tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17442056402154792742024-02-20T09:24:13.267-08:00My Dance DiaryBallerinadreamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217710657767075985noreply@blogger.comBlogger102125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1744205640215479274.post-8989654873631778812017-11-04T05:35:00.001-07:002017-11-04T05:35:10.725-07:00New beginning, new blog!<div style="color: #454545; font-family: '.SF UI Display'; font-size: 21px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: '.SFUIDisplay'; font-size: 21pt;">Hi everyone! This is going to be my last blog post on here- but don't worry, I'm still going to be blogging! I decided to create a new blog, this time using Wordpress, as it allows me to post photos as well as text! So please check out my new site, </span>https://sophierichardsonballetblog.wordpress.com/<span style="font-family: '.SFUIDisplay'; font-size: 21pt;"> !! I'll be writing a new blog post every Sunday, so if you have any questions or there's anything in particular you'd like me to blog about, please leave a comment on there! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIDisplay'; font-size: 21pt;">Thankyou for your support!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIDisplay'; font-size: 21pt;">Sophie</span><span style="font-family: '.AppleColorEmojiUI'; font-size: 21pt;">💗</span></div>
Ballerinadreamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217710657767075985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1744205640215479274.post-52425196974758088482017-08-15T10:16:00.002-07:002017-08-15T10:18:33.213-07:00Mariinsky Ballet; La Bayadere<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Presented in a dazzling
3-week London season at the Royal Opera House by Victor Hochhauser, the Mariinsky Ballet of St
Petersburg demonstrated elegance, virtuosity and versatility with an entrancing
array of ballets ranging from McGregor's Infra to Petipa/Ivanov's classic Swan
Lake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">La Bayadere, choreographed
by Petipa to the traditionalist, melodious music of Minkus, received its
premiere on January 23rd, 1877, at the Bolshoi Theatre of St Petersburg- then
the home of the Imperial Ballet, which moved to the Mariinsky Theatre in 1886.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For the matinee of August
12th, the Mariinsky's penultimate performance in London, the temple dancer
Nikiya who pledges her love to Solor, despite the High Brahmin declaring his
love to her, was danced enchantingly by Yekaterina Chebykina, whose long, fawn-like
limbs rippled sensuously like an infinite ocean through her innately musical,
sincere entrance variation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In Act 2, the stage was
transformed, from a sleek, minimalistic Oriental temple, to a magnificent
wedding procession for Gamzatti and Solor, outside the Rajah's palace. La
Bayadere is a ballet rarely staged by Western companies, perhaps due to its
demanding principal roles, requiring not only technical finesse but also
artistic excellence, as well as elaborate sets, including a spectacular,
towering elephant in the marital procession. The corps de ballet's technical
precision radiated throughout the wedding scene, and yet, despite having well
over a hundred dancers onstage, the corps did not appear fussy or imposing
during the principals' pas de deux, as can be the case in some Russian
productions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Vasily Tkachenko was
perfectly cast as the Golden Idol, seeming to float through the air like a
parachute in his spellbinding solo, a soaring skylark lifted by the magnificent
orchestra, an epitome of lyrical harmony between music and movement. Meanwhile,
tiny catlike Servants of the Golden Idol (danced by students of the Susan
Robinson School of Ballet, and Royal Ballet School Junior Associates) adorned
the stage, springing lightly through perfectly poised feet, their head movements
coordinated like clockwork.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the assured,
adventurously choreographed Act 2 grand pas de deux, Nadezhda Batoeva's devastatingly
powerful Gamzatti matched the vibrant yet refined, perfectly placed energy of
Timur Askerov's Solor, whose spectacular triple cabrioles, double sauts de
basques, and coupe jeté en tournant engulfed the stage in a stunning display of
technical virtuosity contrasted with an intrinsic artistic sensitivity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Batoeva's variation
encapsulated the very essence of Agrippina Vaganova's vision for a Russian
methodology of ballet; "a broad, powerful, vigorous style of dancing" <w:sdt citation="t" id="-423501869"><!--[if supportFields]><span
style='mso-element:field-begin'></span><span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>CITATION Cat111 \l 2057 <span
style='mso-element:field-separator'></span><![endif]-->(E.Pawlick, 2011)<!--[if supportFields]><span
style='mso-element:field-end'></span><![endif]--></w:sdt> and seemed
almost reminiscent of Vaganova's own dancing with the Imperial Ballet,
regarding which critic Akim Voylonsky declared "Each detail... is a small
world of choreography distinguished by internal consistency." <w:sdt citation="t" id="-583985700"><!--[if supportFields]><span style='mso-element:
field-begin'></span><span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>CITATION Ver05 \l
2057 <span style='mso-element:field-separator'></span><![endif]-->(Krasovskaya, 2005)<!--[if supportFields]><span
style='mso-element:field-end'></span><![endif]--></w:sdt> This internal
consistency resonated throughout each nuance of Batoeva's dazzling
characterisation, as her stage presence continued to grow in her spectacular
coda involving both Italian and Russian fouette turns, executed with razor
sharp dynamic precision. Chebykina danced Nikiya’s Death with haunting
conviction, her wide, sorrowful eyes singing an elegy underpinned by defiance
as she rejected the High Brahmin’s antidote, to die in Solor’s arms. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the Kingdom of the
Shades, the corps de ballet’s hypnotisingly divine arabesques, and
pultrichudinous exactitude lured the audience into a captivating world of
balletic transcendence. Here, May Nagahisa demonstrated technical clarity and neat
footwork as the Third Shade, complemented by her willowy, flowing ports de
bras. It is rare that the Mariinsky Ballet accept a dancer who has not trained
at the Vaganova Academy or other Russian school into their ranks, and yet
Nagahisa, a 2017 graduate of Monaco’s Academy Princesse Grace, is an exception
to this rule. Her elegant carriage and exquisite feet integrate with an
artistic maturity beyond her years, to create a young dancer whose allure can
win the hearts of even the most sceptical critics. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Chebykina’s ethereal grace
and Askerov’s exhilarating allegro made for a spine-tinglingly radiant Act 3 pas
de deux corroborated by substantial emotional intensity, a suitably awe
inspiring culmination to the Mariinsky’s interpretation of this iconic ballet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Ballerinadreamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217710657767075985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1744205640215479274.post-39153852572650096072017-08-13T12:03:00.002-07:002017-08-13T12:03:38.481-07:00'Straya yayya!!<div style="color: #454545; font-family: '.SF UI Display'; font-size: 21px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: '.SFUIDisplay'; font-size: 21pt;">After an amazing 2 weeks in Thailand, I was very lucky to be able to visit Australia, where I visited a friend who had trained in the UK before moving home to Sydney. We visited beautiful beaches, went to a fascinating art gallery, and spent a day at Taronga Zoo. The zoo was so different to British zoos- so much care had been taken to replicate the animals' natural habitats, and there were no glass walls in the enclosures so the animals roamed freely. We even got to get super close to an adorably sleepy koala, and watch a bird show overlooking the gorgeous Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Sydney seemed such a vibrant, clean, welcoming city, and it is certainly somewhere I would look at spending a couple of years working in! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIDisplay'; font-size: 21pt;">Upon arriving back to the UK, it was time to get back to work after a couple of weeks off from ballet. I felt energised and inspired- and very excited for my new adventures at the Royal Academy of Dancing, where I will be studying from September. </span></div>
Ballerinadreamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217710657767075985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1744205640215479274.post-16711665153491056202017-07-27T03:45:00.000-07:002017-07-27T03:45:13.244-07:00Thailand!!!My summer adventures were timed perfectly to help me deal with the emotional upheaval involved in leaving vocational school. On July 2nd, I made the 10-hour journey home from Taynuilt for the final time; I then had just 3 days to unpack my Scottish life, and pack a suitcase ready for three weeks of travelling. I saw the time as not only an escape from ballet, but also a vital transition time; time to really come to terms with the knowledge that I will never be a dancer in a ballet company.... But also to work on accepting the fact that the one thing that really makes me happy, isn't what I at 13 years old decided my 'dream job' was!!<br />
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Checking in to Heathrow airport, I felt a flurry of emotions; 'I should be in Russia! I should be at a summer intensive! I could've got a scholarship to RCS summer school again; I should be doing ballet!!' But as soon as I boarded the plane I knew I was doing the right thing; taking the chance to explore the beautiful Eastern culture I loved, whilst also discovering so much more about myself.<br />
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Arriving (exhaustedly!) into Bangkok, I was struck by how vibrantly alive the city was: from fuchsia tuk-Tuks weaving through traffic, to the hundreds of market sellers promoting their products. I spent 4 days in Bangkok; I had a day by the pool to relax before meeting the rest of my group and our amazing tour guide, Nathan. The highlight of Bangkok for me was definitely visiting the temples: I felt in awe of the vast, colourful Wat Po temple, where I was able to give an offering of flowers to the monks, and receive an entrancingly chanted Sanskrit blessing.<br />
Also, we visited a cooking school, where we learnt to cook a Tom Yam soup, Padthai, and fragrant Massuman vegetable curry. Although the Thai women were tiny, they were certainly passionate about their food, and sang a cooking song as we cooked! This experience felt very new to me; it was a million miles away from the restrictive thoughts I would usually have about food, or how I would normally eat alone, ashamed to enjoy food in front of other people in case they thought I was greedy!! Also, I loved the vibrant colours and flavours of the Thai food- it made me realise how bland my own diet usually is, and I slowly began to see how food is a part of life to be explored and enjoyed!!<br />
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After the buzz of Bangkok, we boarded a comfy overnight train south, to the idyllic Khao Sok National Park. Our home for the night was tiny bungalows floating on a vast lake, shadowed by towering, rugged emerald foliage-covered mountains. It was lovely to escape from civilisation; there was no wifi or phone signal, and the electricity only came on for 8 hours each night! Our hosts cooked beautiful, simple Thai food for us; sticky Jasmine rice with vegetables, light green massuman curry, delicately spiced then topped with courgette, and huge platters of pineapple and watermelon. We had the opportunity to kayak on the lake, and float in little rubber dinghies!<br />
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The next morning, we were up early, for a bus then ferry ride to the island of Koh Phangan. After the long journey, we were delighted to relax in our stunning beachfront hostel, with its infinity pool and dainty hammocks. That night, we headed out to the Full Moon Party beach- although we had missed the Full Moon a few days prior, there was still a bar and party waiting for us!! I warned my tour guide that I might like to get an earlier taxi back to the hostel ("I've never been to a party and don't like alcohol- I'm like Cinderella, need to be home by midnight!!") however by 2am, he came and found me, dancing on top of a table with the Thai locals, to ask would I like my taxi yet?!!! I was actually totally sober- but it was so nice to just let go and be able to dance freely without having to worry about exact counts or movements or what anyone else thought of me!!<br />
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The following day was a relaxing beach day- to allow hungover people to recover!!!<br />
Then, we went on a little wooden boat ride, to snorkel in the ocean; it was so lovely to see the tiny, colourful fishes and elegant coral reefs! We also walked down to a beautiful natural waterfall, where we could climb down to bathe in the water. As we walked back to the beach, crashing monsoon rains began- the water was warm though so we found it quite funny! We waited for the rain to subside before boarding our tiny boat..... That was when disaster struck!! No further than 15 minutes after leaving, the storm began again. Our tiny boat was buffeted by the waves; I huddled in a towel to try to keep warm, and battled to keep my niggling fear at bay. But as the storm worsened, I felt convinced that the boat was going to capsize and we would drown. I trembled, struggling to breathe, and, to my embarrassment, began to cry. Everyone else seemed to be fine, passing beers around and cheering each time the boat surged over a wave. "Are you okay?" Someone asked me. Usually collected and conserved with my emotions, this time I replied frankly 'no I'm not!' <br />
One of the girls clambered over the rickety wooden benches and reassured me, until at last we were safely back on dry land!!<br />
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The next day, we visited an elephant sanctuary, where an elephant led us on a jungle trek; we then got to get close to the elephants, and feed them bowls of papaya. That was another surreal moment, where I wondered why exactly i'd spent so so much of the past few years feeling consumed by how I wasn't quite 'perfect' enough for ballet.... In that moment, as my cheeky elephant nudged the papaya bowl and I laughed, I realised that actually, in the 'real world', no one gives a shit if I'm 45 kilograms not 42, and the elephant certainly didn't care if I can only do 2 pirouettes not 3, or if my legs should be 2 inches longer.... (More papaya, please!!)<br />
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In taking 3 weeks off from ballet this summer (by far the longest I've had off since I started ballet 7 years ago!!) and letting go of my rigid, consuming 'bunhead mentality', not only have I been able to experience life more fully, I've also felt far more of an innate connection to ballet as an art. Although I was never desperate to take class, I found that I did daydream about ballet in a positive way; planning classes to teach at summer school, reading a brilliant book about Vaganova's life, and making notes for the dissertation that I won't need to write for 2 more years yet. As much as I hated feeling trapped by my own inadequacies in the ballet world, the main thing I've learnt over the past few weeks is that firstly I do genuinely love ballet, and secondly, now that I'm no longer aspiring to a ballet company job,<br />
