"Big Ballet" - Wayne Sleep TV programme

[taxi4ballet]

There must have been hundreds of hours of footage which ended up on the cutting room floor. What goes on in the editing suite will be what ultimately shapes the programme that us viewers see, I suppose, and of course that is the only thing we can base our opinions on.

 

Skydancer, I'm really pleased that you are letting us know what it was like from the inside!

[LupusMelis]

Mel, did you all have to do your own makeup? Or were you given advice?

 

I should add that apart from the makeup and some irritating camera work, I was very impressed with the dancing. I didn't focus on anybody's size at all but was engrossed in watching the ballet technique and some very impressive acting. So if the producers and editors were hoping to make the dancers into any sort of laughing stock (which I hope they weren't), they failed.

 

We had a team of professional make-up artists who applied the make-up, but I have been led to believe that make-up & costume 'looks' were devised under the direction of Monica Loughman. The colour combinations were a very unfortunate choice and made us look very clownlike. You probably didn't notice on the TV but each of us had art deco patterns spray-painted in gold around the eyes, which was a lovely touch, but sadly got over-powered by the orange blusher and lips!

 

The camerawork was very irritating indeed. But so glad you were impressed with the performance. A few of us went to town on the acting side of it since we were so restricted physically (stage, costume, lack of choreography) so it's nice to know that viewers were able to see that!

[LinMM]

I'm so glad you are posting sky dancer because as I said last week I felt it was difficult to get a feel for the dancers overall progress and more of their individual stories from just the three programmes so I think many of us realised that a lot has been lost in the editing which is a shame.

Anyhow well done to you and all the others you have to be pretty brave to be filmed all the time.....you never know what is going to get caught on film......some weird leg,foot or arm angle etc!!

 

What is happening to most of you now....are most continuing with classes as yourself? or do they feel the completion of the project was enough?

 

Sheila I wish you had been let loose on the costumes!! Some rather strange choices I think....even the Prince.

But both the men carried off their roles pretty well in the end.

[Anjuli_Bai]

One of the things I learned  when I was dancing and teaching, was not to embark on a project unless I had some control of the final product,  

 

When it was  proposed to film a series of my classes I was teaching, or when someone wanted to film something I was dancing, or a request  to sketch/paint  me or my students dancing or posing, etc., I made sure (in writing) I had some control of how the final product would be assembled/edited and/or used.  

 

This includes costuming and venue.  If I and/or my students were asked to perform in a venue or in costumes which were unsuitable - then unless the problems were rectified - sorry, no.

 

I also learned to apply this to writing projects and displays of my paintings..  

 

It does mean that some projects will not happen because the editor or  others will not agree.  That's ok.

 

If my name is on it or my students (at the time when I was teaching), then, I would not allow it to happen without some control of the final product and its use.

 

How something is edited or presented can completely change how one thought it would be or how it was intended to be.  This includes how it will be used. 

 

It's not easy to say "no" if these terms are not met - but in the end = for me - I would prefer it that way.  What I produce may be (and often is) schlock - but at least it's my schlock.

 

(dictionary definition of "schlock" - junk, inferior)

 

This may sound a bit over the top -- but after a few negative experiences - considering the amount of physical, mental, monetary and emotional investment made - I think it is reasonable.  

[Pups_mum]

I feel for you Mel. A good friend of mine had a similar experience in so far as she answered an advertisement for participants in a documentary about a subject she is passionate about. She was told that this would be a serious and sympathetic documentary but it turned out to be virtually a freak show, with a lot of clever editing that showed the participants in a very unflattering light.

I hope that you and your fellow participants did gain some positive things from your experiences in the programme, even if it wasn't exactly the way you had hoped. Thanks for sharing your experiences with us and good luck with your future endeavours.

[Lisa O`Brien]

Welcome to the Forum Mel, and thank you so much for sharing your insight into the behind the scenes of the programme. Now you have joined us,please do stick around and continue to contribute .!

[Fiz]

I sympathise, Mel. A journalist interviewed me for an article for a leading newspaper. The spin she put on it about me and the others in it meant that my own mother, who loves that paper, did not believe I had said the words the journalist reported and another woman is attempting to sue them or force an apology from them.

[Ja Sm]

I have dipped in and out of this thread. Just wanted to say thank you to Sky dancer for posting. It must have been an amazing experience that TV and camera can not always hope to give justice to.

[LinMM]

Have just discovered I cannot watch the full recording of their performance as you need Flashplayer to see it and Apple devices etc dont support Flashplayer which is a real nuisance. They keep on telling me in the Apple store that Flashplayer is hardly ever used now and a different system is being used but still seems to prevent a lot of viewings for the time being.

