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London Amateur Ballet Summer School


Miss Sparkle

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Wow Justballet what a great thing to do I'm sure the kids will love whatever you do perhaps you could find some music with a bit of a Kenya feel to it .....? Don't know what you could be starting up here but I'm sure there'll be some new ballet fans when you leave!! :)

 

I would be interested in the Autumn event so guess have to keep an eye out on the website for news of it. Just hope it s a piece with a floaty dress though!!

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday anyway!!

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If LAB have an Autumn event you can bet I will be there too. If I get a chance during LAB SI or see Tom at ENB I will ask him as things thin out a bit for me later in the year repertoire wise. As for what type of outfit is recommended I'm basically comfortable with almost anything, be it a floaty dress, long romantic tutu or a short sticky out tutu.

 

I'm almost packed for LAB SI now, bought 3 more white leotards today as I guess they will soon get grubby with the heat etc. Cant wait to get started, only a week to go.

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  • 2 weeks later...

The first day of LAB SI was absolutely brilliant, we had something like 48 girls and 5 guys. At least two from the forum that said hello, and a couple of Just Ballet’s friends too.

We started off with a little work at the barre but it was a bit crowded as it was conducted a one large single group, that followed with some centre work . But the main work of the day was repertoire “The Entrance of the Swans”, that was an addition to what we had been informed. Non of that had been simplified against the RB DVD version, the only thing that was not taught was to use the head with Swan Arms, but I and a couple of other girls did, I guess that will come later, that is almost complete but still a little hazy in my memory. After reviewing the DVD  tonight there is one bit at the end I must correct, but I guess we will be going over it again before our final performance on Friday. After class many off us went for an after class, get to know each other drink with our teacher  Tom, that was really enjoyable. Today Tom has been our only teacher, a really nice teacher too, so full of enthusiasm.

 

Tomorrow we are to be split up into two groups, which will still be a mixture of abilities, so if necessary there is always someone to follow. We have two separate rooms tomorrow, with a Pilates session, pointe/demi-pointe session before our repertoire of Waltz of the Swans. For me its going to be a tough day as I have two ENB classes to attend in the evening on top.

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Ah Michelle I really wish I as there :( it sounds fabulous and hope you caught up with my dear friends Winnie and Rebecca? Do give them a big hug from me if you see them tomorrow x

 

I hope you all have a fabulous time, I've never been so torn between a family holiday (which is a rare occurrence) and a week long ballet course for me and not DD which is hitherto unheard of!!!

 

I just hope you all enjoy it, the pics I've seen on twitter look great! I may have to just waft around the hotel in my flipflops!! I hope you enjoy Carlos on Wednesday Michelle :)

 

I will be there next year!!

Sxxx

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Sorry I couldn’t post before, but I have only just got back from my ENB classes at 11pm. Yes JB I did meet Winnie, she was the first one to sign in and I was the second. JCS is also with us. So is two members of my ENB level 3 class, another one will be doing Swan Lake with me at City Academy at the weekend.

 

Today was quite hectic, after arriving there drenched by the rain, it was only a little shower when I set out from the hotel, its about 20minutes walk, 5 minutes into the walk the heavens opened, Fortunately my coat had a waterproof hood and kept some of the wet out but my track suit bottoms were soaked.

 

We had two more teachers to help out today, This morning we were arranged into two groups so we could have the advantage of a smaller class size. During the morning we covered Pilates and work at the barre and did so pointe work too, about 70% of the girls were on pointe.

 

The first session into the afternoon, we completed the first full run through of the entrance of the swans, The piece which I thought I had screwed up against the RB version has be re-choreographed by Tom.

