20 replies to this topic

[margotmargot]

Good morning,

I'm 30 years old and I'm at intermediate level at ballet. I will get to spend a month in Europe next summer in a city of my choice - I'm so excited about it and would like to choose a place where I can connect my stay with ballet.

Any ideas which city / which program would be the best?

Many summer intensives draw the line around 26 - do you think they check the birth certificate? It seems such a pity that suddenly my choices are so limited. I'd also be interested in just a good ballet school that is not closed for the summer....

I love London and it's on top of my list. I speak French and Italian so those countries would be great, too. Copenhague? I love the Royal Danish Ballet but I don't know if they have open classes. Amsterdam? Someplace with good public transportation would be great.

Thank you in advance for any ideas!!

Best,
Margot

[Janneke]

Balletschool Mabel Alter in Den Haag, the Netherlands. I don't think we can put links up here, but it'll come up in a Google search.

Don't be put off by the website. I've only heard good things about this school and know someone who went there, and went on to good things. You can create your own timetable and there's classes for all ages and abilities. I lived in the Hague myself and I can tell you that it's a lovely, leafy city. Everyone speaks English and public transport is excellent. Buy a cheap bike, and it's even easier to get around (cycle paths everywhere).

[margotmargot]

Thank you! I also just found out about the Bournonville school in Copenhagen ... maybe I could combine the two.

[Redbookish]

Margot, lucky you! If you wanted to do something in London, I think you could put together your own Intensive by doing several classes a day at a central London studio. There are several which offer a variety of dance styles at a variety of levels.

Personally speaking, I like DanceWorks: http://www.danceworks.net/classes

You'll also find information about Pineapple (but for me, it offers less variety in ballet than I like), but it is the iconic London studio:

http://www.pineapple...le/default.aspx

The Place offers vacation weeks like intensives. Their ballet is good, although bear in mind it's primarily a contemporary dance studio -- their contemporary work is wonderful!!! Gorgeous studios, too.

http://www.theplace.org.uk/9438/short-courses/short-courses.html

http://www.theplace.org.uk/682/adult-classes-and-courses/adult-classes-courses.html

Central School also offers intensives, but you'd need to check the age levels.
http://www.centralsc...urseoutline.php

I think that to join a regular, "youth" intensive, the questions would be about your technical level and stamina. I think you'd need to discuss those with the studio concerned, if possible.

Most of the London studios have been reviewed or commented upon in here somewhere; try out our search software to find what other adult students have said.

Have a wonderful time -- what fun, planning.

[LaFilleSylphide]

Margotmargot, there's an intensive in Bari, Italy during June or May I believe. One of my teachers is a regular guest there and he's Wonderful! He's one of the judges and teachers shown in the documentary First Position, and a Bolshoi graduate - so he's more Vaganova based. If you speak Italian, it might be a great option! Though in Bari, they kinda speak hardly Italian.

I'm thinking about being there this year. I'm unsure if they have an age limit, but honestly, it shouldn't be a problem since it's a small and comfortable intensives (not a huge group of hundreds like ABT or anything). I believe that the director of the intensive will be fine with us older adults attending, really. I can inquire more into it if you're interested.

[margotmargot]

Thank you, Sylphide, that sounds interesting!! Small groups are great! Timing may be an issue - August would be the best but maybe I could also try to do June! It would be great if you could look into it.

Sapphire - thanks so much for all the links. London is still on the top of my list!! I loved Central just by looking at it but I think they only take 12-16 yr olds :/. The other schools look like vibrant places for a hang out - yet I'm still wondering if there's anything more old school around?
I 'm risking sounding idealistic, but are there still any old ballerinas around?
In New York I love to take Pat Hayes Dokoudovsky's classes.. She's such a character and her adagios are breathtaking...

[Redbookish]

Margot, you'll find "old school" ballet teachers (not ballerinas) all over London. It is one of the dance capitals of the world. Also, there are various adult summer schools in more suburban areas: have a look at the offerings for Morley College, for example, and as I suggested, do a search of this forum. I seem to remember that there are a couple of ballet studios in west London which offer intensive training for adults, which have been discussed here, but I can't remember exact details.

[Millz]

I don't know about their summer intensives, but London Russian Ballet School is very good and definitely a "old school"-type school. They have loads of open classes for adults.

Then you have the Royal Academy of Dance, also a very nice school. They do a summer course but it is a very short one, I believe it is just a few days.

Central school might not have an adult summer intensive but their open classes are normally very good.

//MN

[Redbookish]

Thanks, Millz. Yes, it may be the London Russian Ballet school I was thinking of. There's also a studio which runs a company with which adults can perform, I think.

[margotmargot]

Thank you !! It all sounds very good. Yes I will look into the forum topics on London as I know it's been covered.

[Claude_Catastrophique]

In Italy you will have hundreds of so called "stages" (summercourses) in July (some even starting in June). Nearly every school does them and you might go for teachers and there biography or schedules. Just to name some cities: Ravenna, Florence, Milan, Sassari, Lucca, Spoleto, Bolzano and many other places. Most of them do not have age limits, you just have to find a level where you fit in. Usually they do not cost a lot (the more you do, the cheaper it gets). This summer I even managed to have a full week of 90 minutes classes with a masterteacher for 25 Euros.

[Janneke]

Claude, that is insanely cheap! Did I read that right at €25 for one full week?!

[margotmargot]

Oh wow, Claude Catastrophique. That sounds amazing, thank you! Can you tell me about a few of those schools that you know of? Thank you!!!

[Claude_Catastrophique]

Yes, 25 Euros, you read right. It was for free, some sort of try-out week. Even now I am paying for 10 lessons just 70 Euros and the lesson is a full 90 minutes lesson. margotmargot, I will send you a PM right now.

I just realized that I cannot PM you yet. I would like to send you some information I do not want to give out here for privacy reason. I will try to send it to you later.

You might check out www.danzainrete.it At the top there is a link "eventi" and then on the left hand side you will find another link "stage". You might check there for summer courses (just now there is nothing online because they will put the days online in spring).

[LaFilleSylphide]

Ah, it was an interesting site! I'm sad that there was nothing listed for Rome though. It seems like the Bari intensive (which is pricier, but the teachers are great) accepts all ages as long as they can keep up!

http://www.artedanza...minar-2012.html