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Simply Adult Ballet: the progress of one adult dancer who took up ballet later in life


Michelle_Richer

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Glad the class has gone well enough for you to want to continue with it Fiz. :) A full on Intermediate class is testing enough both in adage and allegro sections!! All those beats!! I'm just managing a brisee at the mo and an entrechat Quatre but not two beats following each other yet!! But am beginning to put them in.....or at least was....but on Saturday in the workshop got a bit carried away (I really loved jumping when younger) and that coupled with whole day of dancing has aggravated a recovering foot injury. :(

I love that step sissonne doublee (putting double ee for the french accent!) assemble I think it's called and tant de cuisse so quick and fast. Some of the BBO Intermediate petit allegro sections are quite challenging but fun to do even if have to still adapt here and there. Hoping to have these perfected and with no adaptations by the end of the summer term!!

 

Enough has been said on the barre question I think. But the centre and barre can give mutual feedback. If you are too tightly gripping the barre and then try to do a barre exercise in the centre your weight will be all over the place. But you can see where it is (too far back, not on top of leg, too far forward...whatever) and then go back to the barre in another class and try to correct. By the time you are up to grade 5 and beyond you are encouraged to take the hand off at the barre at certain points at the end of exercises to test your balance so the hand gets more and more lightly placed as you progress......but the barre is there to serve as a warm up for centre practice so is a very useful guide. I like the idea mentioned that girls should see the barre as their future partner so to speak......so best not to give him too,many bruises!!

Looks like you'll be teaming up with David Copperfield soon Michelle if you can get both feet off the floor!! :D

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Hi Lin

 

Of course Feet off the ground, I’m always there for a white knuckle ride. I really wish I could fly then getting to class tonight would be no problem.

 

I’ve been down the village hall this morning and collected the key from my old ballet teacher. Ran through the two reps we did last week at LAB ready for tonight. Went through Giselle’s variation the RB version and the Cuban one we both did on Saturday, and a bit of Corsaire too.

 

I’m off in a few minutes on the adventures to my LAB session, I’m not sure what else you would call it, but I’m sure a few here wont be short of a few words.

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Mission accomplished, managed to get to my LAB session at Battersea and back, there were quite a few missing tonight, so after company class we only did one rep, but we had added quite a bit to it and rehearsed it several times through before videoing, but never the less it still may get minor changes and tweaks. I think we are about half way through on that piece.

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Oh Stretch and Tone, that sounds very much like GoDance. I occasionally do that at their place in Sleaford when we are not on rehearsal at the Angles Theatre, but this year we have started a month early. It was a really nice class starting with a cardio warm-up, it was run buy one of the ballet teachers called Harriet, a really nice girl. Go and enjoy, it will get you fit.

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I like Harriet very much, as I only do there adult beginners class, as its just before there stretch and tone class, its very basic but good fun. It was the stretch and tone class where I was first was able to get my nose to my knee in a kind of splits movement. I love it, their intermediate class is on a Thursday, I used to time share between Peterborough and footlight performing arts at King Lynne , Norfolk. Those are sadly history now, I'm in London Again with London Amateur Ballet doing rehearsals for our Gala Performance in July, that's where my real heart lies.

 

I have had a really frustrating week end doing prep for an important private class which has cost an arm and a leg, for me its worth it. The enchainement we are doing consists of a three assembies, which since my injury, psychologically I feel is holding me back Grrr, it must be some protection instinct. the 5 travelling pirouettes are no problem as the rest, but I seem to have a large mental bock in my own studio with anything that's jump related, although I thought I had got over it at the hall I hired on a Thursday after my local teachers ballet session

.

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No class on Wednesday as it is my youngest's birthday and she wants to go out with us for a meal. I might go to the beginner's class at the other school tomorrow night instead. I do wish her birthday had fallen on another day! ;)

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I should have been really refreshed and bright eyed and bushy tailed today after a weekend with no ballet. However it was just the opposite, I felt really deflated, tired out and lethargic. My first class today “Body Balance”, I managed to fall over, something I have never done, worst still I was front line where we are supposed to know what we are doing. My first ballet class did give me some energy, but by the time I had driven home most of that had gone.