 

The second session this afternoon was a start on our main performance piece, the Waltz of the Swans. As that has several sub groups we have all be divided down again, I am in group B3. Group A and B is basically in alphabetical order of ones name, sub group 1 2 and 3 is on height, group 3 is the middle segment just to confuse things. In this group JCS is just behind me and we partner each other on part of the waltz. The break point of subgroup 3 has placed me in front so I don’t have anyone to copy (Oh heck) so Im in the goldfish bowl with Tom, This has been further compounded as Tom has re-choreographed a couple pieces we were doing this afternoon, which has altered the direction against the RB version. It really is going to be a brain teaser, but its really good fun and I do think Intensive does describe it well.

 

When I got to ENB tonight, who did I see in the Car park but Tom, he’s helping out with their level 1 class as Mondays is his normal night for ENB.

 

FullContreTemps is absolutely right, our pianists is fantastic.

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I sort of wish I'd signed up for this now but at the decision making time I thought the Chelsea Summer school would be more flexible(if I couldn't cope!) and my first summer school for a VERY long time!! And because as you say this does look very intense etc and with Chelsea you can sign up for the number of classes which suit you. Also the fact that they immediately follow on with Chelsea being next week I was sure I would need at least a week between the two!! However it does sound just up my street and good fun too!! So would definitely like to do the next one. One thing.....can you do the whole thing including the performance on demi pointe or do they want you to be on pointe really? The thing with me is I probably could do pointe work Im pretty sure Im strong enough again and have done quite a bit before but just don't want to!! I don't want all the hassle with my feet and sore bunions etc......so hopefully demi is okay?!

 

Hope all you balletcoers manage to meet up finally!

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Hi Michelle have just had message posted to Facebook page .....did you know Louise Hudson is on the LAB intensive? Looks like others from Chelsea Ballet may be there too! Hope you meet up anyway and that it went well today.

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Hi Lin

The main sequences from Swan Lake have all been danced on Demi-pointe, in any case I don’t do pointe yet although I have my pointe shoes with me, apart from a couple of times in the hotel I’ve done nothing with them. That’s just in case I do the beginners pointe at Chelsea.

 

The format of today’s class was the same as yesterday, we have gone through Entrance of the Swans again, and that’s not looking too bad now.

 

The Waltz of the Swans is another story, at least for me, we have had a new piece added right at the end of today, whilst my head knows what I should do, and doing it without music appears to work, but once the music is there I am spending too much time thinking and concentrating rather that relying on muscle memory. I almost went back to the hotel in tears tonight, it was a real downer, I know I must be up early and practice this with music in my hotel room just to get that muscle memory in place, otherwise I will have let everyone down, especially as I’m the first in line nearest the audience.

 

The evening was nice, over half of us and Tom met up at the Coliseum to see Calos Acosta’s Classical Selection, However the theatre was styfullingly hot and pretty well packed too. Although we had booked our own seats, we all met up for a drink at the interval. Im off to see Bolshoi at ROH tomorrow night.

 

No I didnt know Louise is there, what is her roll teacher or dancer. If you have or can get a picture of her please drop it to my email as I cant get into facebook on the netbook I have with me.

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Looks like she's one of the dancers on this occasion.....if she was teaching you would probably have found out by now.

 

I haven't got a personal piccie of Louise as only met up again a couple of months ago after many years but she always seems to post a lot on her Facebook page and she is a friend on Facebook for me. Though I'm not into Facebook that much as most of my friends don't use it.

Have you got an eye catching leotard that I can tell her you might be wearing?!! She was asking friends to go to the performance at Lanterns Theatre on Friday but I can't make this unfortunately as last night before friend and DD go back to Oz so will be with them.

Anyway You'll (we'll) see her next week at the summer school.

If she is teaching she is quite small about 5ft to 5ft 2ins.

Hope the new bit from yesterday seems easier today.

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Hi Lin

 

I checked the booking in register of the Lanterns Theatre, Louise wasnt there, so Im not sure where you got your info from. We had Denise Whiteman (hope I have spelt the name right), she is ex Elmhurst and a RAD examiner. She did todays master class, a real girl after my own heart. I really liked her. Inspite of the heat we all worked incredably hard, its incredible to think what we have achived during the week. We have been through the Entrance of the Swans again, its looking good, anoth run through tomorrow to check the sequencing for the performance. Waltz is almost done and I feel a hell of alot better about it now.

