Going Back to ballet continued...

[LinMM]

You will definitely be a dentists nightmare then taxi4ballet if you need a tooth extracted!!

 

I always remember my bottom wisdom teeth were deep rooted and when I had to have one out I just opted for the injection route......as I wanted to do a ballet class afterwards (this was back in the 80's)!

Well the first dentist had to go and get another dentist who I presume was more experienced to help get the tooth out. Actually the second one got it out fairly quickly.....but after the first ones hard work I think...so felt a bit sorry for him.

 

I did my class anyway.....it was just before the December show we were rehearsing for....so determined to get there as we always needed more rehearsals than could be fit in usually!

I can't remember having the other one out think it must have been when much younger.

[Fiz]

I had an xray on Thursday and he said the tooth roots went into the sinus area...sorting this out is going to be a real pain! I don't want an expensive and unpleasant root canal done if I don't need it but I would love not to be in pain and taking tablets all the time.

[Michelle_Richer]

Hi Lin

 

I guess the next taster classes will be just before Christmas, and then it should be level 1 and 3 tasters, as it was levels 2 and 4 this time. Tom does levels 2 and 3 on a Monday, but sometimes covers other classes for holidays etc. I shall do levels 2 and 3 again before Christmas as I have a lovely level 3 teacher (Alison) who gives me homework, then I will switch to Toms classes on a Monday after Christmas as I will most likely join LAB on Tuesdays at Sadler’s Wells. I have already spoken to Tom on this, however that means once a month I will be doing three days a week in London as I will be restarting my two classes at ROH the last Wednesday of the month until the Angles Theatre goes on to rehearsals again. Some of the girls at ENB seem to think Tom progresses much more quickly than the other teachers, but I just like the way he teaches with proper explanations for everything.

 

Hi Fiz

The best of luck sweetheart, I had the root canals done on two teeth some years ago, so I know how you feel.

[Fiz]

Thanks, Michelle.

[Moomin]

Oh no fiz, hope the root canal goes ok. I found it ok (although very slow as Lin said!) and I am a real baby at the dentist. The pain from mine did alter with position, have you tried decongestants? If its sinus pain they should help a bit. The worse part for me was the cost; ouch!

I have another couple of weeks until classes start again too. Has anyone got any good exercises to get back in shape (a bit, not expecting miracles) ?!

[taxi4ballet]

I felt a lot fitter after spending several days having a mega de-clutter, rearranging furniture and clambering in and out of the loft dozens of times

[Moomin]

Haha, yes our garden needs an overhaul but I think there's a wasp nest lurking somewhere so too scared to go out there (that's my excuse anyway!)

[LinMM]

I must admit I like being in the garden rather than doing the garden!

[Fiz]

This is not ballet but guess what? I don't need a root canal, I've got sinusitis and my lovely dentist is pleased it's that rather than a bank breaking dental job Normal ballet service may now be resumed

[Jan McNulty]

If I was you Fiz ('cos I am naughty) I would treat myself to a nice new leotard on the grounds that I have saved all the root canal money!

[Moomin]

Brilliant news fiz

[KathyG]

I also went to the dentist recently expecting work as all my teeth were hurting to be told it was my sinusitis. Thought it was due to grinding my teeth over DS.

[LinMM]

Or could you treat yourself to the Giselle repertoire course in London on 21st September!!?

 

I just booked this today. It's from 11am to 5pm so is sort of doable in a day within about a 100 mile radius of London.

 

It's at Jerwood Space 171 Union Street...pretty close to Southwark tube but also walkable from London Bridge.

 

It's run by the City Academy.....Ive never done anything with them before. The young man on the phone said its a really nice space to dance in. But it is £80! Just on my limit for a one day course!

 

I come back from holiday the day before so will have done no ballet....just hope there are no major plane delays or I could be going straight from Gatwick!!

[Fiz]

Jan, you wicked temptress! So far this summer I have bought three leotards, a tutu, a wrap round skirt and a warm up catsuit! Do I really need another leotard? No but I really want one of JustBallet's pale yellow Degas leotards! Must resist, must resist...