It took a lot of effort to get ready and go tonight, even the weather was against me, I drove through 2 hasty hail storms, it was dark and visibility was extremely poor, I had to put my fog lights on to see. The road was covered in hail stones and slush, just as if it had been snowing. The class itself was good, unfortunately we’ve lost our Other Older Lady as she has gone back to South Africa, so with absentees there were only four of us and one of those girls went home poorly. Next week is our half term break, however I will be at RAD at the weekend so it won’t be so bad and I think the other class is still running. My class tonight at least restored my energy level, that I will need tomorrow in London with a private rep tuition session, and my usual two classes at ENB, I just hope the Piccadilly line in still open for me to come back, otherwise it’s a No10 bus from the Royal Albert Hall to Kings Cross.

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That's me too with the ironing - got both Adele albums and often dance along with them as I iron. Tube strike is cancelled so Michelle should be ok for her London classes. I say should because who knows with this weather. 25 minute journey to the orthodontist this morning in the rain and hail took 1 hour 20 mins because the roads were so bad.

Oh good; thank you for updating about the strike. :-)

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Thank goodness the tube strike was suspended, one of my teachers told me, so at least I wasn’t having to change my travel arrangement. It was a brilliant day I learnt an enormous amount from my private class but the studio wasn’t what I expected, but that was down to me for not seeing it first and booking on the basis of the pictures on the website, I have one more session there then we will move to one I have checked out.

 

Unfortunately yesterday my legs have taken quite a pounding, they were in remarkably good shape when I got off the train at Peterborough last night, but are quite painful this morning. Only one class tonight, rehearsal at the Angles Theatre as I’m at a conference this afternoon in Cambridge, so hopefully they will get a bit of a rest then.

 

 

Terpsichore:

As RAD have had to cancel the Romeo and Juliet repertoire Workshop in Edinburgh on the 23rd Feb, it extremely unlikely I will see the girls at Northern Ballet on the 25th, as I’m becoming heavily loaded with Rep and rehearsals for the immediate future.

 

 

Lin

Another bit of bad news, it looks as if I wont be able to make the RAD Giselle workshop in Cambridge on 29th June, as I got an email last night with the same date for our last LAB rehearsal before the LAB gala at the Bloomsbury Theatre, although it didn’t say, I assume its our dress rehearsal even though its at ENB. I will find out for sure Thursday night.

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Michelle_Richer

 

"Terpsichore:
As RAD have had to cancel the Romeo and Juliet repertoire Workshop in Edinburgh on the 23rd Feb, it extremely unlikely I will see the girls at Northern Ballet on the 25th, as I’m becoming heavily loaded with Rep and rehearsals for the immediate future."
 

I am sure that everybody in the Over 55 "Improvers" and "Choreography" classes at Quarry Hill will be sorry to miss you but we all know you are busy.

 

I hope you are looking after yourself well. You seem to follow a very rigorous (some might even say punishing) regime for which you have my respect and best wishes. At the same time, rather you than me.

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When I get the opportunity, I will certainly give the RBS class a try, but unfortunately it could never be a regular class for me as it is in conflict with my Angles Theatre class where we do performances, but there is always term breaks.

My heels took a pounding last week with the addition of my private session which is somewhat fast and furious, that resulted where I could not attend LAB last night, thankfully the recovery over the past two days will allow me to do Saturdays Cinderella Workshop at RAD.

Next week thing will be very light with half term breaks, as I'm only doing another private session but dropping my two classes at ENB for that week only as I think my feet need time to fully recover.

Out of the blue I received an Email from RAD telling me I had a place at the Romeo and Juliet Workshop in Edinburgh on the 23rd after they has said there was insufficient numbers. I phoned them to check this and apparently there are on 5 of us on the workshop, but they are hoping to attract more, so I am duty bound to go now. But as things are, that will be a quick nip up to Edinburgh on the Morning, do the workshop and return the same evening to preserve my feet.

