Scottish Ballet

Scottish Ballet, a company based in Glasgow, under the directorship of Christopher Hampson, opened their Autumn 2016 season with a triple bill of contemporary works, including pioneering choreographer Crystal Pite’s new work “Emergence”, which received acclaim at its European premiere at the Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, in August 2016.

The ornate Theatre Royal, nestled in the heart of Glasgow’s vivacious city centre, was the venue for the company’s performance on October 1^st, where the audience seemed captivated before the performance even began, eagerly awaiting a choreographic extravaganza.                                  Following a short introduction by Hampson, the evening began with “Drawn to Drone”, a solo danced by Christopher Harrison, and choreographed by Jack Webb. Webb, from Dundee, recently received the Sunday Herald Culture Award for the “One to Watch”; he created “Drawn to Drone” as part of the Anserinae Choreographic Mentorship Scheme, inspired by Scottish Ballet’s revolutionary Swan Lake. “Drawn to Drone” received its debut at a private showcase in Edinburgh, following which Webb received a telephone call from Hampson, who wished the piece to be included in the company’s current repertoire.                                                                                   

       An incredibly minimalistic piece, involving two carefully placed chairs, a plain, black backdrop and a single spotlight, it began with pedestrian movements; Harrison walking onstage, neatly positioning the two plastic chairs, one in front of the other, then moving slowly to downstage left, to remove his shirt and trousers, leaving only tight white boxer shorts on. Seemingly entranced in his own world, Harrison then sat slowly, reflectively, onto the front chair, folding forwards then inching back upright, arching back until the chair toppled backwards, caught by the second chair. As in a vortex, he remained, sitting on the chair, moving as though he had all the time in the world, through dimensions and space within his own kinosphere, limited somewhat yet liberated by his position on the chair, tipped backwards like the Earth poised on its axis. Somewhat akin to the exploratory movements of a fetus in the womb, the hypnotisingly slow, focussed movements captivated the audience; there was no sudden surprise of a great leap or virtuosic turns, despite the orchestral music ebbing and flowing, reaching its climax then dying away.                                         

The lack of music visualisation in the work further served to intrigue the audience, as although the movements were sustained throughout, nothing was predictable; Harrison could have, at any time, leapt up, alas he remained throughout the piece, suspended on the tilted chair, standing only to receive his rapturous applause at the culmination of the piece. The disconnection between the aural setting and choreography seemed to connote the relationship between an artist and society; the artist is so intensely focussed on their own work, that they appear not to even hear the bustle of daily life around them. As risky as it is to create a dance piece that barely moves from the spot, Webb’s venture seemed a resoundingly thought provoking success.

The evening continued with a world premiere, of Sophie Laplane’s “Sibilio”. Meaning “Whistle” in Latin, Sibilio explores how “people whistle in connection with different emotions, when they’re happy but also when they’re nervous.” (Laplane interview, Scottish Ballet autumn season souvenir programme 2016, p12); whistling sounds are a prominent feature of the piece, which aims to explore the multiple facets of human nature.                                                                                     

Dressed naturalistically, in lilac dresses for the 4 women, and black suits for the 4 men, the dancers began in a tight huddle, breaking out to move in a variety of formations, contrasting symmetrical floor patterns with irregular, fragmented movements. The electronic, repetitive music, which Laplane collaborated with Alex Menzies to commission, prominently features whistling sounds, particularly used to signify the end of each section. From the huddle of dancers, a man and woman broke away to dance a duet; as they did so, their dress and suit jacket flew away on wires, leaving the woman in underwear and the man in trousers, a unique plot twist, drawing the audience’s attention to the fast, quirky movements, highlighted by frequent, high pitched whistling, as the other dancers remained still, in their symmetrical, now dimly lit, huddle.  A 2^nd, more solemn duet, followed, with darker lighting, and again, ‘vanishing’ clothes, which, paired with slow, intense strings music, and no whistling, suggested feelings of nakedness and exposure. Indeed, the duet seemed to suggest some form of domestic struggle, an argument between lovers, perhaps.                       

The episodic, abstract work continued, with a duet for two men, alone on stage, accompanied by guitar music with thudding, erotic bass. The dancers displayed spectacular dynamics and athleticism in their sincere contact work, as their movements seemed to emulate a conversation, with clear questions and answers, whilst the absence of any whistling in the aural setting gave a more serious feel to the work, in contrast to the lighthearted whistling in previous sections. All eight dancers returned to their huddled formation centre stage, as the music reached an epic climax of whistling and vivacious strings…. Their dresses and suits fell from the sky, as unexpectedly as a summer snowfall! Then again, Laplane’s work is anything but predictable!

