Jan McNulty Posted September 21, 2018 Share Posted September 21, 2018 The Ballet Retreat have just announced the first date for 2019. It's a London-based retreat being held on 12-13 January 2019. https://www.theballetretreat.com 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viv Posted September 24, 2018 Share Posted September 24, 2018 (edited) Oh no, I get to London on the evening of the 13th! Such a shame. If only it was one week later, I have two weeks of unfilled time before I'm due in Paris Edited September 24, 2018 by Viv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted September 24, 2018 Share Posted September 24, 2018 3 hours ago, Viv said: Oh no, I get to London on the evening of the 13th! Such a shame. If only it was one week later, I have two weeks of unfilled time before I'm due in Paris that's a shame TBR is great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted September 24, 2018 Share Posted September 24, 2018 Will you still be here on Saturday 26th January? Chelsea Ballet ( a long standing amateur ballet company) are holding a winter ballet day at Sadlers Wells that day. They usually have a week long summer school in August but we all loved it so much last August and were bemoaning the fact of having to wait another whole year that Louise Hudson who runs it organised this. But you don't have to be dancing with the Company to do the workshops ...anyone who has done at least a year or two of ballet can come along....not for complete beginners though. You can PM me if you want when I can give you more details. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viv Posted September 25, 2018 Share Posted September 25, 2018 (edited) @LinMM I actually might be! I was planning on heading to Bruges some time around then but my dates are pretty flexible and if I have to go 9 weeks without any ballet, I will probably go spare... I tried PMing you but it says you are unable to receive messages? Not sure what's going on there Edited September 25, 2018 by Viv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colman Posted September 25, 2018 Share Posted September 25, 2018 There are lots of open classes in London. My wife was there for a week over the summer and managed to get in six or seven classes in five days without trying too hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthE Posted September 25, 2018 Share Posted September 25, 2018 9 hours ago, Viv said: I tried PMing you but it says you are unable to receive messages? Not sure what's going on there There's a limit to the amount of storage space in each user's inbox. When it fills up it means they need to delete some old material! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted September 25, 2018 Share Posted September 25, 2018 3 hours ago, Colman said: There are lots of open classes in London. My wife was there for a week over the summer and managed to get in six or seven classes in five days without trying too hard. between Pineapple, Danceworks, and Central Nights you could probably find a couple of classes a day for most levels , add in Sander Blomaert's classes and various others ... how many classes you could do depedns on when you want to start and finish the day and the travel times between classes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted September 29, 2018 Share Posted September 29, 2018 Sorry Viv just seen your message! I will have a look at my messages and see if I can remember what to do! It has happened once before but can't at this moment recollect what you have to do!! When Ive sorted it I will PM you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted September 29, 2018 Share Posted September 29, 2018 Hmm sorry am such a div with technology but I've been into my messages and I'm not sure how to delete them without going into each one and then when the conversation comes up it seems to then allow you to delete that conversation. At the moment I cannot see a quicker way of deleting the messages or just clearing the inbox! I am on an IPad so don't know whether it's different if you are on a main computer etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted September 29, 2018 Author Share Posted September 29, 2018 Scroll down the list of messages till you see “go to inbox” and click on that. That takes you to a view of your messages where there is a box you can tick to select. Select those you wish to delete. A delete option is displayed. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 Hi Jan thanks so much for the info! I didn't realise what happened when you marked the box .....that then you get a bin sign and a move possibility so have now deleted most of my messages( nearly 100 of them!) so should be okay now. Viv I will message you tomorrow with some more info on the Jan 26th ballet day but have just got back from London after trying out Sander Blommaert's Rep class....fab studios at BBO Headquarters ( British Ballet Organisation) right on the Thames path ...so am bit exhausted right now! A gin and orange and bed now I think!