In difficult times when we need a laugh (or our spirits uplifting)...

[Balletfanp]

Brilliant, he is so funny, to say nothing of those stunning entrechats!

[alison]

A good lesson - if you're a ballet dancer, it may be better to look for a Victorian/Edwardian conversion with higher ceilings - and maybe a ground-floor flat so you don't annoy the neighbours!  My heart was in my mouth all the way through, the first time I watched it   Lovely to see him, though - and those entrechats!

[Fiz]

He’s such fun on Instagram and very sweet too. 

[capybara]

36 minutes ago, Fiz said:

He’s such fun on Instagram and very sweet too. 

 

There is more of Vadim (and others) on the How are Dancers faring thread.

 

[Sonya]

This little quarantine creation brought me smile)) 

Principal Ballerinas of Staatsballett (Iana Salenko, Ksenia Ovsyanick, Elisa Carrillo Cabrera, Yolanda Correa and Polina Semionova) in some percussive pointwork.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17e96n6pqO8

[Jan McNulty]

Thanks Sonya!

[Springbourne3]

How clever and beautiful is this from the Paris Opéra Ballet....enjoy

 

https://youtu.be/NiM-x4fPFRI

 

[Sim]

Vadream looks like he is bouncing off a trampoline with those incredible entrechats.  I wish the RB production would let Albrecht keep going if he wants to, as the music does allow for it.  

[bridiem]

4 hours ago, Sim said:

Vadream looks like he is bouncing off a trampoline with those incredible entrechats.  I wish the RB production would let Albrecht keep going if he wants to, as the music does allow for it.  

 

I hope and pray that we will see him - and others - again as Albrecht before too long, doing entrechats galore. For their sake even more than for ours.

[JohnS]

8 hours ago, bridiem said:

 

I hope and pray that we will see him - and others - again as Albrecht before too long, doing entrechats galore. For their sake even more than for ours.

I’m sure I’m not the only one recognising that we may find performances beginning whilst some restrictions remain in place, for example for those in vulnerable groups. As bridiem says, dancers need to perform and I do hope that performances will resume as soon as possible. For my part I will be delighted to read of performances even if I’m not able to attend in person.

[capybara]

2 hours ago, JohnS said:

I’m sure I’m not the only one recognising that we may find performances beginning whilst some restrictions remain in place, for example for those in vulnerable groups. As bridiem says, dancers need to perform and I do hope that performances will resume as soon as possible. For my part I will be delighted to read of performances even if I’m not able to attend in person.

 

The words of Ksenia Ovsyanick at the start of the Dance Europe film are thought-provoking:

https://vimeo.com/409036286?fbclid=IwAR3n6du3oSDfxMGqinSKneQIQNv2ToDgatIRseukNpQ0Pc1Et10hDG1M9aQ

 

 

[Jane S]

May I recommend Matthew Bourne's 1993 film, Late Flowering Lust?  It's a bit sad in the end but the dancing is terrific.

 

 

[Naomi M]

Love this delightful video created by Year 7 students at RBS on their Easter holidays. 

[Jan McNulty]

Northern Ballet Sinfonia cellist Toby Turton plays Somewhere Over The Rainbow to thank the NHS:

 

 

[Jan McNulty]

Ballet brain teaser:

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-8249029/Brainteaser-challenges-nation-two-stray-ballet-shoes-hidden-dancers.html

[Lynette H]

On 21/04/2020 at 10:25, Jane S said:

May I recommend Matthew Bourne's 1993 film, Late Flowering Lust?  It's a bit sad in the end but the dancing is terrific.

 

 

 

Thanks Jane. That was delightful.

[LinMM]

The Royal Ballet School catch game came onto Facebook page last week and loved it. 

Still not sure how they did it🤔 One of the magical things of the digital age 

[Jan McNulty]

 

[Buddy]

 

 

“Somewhere Over The Rainbow” will do it for me every time. Thank you, Jan.

 

Heres a video that you might enjoy. I also like very much the young lady’s dancing at 3:10 (upper left frame).

Edited April 27, 2020 by Buddy

[loveclassics]

I think the press is trying to give us light-hearted items to read and cheer us up at present.  Either that or the silly season is 4 months earlier than usual.  For example, I read that:

 

1) The Duchess of Cornwall has taken up ballet at the grand old age of 72 and is asking Darcey Bussell for advice

2) Police called to a disturbance in someone's garden found the cause to be randy hedgehogs having an orgy

3) Colin Firth claims that his wet shirt scene in Pride & Prejudice blighted his career

 

Is the whole world going crazy or should I stop reading The Times (source of the above) and switch to The Sun for serious reading?

 

We are certainly living in interesting times*.

 

Linda

* Ancient Chinese curse; 'may you live in interesting times'.

