Classe de Perfection = ? English title

[Pas de Quatre]

I have two non syllabus coaching classes, one junior and one senior, for which I struggle to find a suitable title.  I love the term "Classe de Perfection", but it seems imposible to translate, anything I come up with sounds wrong.  Polishing class - nope sounds like I have them cleaning the mirrors!  Finishing class - sounds like it is the end!   Anyone got any ideas?  The junior class encompasses pre-pointe and the senior one pointework.

Edited January 8, 2022 by Pas de Quatre
Sp

[Meetmeatthebarre]

Virtuosity? The RAD has a class by the same name which seems to cover what you have described?

[Pas de Quatre]

Thanks for the suggestion, but that is actually the opposite of what I mean.  "Virtuosity" would be working on the tricky exhibition steps.  The classes I am talking about are honing technique for extra purity and strength in placement, posture, foot articulation etc. which of course does make the difficult steps better in the long run.

[Anna C]

Are they non-syllabus technique classes then? 

 

Out of interest, here’s the class descriptor for the RAD Virtuosity Classes: “https://www.royalacademyofdance.org/dance-with-us/our-dance-school-in-london/childrens-dance-classes/virtuosity/”

 

They are for “children”; the “adult” non-syllabus ballet classes are called just that. 🙂

[Pas de Quatre]

Yes non-syllabus Vaganova classes, for those dedicated pupils who wish to improve their technique.  Junior class up to year 6 includes Pre Pointe , Seniors from Yr 7 onwards with Pointework or doing the exercises on demi pointe until ready for pointe shoes.

[Anna C]

I think I’d be tempted to call them “Non-Syllabus ballet - Junior/Senior” and add that description, to be honest! ☺️

[glowlight]

How about simply calling it a 'Technique' class.  Or 'Technique polishing', "Focus on Technique'?

[Millicent]

Yes, either technique class or coaching class might work? Or technique training? Or Technique focus?

[glowlight]

Elite Technique?

 

[Kate_N]

These classes sound fantastic (do you take lumpy old adults? 🤣 )

 

But seriously -

"Technique Coaching and Polishing"

"Hone your ballet technique"

"Technique and Strength"

 

If you just have "coaching" it may sound as though these are remedial classes for pupils to catch up, but actually you're aiming for the dance pupils who are already competent, but want to perfect their technique. There's a bit of a "tall poppy syndrome" about naming anything as élite nowadays, isn't there? So it's hard to communicate this, without putting people off.

 

They sound fab classes.

[taxi4ballet]

DD's school did them, and they were called 'Invitation Class' and were either Junior or Senior.

[Dance*is*life]

How about Class of Excellence or In pursuit of excellence?   I must say I like the Elite Technique suggestion - very catchy phrase!

[Peanut68]

3 hours ago, taxi4ballet said:

DD's school did them, and they were called 'Invitation Class' and were either Junior or Senior.

No offence to anyone, but ‘invitation’ kind of creates a 2 tier feeling. ie. those not ‘invited’  might feel inferior or somehow less worthy? I must say our local school did something similar called ‘special smalls’ & though my dancer was too old she still felt that somehow they rated her less & that she wasn’t ‘special’. I’m sure their heart & dance aims were in the right place, just very unfortunate wording IMHO.

i wouid certainly be very careful how anything ‘elite’ is pitched & ensure fairness in selection (nothing wrong with an audition but maybe a good idea to a) have at least one additional neutral ‘adjudicator’, b) that commitment & any t&c’s are clearly outlined before & c) that finance is not a barrier to audition/participating.

Great if pitched right - good luck! 

Edited January 9, 2022 by Peanut68
Typo!

[SplitSoul]

Why not keep the French title? So much of ballet is French already and it just sounds perfect (no pun).

[Pas de Quatre]

Thank you everyone for your ideas, it has given me lots to think about and I may adopt some of them.  In the past I have called them Classical coaching, but then I wondered if people would think it just for exam coaching or for specific roles.  I don't want to use the word Elite as there is a school a few miles away who have it in their name.

 

So at the moment I have the following:-

- Juniors Classical technique & Pre-pointe preparation (this may be tautology, but at least it is clear!)

- Seniors Classical technique & Pointework

This is really just for leaflets, posters and the timetable, in everyday life everyone just says "the Friday class"!

 

Kate there is already one lumpy old adult - me!  It is a quirk of the English language that Seniors can mean both school pupils in year 7 and above, or older Adults of pensionable age!  

[alison]

In the sense that I see it used in French, perfectionnement usually tends to mean "improvement", I think, FWIW.