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Although I wasn't so keen on conditioning classes at Ballet West, as soon as I no longer had to do conditioning, I discovered that actually I loved the meditative focus of the exercise; no one was forcing me to work any more, so instinctively I wanted to work- every day, even in Thailand, it became a comforting, revitalising ritual to complete my usual 45-minute conditioning plan, but also the hour-long workout designed by Martin at Ballet West. A far cry from the obsessive, destructive workouts that I used to do purely to burn calories, this new breakthrough in cross-training allowed me to feel tenacious and empowered, as it challenged me both physically and psychologically, whilst also maintaining my muscle tone and strength.<br />
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Anyway! My time in Thailand came to a close with one final meal together with the group, many of whom were continuing on exciting adventures to Phuket, Phi Phi or Chiang Mai. I continued my journey by flying to Sydney..... Aussie blog posts to follow shortly!!<br />
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<br />Ballerinadreamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217710657767075985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1744205640215479274.post-18599469980288265012017-07-27T01:39:00.000-07:002017-07-27T01:39:57.564-07:00Summer adventuresSince I started to take ballet seriously, 7 years ago, every summer was consumed with summer intensives, private coaching, and exam classes. I even once declined a family holiday to Florida in order to attend a summer school, in an attempt to prove my dedication to the artistic director of that school, in the hope that I would get a place at the full time school (I didn't.). On occasions when I did go on holiday, I felt consumed by the need to exercise.... Not for the joy of dancing, but an obsessive, overwhelming exercise, dictated by a sly little voice in my mind; "30 lengths of the pool before every meal! Else you won't fit into your leotard again!" And when I was at school, I was still utterly consumed by ballet. Yes, there were moments when I genuinely loved ballet, and felt overjoyed..... Then there were long, dark days and nights when I felt a slave to ballet; in the mornings, I often got to the studio by 7am, for 2 hours of conditioning exercises before class; at night I would run on the cross trainer or go for a long walk, no matter how tired I was. I had, without really acknowledging it, romanticised the idea of 'sacrificing' myself to ballet; a good little bunhead should live and breathe for ballet; she should work constantly and never doubt her dedication to her art! (I doubted myself. A lot.) At the age of about 14, I first watched the documentary "A Beautiful Tragedy". It was eerily fascinating to me; I idolised the girls depicted in the film, and revered the way they would suffer for their art. To be a perfect ballerina, I thought, I had to work like that. Relentlessly, mercilessly, striving- whilst knowing that I was never quite good enough, never quite thin enough, never quite perfect enough. Despite having the most wonderful teachers I could ever wish for, and am opportunity to train in a world-renowned centre of excellence for ballet, despite thinking every single day how lucky I was to be there- I became trapped in a destructive, perfectionistic mindset, which ultimately sapped away my love of ballet. Most of the time in class, I could only fixate upon how awful I (thought!) I looked, or how the girl next to me had better turnout/longer legs/thinner arms.<br />
Eventually, I got to the point where I needed a break from ballet. I knew it was a sign; I had always desperately longed to train in Russia, and this year was accepted to a 3 week summer intensive in St Petersburg. I was ecstatic- and briefly became super focused, dedicated, and revitalised by ballet. Alas, 2 months later, I received an email to say that the course had to be cancelled. I was devastated.<br />
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However, one of my closest friends recently emigrated back to Sydney, having trained in the UK for 2 years. Perhaps, I thought, I could go to Australia, to visit her.<br />
I looked up flights; they were a quarter of the price that my summer intensive would've been. Perfect!! Also, scrolling through my phone one morning before class, I googled "London to Thailand flight", expecting a return to cost thousands of pounds, like a flight to Hawaii or Fiji. £335, Skyscanner replied! Perrr-fection!!! Thailand has also been on my list of places to visit for many years; I love the Eastern culture, and one of my teachers recently introduced me to the art of Buddhist meditation. (Last winter, I suffered from a particularly hard-hitting bout of seasonal depression. I had spoken with my teacher previously about how clinical hypnosis had helped me through my previous health issues, but I couldn't seem to find a therapist who suited me, in such a remote area. My teacher told me to learn meditation- and was kind enough to spend a lot of time working with me to help me to understand the technique. It helped me more than any doctor or medication ever did!!) I was therefore very keen to visit the beautiful temples in Thailand, to learn more about Buddhism and the art of meditation, from the monks themselves. Within 2 days, I had booked a trip to Thailand, and Australia...... Getting back to London in time to see Oksana Skoryk's first performance of Swan Lake in the Mariinsky Ballet's London season!Ballerinadreamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217710657767075985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1744205640215479274.post-49048288125158256922017-06-30T05:53:00.002-07:002017-06-30T05:53:10.894-07:00Moving On<span style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">As Albus Dumbledore said, "The time comes when we must choose between what is easy and what is right." For me, the decision to leave vocational ballet school- and therefore move on from the 'childhood dream' of being a dancer in a ballet company, was certainly the hardest decision I have ever had to make. Ever since I first saw Swan Lake, over 6 years ago, every single thing I ever did or thought of seemed to revolve around my mission to become a dancer- I of course had many setbacks along the way, and so the day I found out I had been accepted to Ballet West was honestly the happiest day of my life. </span><br />
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Being at ballet school was just as wonderful as I imagined- yes, it definitely has its challenging times too, I won't deny that, but I certainly learnt from every challenge- and I am so incredibly grateful for the 2 years I have spent training at Ballet West. But, as the years progressed, I began to realise just how few people are lucky enough to get contracts in classical ballet companies- and how I was never really gifted with the ideal ballet physique; perhaps my legs were too short, my feet just not flexible enough, my spine not quite straight.... I always found it challenging to pick up combinations, my natural co ordination was lacking, and no matter how many hours I relentlessly worked for, I just couldn't seem to perfect the pirouettes that other people achieved so effortlessly. Even if I got a company contract, the ballet world is so volatile that the job could be taken away from me at any moment, through injury, or even simply a director not liking the way I dance. And performing onstage.... as much as I desperately tried to love it, I simply found it stressful. Not 'excited butterflies then euphoria onstage', but agitated, consumed by counts and spacing and artistry, as my brain worked overtime trying to remember each tiny detail. Was it really worth constantly pushing my mind and body beyond their limits, in an attempt to gain a company contract, to then spend my life constantly feeling inadequate, deemed worthless by ballet? I tried to convince myself it would be worthwhile.</div>
