primrose Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 (edited) http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CDIQtwIwAg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fm.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DPfDQ604l4V8&ei=h_2CU8GYH8ekPYSqgbgK&usg=AFQjCNFeR3FJAZUeNCuYMdVjEOr84MnW0g&sig2=xqEDUehC5haKWZz94vptmA&bvm=bv.67720277,d.ZWU This young lady is breath taking.she is only 12 years of age. Edited May 26, 2014 by primrose 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primrose Posted May 26, 2014 Author Share Posted May 26, 2014 (edited) Just wanted to add another clip of this young lady. I am in awe of her ability to dance the way she does, the poise control and fluidity of music. Imagine this girl turning up at one of the dance festivals she would certainly have the adjudicators tongues wagging lol. Edited May 26, 2014 by primrose 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 The clip seems to be working now. I agree she is breath-taking but I also find it slightly worrying that she is only 12 years old. What sort of a childhood has she been able to enjoy if she has reached this standard at such an early age? 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primrose Posted May 26, 2014 Author Share Posted May 26, 2014 I suppose we wont ever know the full story. Maybe she is one of those kids who wont stop training. Maybe she only puts in the same amount of hours as children at RBS. To me she is gifted if not a prodigy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 Amazing. I do wonder how long she's been en pointe though and I worry for her feet when she reaches middle age. This is purely my opinion but it leaves me a bit cold. I get a similar reaction to children singing operatic arias - just why? What's the hurry? 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ja Sm Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 She is amazing but...I can't quite pit my finger on it. For me, she looks too polished, as if she is dancing as she has been taught, not as she feels. Hope that doesn't sound too mean. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primrose Posted May 26, 2014 Author Share Posted May 26, 2014 (edited) I agree that in most children going onto pointe is silly and there is nothing to be gained by it. Then again I look at this child and think she has the strenght and control of an adult professional dancer. If you look at other clips of her dancing you can see the progression she is making as she gets older. I wonder what we would honestly do if we had a daughter as talented as this, would we hold her back if medics and professionals were in agreement that her body and mind could withstand the training. I bet there is not many that would. I suppose it brings up the old argument of western training versus training around the world and why these children are so much more advanced and dare I say it better than most (not all) of our children. Edited to add that can we keep this a light hearted debate without people taking things personally. Its really interesting to have different opinions even if we dont agree with them. Edited May 26, 2014 by primrose 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thecatsmother Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 She certainly has spirit when she dances and huge potential. Let's hope it's nurtured and channeled in the right way for her. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowan Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 There were more than a few admiring gasps from DD as she watched this video, so I can only assume that means the girl is really good! However, child ballet stars don't always become adult ballet stars. In fact, although often employed, they don't necessarily have jobs/positions at the big companies that one might expect from seeing their early talent. I also think sometimes (not necessarily in this case) there is something disconcerting about children playing roles that require a maturity of emotional and sensual expression. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primrose Posted May 26, 2014 Author Share Posted May 26, 2014 (edited) Here she is again at aged 10 years and pleased to see she is on demi pointe. Wow she is a natural turner and her leg extensions. Edited May 26, 2014 by primrose 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betterankles Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 There is no 'right' age for going on pointe. Some can do so at 9 years old - and some - never should! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primrose Posted May 26, 2014 Author Share Posted May 26, 2014 Being a westerner I would say not to go en point until 12 years of age and if this little girl was mine I would have held her back until about 11 years of age. I am just admiring the child dancing without looking at what her future holds as nobody can predict that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primrose Posted May 26, 2014 Author Share Posted May 26, 2014 Sorry I know I am getting carried away (waiting for the teens to get out of bed) but wanted to post this clip of our very own UK talent Anna Rose O Sullivan who is now dancing with the Royal Ballet company. She is aged 10 in this clip. I think it is ok to post this as it is very much in the public domain. To my mind children like these are naturally gifted and with the correct training they are sensational. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitschqueen_1 Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 Just wanted to add another clip of this young lady. I am in awe of her ability to dance the way she does, the poise control and fluidity of music. Imagine this girl turning up at one of the dance festivals she would certainly have the adjudicators tongues wagging lol. And good luck to anyone who will be auditioning alongside her in 2016!! Amazing! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa O`Brien Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 While I agree that these youngsters en pointe at an early age are technically amazing,there is something about them performing adult variations that leaves me uncomfortable. I very much liked the clip Primrose posted of the 10 year old girl on demi pointe. I thought it was charming. It was a young girl, BEING a young girl,not trying to be Esmeralda or Swanilda or whoever. The young girls performing adult variations very much reminds me of those cringe-worthy beauty pageants for young girls ,where they are all dolled up in full make-up and revealing costumes. To me ,it just feels wrong,regardless of whether the child actually has the talent to perform that solo or not. Just because they can, does it mean they should? 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anjuli_Bai Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 I, too, ask myself - at what price? It may be entirely true this amount of investment at so early an age might be her choice - but how informed was that choice? How much of the possibilities of the world does one know at that age? Even adult professionals often find the ballet world insulated and isolating. And then, I ask myself , what's next for her? Where does she fit ? At her age being part of a group of peers is part of maturation. When she dances I find myself thinking more about her than her dance. And, finally, I would never advocate putting a child younger than twelve on pointe. There are many threads in which this has been thoroughly discussed. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 I think Miko Fogerty .....of First Position fame was equally talented at this age. You can see how she matures from watching her appearances in YAGP competitions and the like from 10 to 16 years old. She is a beautiful dancer (Miko) and has a reserved quality .......her contemporary work is pretty good too. However I do wonder what will happen to her now. Will she burn out too soon......could she ever be happy fitting into a corps of a big ballet company (she did have her sights on the Royal at one point) or will that reality not live up to expectations for however long cherished. This young girl in the clip does have delightful expression as well but you do feel its all a bit manufactured.....not her fault of course. I do like age appropriate dancing just as with singing and hate to see for example 12 year olds singing songs that they can have no experience of its meaning and so on.......and especially not dressed like a much older woman etc. Anyway this girl is obviously very talented and hope she manages to make it before feeling she's had enough already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primrose Posted May 26, 2014 Author Share Posted May 26, 2014 The thing is so many youngsters decide that they dont want to dance any more and that is absolutely their right and should be respected. This youngster might not be being pushed to the limits or of course she could be. I think teachers can only train the child in front of them and nurture that talent however they should not hold it back. Non of us can control the future and we must not fear it should things not go to plan, but we can prepare our youngsters as best we can and then when old and mature enough to let them take control of their own destiny. Not sure if I have made sense or just come out with a load of waffle lol. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 She is delightful to watch and the maturity to even make a stab at the performance is amazing. I guess these kids are like other geniuses (for want of a better word) and they often have socialising issues.... I also think the child has to love it to be trainable in this way. Good luck to her, my dd would die to be like this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 Yes I agree the training is so demanding.....even if you are talented.....that you would have to love it to keep going. Children are often less daunted by taking on challenging pieces. As in the music world nerves often don't become an issue until much older ........17 or 18 ....when the awareness of the full responsibility of what one is doing comes to the fore. But some kids just do have excess talent!! And really love what they do.......just been catching up with all the Young Musician of the year episodes and all those kids were not only truly amazingly talented but delightful too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 This is Miko age 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moomin Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 I agree that technically she is outstanding for her age but for me to be a 'star' takes much more than that; artistry, drama, feeling, great charisma etc. she is only young and I'm not saying that she can't develop these attributes but I do wonder whether anyone can be a great artist if their experience is limited to hours in a ballet studio and home schooling (which may not be the case with her but is certainly quite usual for child prodigies). I don't agree that you would have to love ballet either, it probably depends on what your other options are! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 And here is Miko down the line a few years in Moscow last year winning the Gold medal there. All her variations for this are lovely .....I especially like her Giselle one.....all on YouTube but this shows a certain sophistication I think...and still only 16. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primrose Posted May 26, 2014 Author Share Posted May 26, 2014 Goodness me she is beautiful to watch. Quite incredible. I think these youngsters do dance with expression and I also think that they must enjoy it to be able to dance to that standard. I think if they werent happy it would surely show in their performance. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 Promise the last one .....a rather charming one of her age 12 with her little brother (at the end) who gave up ballet when he got to about 11.....much to mums chagrin but he just didn't like it enough and There was no way even this tiger mum could force him if he didn't want to do it. Miko is the one with the passion! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swanprincess Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 that video of Miko aged 16 is absolutely phenomenal. Wow. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoriapage Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 (edited) Thirty two (!) years ago: Katherine Healy, age 13: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSpOBdwCQ18 And skating at Madison Square Garden, 7 years before: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPcDRxkR8es And also skating age 10, a piece called Papillon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_FafLL1Dnc And finally, age 16 in Coppelia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ah8QTrYgzA Sorry, but once I get started.... Edited May 26, 2014 by victoriapage 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 I think this is quite interesting. Miko's mother who is a musician (piano) initially wanted Miko to be a violinist. Miko said she was quite good on the violin at one point but when she got into ballet more this is what she really loved so eventually gave up the violin to concentrate on ballet. Then her mum supported her all the way in this (maybe a bit too much at times!) though she would have liked her to be a musician. When a child is keen enough talented enough and shows that level of dedication then you just have to get behind them really and just hope for the best outcome for them!! Thanks for the ice skating clips love them!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitschqueen_1 Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 Thanks every-one for posting these fabulous clips of truly amazing children and young people. Really fuels the nature/nurture debate. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 There is a really good book on this called Bounce by Matthew Syed- a British table tennis international. Fascinating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoriapage Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 And last for today but not least: A 12-year-old Joyce Cuoco circa 1966. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7v8VcRAaBo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 Well Ive just broken my word but talent is so inspiring thought this is interesting too of Miko as part of the Moscow Competition last year A character dance for a change!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anjuli_Bai Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 Isn't she the same girl from the documentary "First Position"? If so - I found the mother's methods frightening. I came as close as I could in describing what I thought of it in the review I did for this forum without infringing upon the board acceptable use policy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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