Lots of practice in the hotel in both the eary ours of this morning and again when I got up.

 

Im glad I didnt learn all of the royal ballet version as the ending is quite different, but never the less no easier. Tom is a hard task manager but a really nice one. It off for a bit of a break tonight to see Bolshio.

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Sounds like you're having a fabulous time Michelle - complete ballet immersion and damn hard work in the heat I'm sure! I sincerely wish you all have a marvellous performance tomorrow and if you see my little friend Winnie, please give her a huge hug from me!! X

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Don't know Michelle other than the Facebook message to go along and see you all perform on Friday. It could be someone in the Chelsea ballet has a main role? I don't know anything about the booking in register in fact even what it means.....I don't know where this Lanterns theatre is even!! I would come though if it wasn't the last night in the UK for my friends. Hope it all goes well you sound a lot happier today anyway!!

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I'm sure there is someone short called Louise around the place but couldn't tell you exactly which one she is! So many people to try and remember! Really enjoyed today though - lots of hard work, interesting discussions and I'm 99% I have never sweated so much in one day before... Or worn a tut u in so many different ways...

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Hi Lin

The register is something we all have to sign in and out with including Tom, in case there is a fire or something; it’s a health and safety requirement. Went to see Bolshoi tonight, their take on our two pieces of Tom’s Choreography was not as challenging as ours, There performance was good and I enjoyed it but won’t comment further otherwise I will have the hounds of the forum after me.

 

I will double check all Louise’s tomorrow in case she has remarried, but that still is the name she uses under Chelsea Ballet.

 

Had to wash out my romantic Tutu tonight, I think will all the sweat and some residue of makeup, the band has become discoloured, I’ve still got enough white leo’s to see me through. A few of the girls are without white / pastel chiffon skirts; fortunately I have a couple of spare pink and a circular white one to help out with.

 

Then Sat and Sun is more Swan Lake at Saddlers Wells with City Academy, the worst of it, I will have to move house from my hotel in Docklands to Covent Garden on Saturday night lugging my heavy suitcase. I will try and make it lighter by taking additional stuff to Sadlers then dropping it off to Covent Garden before going back to Docklands for the final move.

 

Thank you Sheila and I will see Winnie tomorrow.

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She definitely hasn't remarried!!!

 

She sent a message to say she is trying to keep a low profile at LAB because she just wants to enjoy being one of the many dancers!

 

My friends were at Bolshoi tonight so will probably hear all the inns and outs of it tomorrow!

I didn't know there was another swan lake rep this W/e so no day in the garden respite then. My first class on Monday is Richard Ramsey and then the contemporary.....first time have done for about 30 yrs!! Just hope not too much leaping up and down from the floor!! I will be in the Pilates on Tuesday and Thursday and the morning ballet on Tuesday so will see you on one of those occasions at least I should think!

Meanwhile good luck with the performance tomorrow I'm sure will be alright on the night as they say!!

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Hi Lin

I can understand Louise’s wishes; in any case I will meet her soon enough on Monday.

 

As for the other Swan Lake Course, there was to have been three for me, RAD had one running the week before, this one at Birmingham but it was only two or three hours, but still, I would have been on it. Unfortunately the number of dancers who applied was too small. RAD seems to lack the ability to promote very well.

 

One of the girls here at LAB is also doing the same rep course as we are on at Franziska’s

 

If the City Academy course runs to form we will be doing a lot with Odette’s roll and I guess the Cygnet dance too. But we don’t get to wear a tutu for this one, its very relaxed just normal everyday ballet wear. At least RAD said I could bring my tutu when we did the Romeo and Juliet workshop even though it was totally inappropriate for that one.

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It sounds as if it has been a wonderful week. A number of people I know here and on Twitter have been doing the SI here. I do wish I could have done so too although our private classes with N were a blast and the last one on Wednesday night was particularly good.

