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

[Michelle_Richer]

Absolutely gorgeous, very inspiring.

 

I wish my pirouettes were, a very frustrating afternoon with my private session even though I managed a triple this morning at the hall and another this afternoon at my private session, neither were intended.

Edited November 18, 2014 by Michelle_Richer

[Michelle_Richer]

This week began with two brilliant rehearsal sessions, “Waltz of Hours” from Coppelia at Lincoln we have now added the phase with the six cabriole’s which I thought would be quite difficult, but the way our teacher demonstrated it, it worked first time, I was also apprehensive about keeping time with the music through that phase as that was something I had never done before but it just got better, the music helped enormously and there was stacks of time, I was really chuff about that. However there is a phase just after one and a half minutes in second time round I would find myself on the wrong leg. That was thrashed out in my hall this morning and I still don’t know how it occurred, a sloppy soutenu or just stepping out into the lung with the front leg rather than the back which is the correct one. We are now up to the Pirouette from a kneeling position, because we are only 5 dancers we are doing this in cannon the first time round, the second time round we remain kneeled but go into a circular port de bras in cannon. For practice I stuck to the pirouettes and did every other slot and found it’s a real killer on the supporting leg once you have done a dozen or so rises.

 

City Academy’s “Winter Snowflakes” is really taking shape, sequence is well known and understood, position and timing just gets better and better, still lots more cleaning with emphasis on precise head and arm positions, also turn-out especially on static poses. A couple of weeks and we are even in to facial expressions. This week we were facing away from the mirrors, next week we have a new teacher for that week, not sure what effect that will have but our own teacher is back the following week, then its rehearsal in costumes so I hope all the girls have theirs complete with their sparkly stone attached.

 

City Academy are running two more repertoire workshops with a teacher unknown to me called Nina Monteiro:

Swan Lake on the 11th January and Giselle on the 8th February, both 10.30am to 5.30pm, price £110 each at Sadler’s Wells.

Edited November 19, 2014 by Michelle_Richer

[Michelle_Richer]

Had a really good rehearsal at Lincoln tonight ( Monday), we have finally completed our "Waltz of Hours" sequence from Coppelia. We now have enough info to go away and practice it before next weeks class. Unfortunately I think my position will change as one of our girls has been absent for the past 3 weeks. I think its quite likely that there will only be 4 of us on stage. Only 2 more classes and a dress rehearsal to get things polished before the show now.

 

My private session at Sleaford this afternoon was as frustrating as ever. Trying to do pirouettes properly seems to be an almost impossible goal, well it seems that way to me at the moment, even though my teacher assures me I making good progress. The pirouettes are in a sequence of 5 en dehors pirouette/ arabesque combinations where you land on the gesturing leg in front (from 3rd Odalisque variation, Le Corsaire). 

The most troublesome thing for me at the moment is rolling off balance on the second spot, not always but mostly. That doesn’t seem to be so much of a problem if I don’t spot, furthermore again today without spotting I landed another triple. Triples for me without spotting simply don’t count, I need the spot and to be able to execute them properly as need to take pirouettes a whole lot further. I just hope my coach doesn't run out of patients with me, but we have to go the distance.
What didn’t help today, was, I had a heavy cold, by the end of an hour of pirouettes I was really drained which I put down to my cold.

 

The next three weeks are going to especially heavy with dress-rehearsals and Christmas shows on top of everything else, just hope my ankles stand up to it.

[Michelle_Richer]

Another bitter sweet week or more proper sweet bitter, the sweet part came just by chance. Tuesday was a very cold morning outside temp at freezing according to my car, My first session was a practice session in my local hall for the evening Snowflakes rehearsal with City academy. The temperature in the hall was on only 13degree Brrr. I spent about 45 minute on snowflakes and I guess was starting to get a bit bored with it, so I finish off by dancing through the first couple of minute of the dance of the 3 Odalisques from Le Corsaire a few times to keep it sharp in my current memory.  I had a few minutes left and my attention turned to the pirouettes from Mondays private session. As I had the pirouette/ arabesques section of the music extracted from the Third Odalisque Variation, I though I would give it a try, although I was generally disappointed with the outcome of Mondays private session. I started the music which included the preparation for the first arabesque. It went like a dream, all five double turn pirouettes in that sequence with spotting on each and every one, I repeated it and again all five were completed better than I have ever full completed pirouettes before, it was a truly magical moment. don’t ask me what the technique was like, I think it was OK, the only thing I remember was I was taking my leading arm round further than I used to before curving it into first, an option my teacher suggested I might try as it works for some and not other. The most memorable event for me was the spot in relationship to the music, it was as if the music itself was driving it, and the spot was driving the pirouette, a sensation I can’t recall experiencing before.   Like all good things they come to an end, on the third run-though, I some how went off balance on the first or second pirouette, my legs felt tangled up and I was on my bottom Grrr. I got up and tried pirouettes with and without the music but the magic moment had gone.