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But by the middle of my second year of vocational training, I felt my passion for ballet slipping away; every class felt like a battle against my own physical limitations, and after one particularly frustrating class, I despairingly told my teacher "I feel completely defeated by ballet." He kindly reassured me that everyone feels defeated by ballet at some point in their career- then reminded me of something he had said to me the previous term; "it's perfectly okay to decide not to be in a ballet company. You would be an excellent teacher, you know- one day you could have your own dance school." This concept was not new to me; many teachers in the past had told me "You're not going to make it as a dancer, why don't you just teach instead?!" The way that other teachers had made teaching seem like second best to dancing in a company, as if teaching could be my backup plan when my ballet career failed, filled me with defiance; I convinced myself that I didn't want to teach, I only wanted to dance! But my wonderful teacher at Ballet West helped me to realise that although I could make it into a ballet company if I really worked for it, I also had a lot of academic potential that I could fulfil through teaching.</div>
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Yes, I have always been academically gifted; reading and writing comes to me far far more easily than dancing ever did- but for years I shunned that potential, thinking that being a ballet dancer was far more important than nurturing my academic gifts. My dad's dream for me was that I would go to Oxford university and become a successful lawyer or doctor- that was all going to plan until I discovered ballet!! Although he has always been so supportive of my dancing, I've constantly had a niggling doubt in the back of my mind, thinking that maybe I really would be better off doing something academic....</div>
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Without realising it, I even approached my ballet studies in an academic mindframe; I knew the name and definition of pretty much every step, and could explain how to dance steps like gargouillade (isn't that a beautiful word?!) which I had no where near mastered!! One moment really stands out to me..... in an allegro class, we had studied jeté élancé; the teacher asked us did anyone know the meaning of élancé? Despite usually being able to answer such questions with ease, I was temporarily confused; although I had seen the step before, I had never heard of its name, élancé.... Suddenly, I recalled a paragraph in a book that I had forgotten I had even read, and replied easily "Élancé is one of the seven fundamental actions in ballet. It means 'to dart'." My teacher looked just as surprised as I did!! It was then that I realised that perhaps I could put my academic mind to good use within ballet- perhaps I don't have to be a doctor or lawyer to excel academically! And perhaps I don't have to keep battling my own physical limitations to succeed in dance- if I teach ballet, I don't have to look like a perfect prima ballerina, as long as I can explain ballet to my students!</div>
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So few people are lucky enough to love their job- but watching the joy with which my teacher approaches every class, certainly helped me to realise that being a teacher definitely isn't 'second best' to being in a company- being a teacher is the most wonderful, fulfilling career path! Over Easter, I coached a group of students at my local dance school- seeing the progress that they made in just 3 days was the best feeling in the world! Also, we recently had our teaching assessments at Ballet West; we had to teach a 20 minute class to a group of first year students. I was rather stressed out before my assessment (my inner perfectionist demanded that everything must be perfect!!) but found that when I was teaching, I completely forgot about my own physical limitations, or the way that ballet once left me feeling worthless and defeated.... teaching, being able to share my love of ballet, and watching my students blossom from being shy to being confident and eager to learn, is the most empowering, wonderful thing to be able to do!</div>
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I feel so blessed to be able to train as a RAD teacher; the psychology and science of dance fascinates me too, so I'm really looking forward to the more academic classes there, as well as the dancing! </div>
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But I know that if it wasn't for Ballet West, and my wonderful teachers here who inspire me every single day, then I might have never found the courage to transition from wanting to be a dancer in a company, to being able to share my love of ballet through teaching. I hope that one day, I might be able to return to ballet west, either to teach or to bring my own students to audition- but either way, Ballet West will always hold a special place in my heart xxx</div>
Ballerinadreamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217710657767075985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1744205640215479274.post-19906590608066566142017-05-16T03:07:00.004-07:002017-05-16T03:07:28.815-07:00Summer term & Showcase<span style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Hello!</span><br />
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Sorry I haven't blogged in a while; I didn't realise anyone read my blog until some lovely Balletco forum members mentioned it recently! I sometimes run out of ideas for blog posts, so please comment below if there's anything you'd like to see on here!</div>
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Whilst home for Easter, I was invited to teach a ballet course at my local dance school, Rochelle. I had a lot of fun teaching ballet, conditioning, contemporary and classical repertoire to a lovely, dedicated group of dancers aged from 11 to 15. It was wonderful to see their progress throughout the week; they tacked challenging repertoire from Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty with enthusiasm, and made excellent improvements in their technique. I will be teaching a summer school at Rochelle (dates TBC), if anyone is interested in attending please drop me an email at dancingdreams25@gmail.com.</div>
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Also during April, I was honoured to be asked to collaborate with Ballerina Project UK; I spent a day in London doing an adventurous outdoor photoshoot with sweet, talented Alexander Yip- some of my photos from the project are on my Instagram account @dancingdreams25 and I will post more soon!</div>
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At the end of April I returned to Ballet West, to commence my final term of second year. We have been busy with assessments in contemporary and teaching, also we have begun rehearsing for our end of year showcase, which is held in Oban and Stirling. It is wonderful to work with a variety of choreographers and embrace different styles; I have particularly enjoyed dancing "Moonlight Mesecina", a vibrant contemporary piece created by innovative Latvian choreographer Indra Reinholde.</div>
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Meanwhile, I have been working on my website and showreel, which can be found here; <a href="https://sophiecat6.wixsite.com/ballet">https://sophiecat6.wixsite.com/ballet</a></div>
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Some people have asked me whether any of the 3rd years have secured jobs yet.... I'm so happy to be able to say that yes, the 3rd years have got a wide variety of contracts, from ballet companies to contemporary work to Disneyland jobs! Even those who have decided not to pursue dance careers are doing well; one of my housemates has used her degree to secure her dream job as an events planner for the Conservative Party! Meanwhile my other housemate is preparing for her Solo Seal exam and the Genee competition!</div>