After a short interval, the evening continued with Crystal Pite’s new work “Emergence.” Pite thought initially about the hierarchical structure of a ballet company, and how the concept of hierarchy is reflected in nature; she was inspired by how complex structures arise out of simple interactions. The piece was initially created in 2009, for the National Ballet of Canada, which was the first time Pite had worked with a large company, collaborating with composer Owen Belton to create a score that reflected a sense of chaos and activity within nature.                                                       

“Emergence” commenced with a dimly lit stage, illuminating two dancers who writhed animalistically on the floor, to electronic music with deep bass contrasted by high pitched sounds. The orange backdrop, printed with a series of curved black arcs to depict a flock of birds in flight, featured a circular hole, through which the other dancers entered the stage, giving a creative means for entrances and exits, reminiscent of bees pouring out of a hive, or insects crawling through a crack in the floorboards. The next movement involved the sixteen men of the company, crawling then contrasting elongated movements with sharp, dynamic canon as the aural setting of a marching sound added a sense of chaos. The men moved as a corps, as the dim lighting created elegant yet imposing shadows on the floor, soaring like starlings as they ran around the stage and smoothly exited as the women ran on, wearing black corsets, masks and pointe shoes. In a tight huddle, they bourreed, creating artistic shapes with their arms, moving and breathing as one, then whispering their counts aloud for the audience to hear, highlighting the complex aural setting and irregular phrasing.  The piece explored a variety of relationships; duets, trios, girls dancing with girls, boys dancing with boys; every movement displayed intense energy and unity, as each section effortlessly interlinked, never leaving the stage empty, communicating the constant sense of activity within nature.                            In a particularly thought provoking quartet, a female dancer worked alongside three male dancers- all wearing black trousers, with bare chests. The controversial female costume forced the audience to question gender roles; there are no gender roles or rules regarding ‘appropriate’ clothing in nature, so why, in society is it considered acceptable for a man to have a bare chest, but not a woman?! Also, the brave decision highlighted the althleticism and strength of all of the dancers, proving that women can dance with just as much strength and physicality as men can.                               ‘Emergence’ reached its spectacular climax with all 36 of the company dancers on stage, dancing sharp, repetitive, dynamic gestures, emanating conviction, unity and strength.                                   Although all three works were phenomenal, I couldn’t help but find myself wondering…. If ‘Scottish Ballet’ are becoming such a contemporary company, what will this mean for the future of British ballet? Will contemporary works eventually become more popular than the classics? I hope not!! 

Bolshoi Swan Lake, 30/7/16

Continuing their spellbinding 3 week season of performances, the Bolshoi Ballet presented a matinee of Swan Lake on July 30th, starring Anna Nikulina as Odette/Odile, and Ruslan Skvortsov as Prince Seigfried. Choreographed by Yuri Grigorovich, this interpretation of the iconic Petipa/Ivanov classic premiered in March 2001 at the Bolshoi theatre in Moscow. 

Georgy Gusev acted well as the Jester, although fell out of a tour en l'air early into the first act, nonetheless later redeeming himself with a precise series of 32 turns a la seconde. Darting impishly around Kristina Kretova during her elegant pas de trois solo, Grigorovich's choreography gave a delightfully mischievous dynamic and entertainment quality to Gusev's Jester, without making the characterisation excessively hyperbolic.

The elaborate set, designed by Simon Virsaladze, depicted the Prince's castle as a gothic, dark haunt, rather more reminiscent of an eerie dungeon than a ballroom! Despite this, the costumes emanated colour; an apt red and black catsuit for the Jester, (a breath of fresh air compared to the unfortunate Christmas turkey style leggings worn by the Jester in a UK company!!); yellow dresses for the Prince's friends, and dazzling white tunic with tights for the Prince, adorned with an excellently gleaming diamond neckline.

Seigfried- having strayed from his party for no apparent reason, without being given a crossbow- found himself beside an eerie lake, seemingly drawn to it by the omnipotent Von Rothbart, portrayed eloquently by Mikhail Kryuchkov.

As in the Russian State Ballet's interpretation of Swan Lake, Von Rothbart and Prince Seigfried danced alongside each other, to Tchaikovsky's iconic, haunting Swan Theme. Both dancers demonstrated soaring ballon in their jumps, matched with an undeniable stage presence. 

The corps of Swans, however, lacked unity, seemingly under rehearsed and over tired, with a distinct sense of imprecision- which was not helped by a violin inconveniently squawking a note during the Big Swans dance!

Anna Nikulina's Odette was both frantic and vulnerable, with long, willowy arms and lightening speed courus. She appeared to lack connection with Skortsov in the White Swan pas de deux, although executed neat pirouettes, with a lyrical sense of yearning in her solo, most evident in her sustained piques to arabesque. 

The Cygnets seemed somewhat clumpy; their coupes travelling across the stage were devoid of any precision, although they did manage to synchronise their heads.

Skortsov's act 2 mime, swearing his eternal fidelity to Nikulina's Odette, felt poignant and genuine, shadowed by Von Rothbart's imposing silhouette, a symbol of eternal sorrow for the wretched lovers.

In Act 3, Daria Bochkova displayed sophisticated flair as the Spanish Bride, with a dynamic saut de basque and stylish grand jetes. Her costume, however, of a white tulle dress embellished with black diamantes, bore little resemblance to traditional Spanish dress!

Nikulina could clearly be seen walking behind the large gauze depicting a Royal crest in preparation for her entrance as Odile- her entrance was nonetheless spellbinding, with razor sharp piques, and a cohort of three Black Swans, making her seem more birdlike than feminine.