 

Wednesday was bit of a bad day all round, I was back at ENB after missing three weeks for various reasons, Things had changed, we were not allowed in the dressing rooms until 6.45 instead of 6.30, which that limited my free practice time, although two of us got changed in the dining area as we had our leo’s on under our day clothes. I got told off for doing turns before the class had started. The classes themselves were quite enjoyable as usual. Then came the long walk back to South Kensington tube station, it was cold and raining, I think the Albert Hall had just finished what ever was going on there as there seem to be a huge wave of people travelling in the same direction as me, many went for the first subway entrance, it was clear people would be moving very slowly down there all squashed together, I stay on the surface and tried to get ahead of the main crowd. The tube station was fairly full but the main crowd hadn’t arrived yet. At least I got a seat once I got to the Piccadilly line. At Kings cross my legs started to stiffen, particularly the Achilles on my left foot, Again after the journey  from Kings Cross to Peterborough my legs have stiffened further at this point I’m getting worried about my capability to do the shows coming up.

 

Thursday morning felt like my worst nightmare, I could hardly walk, I could only place weight on the heal of my left foot, I could not articulate the weight through it, the pain was immense. I had the hall booked for the morning and a LAB rehearsal in the evening, I was not in a nice place. What the **** could I do. Firstly I found I still had some ice left over from last Christmas when I had a similar over-use problem. I iced that foot for about 20mins, then massaged deepheat cream into the foot, followed by treadmill, first at a low setting just to get walking in reasonable comfort, then two progressing increases in speed whiles trying to articulate the weight through the foot. I followed that up my usual morning workout in my own gym. Although the foot felt a little better it was far from right. The session down the hall was very disappointing, the Grand Fouette Saute’s on the right foot landing was OK but the left was useless, I could only take it on a flat foot, there was no strength in transferring the weight through the foot from landing on demi pointe. I was faced with do I go to LAB tonight or abort it, finally I decided to go. The journey there was quite painful, when class started I told Tom my teacher who suggested I be careful.

 

During the class things improved but I didn’t notice it strait away, until we were doing the rep with the Grand Fouette Saute’s in it, and then I realise I was landing them properly with any noticeable pain. That was a big relief as I have another rehearsal on Sunday, but at the same time it was quite freighting as I am so close to doing my Christmas show with City Academy and at Lincoln too. For now I am suspending my classes at ENB as the combination of the two classes and the long walk etc until the shows are out of the way, as this time I seem to have averted a disaster, but only just.

 

However I do need to find a strategy that can cope with the additional loading the ENB trip places on my feet, as in the new year Im intending added even more to my ballet schedule. Although my heal hasn’t completely returned to normal it is considerable better and I will most definitely be fit enough for Sundays rehearsal.

Edited November 28, 2014 by Michelle_Richer

[LinMM]

Do be careful Michelle. The pain is there for a reason and you may need to rest a bit now .....as you have chosen to do by dropping the ENB class for the time being.

Presumably you won't have the City Academy classes after Christmas which may ease off the load but I'd play it by ear and go with what your body is telling you at the time.

 

Don't worry about Wednesday as I'll see you on the Saturday at Sadlers perhaps we can have a coffee between your performances!!

[Michelle_Richer]

Hi Lin, I thought you knew me better than that. In any case resting it makes it stiff and a lot less mobile. Dropping ENB was necessary as it was a serious risk to the performances I have coming up, however I am going to see if ENB will allow me on the 23rd to joint the Tuesday group for what was my old classes, then I think I will check out the bus option from near the Royal Albert Hall to Kings Cross, thus avoiding the long walk back to South Kensington Tube station, unless of course there is an effective cool down strategy that will help.

 

As for City Academy, until today the intention was to run another ballet performance course for their Spring Showcase sometime in April. At our first technical rehearsal today (Sunday) I spoke to City’s head of dance, its now been suspended until the autumn due to availability of studio’s. She sounded quite keen to keep it going, I know I am, I would like to see it turned into a company of dancers like LAB, as its a really nice group of girls I’m dancing with.