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In other news... I have made the decision not to attend a summer school this year; I will instead be travelling around Thailand and Australia! I think having a month off from ballet and being able to explore new cultures will inspire me as a dancer, to help me to return to ballet in September feeling energised and rejuvenated.</div>
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Ballerinadreamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217710657767075985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1744205640215479274.post-77300022738440183742017-02-04T09:02:00.000-08:002017-02-04T09:02:00.450-08:00Swan Lake tour<span style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">A unique aspect of life at Ballet West is that we have the opportunity to tour a full length classical ballet every year; a valuable insight into the workings of a professional ballet company.</span><br />
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Swan Lake, one of the most iconic classical ballets ever created, opened in Stirling on January 20th. Since then, we have visited a variety of theatres across Scotland, engaging audiences from tiny rural towns to vibrant cities. Hours of rehearsals culminate in stunning performances, with exquisite costumes, lighting and staging- alas, one of the main challenges of working in a touring company is adapting to a huge range of theatres, from a converted church in Helensburgh, where the stage was about a quarter of the size of our usual rehearsal space, to the beautiful SECC Clyde auditorium in Glasgow, with stage so vast that even a short dance feels like a marathon!</div>
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We learn to withstand long rehearsals, even longer bus rides, early mornings and late nights- all with a smile on our face and eagerness to embrace the next performance!!</div>
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Also this term, I have focused upon my holistic development as a dancer; a fellow second year recommended to me 'Bulletproof Ballerina fitness'- founded by Tanya Trombly, it is a workout plan which aims to strengthen dance technique through only two workouts per week. A far cry from spending hours slaving away in the gym seeing minimal results, the Bulletproof Ballerina program has helped me to discover a whole new concept of strength and alignment, with noticeable improvements in less than a month!</div>
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I have also begun The Whole Dancer's "Best Body program", which has really helped me to consider my lifestyle choices, and focus upon creating the best dancing future possible for my unique self! I would highly recommend this amazing program to any aspiring or professional dancer in need of focus and clarity!</div>
Ballerinadreamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217710657767075985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1744205640215479274.post-16012766579572061242016-10-08T06:54:00.001-07:002016-10-08T06:54:11.489-07:00Scottish Ballet<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">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<sup>st</sup>, 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. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> 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. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">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. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">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<sup>nd</sup>, 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. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">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!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">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. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“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<span style="background: white; color: #222222;">- 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!! </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Ballerinadreamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217710657767075985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1744205640215479274.post-10429186277028020352016-08-21T03:45:00.004-07:002016-09-28T12:21:46.989-07:00Bolshoi Swan Lake, 30/7/16<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 21px;">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. </span><br />
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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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. </div>
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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!</div>
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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. </div>
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The Cygnets seemed somewhat clumpy; their coupes travelling across the stage were devoid of any precision, although they did manage to synchronise their heads.</div>
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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.</div>
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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!</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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Ballerinadreamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217710657767075985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1744205640215479274.post-11263794219080466032016-08-10T08:49:00.002-07:002016-08-10T08:49:36.610-07:00Bolshoi Ballet; Don QuixoteSixty 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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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).<br />
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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!<br />
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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.<br />
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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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.<br />
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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.<br />
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<br />Ballerinadreamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217710657767075985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1744205640215479274.post-42530014654981208202016-07-12T12:11:00.004-07:002016-07-12T12:13:57.774-07:00Royal Ballet School performance, Opera Holland Park<span style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">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. </span><br />
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'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. </div>
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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. </div>
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The outdoor theatre resembled a particularly sophisticated tent; natural light streamed into the auditorium, eliminating any need for bright stage lights or spotlights.</div>
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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. </div>
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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. </div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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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. </div>
Ballerinadreamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217710657767075985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1744205640215479274.post-83203398430353563662016-06-04T03:33:00.002-07:002016-06-04T03:33:25.521-07:00Summer Showcase<span style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">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.... </span><br />