Nikulina easily entranced Skortsov in the Black Swan Pas; he showed pleasing ballon and clean tours en l'air in his solo, although seemed uncomfortable dancing virtuosic pirouettes, battling to complete more than four rotations. Skortsov gave an immaculate coda, whilst Nikulina struggled with her fouettes-exhausted, she struggled to conceal the difficulty of the movement.

By Act 4, the Swans had gained some sense of unity and musicality, whilst Nikulina showed a beautiful poised quality in her upper body. Black swans continued to infiltrate the corps, a symbol of Rothbart's unyielding power, which ultimately killed Odette in an emotive catharsis, leaving Seigfried to grieve, alone by the lake.

Bolshoi Ballet; Don Quixote

Sixty years after the Bolshoi Ballet of Moscow's debut performance in London, in which veteran ballerina Galina Ulanova reportedly received a 45-minute standing ovation, the company returned to the Royal Opera house, for a 3 week summer season of performances.

Opening the season was Marius Petipa and Alexander Gorsky's ballet Don Quixote, to the traditional score of Ludwig Minkus, which debuted in Moscow on December 14th 1869, and was revived in February 2016 by Alexei Fadeyechev.

I watched- from a fabulous seat in the Balcony- the performance of July 27th, starring Ekaterina Krysanova as Kitri, and Semyon Chudin as Basilio (known in the Russian version simply as Basil).

The Act 1 staging depicted a bustling Barcelona town square, complete with neutral coloured bridge and houses, with a patterned floor adorning downstage. Certainly no scrimping was made in the lighting department, as the bright white stage lights dazzled to the very back of the theatre!

From her first entrance as the innkeeper Lorenzo's beautiful daughter Kitri, Krysanova exuded charm and passion, clearly evident in her vivacious Act 1 variation. Her soaring sissonnes, enhanced by her spectacularly flexible back typical of Russian training, and precise pirouettes, showcased her technical bravura and musicality. Nonetheless, her performance felt, at times, just a fragment restrained;  her run to upstage left preceding her diagonal of pirouettes felt more akin to a delicate Princess Aurora, than a feisty young Spanish girl bursting with life.
The busy stage, adorned with villagers and scarf-wielding Matadors, added to the exuberance of Krysanova's portrayal of Kitri as she effortlessly captured the heart of Alexei Loparevich's valiant Don Quixote, who mistook her for Dulcinea, the lady of his dreams. Her vibrant red Flamenco style dress complemented those of the villagers, with a flower tucked behind her ear as a symbol of youth.


In Act 2, deluded Don Quixote perceived a gypsy play as reality, and mistook an impressive, moving windmill for an evil magician; seizing a mill sail, he flew through the air and plummeted to the ground. His sword bearer Sancho Panza helped him to a forest, and left Don Quixote to sleep as he ran for help. In his dream, Don Quixote hallucinated his beloved Dulcinea, danced exquisitely by Krysanova, whose elegant ports de bras and poised upper body gave the role a pleasing sense of ethereal grace. The corps de ballet of mystical Dryads demonstrated immaculate formation and line, weaving intricate patterns with spellbinding synchronicity.


Basil and Kitri in Act 3 married in the Duke's Castle, following Don Quixote's persuasion to Lorenzo to allow Kitri to marry her love rather than the rich nobleman Gamache. Krysanova and Chudin showed delightful chemistry in the iconic Grand Pas de Deux, with a captivating sense of assurance in the one-handed full press lifts, emanating style yet easily maintaining the delightfully playful air of young lovers.

The phenomenal orchestra, comprised of over one hundred world-class musicians, truly excelled; one particular spine-tingling moment was the commencement of Chudin's variation in the Grand Pas; like a tsunami the great crescendo seemed to dominate the earth and sky, glory radiating in its perpetual beauty.
Chudin's initial saut de basque soared through the air with the elevation and strength of a spectacular albatross, as he defied gravity with every leap. However, his technically precise pirouettes lacked virtuosity, executing no more than five rotations.

Krysanova also exhibited impressive ballon, but her starring moment came in the coda, where she effortlessly executed forty extraordinary fouetté turns. She began her sequence with immaculate consecutive double fouettés, switching to singles to reflect a musical change, then concluding with a perfect triple, rewarded with a well deserved standing ovation at her curtain calls. The London summer season continued with Flames of Paris, The Taming of the Shrew, Swan Lake and Le Corsaire; Krysanova, rightly so, danced the lead in each of the ballets, demonstrating her exceptional versatility and stamina, capturing the hearts of London and beyond.

Royal Ballet School performance, Opera Holland Park

The Royal Ballet School this year held their summer performances at Opera Holland Park, a state of the art venue nestled amidst the blossoming foliage of Holland Park, subtly reminiscent of the Lower School's home in Richmond Park. The matinee of July 2nd comprised mostly of White Lodge students, demonstrating their versatility and virtuosity across a wide range of uplifting pieces.  