[Sheila Beelam]

Great news about root canal! I've had this and it is fairly unpleasant! I'm also told by my dentist that I grind my teeth. Hope the sinusitis is easily sorted xxx

[Michelle_Richer]

Having

The upper studio where we had the class is strange. It is HUGE but very darkish and certainly has an atmosphere of sorts!! It's what I would call a "winter" room. I imagine it must get pretty stuffy in there on hot days.....couldn't see that many windows you could open but then there aren't that many hot days a year I suppose. It has a VERY high ceiling so you definitely get a feeling of space in the room but I tend to like light rather than dark where rooms are concerned. The floor was fine really well sprung you could enjoy jumping on it!!

 

 

Yes there are windows at the far end near where the piano is and the drinks dispenser. I love the upper studio, for me its a bit like a palace, I would have thought all ballerinas would love to dance in a palace, this one does. 

 

 

 

 

My regular level two teacher was ill tonight, so we had Tom again, it was a really nice class, and guess what, lots of pirouettes in both classes. Only two weeks to go now before the end of the ENB term. We seem to be tidying up most of the sequence's we have been learning too. 

[Anna C]

Beautiful studios, aren't they. :-)

 

Is that the one with the sticky floor? Dd was lucky enough to do two days at ENB recently and loved it - but had the most awful trouble pirouetting in leather split-soles as the floor was sticky!

[LinMM]

Thanks for the piccies Michelle. Yes it can definitely be described as palatial (spelling?) And from another era...Tom says there is a lot of history with this space....you can almost imagine Anna Pavlova having danced there!! I liked the room for its spaciousness a lot but it was dark....it was like going into a room with a December light!

 

I have to say didn't find the floor sticky but was only attempting single pirouettes perhaps if you were more ambitious could have been a prob.....was your DD on pointe Sand P? I do believe Michelle has mentioned one of the floors there being very sticky at some point.

 

 

I am a tooth grinder as well!! So the dentist tells me! Is there a link .....ballet and tooth grinding....all that concentration coming out in ones dreams!!

[Anna C]

My dd is and always has been a tooth grinder - sign of an overactive mind according to the dentist!

 

No Lin, she wasn't en pointe but was doing double pirouettes. She thinks it was a combination of leather shoes and the floor - when she had previously worn canvas split soles she had no trouble turning. Sadly the canvas shoes literally fell apart and the only split soles we could get before she had to go back to ENB were leather. :-)

[LinMM]

Well over active mind....that figures!!

[Michelle_Richer]

As for sticky floors at ENB the lower studio was awful, I complained two or three times but it didn’t seem to change. Pirouettes were difficult against the amount of energy you had to put in, and the awful noise that was created by the friction as they came to a halt (stall). Even worse is trying to do tendu’s, you had to cheat and lift the foot off the floor ever so slightly, otherwise you just pushed and pushed, the foot was literally stuck to the floor, very frustrating. That floor also had lots of black skid marks on it.

 

The upper studio has been generally OK all but for a couple of week about a month or so ago, then it were a little sticky too, but that has since gone. I really like that studio in preference to those at ROH, I wish ENB were like Pineapple where I could just boro the studio when it’s not in use.

 

Lin:

Do you remember the movements we used for the Sleeping beauty piece to replace the travelling petit battements, the bit after the 4 bure’s and soutenu turn, it was like a glissard with a petit developee on the trailing leg. At ENB last night my teacher was thinking on her feet to finish of a sequence where we ended in an arabesque, she was deciding if we were to rise up on demi-pointe or do a fondu into a penche and then Pas de Buree or Buree out. I couldn’t resist it I was a little bit naughty, I went for a rise on demi-point then as the supporting foot came down, brought the gesturing leg to cou-de-pied and the just glided though 3 or 4 of those glissardy type things we were doing on Saturday. My teacher see me in the mirror but didn’t say anything. The class finished the sequence with a pas-de-buree and then pull up with into 5th to end. I just love that new movement now, it just glides off the feet, it felt very wooden on Saturday but now I have acquired the muscle memory, I’ve Franziska to thank for that.

Edited August 28, 2013 by Michelle_Richer

[taxi4ballet]

Fiz - so it was sinuses after all!