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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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</div>
Ballerinadreamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217710657767075985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1744205640215479274.post-65936184358550813652016-05-06T10:55:00.001-07:002016-05-21T11:02:53.015-07:00Being Grateful<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"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."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">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.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But I was not. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">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.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> 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.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">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.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">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.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">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.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">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.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">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!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">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. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">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!!</span></div>
Ballerinadreamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217710657767075985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1744205640215479274.post-68593427249519012392016-04-11T12:27:00.002-07:002016-04-11T12:27:42.881-07:00New Perspectives<span style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">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.</span><br />
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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.</div>
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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?"</div>
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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.</div>
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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!</div>
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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!!!</div>
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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!!!</div>
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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. </div>
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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.</div>
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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!</div>
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Ballerinadreamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217710657767075985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1744205640215479274.post-13014908352166716332016-04-10T08:18:00.000-07:002016-04-10T08:18:02.939-07:00Romeo and Juliet- BRB<span style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">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.</span><br />
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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?!</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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Celine Gittens particularly shone, dancing virtuosic pirouettes and althletic, dazzling allegro. </div>
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The performance began with a marketplace scene, with the corps de ballet demonstrating excellent accuracy and timing in a spectacular sword fight! </div>
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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. </div>
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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. </div>
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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.</div>
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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!!</div>
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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!! </div>
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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!!!</div>
Ballerinadreamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217710657767075985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1744205640215479274.post-43990033444392426672016-04-04T13:11:00.003-07:002016-04-04T13:11:27.202-07:00Vienna Festival Ballet- Swan Lake<span style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">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.</span><div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
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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?'</div>
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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.</div>
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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. </div>
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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.</div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">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?! </span><div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
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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. </div>
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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. </div>
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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.</div>
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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. </div>
Ballerinadreamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217710657767075985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1744205640215479274.post-11334238531700376402016-04-04T13:10:00.002-07:002016-04-04T13:10:34.550-07:00RB's Giselle<span style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">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 </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">tomorrow</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">!' 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'!!</span><br />
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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!!</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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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. </div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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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. </div>
Ballerinadreamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217710657767075985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1744205640215479274.post-18339415405286689752016-01-24T10:09:00.001-08:002016-01-24T10:09:28.017-08:00The Nutcracker!!!!<span style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">After ten weeks of rehearsal, the big day finally arrived; opening night of Ballet West's 'The Nutcracker'. </span><br />
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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. </div>