'To The Point', created as part of the "aDvANCE" project, in which Year 10 White Lodge students danced alongside non vocational students of Dagenham Park School, opened the first act. The students used the geometrical basis of classical ballet as a stimulus for their own movement material, working over a period of three months to choreograph the piece, under the tutelage of renowned choreographer Bim Malcomson. Some students of Dagenham Park School had never studied ballet before, yet in the neoclassical choreography it was, at times, impossible to distinguish between them and the White Lodge students. Dressed in identical costumes, of vivid orange t-shirts with a red waistband and dark green skirts for the girls or trousers for the boys, each dancer radiated confidence and passion, effortlessly tackling complex formations and unique, stylised movements, with an energetic running motif not dissimilar to that of the Haka dance!! Despite the modern, unique choreography, the music used was the epitome of classicism; excerpts from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. Spellbinding in its own right, the symmetry and precision of the young performers delighted the audience; such simple steps as running, walking- or one young girl "swimming" across the stage on her back- performed with immaculate timing, spectacularly showcased the unique stories and achievements of every young dancer involved, in what for some, no doubt, will have been a life changing process. 

The naturalistic set, which stayed the same throughout, with beige columns framing an arched doorway, was cleverly appropriate for each piece, akin to the castle entrance hall of Swan Lake, yet also depicting a grand ballroom suited to national dances, such as the year 7 students' energetic Krakoviak, choreographed by Tania Fairbairn. 

The outdoor theatre resembled a particularly sophisticated tent; natural light streamed into the auditorium, eliminating any need for bright stage lights or spotlights.

Sir Peter Wright visited White Lodge, to set his Swan Lake act 1 pas de trois, alongside Galina Samsova, after Marius Petipa. The piece, which could easily have been mistaken for the work of a professional company, was danced with style and maturity by Year 11 students Madison Bailey and Ginerva Zambon, alongside Year 10 student Daichi Ikarashi. Wearing red velour tutus, both ladies demonstrated confident, strong pointework, with a pleasing sense of poise and focus. Ginerva Zambon's solo was delightfully springy, with sophisticated epaulement and effortless grace, although her temps de flèche seemed to lack ballon. 

The true star of the show though, was young Japanese dancer Daichi Ikarashi, who tackled his challenging solo and coda with vivacity, captivating the audience with his confident quadruple pirouettes and spellbinding multiple tours en l'air. His flawless technique, with careful partnering in the adagio, was highlighted by a heartwarming sense of passion, personality and performance quality that radiated to the back of the auditorium and beyond. 

A bright array of national dances, encompassing Irish, Scottish, Spanish, Russian and Polish styles, showcased the rhythm, dynamic quality and flair of each unique year group.

Although the performance was predominantly comprised of White Lodge students, some Upper School students also danced; after the interval, Kaho Yanagisawa and Francisco Serrano performed Ashton's Rhapsody pas de deux, set to Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini by Sergei Rachmaninov. Japanese graduate year student Yanagisawa, who won a Prix de Lausanne scholarship to the school in 2013, will shortly commence her first contract, with the Royal Swedish Ballet whereas Serrano will join the Royal Ballet next season alongside six other graduates, as apprentices on the Aud Jebsen Young Dancers programme.

Dressed simply in a yellow leotard with Romantic length skirt for Yanagisawa and plain yellow unitard for Serrano, both dancers showed grace and style, maintaining perfect composure throughout the sophisticated pas de deux. Yanagisawa floated effortlessly through the air, as Serrano excelled in executing complex lifts, showing not only artistic talent but also emotional connection, moving as one, like an autumn leaf twirling in a delicate breeze. Yanagisawa's stellar arabesque line and elegant upper body complemented Serrano's strength, making the piece a joy to watch, and no doubt inspiring the many young dancers hoping to follow in their footsteps.

Act 2 was concluded with Liam Scarlett's Allegro de Jeunesse, set to Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto no.3, a vibrant celebration of youth, passion and individuality. Throughout the performance, every single student shone, radiating vitality and the promise of glittering futures, which no doubt will see them venturing into companies in Britain and beyond. 

Summer Showcase

The end of term draws closer. It is quite a strange feeling to see how people at my old school are doing their A-levels, starting exam leave- academic boredom feels a universe away and yet I remember it so vividly.... 

Today we have our final showcase performances, in Stirling, having opened the show in Oban a fortnight ago. I am dancing in three pieces, all of which are contemporary. It has been fascinating to see how each choreographer works so differently; Natasha was very experimental in the creation of her piece "Inertia", whereas Martin asked us to choreograph duet phrases ourselves for his piece, meanwhile Indra knew exactly what movements she wanted from the offset.

We had a week of theatre rehearsals in Oban, followed by opening night, then have continued rehearsals in preparation for this week- we have also had lots of classes to rehearse for our upcoming RAD exams.

The dark nights have vanished now; it seems to be always sunny, and last night a beautiful double rainbow shone over the studios, a symbol of optimism- my injured foot is also healing, and I am beginning to be able to do pointe work again! :D

Being Grateful

Being Grateful 

"Always be grateful for what you have. Appreciate the opportunity you have been given- appreciate the fact that you get to study ballet every day, whilst most people spend their lives in an office job which they don't really enjoy."

As my ballet teacher began another inspirational analogy, I realised- had I not been given this opportunity, if Ballet West had not recognised my potential, I would have been, at that moment in time, studying for A-levels which I hated, at a college which I hated, surrounded by negative energy.

But I was not. 