 

Our session today was with the technical team, Artistic director, audio engineer, lighting engineer, stage manager and also the head of Dance. Much was about coming on and off stage, UV lighting and falling snow. It also seems we have a finale to do at the end of the show, but that is to be covered in our first dress rehearsal on Tuesday.

 

Don’t forget in the new year I start to add in Northern Ballet and possibly the Angles Theatre in Cambridgeshire. Friday Studio hire for a weekly refresher of solo’s is also another addition.

Its about managing and stretching the capability of the body without seriously abusing it. I do remember the state I was in last Christmas when I couldn’t walk for three days and all in all its taken around a year to well almost fully recover, there is no way I’m going back there.

 

As for coffee between performances I will have to check with Rejane, as I understand it we are not allowed to leave the theatre from when we start from the first warm-up at 10.30 am to the finale of the last show, we are expected to take food in.

Edited November 30, 2014 by Michelle_Richer

[LinMM]

There is a cafe inside the Lilian Bayliss studio on the right as you sign in so don't have to leave the theatre.

[Michelle_Richer]

Hi Lin,

Yes I know where you mean, it’s the one we use for when on City Academy Workshops there (providing its open, where often its not), its just the point I do remember Rejane saying we were to take our own food in for that day, so I don’t know if City want to keep the audience and dancers apart to preserve to ambience of the show, but I will check with her on Tuesday.  I’m also assuming it is intended for us to remain in our costumes with full stage make-up, otherwise there would be no reason to keep us there other than fear some of the girls might not come back after the first performance.

[Michelle_Richer]

It seems as if I’m swimming against the tide and it really hard going. I seem to have had a run of very bad luck. This all started a week ago on the Monday when it was very cold, my car started making a strange buzzing noise when the ignition is switched on,  after a session at my local hall I took it my local garage, they reassured me it was probably the very cold weather and it was the pre heater pump for the diesel. Wednesday it wouldn’t start although the engine was turning over, there was an absence of this bussing noise, with the ignition switched I hit the pump with my hand and it started bussing, then I was able to start it. With 3 heavy weeks of ballet coming up I’m getting concerned, so I went back to the garage, who said they would check cost and availability of the part and let me know. The weekend came and not heard from the garage.

 

I was late up Monday as I it was an extra rehearsal with City Academy on the Sunday, I woke up at 9.12 and I had the hall booked for 10am, I arrived at the hall just after 10am with no warm up, after the session the car refused to start until I hit the offending part, with that I was back to the garage as now I was getting desperate to get it fixed. It was on there to do list, they had done nothing from the previous week. In the mean time I had to use the car not knowing if it would finally fail. As I had no ballet on Wednesday arrangement were made to fix it then, It went in Wednesday morning, then 4pm came and no phone call, so I walked to the garage which is quite close to my home, the part had not arrived, but it was on the van to be delivered, later it immerged it was delivered to a similar sounding company name in Biggleswade.

 

That was a real downer, my heart sank, I needed it for the rest of the week including Saturday for my performances with City at Sadler's. The best I can hope for now is that it keeps working until I’ve done  my stage familiarisation session at Sadler’s Friday morning, and then get the car fixed when I get back in the afternoon, so at least I can do the shows without that worry.

 

I would hate to let my dancing friends down by missing our familiarisation session or worst still not able to do the show. I have never felt so drained by the worry of the real risk of breakdown particularly late at night on the way from Peterborough, its 25 miles of main carriageway, will there be somewhere to safely get off the carriageway, will there be coverage for my mobile phone to summon the breakdown people, if not do I get out and walk?, the whole thing could be quite freighting.  I’m just hoping with my fingers and toes crossed that my car continues to respond to the thump when starting until I get it finally fixed on Friday afternoon, I’m really uncomfortable in dragging it out longer, and all for ballet.

[aileen]

Michelle, I know that it's expensive but I would give serious consideration to hiring a car so that you don't have the stress and worry of being stranded somewhere or missing something important.

[LinMM]

How annoying Michelle.

We recently had trouble with the car battery(ending up in having a new one) but while it was playing up I wouldn't drive the car at night anywhere as the thought of being stranded somewhere not being able to get it started was too much.

 

Perhaps you could look at the cost of hiring against that of getting a taxi though I know the latter will be very expensive both ways!!

 

Fingers crossed it works out for you in the end and the car gets fixed by Friday.