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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!!!" </div>
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We quickly assembled backstage, and the overture began.</div>
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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. </div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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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!!</div>
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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</div>
Ballerinadreamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217710657767075985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1744205640215479274.post-37420516635613306422016-01-07T05:56:00.003-08:002016-01-07T05:56:59.026-08:00A Corps de Ballet of Swans<span style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">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!!!</span><br />
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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. </div>
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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. </div>
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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. </div>
Ballerinadreamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217710657767075985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1744205640215479274.post-24122457117603278072015-11-06T11:59:00.002-08:002015-11-06T11:59:48.696-08:00Life at Ballet School<span style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">As a young dancer, I found that the dream to which we aspired was shrouded in mystery- yes, we all want a vocational school place, yet it is often unclear as to what life at ballet school actually involves. So, I thought I would share my daily schedule, and what I get up to during my time at Ballet West. Unlike most schools, our timetable changes on a weekly basis, so it can be quite varied- last half term, we had about 24 hours of classes a week, whereas this week we've had 35. We have an hour and a half ballet class every morning, starting at 9, so we are expected to be in the studio for 8.30 to warm up. Then after ballet, we have another class, lasting an hour, such as contemporary or choreography. We have conditioning 2 or 3 times a week- a general conditioning class, then a ballet related one. Also, there is a written anatomy exam which we are required to pass, so once a week there is an academic lesson to focus on that. We don't have a set lunch break, we simply have breaks throughout the day so can decide for ourselves when to have lunch. In the afternoon we have a few more classes- so usually 5 or 6 hours a day- such as pointe or pas de deux. Once a month is "Jazz Week" when a guest teacher comes in to teach jazz- his name is Jordi, and he is incredibly enthusiastic!!! </span><br />
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In the evenings, we often have rehearsals for choreography assessments, we have also recently started rehearsals for our tour of The Nutcracker. On Saturdays, we usually have an RAD class, followed by rehearsals. There are no classes on Sunday's, so we get the day off, to relax and prepare for the next week! </div>
Ballerinadreamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217710657767075985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1744205640215479274.post-67710181195990323262015-10-28T10:03:00.002-07:002015-10-28T10:03:27.995-07:00Audition Advice<span style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">As the summer draws to a close and the autumn leaves begin to turn golden, many young dancers frantically consider the next step in their careers; auditions for vocational ballet school. A year ago, I too was stepping into that wonderful whirlwind of applications, auditions- and finally, a coveted ballet school place. Having frequently endured auditions and rejection letters, I thought I could share some advice regarding the audition adventure.</span><br />
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1. Do your research. Know what schools you want to apply to, what their requirements are, and what application photographs you will need. A spreadsheet can be handy for keeping track of things!!</div>
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2. Be realistic. Unless you're an Associate or already in vocational training, the chances of getting a place at the Royal are quite slim. But also, be realistic about finances. Consider limiting how many auditions you attend, but also, make sure you can afford your vocational school place! Some ballet schools, such as Northern and Tring, have Dance and Drama awards (DADA's) which can cover your tuition fees and maintainance costs- Lower Schools such as White Lodge and Tring have MDS (Music And Dance Scheme) funding. Other courses, such as Ballet West, and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, are degree accredited, so are eligible for student loans. Some schools, such as London Russian Ballet School, or Ballet Theatre UK, offer scholarships and bursaries. So consider what is affordable for you!</div>
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3. Added Extras</div>
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Most schools offer RAD exams; Northern Ballet School offer DDI teacher training, Ballet West offer a BA Honours degree. Consider what you want from your training- it's always good to have a backup plan, know what you want to do just in case you can't get a company contract at the end of your training!</div>
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4. Sort your forms and photos.</div>
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This is where organisation is key!! Make sure you know exactly what poses are required for your photos- different schools require different poses- and ask your teacher to help you to get them exactly right! Also, be aware that some schools require references from your academic and/or dance teachers- which is why it isn't a good idea to leave it until 2 days before the deadline (which I have done several times previously- whoops!!!) </div>
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5. On Audition Day;</div>
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Try not to be nervous! Yes, I know that's easier said than done, but remember that you are well prepared, you have done as much as you can, and now it's your time to shine. Going to as many auditions as you can will help you learn to relax so that you can dance as well as possible. It helps to have a "practice run" audition, for something such as an associate scheme or youth ballet, where there is less pressure so you won't be quite so stressed! As funny as it may seem, my "practice run" audition was for Royal- I knew I wasn't going to get in, so simply viewed it as an amazing experience- which it was! </div>
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It is natural to feel nervous before any audition, especially for the schools that you particularly want a place at. Some auditions I was quite calm about, but with others, I couldn't sleep for weeks beforehand as my mind became consumed with thoughts of the audition!!! Try not to over think it or put too much pressure on yourself! </div>
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On audition day, make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to get to the venue. Have spare tights, hairpins, hairnets, ballet shoes, pointe shoes, plenty of water & a snack with you.</div>
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For most auditions, you have about half an hour to warm up beforehand- I found it helped to be ritualistic; have a set, familiar warmup, and listen to a calming yet motivating playlist. Think positively; you are going to succeed! Breathe deeply, and smile!!</div>
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6. In the Audition;</div>
