Circe Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 (edited) Yes agree, thanks for sharing CeliB its been a fascinating insight. Edited February 10, 2015 by chaperone 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belljul Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Amsterdam is such a fabulous city CeliB! I would be very happy for my son to live and work there. How exciting. I must catch up and watch all the solos when I have a quiet evening. I have so enjoyed following the whole competition. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CeliB Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Well without wanting to get too gushing and schmaltzy I have to extend my thanks to you all. Given that I started this roller coaster with zero knowledge it has been an invaluable sounding board and wealth of knowledge and experience (ha ha- now it's starting to sound like an exit speech- but you won't get rid of me so easily). Interestingly I was chatting with a USA forum member who seems to be in a similar position to me 4 years ago, so have been passing on the benefit of all the advice I was given- the UK site is so much livelier and I have to say bolder (for example most on the US site counseled against sending DS abroad- just couldn't see why I would do this). My DH laughs at me for spending so much time here but I couldn't have faced all this with half as much equanimity without you all, my virtual ballet family Here's to the future! 21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Not sure if a moderator can delete the above botched quote attempt - can't control well on phone - sorry! Anyway, meant to say the thing about our pupils 'not being ready that early' really takes us back to previous discussions about lack of UK students in some US...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Not sure if a moderator can delete the above botched quote attempt - can't control well on phone - sorry! Anyway, meant to say the thing about our pupils 'not being ready that early' really takes us back to previous discussions about lack of UK students in some US...... Done. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aileen Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 CeliB, with experience your son will learn not to be derailed by 'mistakes' and imperfections during his performances. I've seen plenty of things go wrong during performances (falls, slips, trips, stumbles, fluffed lifts etc). Performances are rarely flawless. It's understandable that your son, who has been training for such a short time, was put off by an early 'slip'. With plenty of performance experience he'll learn to cope with this. I think that the Junior Company of Het National would provide great training and would be a very good bridge between school and company life. They tour round The Netherlands with their own programme and I believe that the second year is spent at the main company. Even if all the dancers do not get contracts with the main company they will have had plenty of performing experience (and not just as spear carriers or non-dancing townsfolk, peasants etc) which must make them attractive to other companies. The Junior Company is coming to the Linbury again this year, in June I believe. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invisiblecircus Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 What's going on here? sarahw's post at 2.29 was written by me! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 What's going on here? sarahw's post at 2.29 was written by me! LOLSorry, invisiblecircus! Sarahw had accidentally quoted almost the whole thread - because your post was at the top of hers I thought she'd written it, so I left it there. My mistake! Sarahw, did you actually write anything or did you just accidentally copy and paste lots of posts? :-) In any case, I've now hidden the post. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strawberyy Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Well without wanting to get too gushing and schmaltzy I have to extend my thanks to you all. Given that I started this roller coaster with zero knowledge it has been an invaluable sounding board and wealth of knowledge and experience (ha ha- now it's starting to sound like an exit speech- but you won't get rid of me so easily). Interestingly I was chatting with a USA forum member who seems to be in a similar position to me 4 years ago, so have been passing on the benefit of all the advice I was given- the UK site is so much livelier and I have to say bolder (for example most on the US site counseled against sending DS abroad- just couldn't see why I would do this). My DH laughs at me for spending so much time here but I couldn't have faced all this with half as much equanimity without you all, my virtual ballet family Here's to the future! I have to agree with CeliB but didn't thank you all so eloquently as I lurked and read rather than posted all those years ago. I still lurk and occasionally post when I think I may be of some help. So although my experience is a few years old if I can help at all I will. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drdance Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 CeliB that is very exciting news! Like others, it's brought the Prix 'home' by having a couple of people in it who I have some vague connection with - I definitely rooted for your DS and the other UK candidate who was initially trained by a colleague of mine in Scotland. I wonder how she got on with schools etc..... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Agreed,Aileen. I saw a principal at the ROH come off pointe a few years ago and there was an audible intake of breath from the audience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strawberyy Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 The raked stage is quite scary. I have just watched a little on youtube and seen that they recreated a raked stage in one of the studios. This wasn't done a few years ago. All dancers had their coaching on the main stage. I guess this allows more coaching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pastel Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 CeliB - I think I missed the bit where you announced that your son will be taking a place at Het Junior company. Congratulations! How truly wonderful 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aileen Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 I don't know how *anyone* dances on a raked stage. They aren't common in Europe, are they? I have only heard of them in Russia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hfbrew Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 I don't know how *anyone* dances on a raked stage. They aren't common in Europe, are they? I have only heard of them in Russia. My ds has had plenty of them to contend with on his tours round British theatres! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pastel Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Oh help! Really! How has he managed? Did he get used to it quickly? DD is hoping the stage in Romania for World Ballet Competition isn't raked. They only get 10mins to run through their dances on the stage before performing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Picturesinthefirelight Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 crewe Lyceum would be one of them hfbrew During panto one year kids kept falling off. We did a dance show thee & it took the kids a bit of getting used to. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pups_mum Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 I don't know how *anyone* dances on a raked stage. They aren't common in Europe, are they? I have only heard of them in Russia. Really? I didn't know that. Until recently I thought that all "proper" stages were raked actually, as our local theatre where DD does shows, festivals etc has quite a steep rake, and the theatres she has done EYB in were raked too. The only unraked stages she's danced on have been those kind that you sometimes get in schools that are made up of sort of big MDF boxes. I've no other experience of stages to go on so I thought it was the norm. Come to think about it though, girls from other areas that come to our festivals have commented on the stage being difficult but the locals are used to it. We've had a fair few incidents with props heading for the orchestra pit over the years though! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aileen Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Does he, hfbrew? I didn't know that there were raked stages in the UK. I suppose that one just gets used to them. Pastel, could your DD find out in advance what the stage will be like? If it will be raked then could she perhaps find a local theatre with a raked stage to practice on (she might even be able to persuade the theatre to let her use it for free, if she is a local student). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pastel Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Thanks Aileen, yes, I shall email and ask. At least we will know. Not sure if the theatre in Hinckley is raked, but we would find out if necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invisiblecircus Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Does he, hfbrew? I didn't know that there were raked stages in the UK. I suppose that one just gets used to them. Pastel, could your DD find out in advance what the stage will be like? If it will be raked then could she perhaps find a local theatre with a raked stage to practice on (she might even be able to persuade the theatre to let her use it for free, if she is a local student). Raked stages are fairly common in the UK and other European countries. They don't always have the same rake though, so it might be unhelpful to practise on a local stage unless the rake is the same! If you can get your hands on a copy of the Performing Arts Yearbook (library should have one in the reference section) you can find out which UK theatres have raked stages. Most of the older ones are raked to some degree I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CeliB Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 (edited) [quote Just my personal opinion but I am not sure describing any AD as a "dead kipper" is advisable on a public forum.....?! Somehow missed your post first time round spanner but on reflection I think you are probably right. Though I doubt the AD in question is an avid reader of BCF perhaps a kind moderator might spare my blushes and remove the offending sentence from my post ( and spanners requoting of it!) Thanks Ps edited to say it's the Het pre professional programme DS is going to but they were fairly clear that this would lead to junior co... Edited February 10, 2015 by CeliB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aileen Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 I don't think that I've ever seen a raked stage, or at least dancers perform on one, but perhaps I just haven't noticed. I have seen ballet at the following theatres: the ROH, the Coliseum, Sadler's Wells, The Peacock Theatre, New Wimbledon Theatre, the theatres in High Wycombe and Woking, Birmingham and Bristol Hippodromes. Are the stages raked at any of these theatres? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melody Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 (edited) With regards to the number of British entries, RBS has been quoted as saying that they don't allow their students to enter due to the demands of their timetable. Elmhurst, Central and Ballet West have all entered pupils in recent years. So what does RBS have in its timetable that none of these other schools around the world has, I wonder. Edited February 10, 2015 by Melody 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 There is a horrible rake on the stage at the Corn Exchange in Cambridge and I know Moscow City Ballet dance there. It's really small too. I can't imagine how they manage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hfbrew Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 (edited) Oh help! Really! How has he managed? Did he get used to it quickly? DD is hoping the stage in Romania for World Ballet Competition isn't raked. They only get 10mins to run through their dances on the stage before performing. crewe Lyceum would be one of them hfbrew During panto one year kids kept falling off. We did a dance show thee & it took the kids a bit of getting used to. I think ds has managed just fine but found partnering more tricky on raked stages in as much as the girls weight placement has to be different especially supported pirouettes.Another problem was some of the sets/props coping with rakes. Picture my ds behind a door in Alice trying to keep it in place whilst a dancer was on his shoulders creating the illusion of "tall" Alice... Or the runaway ship in Little Mermaid that started to move before ds had got in it properly, how I wish Id seen that! Ive always understood that some of the difference in Russian Ballet compared to say, British is due to the raked stages and studios the Russians dance on. The weight placement is therefore different. Edited February 10, 2015 by hfbrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aileen Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 This is probably a stupid question: would a dancer do pirouettes or fouettes on a rake? I can't see how you would be able to balance on one leg on a slope. It seems very dangerous to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invisiblecircus Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 This is probably a stupid question: would a dancer do pirouettes or fouettes on a rake? I can't see how you would be able to balance on one leg on a slope. It seems very dangerous to me. Yes, sure! It's not dangerous, you just have to adjust your placement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harwel Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Adapting to and from a raked stage must also be very tough on the body in terms of susceptibility to injury. I would imagine an increase in shin splints and Achilles strains. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pups_mum Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 This is probably a stupid question: would a dancer do pirouettes or fouettes on a rake? I can't see how you would be able to balance on one leg on a slope. It seems very dangerous to me. My DD has never had any problems, I guess it's just a matter of getting used to it. Because she has been dancing at our local theatre since she was tiny, she just sees it as the norm and doesn't seem to have any problem switching between the flat studio and the raked stage. On the other hand if you asked my husband who generally makes a lot of the scenery for the dance school shows whether raked stages are a problem, you would get a different answer! We have spent many happy(ish!) hours sawing bits off scenery etc between dress rehearsals and first performances! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 I don't know how *anyone* dances on a raked stage. They aren't common in Europe, are they? I have only heard of them in Russia. As it happens they were very common in this country and many still exist for example the Empire in Sunderland, the Grand in Leeds, Liverpool Playhouse and a double whammy rake at the Opera House in Buxton to name some that I know of! The stages are also raked in Russia and I assume the rest of the Eastern Block. On holiday in Russia in 1986 we were told that all the rakes are the same (unlike this country) and the studios are raked at the same angle too. I remember seeing a BRB Coppelia rehearsal in Sunderland where the doll's chair in act 2 kept rolling towards the front of the stage. Fortunately the company had somehow managed to resolve the issue by the time of the performance. Dancers in professional touring companies in the UK have to get used to dancing on a variety of stage types including rakes at different angles! I believe dancers who dance mostly on raked stages have as much difficulty adapting to flat stages as dancers used to flat stages have in adapting to rakes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lildancer96 Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 I'm pretty sure that Wolverhampton Grand has one -I vaguely remember comments being made about how difficult it was for the children to adjust in an EYB performance when they only had one rehearsal on stage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swanprincess Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 It does, Lil- I remember auditioning there, and falling over in the first exercise because I wasn't used to dancing on a raked stage!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now