[Janice]

LinMm you need to download the 4od app onto your iPad then you can watch the performance.

[LupusMelis]

Thanks everyone for your feedback and comments Can any mods help me to remove the names of the ladies in my post regarding the 'real women' scandal? I don't seem to be able to edit it.

 

Funnily enough I met with and talked to one of the producers from Rare Day about the show before I even went for the audition to get more information about it and find out exactly what it would all involve. I did leave the meeting feeling that my hopes for the show and the company's were along the same lines, but it turns out that my standards and expectations of quality were actually very different to the reality of the process. One of the biggest things I have been able to take away from the experience is to only commit to something that is authentic and which I will have control over, particularly if that project is voluntary!

 

In answer to your questions LinMM, I was heavily involved in dance before I got involved with the programme and am still committing myself to classes pretty much everyday! I am applying to study vocational courses at all the UK contemporary dance schools, with an audition for NSCD coming up the week after next so I'm hopeful that I will be able to find a place that will accept me and develop those areas that I need to strengthen. I'm determined to pursue my goal of dancing professionally, especially in works that really push the boundaries of my physicality and ability One day I might even reailse my dream of dancing Jiri Kylian works on a professional stage! In two weeks' time I will be taking part in my Sheffield dance studio's 10-year anniversary show, and we are performing a really lovely ballet piece so I'm really looking forward to getting back on stage again.

 

Not everybody had such a negative experience with the Big Ballet project and many of the others are eager to take things forward and they have a website where you can stay up to date with them: http://www.bigballetuk.com/big-ballet/ One of the positive things about the show is that these wonderful men and women have been inspired again by their love of dance, and it's obviously helped them fulfill their own personal goals. I'm sure they won't stay quiet for long

 

Sorry to read about your negative experience with journalists, Fiz. That's partly one of the reasons I have stayed away from doing press and appearances in relation to the show!

 

LinMM, you should be able to download 4OD as janice and ellen mentioned above. It's such a shame the full performance wasn't shown on the telly, my brother hasn't even been able to watch it yet because 4OD keeps crashing :/

[Jan McNulty]

Mel, I have amended your post #226.  My revision is shown in red.  Please let me know if you want me to change the wording further in this respect.

 

FYI, you can amend a post using the edit button at the bottom of the post for around 30 minutes after you have made the initial posting.

[LupusMelis]

Thanks Janet. The wording is absolutely fine, I forgot to respect the privacy of the individuals mentioned when I first wrote the post and shouldn't have referred to them by name.

[LinMM]

Thanks for advice but I do have this App already and I can watch the individual programmes okay but when I followed Dancing Pixies link to see the full performance it then said I needed Flashplayer to play that bit.

I'm sure in due course I'll get to see it. But thanks very much anyway.

 

Sky dancer it's great that you are doing so much dancing. Do you prefer contemporary style?

On Monday (tomorrow) I am starting a new contemporary class in Brighton. There are two classes for beginners or advanced! So I will be doing the beginners one as have not done contemporary....apart from a few classes last summer as part of a ballet summer school..for a very long time. I loved the classes last summer so it's great this class has now started here. Ive had to give up one of my ballet classes to do this so am now doing three ballet a week plus this class. I'll report back how it goes in the Simply Adult Ballet thread.

It's amazing how many classes you can find are going on in your area once you start really looking though.

I am lucky to live near enough to London to attend classes there occasionally as well and there are lots of workshops going on there.

 

The sort of workshops you may enjoy are ones run by LAB (London Amateur Ballet) though it looks like you have a full timetable!!

The LAB have a spring intensive coming up in April based on the Sleeping Beauty.

I may PM you to ask what you thought about the casting in Big Ballet. I found some aspects of that puzzling.

[Christinebigballet]

Hello everybody ,

I'm new haven't a clue what I'm doing on here lols

But I'm Christine from big ballet .who danced the Neapolitan .

I speak on behalf of my self ,that I trained at bush Davies and the royal ballet upper school,a long long time ago .its really a bit of a joke as 30 years on I still tell everyone ....still so proud ,

And of course who would ever imagine at the ripe age of 52,I would ever dream of getting such a fantastic opportunity ,after 30 years of not doing ballet ,but of course I had been teaching 16 classes of fitness a week .

I can't tell you what it was like I really lived that dream, Wayne and Monica made me feel alive again .i loved every minute of course I had injury sadly in the dress rehearsal but I never gave up ,I was so determined to get on that stage .i so loved my dance and the two special people I danced it with.