[Michelle_Richer]

Aileen and Lin

 

The cost of hiring a car is not the real issue but the time to arrange it, I had no warning yesterday that it wasn’t going to get done, even at 4pm they still thought the part would be delivered and they would be able to fix it. It wasn’t until well after 5pm that I received a phone call to say the part had be delivered to a wrong address. Today was already pre-planned: Hair appointment 9am – 9.45, travel home 10.00am, Load car with sound system for hall 10.15, collect keys and arrive at hall 10.30-11.30, then unpack car and get ready for London to leave home 2pm, finally arrive back home 11.30pm or later.

 

Well I guess it had to happen, it lasted the morning OK with my hair appointment and my ballet practice down the local hall, however on one occasion it did take two thumps to get this pump assembly to start. As a result I decided to go a little earlier to Peterborough train station for tonight’s rehearsal with LAB in RAD HQ at Battersea. On my journey the car lost power a couple of time, I couldn't get any more than about 2000 revs, then finally the engine cut completely and I used what momentum I had to steer the car onto the grass verge, at least it was flat just wide enough for a car and there was fencing present on the passenger side. Although there was what looked like cycle lane I was still uncomfortably close to the briskly moving traffic. The weather was very cold and the mist and darkness was just starting to fall, it was just before 3 pm in the afternoon, At least I had programmed the recovery service phone number into my phone, so calling them was fairly instant.

 

When I called, it was an automated service Grrrr, option 1 was to wait for them to call you back with and estimated time 10mins, or to hold for your position in the queue, which could take ages.

 

I held and it was no more than a minute, then came a huge number of questions to establish my identity and problem with vehicle, she said they would phone back as soon as they had found someone to come out to me, I got that call shortly after and, it would be half an hour. Followed by another call , this time from the recovery man who was in Peterborough. Eventually he arrived (about half an hour), he was more concerned about getting me off the main A16 road to a lay-by or side road where he could lift my front wheels and attach his towing harness in comparative safety. He did a conventional tow with me steering, up to a slip road, before using the harness.

 

Once at my home garage all smiling faces with “We’ve got your part now”, they have promised to fit it tonight , a later development has shown something else is playing up in the fuel supply, so its check out local bus and train services for tomorrow, as the stint at Sadler's is a short one, late tomorrow morning . Sadly I have had to abort my LAB rehearsal tonight.

 

At least it happened in daylight even though it was miles from anywhere, one real comfort was my boyfriend bless him, who kept texting me while I was on my own.

Edited December 4, 2014 by Michelle_Richer

[aileen]

Well, let's hope that they sort the other problem out quickly and don't have to order another part..... I'd hate to be stranded on my own in the middle of nowhere, day or night.

[LinMM]

What a hassle Michelle. These days I'm a real baby where barely functioning cars are concerned and precisely because I have been in some pretty hairy situations in the past why I am not very tolerant of remarks by partners and relatives of "you'll be fine just ring the recovery line if it doesn't make it!!!" Grrrr!!

I once drove from Cambridge to Brighton with the windscreen wipers not working in extremely bad weather.....it rained for 2/3 of the journey!!.... I'm sure this must be illegal ....but it did make me very resourceful with planning the route on way.....like avoiding M11. And M.25 and M.23!!

The difficult bit was the Dartford Crossing noway I could avoid this and I was praying the rain would hold off for 20 mins or so which it did!!

All this because we had very recently gone down to having only one car....my partners car of course....and I didn't have any info about his then breakdown service info in the car!!! And he is so fussy about choosing the right product when renewing things etc that there would have been no point in me going to a garage and trying to get new windscreen wipers (as I would have done had it been my car)So it's amazing what you can get yourself into sometimes.

I'm so glad it wasn't me on that grass verge Michelle!! Also it's amazing how intolerant other drivers can be if you do break down in an awkward place......as if you have deliberately planned to do so.....never mind ones own embarrassment. Ive had some not very savoury things shouted at me on a couple of occasions when this has happened.

Anyway this should be for another thread I think!

Sorry you didn't make LAB class Michelle. Am looking forward to the grand group rehearsal on the 17th a chance to catch up with people in the other groups like yourself.

Hope car is fully functional again now but they do get a bit temperamental once over a certain age!!