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Thanks everyone for the good luck wishes, tonight’s performance went well, I hope I didn’t drop too many booboo’s I will see when I get the video. It really was an awesome experience with so many lovely dancers.

We had quite a lot in the audience, I know it has a capacity of 250, but there must have been around a hundred (Friend and Family).

 

We had something like 6 different section to the performance, Entrance of the Swans was the first which included every one, however the waltz was divided into two groups, my group got to go last, however it was my job to hold up going on to the stage as I was the first dancer on right hand side, and one of our girls (first in the centre row), had to do a quick change from a wrap round skirt to a tutu. I could see her from the wings on my side of the stage. So once she was ready I could signal my counterpart on the left, so both sides would enter the stage and into position (nicely). It was also quite scary being the one facing the audience with no one to follow other that the music from our wonderful pianist. It was hard work but fantastically rewarding even if I have made the odd booboo but I guess that swan waltz will now be burnt in my brain forever. After the curtain call when we all went back to our changing rooms, some of us were actually changed out of our tutu’s. Tom asked us all to get back in our tutu’s and come on stage for photos etc. He gave a really wonderful thank you speech to everyone, I know my eyes were full of tears and one of the other girls were to, we just looked at each other and smiled, just too choked to say anything.

 

I met another BalletCo-er there today (PetrovaFossil)

 

Lin I also Found Louise Hudson in the attendance register, just before we left the theatre tonight I met her while I was chatting to Tom. Tom told her I was hard core as I am ding City Academy over the weekend. She seems like a very nice lady, another one of the girls from LAB SI is also attending Chelsea Ballet next week.

 

I need some serious sleep now as I have to move house tomorrow from Docklands to Covent Garden including my massive suit case.

.

Thanks everyone for the good luck wishes, tonight’s performance went well, I hope I didn’t drop too many booboo’s I will see when I get the video. It really was an awesome experience with so many lovely dancers.

We had quite a lot in the audience, I know it has a capacity of 250, but there must have been around a hundred (Friend and Family). We had something like 6 different section to the performance, Entrance of the Swans was the first which included every one, however the waltz was divided into two groups, my group got to go last, however it was my job to hold up going on to the stage as I was the first dancer on right hand side, and one of our girls (first in the centre row), had to do a quick change from a wrap round skirt to a tutu. I could see her from the wings on my side of the stage. So once she was ready I could signal my counterpart on the left, so both sides would enter the stage and into position (nicely). It was also quite scary being the one facing the audience with no one to follow other that the music from our wonderful pianist. It was hard work but fantastically rewarding even if I have made the odd booboo but I guess that swan waltz will now be burnt in my brain forever. After the curtain call when we all went back to our changing rooms, some of us were actually changed out of our tutu’s. Tom asked us all to get back in our tutu’s and come on stage for photos etc. He gave a really wonderful thank you speech to everyone, I know my eyes were full of tears and one of the other girls were to, we just looked at each other and smiled, just too choked to say anything.

I met another BalletCo-er there today (PetrovaFossil)

Lin I also Found Louise Hudson in the attendance register, just before we left the theatre tonight I met her while I was chatting to Tom. Tom told her I was hard core as I am ding City Academy over the weekend. She seems like a very nice lady, another one of the girls from LAB SI is also attending Chelsea Ballet next week.

 

I need some serious sleep now as I have to move house tomorrow from Docklands to Covent Garden including my massive suit case.

.

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Just something I need to wrap up my posting on this thread for the time being until the next one, needless to say I WILL BE THERE. I do want to express my sincere thanks to JCS another BalletCo-er who was behind me and partnered me in the Waltz of the Swans, for constantly putting up with me checking the direction we should be going in, especially those bits I had to relearn to accommodate Tom’s changes in choreography against the RB version.

 

Although I’m not quite finished with Swan Lake as I’m now with City Academy, it seems more appropriate to post that one on the “Going back to ballet” thread

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