 

Edited April 28, 2020 by loveclassics
clarity

[alison]

44 minutes ago, loveclassics said:

2) Police called to a disturbance in someone's garden found the cause to be randy hedgehogs having an orgy

 

 

It often is   When it's not ditto foxes ...

 

Anyway, NYCB's Apollo has certainly just uplifted my spirits.

[Ian Macmillan]

And you'll find articles on the Duchess of Cornwall's doings as a Silver Swan and her appointment as Vice-Patron of the RAD all over the place online and on Twitter this morning - not just in The Times.  See Links .....

[bridiem]

6 minutes ago, Ian Macmillan said:

And you'll find articles on the Duchess of Cornwall's doings as a Silver Swan and her appointment as Vice-Patron of the RAD all over the place online and on Twitter this morning - not just in The Times.  See Links .....

 

Good for her! I may even look at the Silver Swans myself to see if there's anything I can do without doing myself damage. (I'm a lot younger than the Duchess of Cornwall, having only just hit 60, but 'exercise' is not something my body has ever understood. )

[LinMM]

Ooh Bridiem do have a go. 
Silver Swans is very gentle I don’t think you would do any damage. I can see I might be gravitating this way in a couple of years myself just to keep moving lol. I’ve not been attracted so far because if you’ve done a lot of ballet you want to try to keep up a more traditional ballet barre and centre for as long as possible but as technique of any sort especially being able to do any real jumping declines with age a more gentle approach starts to appear very attractive indeed  😊 

For anyone wanting a lovely way to exercise but who is new to ballet or hasn’t done it for very many years then Silver Swans or equivalent is brilliant 
 

[LinMM]

Not so sure about the expression “the grand old age of 72” though 😩

[bangorballetboy]

8 minutes ago, LinMM said:

Not so sure about the expression “the grand old age of 72” though 😩

 

At least she's not Duchess of York... 🤣

[Angela]

This is a sweet little video from Ballet Dortmund in Germany for World Dance Day - the little boy outside the studio clearly wants to become a dancer..

 

 

[Jan McNulty]

That's lovely thanks Angela.

[LinMM]

Years ago when I first started teaching in Liverpool in quite a rough  school right in the centre I used to run a little lunch time ballet class.

On quite a few days a rather tough little boy ( he was 9) used to come up the stairs from the playground and stand in the hall doorway in his welly boots and try and copy what we were doing. He wasn't being annoying or mocking you could see he was fascinated and he was actually really graceful with his arms. I did ask if he would like to join the class but that was a step too far ( was back in 1970) but who knows perhaps the original Billy Elliott 🤔 

[LinMM]

I'd love to reveal his name ...he would be about 60 by now....as most of the children in that very first class ....quite horrendous to consider but I was 21 and they were 9 so only 12 years difference!! No wonder I needed the experienced and excellent Deputy Head Mrs Jones to get me through some difficult scenarios ....I learned so much from her... But not sure if it is correct to do so . He probably wouldn't be reading the Forum .....but on the other hand it was a tough area as most of the kids came from the "Bullring" on Brownlow Hill or from Nelson Street ( China Town) His first name was Colin anyway. 

Colin came from a large family and one day he stormed late into the classroom and sat at his desk refusing to do anything. I asked what was the matter but wouldn't answer for ages and then said "I hate this jumper it's not even mine it's my brothers I hate wearing his jumper and I'm gonna get him at playtime" ( help!)  " It's first up best dressed in our house" I don't know why this has stuck in my mind but did have some sympathy with him.....I can't remember whether I needed Mrs Jones to separate him from his brother at playtime though! 

One later "famous " family at the school was the Yip family as David Yip became a famous actor for a while ....I taught three of his brothers.

It's amazing how you remember your very first class much better than many other classes of more recent years. 

 

Its ts with the girls of this class that at the end of that year in the summer term we went over to Port Sunlight to Sunlight Hall to see a Dance Group called "Northern Dance Theatre " who later on became Northern Ballet! 

 

[Jan McNulty]

David Yip's brother Stephen founded the charity KIND in 1975 and is much respected in Liverpool.  He was awarded the freedom of the city about 10 years ago.

 

https://kind.org.uk

[LinMM]

It looks as if Stephen was older then as I didn’t really know David either as he was already at Secondary School. In 1970 the family were 9 or so children strong...I think .... Mrs Yip would often joke about the number.......so I was never sure how many altogether!! 

In the same class as the above Colin was Graham Yip who would have been 9 in 1970. 
The following year I had Brian Yip and then but only for a term had Danny I think his name was but I left Liverpool before the end of that school year. 
Lovely to hear that Stephen founded such a great charity I’m sure he would have known Mrs Jones above!! 
She ran a great choir at the school and the sound she got out of those kids was totally amazing. I can still hear them singing “Past Three O Clock” even now. 
 

[Angela]

This Mariinsky video is fun!