I was, in fact, in a ballet studio, in the wilderness of the Highlands. I used to consider it somewhat of a sacrifice; having left my home, my family, the buzz of city life, to go to a tiny school in a tiny village, to study ballet- yet in that moment, I realised that it had not been a sacrifice at all, it had been a leap of faith, and I was rapidly learning to fly.

 At 7.15 that morning, the studio was still and silent, when I arrived for warm-up. I am certainly not a 'morning person', and perhaps never will be- but there is something incredible, a sacred beauty, found only in a dance studio- the air is poised, radiating an energy of creativity and expression. That energy is surely enough to fill anyone with vitality; this is a place to achieve, to shine- but in order to shine, you must first work.

I have always been more of an adage lover (gasp!!!) than a springy jumpy allegro lover. However, towards the end of last term, as our schedule became more and more demanding with assessments, I began to feel a sharp pain just above my ankle. Naturally, my perfectionism deterred me from resting- I had 2 challenging solos to work on- however by the time of the assessment, I had to take as many painkillers as possible to just be able to dance.

By the Easter holidays, to my agitation, the pain had still not resided, so I was unable to dance. I went to the physiotherapist, who warned me that it could be either a stress fracture or a muscular strain. I was unable to do class, but still, enjoyed teaching.

Back at school, for the first few days, I didn't do any allegro or pointework. By Tuesday, my ankle felt much better, so I tried (mostly out of sheer frustration having not done pointe for 5 weeks) a pointe class. Huge mistake.

Likely due to the weakness in my ankle, my metatarsals clenched to compensate- in class on Wednesday morning, the pain that seared across the top of my foot was unbearable; close to tears, I had to excuse myself after tendus, to go and fetch an ice pack. Having never, ever stopped during class before, and certainly never spent 3 days sat watching class, unable to even do barre, I felt weak-willed and inadequate- yet at the same time, I instinctively sensed that for the first time in my dancing career, I was experiencing a pain which could not be ignored.

Over the next fortnight, I spoke to a physiotherapist who told me that the joint was jammed, a GP who told me to rest completely for up to a month (which was in no way a practicality, with showcase mere weeks away!) and last week I went to Oban to see a different physio- who told me that the injury was actually a sublaxed medial cuneiform bone- a bone in my foot which had partially dislocated. So, although I am unsure as to when I will be back en pointe or even able to manage a full ballet class due to the injury in my foot- I am so grateful to finally be getting the physiotherapy that I need, hopefully this will help!

Initially when I was injured, I felt very angry, frustrated, and to some extent resentful towards myself- I had taken so much for granted, such as allegro or pointe; lots of releves en pointe seemed tedious- yet as soon as I was told that I shouldn't dance, I wanted nothing more than to do class! However, being injured has taught me a lot about myself as a dancer- to have patience, to take good care of myself, and, most importantly, to never ever take anything for granted. 

Towards the end of last year, I had lost my passion for dance; the movements seemed arbitrary and bland- and I desperately missed home. Yet when I went home for Easter, I couldn't wait to get back to school; I have realised that "home" is not just your birthplace- 'home' is a place where you are valued as an individual, you are free to discover yourself; home is the place where you wake up at 6.30 on a Monday morning smiling, ready to embrace the opportunities of a new week. Although I have learnt a lot in terms of technique this term, the most important thing I have learnt, above anything else, is to never take anything for granted; be in the moment, cherish every opportunity to dance, and to always work to the best of my ability- I may never get a job in a company, I might never "make it" as a dancer, but it's better to try and not succeed, than not try and never know what could've been!!

New Perspectives

I am beginning to realise that the odds are quite heavily stacked against me getting into a ballet company. And although that will not deter me from striving for my dream (as anyone who knows me knows: I am about as stubborn as it is possible to be when I am determined to achieve something, and do not give up, ever!!), I am beginning to discover a slightly different dream, which has easily fallen into my hands- if I cannot dance, I shall teach ballet.

I realised, three years ago, that I would never get a place at The Royal Ballet School. Wrong physique, wrong feet, not enough musicality/artistry/co-ordination/poise- perhaps I did not meet one of their criteria, or perhaps I met all but one; I shall never know.

Nonetheless, I recently realised that even if I am of no value to the Royal as a dancer, looking from the slightly different perspective of a teacher in training, I am welcomed. I attended, in October, the first of six "Inspire" seminars, in Edinburgh. It was an excellent day, with a myriad of information, I learnt so much; valuable exercises to refine the basics of posture and alignment, but was also encouraged to consider a variety of factors such as "What makes a good teacher?" "Why does a child come to ballet classes?"

Recently, the Royal Ballet School advertised "Discover Dance", a day aimed at primary school children with no prior experience of ballet, with the option for dance teachers to observe the day, and participate in a creative masterclass.

The day began with a workshop for the children, which was fascinating to observe. Firstly, the sense of focus and concentration was phenomenal; I was in awe of the teacher, for keeping the attention span of such young children captivated for so long!! Also, it was wonderful to see the sense of joyful expression that each child exuded- despite having little to no ballet experience, they were all eager to learn, and incredibly enthusiastic!

I was curious as to how The Royal Ballet School would go about introducing ballet to young children- having fruitlessly tried to help a grade 1 class capture the positions of the arms accurately, I was fascinated by how simply yet effectively the teacher taught the positions; "stretch your arms out straight in front of you! Now curve your elbows so your hands are facing inwards towards your tummy!" First position, simple as that!!!