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Hi Terpsichore

 

If my legs survive tomorrow I will be at the RBS open class this week, Wednesday is not a day I can normally do as I’m at the Angles Theatre on rehearsal for our annual show week, but I have the opportunity presented with half term break this week.

 

Last Wednesday I could barely hobble, the class that night was really hard I could barely do plies as my Soleus muscle was tightening. Thursday I was in no fit state for ballet and cancelled LAB for that week.

 

However what I have discovered, even though my soleus begins to tighten if I use the exercises laid down in Alfredsons protocol, it certainly restores them, but it must be done morning and night.

 

Last Tuesday was quite an enduring day especially with my private rep session, the sequence and music is quite fast moving and contains 3 assemblies which can be hard on the ankles, I don’t know how many times we went through it, but a lot. I then followed with two classes at ENB, quite frankly with that sequence it was too much.

 

I ran though my correction this morning in my local village hall in spite of its hard floor, it was also very cold at 12 degree’s C, by the time I left I was sweating, I’ve been waiting all day to see the effect on my ankles, but I think in using plie’s properly on the landing on that hard floor has taught me quite a lesson as its very unforgiving. I have the hall booked for another practice run tomorrow, and then it’s off to London for another rep session with my private teacher. I’m deliberately skipping ENB this week to give my legs a chance, assuming they are OK Wednesday morning, then RBS here I come.

 

I’ve already emailed them to try and book a place, but with a limit of 30 I guess that will soon fill up. So if you are going, I guess I will see you there.

 

Lin

 

Your welcome, but we never got to fly the broomstick. By the way did you get that piano?

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Michelle, I've seen you mention cold halls a couple of times and I just wanted to say that the ENB dancers (and, I assume, most other dancers) are dressed as if they are going for a winter walk when they are waiting around in the theatre and other places where it is a bit cold. They don't just wear leggings but track suits and padded boots, sweatshirts, jumpers, scarves and hats! Even during class and rehearsals they are often wearing a lot of clothing. I just wondered whether your body would benefit from dressing a bit more warmly during classes and rehearsals.

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Yes did get the piano Michelle.....the Roland as anticipated.....will be great to be playing something approaching a proper piano. Now to find some nice ballet music.....that's not too difficult....so may take a while!! The piano will be delivered on March Ist so a nice day for new musical beginnings!!

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Michelle, I've seen you mention cold halls a couple of times and I just wanted to say that the ENB dancers (and, I assume, most other dancers) are dressed as if they are going for a winter walk when they are waiting around in the theatre and other places where it is a bit cold. They don't just wear leggings but track suits and padded boots, sweatshirts, jumpers, scarves and hats! Even during class and rehearsals they are often wearing a lot of clothing. I just wondered whether your body would benefit from dressing a bit more warmly during classes and rehearsals.

Hi Aileen

 

I take your point, the last two mornings at our hall, as I have been on my own I have been dressed in cropped legging (Pineapple) which are quite woolly and warm together with leg warmers. But 20 minutes intensive practice in the hall at 12 degrees and I’m sweating. The important thing is I do a pre-warm-up at home so at least my legs and core are flexible and mobile, the only thing that does initially feel the cold is my hands and fingers but once the blood gets flowing that soon goes. I am very conscious about exercising with a cold body as I have sustained minor injuries too many times.

 

I guess I'm a bit old fashioned when it come to class as I always wear a leo, skirt and tights, I don’t even like wearing leg warmers, as I was videoed once in rehearsal with pink leg warmers, they just stood out and looked wrong, it really put me off.

