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City Academy 1 day Giselle Workshop at Jerwood Space SE1


Michelle_Richer

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Hi Lin

 

Can you go to properties on an IPad (As I don't have anything that modern)too poor, if so go Copy URL, I usually paste it in notepad just to check its there, and then into the normal text area of the post. Mostly it displays the Video directly, but sometimes just it shows the link highlighted in blue, as in one of my previous posts.

 

I also note from Alina's version it is clearly a Rond de Jambe from the rotation of the leg and not a Ballonne a I first thought.

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Hi Lin Well done.

 

Thanks girls, for the video examples, they are all fantastic but I personally like the Natalia Osipova the best. However Marianela Nunez has lovely arm movements, I guess I may boro some of them, but I love what appears to be a slower tempo for Gelsey Kirkland, her movements are quite precise and easy to see and I guess better to learn from. They all have subtle differences; I guess I will end up with a mishmash of them all.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Although this workshop was quite enjoyable it certainly wasn’t as planned. The friends dance was a simplified one from Cuba that our teacher had danced; so much of my prep was quite different. Also Giselle first variation that I had put so much effort in to was dropped completely, that was down to me, as I had recruited one of the guys from my ENB class and out teacher had to alter things to accommodate him, so I really did shoot myself in the foot, but that’s how the cookie crumbles. That was replaced with the entrance of Giselle, a very nice piece but I don’t think I will ever use it again.

 

Our teacher asked for Ideas for a piece of rep for her master class at the Royal Opera House in November, I immediately suggested Giselle’s first variation but I haven’t booked that one yet. I’m also aware that she has a preference to teach something from Don Quixote

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I suppose that is the potential problem with doing homework in advance without knowing the exact choreography that is going to be used. All the classics tend to be "after" the choreographer so there are always going to be differences. (I used the same excuse about my school homework!).

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I attended this workshop on Saturday and very much enjoyed this inspite of being a bit travel lagged on the day.

 

We learnt three pieces from Giselle : Giselles entrance, the pas de six and another dance from Act one which did have a name but its the general gallop off bit in Act one. In fact it was a lot and am amazed we all managed to remember most of it by the end of the day. I say this as some people in this group had not been doing ballet all that long(in their first year) and they coped fantastically well.

The teacher Rejane from City Academy was lovely to work with and extremely good at quickly adapting bits for those not able to do the original which was taken from the Cuban Ballets production......I don't know whether she once danced with them or knows someone who did etc.

There was only one man on the course and he was a really good sport having to dance the Giselles entrance bit so many times to give us all a chance to be Giselle but he said he was thoroughly enjoying it all....though I apologised for Giselle suddenly morphing into her mother in my instance!!! It was nice in this extract to have to do a little bit of acting however minimal.

The other two were straight dance pieces and Rejane cleverly adapted the Pas de six for the nine of us on the course. She always gave two versions of the choreography so some could simplify but somehow without it looking out of place.

Although only nine of us on this course it was somehow greater fun if hard work as we got to know each other a bit better than when there are 25-30 or higher numbers and everyone helped everyone else so to speak which made for a really nice atmosphere.

This was held at Jerwood Space in Southwark. A nice large room in a sort of local Arts meeting place with a cafe and very pleasantly designed surroundings. The only hitch was there were no barres but the sturdy radiators (luckily not on) and some stacked chairs sufficed on this occasion.....though it might be a good idea if they want to use as a dance space more to invest in some portable ones though I know these are very expensive. There could have been a problem if there had been a lot more people as then there would not have been enough chairs etc.

However this was a lovely day and can recommend anyone to try out another of their workshops.

The next one is on December 1st a Sunday......thank goodness as this one is to be held in the Royal Ballet School at Covent Garden and with it being Sunday less chance hopefully of some prestigious Royal walking past and viewing our attempts!! This one is on Swan Lake.

There also seemed to be talk of one on Nvember 9th also at Covent Garden but wasn't sure if a workshop or Masterclass as details not fully on website but Rejane said may teach something from Don Quixote and to bring a fan!!

I will definitely book the December one now and keep an eye on their website for any more details about November. However I do feel that when workshops are booked into top places like the RBS at CG the cost will be more.....I now think LAB workshops are to be held there as well. Higher costs can put many off unfortunately as these repertoire workshops are just so worthwhile.

 

I

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I don't recognise the lady's name but I have seen the BNC production of Giselle several times and it is gorgeous.  The Cuban dancers all seem to be great virtuosos and some of the corps work in the village scenes in Act 1 is really challenging.

 

It sounds as though it was a fantastic day!

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I suppose that is the potential problem with doing homework in advance without knowing the exact choreography that is going to be used. All the classics tend to be "after" the choreographer so there are always going to be differences. (I used the same excuse about my school homework!).

Hi Janet

 

I’m usually prepared for a few changes that why I don’t just stick with the choreography of just one. I know Rejane reasonably well as I have done a number of her workshops, but she caught me out this time. Im not too worried about the Giselle’s Friends dance; I’ve popped that in the melting pot for performance at our Lincoln show, its now with my teacher for review, all 3 versions of it with my comments as to how I would piece together the Choreography for all female dancers.

 

The other piece Giselle First Variation of act one, is quite a difficult piece, I had a chat to Rejane about private tuition covering this one, and she is more than willing to help me out. For me that’s more cost effective than her courses as it dispenses with the general barre and centre work, in any case I will also alter the choreography to suit both my ability and artistic creativity. I will already know the sequence, it will be Rejane’s job to tidy up my technique and make sure I haven’t missed anything silly. As it’s my intention to take selected reps to a good amateur performing standard and ideally keep them there. I’m also looking locally for a good ballet repertoire coach, but when I mention repertoire, most teachers seem to shy away.

 

 

Here is a clip of Rejane

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQJcQg4q2vA&feature=player_embedded

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This could be Michelle because not all teachers have actually danced with company's so have to learn the repertoire from somewhere. I'm sure many will have bits of rep in their knowledge but would need time to revive this before being able to offer on a course and would have to be able to foresee the most difficult bits which are most likely to need adapting. Doing all this off the top of your head easily in a group situation especially where you know very few people in the group means you have to be doing this sort of thing a lot. Most teachers working with children are probably doing more of heir own choreography for them rather than strict repertoire from the ballets.

Thanks for the clip of Rejane though and good luck finding a local ballet rep teacher!!

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