[Michelle_Richer]

I manage to make the rehearsal today on time, in fact I was the first one there, but it involved a bit of hanging around waiting for connections. I left home at about 6.40am as the bus stop is just across the road from me, it was supposed to be the 6.55, but it was early 6.50. I think I final arrived at Sadler’s stage door at 10.30am, only City Academy staff had signed it at that time. The rehearsal went reasonably well when all the positioning was sorted out. We have a really fantastic backdrop of a wooded wintry scene with falling snow superimposed on it as we are dancing “Winter Snowflakes”, to Nutcracker Snowflakes music but the choreography is much different. When I got home late afternoon, I popped across to my garage only to see my car in the same old place, however the new pump had arrived, but they had not yet fitted it. By 6pm I had the car back and took it for a short drive to restore my confidence in it which had been a bit shaken.

 

Another early 4.30am morning again for me as it’s a 9am start in London, not sure what we are going to be doing all that time apart from warm-up and makeup as the Winter Showcase performance don’t commence until 5.30pm and 8pm.

 

Hi Lin:

As for missing LAB I’m just a little bit peeved about that but I guess these things happen. I know Tom has changed something in one of the reps we are doing this week, but not what it is. I wont know until someone loads the video on drop box, previous weeks I’ve always take care of our videos and loaded them immediately I got home or the next day at the latest. I'm going to miss two weeks of LAB as I'm on dress rehearsal at Lincoln next Thursday with shows on Friday and Saturday and of course I will see you on the Coliseum stage on Saturday morning at the ENB workshop.

 

I have mixed feelings about the 17th as I wanted our group to do far more of the dance of the three Odilesques according to Bolshoi’s choreography and not something that’s heavily watered down. I hate to think how I will feel seeing other groups dancing parts of this, I have somehow got attached to this piece of rep ever since I danced it an ENB workshop at Oxford, just can’t let go of this one Grrrr.

 

 

Anyway I look forward to seeing you tomorrow at our show Lin.

[LinMM]

Hi Michelle have just emailed you am having trouble with a couple of wasp stings!!

[2dancersmum]

Wasp stings? sounds ominous Lin - hope you are ok

[Fiz]

So do I. I detest wasps!

[LinMM]

Yes so do I now!!

Ive been stung before without too much of a reaction but this time maybe because there were two stings quite close together my ankle has swollen up and is very red. It doesn't like any kind of heat so am having to try and sleep with my foot out of the bed!!

 

As I don't normally react that much we weren't too good in our "medicine chest" with the anti histamine ointments. There were three tubes one dated 2000 another 2010 and the other 2011!! So had to go out to stock up......generally in fact....as noticed quite a few other things out of date now!!

[aileen]

I think that you may need to take some antihistamine *tablets*, Lin. They can be bought over the counter these days (you used to need a prescription for them).

[Fiz]

I am severely allergic to wasp stings and have an Epipen for them. I am terrified of them.

[LinMM]

Hi Aileen yes have been using a nice new tube of it. It has now just started to itch which is not good as it flares up more and then feels painful. Ive been sat with my foot in a bowl of cold water for some of the time and this definitely reduces the itchiness.

 

I'm really surprised as I don't usually react like this. The stings are just below the ankle bone so must have got in at a sensitive spot and this was through socks as well!!

[Fiz]

How did it happen? They are beastly creatures!

[Michelle_Richer]

Hi Lin

 

I hope your feeling better and can make the ENB workshop at the Coliseum on Saturday.

 

Saturdays City Academy Ballet groups performances went down very well, I went down to the restaurant/bar area between the shows while a lot of the audience was still there, many stopped me and were complementary about our ballet performance. Whilst we were not allowed to go down in costume, we were still allowed to keep our stage makeup and tiaras on and I guess were easily recognised.

The icing on the cake for me came when I left and was on my way back to Angel tube station, our show director caught up with me and was very complementary about our ballet group and suggested we lifted the show to a new level, that was just a big WOW for me. He is also supporting the formation of a ballet company. I have also spoke to their head of dance about finding new studio space as I didn’t want to tread on anyone’s toes in helping them to do that. Otherwise it seems such a shame to loose the lovely group of dancers which came together for City’s Ballet Performance Course.

 

The most challenging thing that weekend was the two 4.30am starts due mainly to my car problems, I think it was the adrenalin that got me through, I remember on the Saturday I was so full of energy that I really wanted to do an enormous Grant Fouette Saute or Jete en tournant touching the ceiling, but there simply was no room in our studio (Studio B at Sadlers), as we were sharing it with two other groups of dancers, Street dance and Bollywood.

 

Sunday at home was completely the opposite, I felt enormously deflated and extremely tired and I guess not very good company for my boyfriend.