 

I have never had a cold studio at ENB, but as its evening time when I get there, I guess the professionals have warmed it up for me. The only really cold ones are my local hall and the RAD one we use for LAB barre work, the RAD studio I tend to arrive quite early , sometime 2 hours before class, so I put the heating on, and that give me a chance to practice rep. The downside is, there is no music and that for me makes a tremendous difference. I remember one week I was going through Giselle’s variation, it just wasn’t working for me, someone in the next studio started playing the piano, I think it was some youngsters class. That was enough, although the tempo and probably everything else was wrong, I could still dance that variation to it. It was just remarkable the power of music.

 

General:

My feet have survived today’s hall and private session in London, I also took the opportunity of popping into the Royal Ballet School in Floral Street and got myself booked on Wednesdays class. Sorry girls I don’t pontificate these things, I just go and do it.

Today private session was fantastic, most of the enchainment is pretty solid, at least I can keep with the music which is quite fast. We have re-laid out the sequence on a slightly different diagonals (some parts opposite), which seems to make sense and works well, that just took a bit of relearning, a tiny bit more artistry to pop in with the arms. Basically it will remain for a while as work in progress and only a single run though to chart my progress at our next sessions, as we are about to move house to a new studio as I will then be doing two more variation in March. Ultimately the variation we have been doing need to be taken from 5 single pirouettes in line, to 5 doubles and then to 5 triples, it really is a gorgeous piece, and will go well with my bad girl black swan image. Can wait to get my Black Swan tutu and dance this variation the way its meant to be, or at least the way I intend to do it.

 

I was a little sad tonight at skipping ENB, but I’m not sure what the state of my feet would have been like with all the assemblies I have been doing this afternoon and this morning. At least I will be back next week, no private session then, we resume the week after and the new variations will not be too hard on the feet, so full classes as normal.

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I went to Paul’s class at RBS tonight and no one was turned away, they were still booking people in at the desk with no reservation when we all assembled at reception around 6.30pm, after about 10 minutes a lady showed us up to I think a top floor studio, most of us got changed there, then we were told we were not using that studio so we went to a much larger one only one level up.

 

The class consisted of 35 dancers including two young guys. Most of the dancers we in their twenties, there was one older lady, quite a bit older than me I think, and that was it, the rest was very young and of cause with the young age came the flexibility and high extensions to die for. One girl was even on pointe which really enhanced her pirouettes.

 

Barre was fairly standard but quite crampt

 

During Adage/port de bras in the centre, the class was split in two, for mostly everything else it was self organising small groups of about 6 or 7. The standard of the dancers in general was also high. What was taught in class was technically no higher than ENB level 3 or Northern Intermediate/advanced class and possibly marginally higher than Pineapples elementary class, however what does set it apart is Paul’s method of teaching, he is quick and you have to listen carefully and you definitely need to know what you are doing, mostly he will talk you through an enchainement with gestures rather than a full on demonstration which we get at ENB, Pineapple , Northern etc, however he does do one demonstration as he marks it, but only one. When dancers come to perform that piece they are on there own, Paul is simply observing.

 

I know when we did the adage enchainment early on, Paul went an stood with the dancers located towards the back of the room so they didn’t escape his attention. The small group exercises were more challenging, I loved the pirouette enchianement so I went with the first group, but for the others I let at least one group go ahead of me to give me an extra chance to memorise the enchainment. I think the worst one for me was the allegro with glissard and assemblies in it, I’m not sure how many glissard /assemeblie lives my feet have but I think they running a bit thin as I seem to have been doing them all week and my feet are really starting to get sore, so I really did hold back on them.

 

For me I really did enjoy the class, I also met several girls I knew, one from City Academy, four from ENB and one from LAB, plus there were several faces that look familiar too. I would not hesitate in doing this class again when I’m on break from the Angles Theatre, it really was a fantastic night, I even got one of the girls to take a photo of me with Paul after the class.

 

Although the class is open to drop in dancers, I was suggested that this could change, its under review, especially with the large take-up, last week only had 15 dancers. It was also suggested that they may launch other classes of different levels on other days of the week. But this particular class is definitely not for beginners.