After lunch, we had a tour of the School- the facilities are second to none, with five gorgeous studios, adorned with photographs from ballets. Also, we got to walk across the iconic Bridge of Aspiration- which is certainly something I've wanted to do for a very long time!!!

The afternoon commenced with a demonstration class, from 4 Junior Associate students, and 2 Upper School students. They danced a set class appropriate to their own ability levels side by side, which was truly captivating to watch; a snapshot of the Royal Ballet School's training system, from the young yet impeccably poised 9 year olds, to the 18 year olds' pristine technique and refined artistry. 

The final part of the day consisted of a creative workshop for dance teachers, led by the 'PrimarySteps' co-ordinator, Pippa Cobbing. The workshop- designed for primary school age students- focused upon the concept of stretching, the use of the kinosphere, and mirroring techniques with a partner. It was certainly useful to think from the perspective of a young child, which also aided our development as teachers- the fabulous resources gave a clear idea of how to replicate and adapt the workshop for our own students.

The day certainly helped me to learn a lot, both as a teacher but also as a dancer- the highlight for me was definitely watching the demonstration class, as I was able to compare my own technique to that of the upper school students, but also, observing the Junior Associates was a brilliant way for me to gain inspiration for when I am teaching!

Romeo and Juliet- BRB

Having been told at school to 'immerse yourselves in the ballet world!! See as many ballets as you possibly can!", I thought it would be interesting to make a list of the ballets I have seen live (a total of 23), to then consider which ones I haven't seen, and what to see next.

Romeo and Juliet- which is part of Ballet West's repertoire- is one of the ballets I hadn't seen.... So, of course, when Birmingham Royal Ballet toured it to Nottingham, I couldn't resist buying a ticket. And the opportunity to watch company class too?!

I had already seen company class- taught by Marion Tait in 2014- however I was particularly keen to see one of my idols, the beautiful Miko Fogarty, who joined the company as an Artist in 2015.

The class was, as I had expected, fascinating. The dancers, despite being exhausted from the previous night's show, demonstrated clear focus and determination in every exercise, something I definitely need to learn to replicate!! However, I was interested to notice that most of the women did class on demi pointe, not pointe.... And even the professionals have a bad pirouette day sometimes!!! The teacher didn't give much detail on the exercises, however did give technical corrections to individual dancers.

Celine Gittens particularly shone, dancing virtuosic pirouettes and althletic, dazzling allegro. 

The performance began with a marketplace scene, with the corps de ballet demonstrating excellent accuracy and timing in a spectacular sword fight! 

Yaoquian Shang portrayed a delightfully youthful Juliet, who played with her Nurse, Ruth Brill, in such a joyful manner, that anyone would question why her parents expected her to marry Paris at such a jejune age. 

The set and costumes were sublime, effortlessly transforming from the bustling marketplace, to Juliet's room, with an impressive staircase adding to the luxurious interior of the Capulet mansion. 

Surprisingly, Prokofiev's iconic "Dance of the Knights" did not accompany a fight scene, but instead, the ballroom scene, where, again, the corps de ballet displayed their excellent unity and artistry, adorned in spellbinding costumes.

The dramatic highlight, however, was in Act 3; Juliet, having secretly been married by Friar Lawrence to her beloved Romeo, refused to marry her parents' choice of husband, Paris. A defiant pas de deux ensued, in which Juliet refused to comply with Paris, making for some captivatingly unusual choreography. Juliet, upon refusing to marry Paris, rushed to Friar Lawrence, who gave her a potion to make her fall into a deep sleep, deceiving her parents into thinking she was dead. Alone in her room with her vial of potion, Juliet's anguish, agitation, confusion and torment radiated throughout thr theatre, giving the scene a breathtaking intensity, and showcasing Yaoquian Shang's phenomenal talent not only as a dancer, but also as an actress. The spellbinding acting, from not only Juliet, but also Romeo, Lady Capulet and the Nurse, easily kept the audience entranced throughout- and the standing ovation during the curtain calls was so definitely deserved!!

After the performance, I dashed to the stage door, eagerly brandishing a pair of pointe shoes and a pen, delighted to have my shoes signed by such talented dancers. It was a pleasure to meet and talk to Brandon Lawrence, Brooke Ray, Yaoquian Shang, Lewis Turner, Cesar Morales, Max Maslen, and one of my ex-teachers, Ruth Brill, who recognised me and greeted me with a delightful enthusiasm!! 

I quickly realised, though, that Miko, having danced Lady Montague, had left during the 2nd interval. However, after an hour and a half stood by the stage door, Miko returned to the theatre! She was so lovely, with a genuine, sweet sense of appreciation- evidently not realising her own fame, she said "Thankyou so much for waiting, I've never had a fan wait to meet me before!!" She eagerly signed my pointe shoes and posed for photographs, which I will cherish forever!!!

Vienna Festival Ballet- Swan Lake

Although I have seen most UK companies, one I had not yet seen, was Vienna Festival Ballet. Founded in 1980 by Peter Mallek, the company tours classical ballets around the UK for 8 months per year.