[Fiz]

Yes...I am hefty antibiotics as my GP thinks it's quite deep seated.

[KathyG]

You have to be very careful with sinuses as DS knows only to well. Hope for a speedy recovery.

[Fiz]

Thank you, Kathy.

[Michelle_Richer]

A bit of an unusual night tonight at ENB, firstly I was hoping to get a bit of practice in the studio 15 minute before class began, but there were two ENB professional dancers doing a Pas de Deux from Giselle, me and several other girls watched in amazement, if only I thought, I guess they did too. They were fantastic, so I gave them a little clap at the end and got at curtsy and bow from them which was nice. I was hoping to run through the beginning of Giselle’s first variation from Act 1, but unfortunately I didn’t get the chance. However after work at the barre in level 2, when every one else was either stretching or getting a drink of water, I walked it through for spatial awareness, without arm or lifting into high arabesque etc, as I don’t have room in my own studio, especially as a repeat of one piece, carries on in the same direction. Hopefully I will get another chance next week either at ENB or Pineapple.

 

Both classes were good again. My level 2 teacher was still absent, so this time we had my previous level 1 teacher as she had just returned from teaching ballet in the Caribbean. It was a nice fun class but I did get corrected a couple of times for my arms not being rounded enough, but she always gave me lots of feedback. A few more pirouettes in that class but not a lot in the way of sequences this time.

 

In Level 3, the work at the barre is always changing, I think is to keep us on our toes and alert, different combined movements, and different port de bras. We seem to be concentrating a lot on balance and turnout this time. Still a lot of tidying up of old sequences, class size is dwindling too, but I guess some of that are holidays. Unfortunately it was the last week for my regular level 3 teacher, although she will be back next term. Not sure who we will have for next week our final week.

 

I shall repeat the same two classes next term, taking us up to Christmas, then change the day to Mondays in the new year, so I can attend LAB on Tuesdays. One of my friends in our level 3 class is joining LAB next week, I’m interested to see how she gets on.

[Jan McNulty]

I don't know if this will be of any use to anyone but I have just picked this tweet by Everybody Ballet:

 

"Everybody Ballet's new term starts tomorrow. We also have our new Assoluta class for 60 years plus at new venue The Village Hall, w12 !!! X"

 

Here is the link to the Everybody Ballet website:  http://www.everybodyballet.com/

[Michelle_Richer]

Hi Janet

 

I have checked out the link as I do both the ROH classes from time to time, that’s my treat of the month as they are so expensive, especially as Pineapple just down the road only charge £8.00 a class plus £2.00 entry.

 

There pricing this time looks strange too, ROH was always more expensive that the rest which was understandable, I cant remember the charges for the others but I thought it was around £15.00, but they appear to be the same as ROH now, And I really don’t understand why the over 60’s is the most expensive and no drop in price either

[Jan McNulty]

Well I can't answer that but perhaps you should ask the Company.

[Michelle_Richer]

I will when I see them next, which will probably be in a couple of weeks as I will be on a three week break from ENB, that way I minimise my weekly trips to London. Never the less I have found a new school to fill in for the ENB break. No rest for this girl.

 

Full loading of classes next week as everyone is back off summer beak, and I'm quite looking forward too it.

[Moomin]

Ouch £25 for an hour class, I see what you mean Michelle! What is your new class that you have lined up?

Hope you are feeling better fiz

My classes are back next week too, after a long lazy summer I am a little apprehensive! ( but very much looking forward to it too)

[Michelle_Richer]

Hi Moomin

Yes and I do both classes, so it is a real treat.

 

Northern Ballet

 

I've been quite busy with three summer schools following each other and several workshops too, in addition to all that I've still attended my two classes at ENB, so I've still remained petty busy, but did drop the fitness training during the break. So I will get a rude awakening at 10.30 tomorrow morning with my first body balance class.

[Fiz]

I am, thanks, Moomin. Class recommences on Wednesday The show dates are now up. It is the end of July. We had our first couple to view our house on Saturday and they made us an offer. It wasn't the asking price but I do wonder if we will be here in July.