 

I’m getting Psyched up again ready our performances at Lincoln on Friday and Saturday this week. I have already done 4 session today, another 4.30am start as I’m at Northern Ballet in Leeds tomorrow (Tuesday) and a 4.30am start on Saturday with the workshop at the Coliseum in the morning, and a performance to do at Lincoln in the evening. I think I will just sleep through Christmas, I’m sure my body will need it.

[LinMM]

Hi Michelle glad your performances on Saturday went so well makes all the effort put in worthwhile.

 

My foot has finally gone back to normal(from the wasp stings) so everything looking okay for Saturdays ENB workshop......third time lucky for me as I had to withdraw from two previous ones because my other ankle was still not healed properly.

Am looking forward to this.

I have nt had any further communication from them so far so do you know where you go in Michelle as at 9.15 or so in the morning the main entrance might not be open.

I can't see anywhere where it tells you this!

[Michelle_Richer]

I have nt had any further communication from them so far so do you know where you go in Michelle as at 9.15 or so in the morning the main entrance might not be open.

I can't see anywhere where it tells you this!

The Stage Door (located behind the theatre on Bedfordbury).

[LinMM]

Thanks Michelle.

 

The only thing in the way now is the weather!! It's threatening to be really stormy Frid/sat so hope can get up to London!!

[Michelle_Richer]

Hi Lin

 

What’s a little weather, don’t forget I have to travel down after a 4.30am start Saturday morning, do the workshop at the Coliseum, then travel back and perform a little bit of Coppelia at our Lincoln Show before I can go back home and snuggle up in a nice warm bed.

 

It was a 4.30am start yesterday when I visited Northern Ballet, only to find out their show date is the same as our LAB GALA Grrrrr.

 

Did you manage to book the next ENB Swan Lake workshop on the 10th of Jan, I was thinking about it but hesitated too long, its now sold out. However I rebooked my ENB classes before the same thing happened to them.

[LinMM]

Hopefully will be in sunny climes on the 10th of Jan!!

 

However have booked Franziskas next workshop on Saturday February 14th at the Place (it's been moved from March)

 

I must admit did not see the Swan Lake workshop on the website I thought the next one is in the summer.

 

Have you heard of any RAD ones coming up?

[Michelle_Richer]

I've just checked out the RAD website using search and found something non-specific on the 15th of Feb

 

This is the description for the Adult Repertoire Workshop:

 

Learn choreography from a well-loved ballet and experience the way a corps de ballet dancer studies. Designed to improve both technical and performance skills.

[2dancersmum]

RAD workshop on 15th Feb is Romeo & Juliet repertoire

http://www.rad.org.uk/events/romeo-and-juliet-adult-repertoire-workshop-london

[LinMM]

It's a shame it's the same weekend as Franziska's as I won't do two in the same weekend but otherwise would have been interested.

[LinMM]

Attended a lovely workshop run by the ENB at the Coliseum on Saturday morning. Great to be able to say that I have danced on the Coliseum stage!! Though some of my more ballet sceptical friends will say "what you were a tree or something?"

 

The class was taken by a young dancer from the Company called Jennie Harrington......what a great little teacher.....and was actually on the stage itself too.

We did a normal barre .....not too complicated thank goodness......a tiny bit in the centre and then went straight to work on a piece from the snowflakes scene. How she managed to get us all into lines to run on successfully without bashing into each other in a short time was remarkable. We learnt the piece in little stages which was great for the memory.....even so took me till nearly the end to manage to do it without forgetting a bit! We learned the dance first then the run on and then put it all together.

By the time we were ready to do the "finished performance" some of the main ballet Company were sitting or standing around or warming up for their morning class in the wings ...including Tamara Rojo.......so no pressure then!!

 

A wonderful experience and Jennie had targeted us very mixed group of pupils with just about the right level of complexity to achieve something which felt satisfying to do in such a short space of time.

My only wish was that we could have had another hour!! The time just went so quickly with all the concentration etc.

 

Jennie then said she would be dancing herself that afternoon as a snowflake and then a flower ......so a long day for her.

 

This workshop finished with us watching the Company do their morning class which was hugely enjoyable ....Tamara was there too working as hard as the rest of them......and boy did they work hard. Even in class centre work there were some amazing jumps and turns going on and a few near misses when changing groups ......even the professionals forget which way to run on occasions.

 

But this was a great opportunity run by the ENB and at £25 very good value and so grateful to company dancers giving their own time in this way to make such workshops possible. Thankyou ENB .....Ive decided to be a supporting Friend from the New Year.