Swan Lake was presented at Bedworth Civic Hall, on March 31st. The curtain opened- confused, i muttered 'why no overture?!' as a middle-aged man awkwardly stepped up onto the stage. Grabbing a microphone, he gave a short speech, culminating in 'Kerry... I love you... Will you marry me?'

Impromptu proposal over, the curtain closed again and the overture began. The curtain reopened on the Jester- whose unfortunate brown tights reminded me somewhat of a Christmas turkey- doing turns a la seconde. His joyful, bouncy personality akin to that of a children's television character remained dominant throughout the ballet, at times seeming slightly too hyperbolic and out-of-place in the more solemn court scenes.

All of the dancers demonstrated pleasing stage presence and facial expression; their acting gave a vibrant sense of personality. In the pas de trois, Sandra Serey Sampedro danced the female variation with elegance- however, the temps de flèche in the allegro diagonale had been omitted, substituted with a small gargouillade, which seemed to stifle the flow of movement somewhat. 

At the end of Act 1, the curtain fell and the overture played- although Vienna Festival is a small company, the curtain and overture between each act seemed unnecessary, even awkward, leaving the audience in limbo, trying to stay engaged with the storyline.

Act 3 was equally awkward- although the dancers were all excellent, the modifications to the choreography seemed to fall slightly flat; why did Von Rothbart dance the Spanish dance? And why did the Princesses of each nationality sit demurely next to Seigfried, whilst their attendants danced for his approval?! 

Perdita-Jayne Lancaster continued to demonstrate strong technique in the Black Swan pas de deux, with flashy dynamics and dazzling characterisation. The sissonne fermées in her variation, however, were replaced with a series of echappés- which portrayed Odile's teasing nature, but nonetheless didn't quite satiate the audience. 

She seemed to couru for slightly too long in preparation for her fouettés, therefore managing 27 turns, although would easily be capable of more. Dean Rushton's Seigfried matched Lancaster's technical bravura in his coda, with lovely ballon in his jumps. 

The final act showcased the corps de ballet's sychronisation, co-ordination and focus, whilst Lancaster and Rushton's anguish radiated to the back of the stalls- however, Von Rothbart's death felt unconvincing, lacking dramatic quality.

Perhaps it would be worth seeing Vienna Festival's other repertoire, such as Coppelia or Giselle, as there are some definite potential stars awaiting their breakthrough in the company- who would maybe shine more in the traditional Petipa/Ivanov Swan Lake, rather than the remastered version. 

RB's Giselle

One of the best things about being at home, is being so close to London, and having the freedom to decide 'I want to do class at Pineapple tomorrow!' So, not only did I do class, but also managed to get a ticket for a sold-out matinee of the Royal Ballet's 'Giselle'!!

Giselle was the first Royal Ballet performance I saw, back in 2011, with my beloved Great Grandma- who I promised would see me dance on that stage one day...... Just give me a couple more years Grandma!!

After a relatively short overture, the curtain rose, on a spectacularly built set, depicting a higgledy thatched cottage, and market place, in soft autumnal colours.

Akane Takada's entrance as Giselle was delightfully playful, with a lovely springy ballonné simple and ballotté sauté motif, showing easy elevation, precise footwork, and pleasing use of epaulement. Her costume, a simple, corseted calf-length dress, in modest cream and brown, complimented her innocent persona and joyful expression.

Kristen McNally's strong stage presence and acting skill was evident in her intense mime scene in which she warned Giselle of the Wilis, young girls who died before their wedding day, and would dance to death any man who crossed their path. Her anguish was undeniable, even somewhat harrowing, it seemed to radiate throughout her whole body as she pleaded with Giselle to rest her weak heart.

The Peasant Pas de Deux was danced with a graceful ease by Marcellino Sambé and Yasmine Naghdi; Sambé demonstrated superb ballon and travelled effortlessly in his sissones doublés. It was lovely to see familiar steps from class, such as a fish dive or shoulder sit, presented with the sense of confidence and performance quality that we all endeavour to emulate. 

In Giselle's Act 1 solo, Takada showed exquisite musicality, and continued excellent characterisation, particularly in her playful diagonale of ballonnés sur pointe. However, she clearly felt more comfortable dancing naïve, innocent Giselle, as her iconic 'mad scene', when she discovered the true identity of 'Loys' seemed to lack a depth of emotion. Her Giselle, rightly so, was in denial and shock at the realisation, with a heart-rending motif development, of playing 'He loves me... He loves me not' with a daisy earlier in the first act. The entire audience felt poised, on a knife-edge waiting for the reality to set in, upon which Giselle would lose her mind- alas, she never seemed to go truly insane- lacking a subtle emotional depth needed to truly spellbind her audience. Kirsten McNally conveyed Berthe's grief and anguish convincingly, however on the whole, the 'Mad Scene' felt somewhat underwhelming.

In Act 2, the corps de ballet demonstrated excellent unison- however, the small gossamer wings on their backs looked slightly childish and unnecessary. Helen Crawford showed excellent elevation and stylisation as Myrthe, with a beautiful sense of suspension en pointe. Takada's clean technique was evident in Giselle's Act 2 solo, with spectacular developpes a la seconde and a neat arabesque- nonetheless, her penché seemed marginally limited, compared to that of other dancers. Her entrechats and sissones ordinares had a lovely elevation, complementing the virtuosity of Thiago Soares' dazzling allegro as Albrecht.