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 I'm posting this hear even though it's still 2018! Ive just managed to survive the October two day ballet retreat at the Rambert studios!! I was initially a bit nervous about booking this because it's two days of five hours ballet a day and thought I might be biting off more than I can chew even down to the night before thinking "what have I done I'm too old to be doing this" However what a fab weekend and apart from sore feet (from tiredness not injury) I'm still walking about and haven't collapsed in a heap! Much of this is due to David Kierce though. He is just brilliant at keeping the Group Energy up and going with such good humour. It's such a pleasure to be taught by someone who just seems to love teaching ( or he is a first rate actor lol!!) he reaches every corner of the room (where alas you might be trying to hide.....definitely no hiding!) and doesn't miss much!! The age range was pretty wide with a selection from every decade from 20-70 .....( I was only the second oldest there!) ....and abilities were quite varied too ....but you just worked with what you'd got and where you're at right now.....David is very good at meeting and encouraging students various ballet development stages.....though I'd advise at least a minimum of one year of ballet before attending if you are a complete adult beginner ( as opposed to a returner to ballet etc) Also everyone on the course was very friendly and supportive which helped a lot too. The "girls" worked on part of the second shade variation from Bayadere and the "boys" on part of the Bronze Idol variation ...so not easy stuff but everything was well broken down into sections and repeated enough throughout the two days that if your brain and body were connected (if ...ha ha ) you could get a reasonably satisfying shot at the sections worked on by the end of the Retreat. There were moments when I thought wow will I have the energy to get to the end of the day but somehow I did and by the end of the Retreat I just wanted to have one more go in case it was better next time ....and others too were still trying to practice the piece when it was time to go home....such was the enthusiasm created!! Doing this Retreat has taught me something other than ballet ....that I can demand more of myself (mentally) than I think I can and that I'm stronger physically than I think I am and that is not a bad lesson to take home at 70!! So already planning on attending another later on in 2019 if offered of course! Im off to see Bayadere on 5th November .....just hope I can stay in my seat when THAT variation comes on! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 Just to add some may think it's expensive but we had a lovely meal on both days in the Green Room next door to the Rambert included in the price and when you see what prices other expert people in their fields giving courses for whole days (gardening ,cookery ,woodwork Art etc) charge ...the price as per day (£105) compares pretty well. Also last but not least we had the encouraging Georgina Roberts on the course who led the warm ups and cool downs to the ballet so everything was very safe and well thought out. Thankyou again to David ( IPad just misspelt it Savid!) and Georgina for a lovely weekend a real experience I can recommend. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Red_Shoes Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 I'm glad you enjoyed it. I have attended three retreats so far (and have signed up for the next London retreat in January) and I have always enjoyed every minute - despite my advanced age. I think they are worth every penny. I always ache like mad but manage to keep going to the end. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 Yes I am surprised at myself as I thought I had reached my maximum day ballet wise last summer by attending two classes of ballet ( 3 hours) on four days running on the Chelsea Ballet Summer School but there were gaps between the classes whereas the Retreat is continuous!! I cannot do the January one but am hoping there will be at least one other in 2019 in London though may consider going up to Leeds at some point as I do know the Ballet studios there and last time in Leeds ( not for a Retreat) stayed at the Ibis next door for £32 a night!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 Go Lin! I’m in awe. I’ve decided that unless a nearby Silver Swan class opens, I’m done. My body took such a clout from the extended allergy flare up that I cannot rely on it to cooperate for regular classes now. It really upsets me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 I'm so sorry to hear that Fiz. As you get older it is a bit of a fight with the body doing anything a bit physically demanding without having additional allergy problems as well...so disheartening. I can only wish that age will decrease your allergy suffering as it does in some people fortunately. After having a few injuries in the past few years and having this arthritis in my left hip particularly I have got rather self protective of myself but have realised recently that I can push myself further than I thought so while the going is good will see what happens. Also with the arthritis it's a bit odd as if I do have periods of not so much activity it's the same.....it doesn't seem to get worse with more physical exertion but just has ups and downs whatever I'm doing it seems. I was shocked by a friend who had mild arthritis which last January quite suddenly accelerated ( not gradually) and last week she had a hip replacement!! So make hay while the sun shines as they say!! Will PM you Fiz. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted October 31, 2018 Share Posted October 31, 2018 @LinMM glad you enjoyed yourself ... welcome to the TBR family ! and it is a family / company feeling if 2019 continues in the vein of 2018 TBR wise there will be at Least 3 London and 3 Leeds , this of course does depend on 'staff' ( as Hannah and Gavin have to work around their commitments to Northern - same for Kenny and any other Northern company members who get involved ) and studios ( although the one day Corps retreat in the late spring was held at Yorkshire Dance just across the road from the Northern / Phoenix building David really is a fabulous teacher and can teach a class which is useful and challenging to everyone from the near beginner to (near -) pro , you are correct about the no hiding and i'd agree experience / level wise that you need to be able to follow class and ideally be able ot cope with inside leg and change of weight at barre, but the collective minds and bodies will make sure you have suitable barre mates Georgina seems to be great at being 'London Hannah ' from a keeping things going point of view the Summer ( August BH ) TBR is highlight of the TBR year because it's 3 days and certainly the last 2 years TBR has had the Northern Ballet building to itself ... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EverHopeful Posted November 1, 2018 Share Posted November 1, 2018 Hi everyone, I’m new to the forum! This ballet retreat looks great, I hadn’t realised such a thing existed. I will definitely attend one at some point. Are there any other adult intensive courses you know about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted November 1, 2018 Author Share Posted November 1, 2018 Hello DeveloppeD and welcome to the Forum! If you click on the Adult Ballet tag at the top of the thread it brings up loads of previous discussions on adult ballet. Some companies such as English National Ballet run one day workshops to tie in with what they are performing at the time - details would be on their website. I know from a friend in Norfolk that Rambert and Matthew Bourne hold half day workshops at theatres they are performing at too. Here's a sample thread to get you started: 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EverHopeful Posted November 1, 2018 Share Posted November 1, 2018 Thank you very much - I have a lot of reading to do. What a wonderful website this is. I can’t believe I didn’t find it and join earlier 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colman Posted November 1, 2018 Share Posted November 1, 2018 There are lots. RAD often run half day adult workshops, En Avant Ballet run one and two day things. Some of the serious people around here seem to do some workshop pretty much every weekend! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted November 1, 2018 Share Posted November 1, 2018 (edited) 13 hours ago, Colman said: There are lots. RAD often run half day adult workshops, En Avant Ballet run one and two day things. Some of the serious people around here seem to do some workshop pretty much every weekend! not quite , although it does seem that way ... in 2018 there are/ were ?6 TBRs (January 2 day Northern Ballet Leeds, March 2 day Rambert London , May 1 day corps Yorkshire dance, June 2 day Rambert, August BH 3 day Northern , October 2 day Rambert, and the year will be rounded off with a 2 day in Leeds 1+2nd December ( which is not showing as sold out so there may still a few places left - you'd have to email Hannah or use the contact form o nthe site ( which sends Hannah an email) add in the various company and RAD things, plus en Avant , some things Sander Blommaert has organised , the adult day at YBSS , two 'days of Dance ' organised by Karen Sant and the KNT team in Manchester and the company classes / workshops organised by Chelsea Ballet, Chelmsford Ballet Company and this year has seen the beginnings of Powerhouse ballet with contributions from @Terpsichore and various others of the usual suspects of adult recreational ballet across Yorkshire+ humberside and the Northwest ... Powerhouse ballet gained it;s name because it 's neither white nor red in it;s roses and there;s all ready Northern Ballet, Northern Ballet School , Academy of the Northern Ballet and NSCD in the target area all using 'Northern' (mainly along the M62 the so called 'Northern powerhouse - we've had company classes in Huddersfield, Leeds (twice) Liverpool and Manchester ( and the November / December class will be in Manchester again ) - and we've added a pointe class as well from October ) as well as the company class cum audition for the piece Terry Etheridge has created for Powerhouse ( and those selected and some others had a further full day of class to develop that the following day ) and there's the workshop with Ballet Cymru on the 28th of November at Yorkshire Dance followed by the laucnh of Powerhouse's next project - a Northern 'Ballet Circle' type program running parallel to the Company ... this ignores the increasing choice of good quality adult recreational classes at all levels outside London ( certainly finding improver + / Intermediate /open and/or adult pointe seems to be something that a lot of people can and do access ... i suppose i better delcare my biases here 1. a very happy customer of TBR 2. somehow managing to volunteer myself to