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Listen carefully to what is being asked of you, and do your best to do it precisely, even if it is a new step, or a different way of doing something. It is normal to feel apprehensive about certain parts of the audition- I was always terrified about the adagio and pirouettes, I felt certain that I was going to fall flat on my face!!! This is where positive imagery is useful; visualise yourself doing the steps well, remember a time in class when you felt on balance and in control. You can do it!!! But at the same time, no audition will ever be 'perfect' so don't expect it to be! You will have a far heightened awareness of your mistakes than you usually would have- don't be discouraged if you make a mistake, the panel might not have noticed! Move on, focus on the next step, you can't change what has happened! </div>
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7. The Wait for Results</div>
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If you thought the week before the audition was stressful, the few weeks after will be doubly so! (I'm joking.... I think....) instinctively you will want to analyse every tiny mistake that you made- don't! What's done is done, you can't go back and change it! And if it is a 'no' this time, don't give up! If you really want to succeed, you will stay determined, stay focussed, and try again next time! Good luck!!!</div>
Ballerinadreamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217710657767075985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1744205640215479274.post-22141826043480613082015-10-25T10:44:00.003-07:002015-11-06T02:53:00.766-08:00The Snow Queen<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 21px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">To conclude a delightful half term of private lessons, learning the advanced 1 syllabus under the meticulous tutelage of my amazing teacher Miss Kaye, I was eager to see the opening night of Ballet Theatre UK's "The Snow Queen".</span><br />
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I remembered seeing the company dance Snow Queen back in 2011- as a young dancer just starting out on my journey of learning ballet, I was delighted to be allowed backstage after the show, where I met Natalie Cawte and Kazuka Oike; I still have the programme that they signed for me. I knew that the company had changed somewhat since I saw them dance Swan Lake last year- Natalie, Jessica and Julia had moved on to other work- so I was eager to see how the new dancers had helped the company to evolve. Nonetheless, it was also pleasing to see familiar faces again- Clair Corrubble made an imposing Snow Queen, her effortless command of the stage and stunning facial expressions reminded me of how she dazzled as Odile in Swan Lake. </div>
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Gerda was danced in a captivatingly playful manner by Sarah Mortimer, whose clean technique and excellent artistry made her a joy to watch.</div>
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In Act 1, the Peasant Pas de Trois was danced by Grace Carr, Emma Miller and Robert Noble- seeing it brought back fond memories of learning the solos at BTUK's summer school in 2014! Grace, a Central graduate making her debut with the company, demonstrated neat footwork and pleasant artistry, although seemed a little nervous at times. </div>
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In Act 2, Charlotte Eades shone as a Flower Soloist, her elegant upper body and ports de bras complimenting her excellent artistry and innate musicality. She later showed a more comedic style as the mischievous Princess, working well alongside David Brewer, who likewise demonstrated stellar technical ability but also fabulous characterisation and personality. </div>
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The costumes sparkled glamorously, ranging from Sleeping Beauty fairy-esque tutus for the Flowers, to ragged Gypsy dresses; the relatively simple yet effective set design and staging gave the ballet a definite sense of professionalism. </div>
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There were many young children in the audience, all of whom seemed captivated by the delightful choreography and easy to understand storyline- Ballet Theatre UK are definitely succeeding in inspiring the next generation of young dancers, and I am looking forward to seeing their premiere of "Pinocchio" early next year!</div>
Ballerinadreamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217710657767075985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1744205640215479274.post-8112808147531000232015-10-17T03:49:00.001-07:002015-10-17T03:49:13.171-07:00Half Term!!!!<span style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I am currently waiting in Glasgow airport, to fly home for half term! Overall, I think my first half term at Ballet West has gone well, although I have missed home a lot! The highlights for me have been repertoire classes- a guest teacher, Kate Hazelby, came to teach us corps de ballet work from La Sylphide. Also, I was chosen to participate in a photoshoot to promote Nutcracker tour- I was dressed as one of the mice, which was fun!! </span><br />
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Our first choreographic assessment was yesterday; I choreographed a modern contemporary piece called "Fragments" based upon the image of a shattered chandelier- I really enjoyed being able to create work on my peers, I worked with Jordan and Joey who are both incredibly talented! </div>
Ballerinadreamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217710657767075985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1744205640215479274.post-81617441065645778872015-09-12T04:32:00.002-07:002015-09-12T04:32:41.601-07:00Settling inI have just finished the first two weeks of classes at Ballet West, and am glad to say it is going well so far! We have only had 4 or 5 hours of classes per day, so a nice gentle start. Although every day included a 90-minute ballet class, we have only done barre work, in fact the first week's ballet consisted only of plies and tendus- it's fascinating to go right back to the basics and really refine the fundamental aspects of our technique. Our ballet teacher Daniel Job is excellent at explaining exactly how to do each movement, focussing upon the physical sensation of the movement. He puts a lot of emphasis on posture and flat turnout, which has already helped me to see a change in my physique, as we develop a 'ballet body'. In addition, we have studied pointe, jazz, contemporary, pilates, choreography, conditioning, RAD and pas de deux. I particularly enjoyed the pas de deux class, as it's something I hadn't studied previously- I partnered a 3rd-year boy named Owen, who was excellent at instinctively knowing exactly how to get me on balance and to relax so that the movements looked effortless! I thought that promenades in arabesque en pointe would be quite difficult, but Owen helped me to feel secure in the movement and strongly hold the arabesque.<br />
I also enjoyed the choreography classes; our first assessment is in October, we have to choreograph a duet for 2 dancers, but it has to be modern contemporary, rather than ballet, which will be quite a challenge! We are learning a variety of choreographic techniques though which will definitely be useful.<br />
I think the best part about being here is feeling that I belong- being in the studio by 7.30 each morning, to warm up for 8am class doesn't feel like a chore, but rather a privilege; we are so lucky to be taught by amazing teachers, and to be dancing practically all day every day! Being in the highlands of Scotland does feel a million miles away from the big cities, but at the same time its as if i've stepped through a portal into a parallel universe where the world revolves around ballet! Perfect!!!Ballerinadreamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217710657767075985noreply@blogger.com0