I only hope to all mature ballet fans out there it will encourage you to go back and do class ,I felt like that young girl again.

Credit should be given to Monica and Wayne for putting such a lovely group together,that in times of stress remained strong and are very close

there were only 3 episodes so only so much could be shown .......perhaps a spin off

The camera crew,producers were the loveliest people whom are friends now,with Wayne and Monica ,

Just to have such top training with such greats..... awesome ,we did this free in our own time ,I wouldn't of changed it for the world,

I hope this entices the wider audience to take more interest in ballet and maybe go to a class ,of course not everyone can have the same opinion as me but this was mine

Please go to Christine big ballet and like page I think there's a pic of me in my younger days and also to big ballet.uk .

Enjoy watching the show

[Janice]

LinMM if you open the 4od app and go to a-z programmes find big ballet it will then show the 3 episodes, underneath this it says series 1 and series 2 open series 2 and it should come up with the performance .

[JulieW]

Welcome to the forum Christine. I hope you'll stick around and contribute to other threads.

[LupusMelis]

Thanks for advice but I do have this App already and I can watch the individual programmes okay but when I followed Dancing Pixies link to see the full performance it then said I needed Flashplayer to play that bit.

I'm sure in due course I'll get to see it. But thanks very much anyway.

 

Sky dancer it's great that you are doing so much dancing. Do you prefer contemporary style?

On Monday (tomorrow) I am starting a new contemporary class in Brighton. There are two classes for beginners or advanced! So I will be doing the beginners one as have not done contemporary....apart from a few classes last summer as part of a ballet summer school..for a very long time. I loved the classes last summer so it's great this class has now started here. Ive had to give up one of my ballet classes to do this so am now doing three ballet a week plus this class. I'll report back how it goes in the Simply Adult Ballet thread.

It's amazing how many classes you can find are going on in your area once you start really looking though.

I am lucky to live near enough to London to attend classes there occasionally as well and there are lots of workshops going on there.

 

The sort of workshops you may enjoy are ones run by LAB (London Amateur Ballet) though it looks like you have a full timetable!!

The LAB have a spring intensive coming up in April based on the Sleeping Beauty.

I may PM you to ask what you thought about the casting in Big Ballet. I found some aspects of that puzzling.

 

I hope you can find a way to watch it soon, LinMM.

 

I think contemporary is generally a bit more inclusive and diverse than ballet (especially in terms of pursuing an actual career), but I couldn't really choose between the two. Over the years ballet has become a type of yoga to me, the more I begin to really understand the technique the more I begin to understand my own body and get lots of 'ah ha' moments.....probably sounds quite strange! And contemporary dance itself is so broad, I really love Cunningham but flowing, Graham style contemporary is fun too and I'd really love to expolore Gaga movement. I really hope you enjoy your first class, and look forward to reading about your experience in the Simply Adult Ballet thread.

 

And as you say, so much is available to dancers of all levels and ages in this country. You've just got to search these things out and commit to them if you want to do it

 

I'd be really interested in going to the spring LAB intensive but it's more a matter of being able to afford it than fitting it in (I always make room for dance ). I'm really hoping I will be able to get to Laban's Summer School this year, my yoga teacher has taught there the past three years and it just sounds like heaven.

 

Feel free to PM away!

 

And hello Christine, so lovely to see you on here

[Christinebigballet]

Welcome to the forum Christine. I hope you'll stick around and contribute to other threads.

Thankyou have a fun day xx

[LinMM]

Great to see you posting Christine loved your dancing.

 

I know what you mean by being proud of having been to the Royal Ballet School......I would be the same!!

I was turned down by the Royal and Elmhurst when I was 11.....but they were right I just didn't have the talent ....but doesn't stop me loving it.

I'm in the next decade up from you!! So yes does all seem another lifetime ago now! But hope you will keep dancing now!

[Belljul]

Hello to Christine and Mel. How lovely to hear your thoughts on making the programme. Thank you. We have all followed the series in our household with with differing opinions. Funnily it was my eldest son who is training to be a dancer who seemed to have the most difficulty with the concept (he felt it was undermining what he does - he's at the Royal Ballet School you know haha!), but I wanted you both to know that my 10 year old (ballet) daughter was just delighted by the series and feels that of course all sizes of dancers should be able to take ballet seriously. I was proud of her attitude. I especially enjoyed seeing the huge effort you all put in and the joy in dancing that you all have. I hope the series has encouraged more adults to dance and to make the best of themselves no matter what their size or shape. And I will work on my son Keep dancing!