could potentially end up with 5 classes and a local class too. I guess I must really learn to slow down and curb my appetite.