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I went to Paul’s class at RBS tonight and no one was turned away, they were still booking people in at the desk with no reservation when we all assembled at reception around 6.30pm, after about 10 minutes a lady showed us up to I think a top floor studio, most of us got changed there, then we were told we were not using that studio so we went to a much larger one only one level up.

...................................................................

 

Although the class is open to drop in dancers, I was suggested that this could change, its under review, especially with the large take-up, last week only had 15 dancers. It was also suggested that they may launch other classes of different levels on other days of the week. But this particular class is definitely not for beginners.

 

Thanks Michelle_Richer

 

That is a very helpful post and I suspect not just for me but for many others.

 

Over the last week I have heard a lot about Paul Lewis and his teaching here and on twitter from students who have taken his class elsewhere and they all benefited considerably.  In addition, there is the inspiration of taking a class in one of the finest ballet schools in the world.  The moment you enter the building you see photos and exhibits of the great dancers, choreographers and teachers who have passed through or been associated with the school.

 

I applaud the Royal Ballet School for opening its doors to the public (albeit with the qualifications and reservations that you mentioned) and I am delighted that it is thinking of expanding its classes.  I have noticed on the Royal Opera House's website the work that it is doing with the public in Thurrock through such initiatives as Culture Change. Scottish and Northern Ballet have been doing the same sort of thing in their hinterland for years and it is a very good thing.

 

Changing the subject radically you are quite right that Northern Ballet Academy are on half term. Annemarie did mention it last week and I see that I made a note of it. That is another good thing because I worked very hard at the University yesterday with one hour each of ballercise (a combination of ballet, aerobics and pilates), core work and ballet and I can certainly use a day off.

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Guest chinafish

of cause with the young age came the flexibility and high extensions to die for. 

 

Regarding the above comment from Michelle:

 

I've always not been flexible. I took some ballet classes when I was around 5 or 6 years old and even back then I couldn't do the splits. I still can't do the splits and it is something that I'm still working on.

 

When I started back in the early 20s I could not do the foot-in-hand stretch unless I'm bent over. Having been back dancing nearly 10 years now, I can now hold the foot-in-hand stretch at around shoulder level, but once I let go my leg drops back to below 90. I can only relevé lent just below 90, and can developpé just around 90. I know there's both strength and flexibility issues here.

 

Therefore I'd like to politely disagree that flexibility and extension is tied with age. Of course there is a certain degree of genetics there, but training and hard work must play a part?

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Well I think if you work hard at these things they are bond to improve but I do think there is a certain link with age.

I too am not a naturally flexible person and even in my twenties although I could do back bends easily then could never get really down in the splits properly.

Now I am much older these are both harder as the muscles and tendons just don't stretch or maintain strength as much for me as when I was in my twenties. You can still improve when you are older if you work at it but I would suggest that someone in their 50's and 60's at least will not regain the flexibility/strength etc of their own youth.

If you were naturally more flexible etc when younger then you may be able to approach your level when young but I would suggest as above that even then not entirely.

Maybe if you kept dancing with no break from 20 something to 50 something you may fare better but any substantial gap will definitely set you back.

Look at the dancer Margot Fonteyn.

She was still doing some performances in her early 60's but inspite of this she had lost some of her strength. She had not lost at all though what I call performance ability and a certain dance quality so you still wanted to see her dance!! She could portray joy and sorrow like no other still!!

So as you get older its probably more important to concentrate on your connection with the Dance more rather than how flexible you are and not worry too much whether you can hold your foot and take to the side and hold above your head........which I could do when younger but don't even try any longer now!!!

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Forgot to say in my last post, that thank you Michelle for the review of the class. I think this gave a good idea about how the class was and contributed to the discussion about what, really, "open level" classes can be like. Let's hope they open up for more classes!

 

LinMM, I'm not sure I have conveyed my point clearly so I think I should re-word this:

 

 

 

Therefore I'd like to politely disagree that flexibility and extension is tied with age. Of course there is a certain degree of genetics there, but training and hard work must play a part?