On the whole, the performance showed stunning technical quality- in particular, Thiago Soares' clean pirouettes and confident tours en l'airs showcased his strength, and Takada's delightful personality shone in the village scenes, portraying a childlike, playful young Giselle. 

The Nutcracker!!!!

After ten weeks of rehearsal, the big day finally arrived; opening night of Ballet West's 'The Nutcracker'. 

Although we were all tired from a long week of tech rehearsals, company class helped everyone to focus upon what would shortly follow, as the excitement built up. After class, the dressing room was a flurry of activity; we had two hours to sort our hair, makeup, and costume, which for me involved battling hair curlers for half an hour in a fairly futile attempt to produce the tight, springy ringlets of a party child. Anyone who knows me will know that I'm not usually one for makeup- on a rare occasion I will wear lipstick or nail polish, but that's about it- so contour, highlighter and a palette with twelve different shades of eyeshadow all seemed a baffling mystery to me!!! Luckily with the help from a kind second-year I managed to get the makeup sorted (the contour still needs work though- I didn't have any bronzer (is that the right word?!?!) so resorted to using dark eyeshadow as contour..... Initially I looked as if I had been down a coal mine, with dark, patchy eyeshadow smeared absentmindedly across my cheekbones!!!!), and it was time for costume. I had a long white dress, with a pretty dark blue hem and bow, with a matching blue bow in my hair. 

No sooner was I in costume, then Rhys, the tech manager, swept through the dressing room, calling "Act One beginners to the stage! Act One beginners please!" Those words sent a shiver of delight down my spine- the kind of joy that a five year old must feel on Christmas morning, at the whisper of "Santa's been!!!" 

We quickly assembled backstage, and the overture began.

I had begun to feel somewhat nervous, but I imagined what Miss Kaye would've said if she had been there; I imagined her, standing behind me; I imagined the comforting warmth of her hug, and reminded myself that whatever I do, she is proud of me and wants me to succeed. 

Stepping onstage, after three and a half years since my last proper performance, felt like being transported, in a whirlwind of fantasies and dreams; I was safe there, I could express myself- and most importantly, I could inspire.

As I danced, a myriad of names swirled through my mind; the names of people who I wished could be there to see me dance, the people who have always supported me, and those who, in spirit, have never left my side. I knew the choreography well enough so that I didn't have to think about the steps; I simply focused on the joy of dance, knowing that perhaps somewhere in the audience, there would be a young child who would decide that night, that her dream was to dance the role of a party child in The Nutcracker.

All too soon, the party scene ended, and we were back in the dressing room- it felt somewhat like waking up from a dream, yet with the knowledge that the next day, we would be transported back to the magical world where, with music, lights and costume, anything is possible!!

I've posted a few photos on my Facebook page; https://m.facebook.com/Sophies-Dancing-Dream-493742164035647/?ref=bookmarks more photos to follow shortly

A Corps de Ballet of Swans

After what seemed like a very long term, I was incredibly relieved to get home for Christmas- not least after a 12 hour journey on several trains!!!

The best part of the holidays was, as I had expected, going back to my dance school, Rochelle. Despite being exhausted from my long journey, the day after arriving home, I was back in the studio. My beloved teacher Miss Kaye looked as if a thousand Christmasses had come at once when I walked in- and Olivia, one of the children who I used to teach, ran straight to me, and flung her tiny five year old self into a silent hug that clearly said 'thank goodness you're back!! I was starting to worry you'd forgotten me!!" Being back at Rochelle was an incredibly inspiring reminder of what I am aiming to achieve- Miss Kaye tells me that I inspire the children, but what they probably don't realise is that they are all, in their own unique way, an amazing inspiration to me too. Miss Kaye asked me to teach a Primary class- they certainly enjoyed learning repertoire from Ballet West's Nutcracker!! And a grade 1 class. I asked the grade 1 children what ballets they had seen, and what would they like to learn? Their answer was unanimous- they loved Swan Lake. Which was a relief to me, as I know a variety of corps de ballet and soloist roles in Swan Lake. I decided to teach them the corps de ballet Swans' entrance, which I learnt at the London Coliseum a year ago. Although their steps weren't perfect, they were all determined to do their best. I realised, in that moment, that I may never be in the corps de ballet of a professional company. But I had my own corps de ballet, of nine young dancers, who were not only eager to please me, but they were eager to learn. I had something to achieve, and for once, I achieved it; every single child was smiling as they left the studio after class. Some even waited behind, to ask me more about Swan Lake, about Ballet West, about performing on stage. 

As I gain more experience in teaching, I realise that my destiny lies in passing on the gift of inspiration through dance- not, as I once aspired, in a company, but instead as a teacher. Nothing can describe the sense of liberation of discovering my gift. 

Even just for an hour, on a cold, wintery Saturday afternoon, I can make a difference to the lives of the children who come to me, placing their trust in me- even just for an hour, in a church hall, overlooked by those walking past, we can create magic- we can all be Swans on the Royal Opera House stage.