be on the development / steerign group for Powerhouse Edited November 1, 2018 by Nicola H 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted November 1, 2018 Share Posted November 1, 2018 On January 26th ( Saturday ) Chelsea Ballet are doing a days workshop at Sadlers Wells studios. This will be like one day in a similar vein to their week long Summer school ( held at Pineapple in London) Richard and Bethany Ramsay and Laura Hussey will be among the teachers on that day. I do do like the RAD ones but often only get to hear about them at the last minute ....not so easy to find on their website ....and inspite of having attended a few now never seem to get any emails to inform about ones coming up!! The English National Ballet also run various workshops .....there are two coming up in London held at the Colisseum ....so get to dance on the Coli stage!! But these are probably full by now and are just for a morning .....their longer ones are currently held at Markova House behind the Albert Hall....though not for much longer as they are about to move to their new base over on City Island in 2019 ....very exciting!! All info about these workshops is on their website and easy to find!! These are ones I have attended so can recommend. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted November 1, 2018 Share Posted November 1, 2018 There are also some people who run weekly usually two/ three hour Rep classes with the view to building towards public performances once or twice a year. In London I could recommend either Chelsea Ballet ( they rehearse near Turnham Green) and is run by Louise Hudson or The London Performance Company who rehearse in Holloway north London. This is run by Lisa Probert. Sander Blommaert has also started doing something similar over at BBO Headquarters in Battersea literally on the river side! However Sander may be moving to Birmingham in January to start in a new job there so not certain what will happen with London classes .....hopefully he may start things going up in Birmingham. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EverHopeful Posted November 2, 2018 Share Posted November 2, 2018 Wow, I had no idea there were so many opportunities available! Thank you for all this information. I will need to start planning. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted November 2, 2018 Share Posted November 2, 2018 10 hours ago, DeveloppeD said: Wow, I had no idea there were so many opportunities available! Thank you for all this information. I will need to start planning. which is why balletco is such a greatforum / site ... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EverHopeful Posted November 2, 2018 Share Posted November 2, 2018 2 minutes ago, Nicola H said: which is why balletco is such a greatforum / site ... It is brilliant. I just wish I’d found it (and my passion for ballet) much sooner! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle_Richer Posted November 2, 2018 Share Posted November 2, 2018 Hi Developped Best add City Academy to your list, possibly a little expensive at £80 a month, follow the link for further details, scroll down as it also has a video example of one of there showcase ballet performances at Sadlers. Follow the Link https://www.city-academy.com/ballet-dance-company 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EverHopeful Posted November 2, 2018 Share Posted November 2, 2018 Joining an amateur company one day is definitely on my ambition list - I have such a long way still to go with only a few years experience under my belt. But I’m now en pointe and have a good grade 4 (would like to think now nearing a decent grade 5 standard also). I wish i could go back and find my passion much earlier in life. But I’m determined to do everything I can to catch up - better late than never 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted November 2, 2018 Share Posted November 2, 2018 1 minute ago, DeveloppeD said: Joining an amateur company one day is definitely on my ambition list - I have such a long way still to go with only a few years experience under my belt. But I’m now en pointe and have a good grade 4 (would like to think now nearing a decent grade 5 standard also). I wish i could go back and find my passion much earlier in life. But I’m determined to do everything I can to catch up - better late than never the amateur companies do vary in their approach . some do appear to be near pro or are mainly youth + ringers , others aren't and we'll have to see exactly what direction Powerhouse takes once it;s properly set up and there is a board , and whatever form of artistic direction comes to pass ... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EverHopeful Posted November 3, 2018 Share Posted November 3, 2018 (edited) I fully expect I’ll need several more years of intensive training, and more impressive exam certificates than my RAD grade 4 merit - however proud I am of it, I do realise in the grand scheme of things it potentially might not be as much of an achievement as I first thought. When I said I’d like to join an amateur company, I meant in 5 or 10 years time - I didn’t mean to imply I believe I’d be ready anytime soon. But maybe one day 🤣 Edited November 3, 2018 by DeveloppeD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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