 

to:

 

 

 

Therefore I'd like to politely disagree that "with young age came the flexibility and high extensions to die for". Of course there is a certain degree of genetics there, but training and hard work must also play a part?

 

 

Fish

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Regarding the above comment from Michelle:

 

Therefore I'd like to politely disagree that flexibility and extension is tied with age. Of course there is a certain degree of genetics there, but training and hard work must play a part?

You point me in the direction of an effective training technique and I will provide the hard work. Its like searching for the holy grail, however I do find doing splits type stretches before hand does add another 6 inches to the extension, I think for the moment I would be happy with 135 degrees at devant and a la seconde, but I will accept anything derriere over 90, as my local teacher was always telling me off for going into a superman pose to get the extra height as I do not have the back bend flexibility to hold my posture.

 

For the moment I am grounded as regards splits type stretches, as I pulled a muscle in my thigh just before Christmas in a cold body balance class in our local gym. My physio advised giving it 12 weeks to heal before resuming them. Although that muscle (Gracilis) now feels fine, I’m reluctant to push it prematurely in case of set backs, as I inadvertently hit it once during one of my LAB sessions at the barre.

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Dear Mimi66

You must think me extremely naïve, to assume being young automatically make you having a beautiful balletic extensions. However I would make a parallel point that even with 30years from my current age is not like to achieve hyper extension for 6 o'clock positions, there age does play a part and is an essential attribute as is proper and sustained training over a considerable period.

 

fortunately I'm still gaining, but there will come a time I'm sure that my physical ability will diminish irrespective of further training. For the time being I will throw every once of effort I can in achieving my goals and certainly not be put off by negative comments to the contrary.

 

I take Lin's point about risk of injury, I know every day I do ballet at the intensity I'm doing it at, the boundary between progress and injury is very fine line and occasionally I will stray over that boundary. I believe being a serious dancer that simply goes with the territory and one has to use ones best judgement as to how far one goes.

 

In order to do RBS this week on top of my other ballet commitments, I dropped my classes at ENB, Wednesday night my legs really suffered by the time I got home, the only thing that restored them was the exercise detailed in Alfredson's Protocol, that MUST be done morning and night. If I hadn't I am sure I would not have been walking the following day, having been there before. I also take Lin's point that recovery take longer as you get older.

 

For me, I believe 135 degrees for a slow sustained high developpe lift is achievable in the relative short term. I also think its necessary aesthetically for some of the repertoire I am doing, so I will most definitely pursue this. In any case doing rep is not just about copying steps, that’s why I have engaged a profession coach on a one to one basis. I have already attended two session with her, we have an agreed training plan in place, we are now scheduling another four sessions for March covering two more solo’s, this time at a different studio which I am to inspect next week. This gal never gives up, and definitely not one of a crowd. I may well have a bad girl black swan image, but I am most definitely my own person.

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Dear Michelle, no, I don't think you are that naive.  And if I did, not for the reasons you think.

 

By the way, I think Lin MM has offered quite a good tip in her post on how to improve one's balletic extention.  I agree with her - particularly about sorting out one's upper body. More so for really mature dancers - as one's posture tends to detriorates with age, more than one realises.

 

I am glad to hear that you are starting to take a bit more care of your body (against injury).  May we all dance as long as we can!

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Grrr the fuel pump on my car packed up this morning whilst I was in Spalding, my local town (Saturday), I have just had to arrange for a taxis from home to Peterborough train station for tomorrow as I’m in Edinburgh doing a Romeo and Juliet Workshop, that will now be the most expensive ballet session I have ever done.

 

I just hope I can get it fixed on Monday as the knock on effect on my ballet commitments will be awful.

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Bad luck Michelle hope it gets fixed soon.

Look after yourself too for April.....looks like you may have your wish....have you had the email regarding tutus for the Spring Intensive!!

Am a bit dismayed/worried.

They seem very confident they can supply everyone with one!! They'll be lucky I think. They haven't mentioned the cost of course!! Or what type! Help!!!

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