New class!

[Rio]

Well, what a year!

 

An ill dad, lightening-struck flat, stolen car and location to a new domicile, have left little time for dance / Ballet Alert!

 

But, after everything, things are beginning to turn out rather nicely. I've found a new dance teacher, who is quite happy to take on an "Adult Beginner", and take said beginner to exams!

 

I'm starting classes with her this evening (and I'm rather nervous). She teaches Cecchetti and I was wondering what I can expect (I already know that she is disapproving of me wearing gym-pants to class - that'll give me the push I need to get into a leotard!)?

 

I will be in the Intermediate Foundation class along with some 13/14 year olds!

 

Can any of you tell me more about the Cecchetti style?

 

Rio

[Xena]

Hi Rio

 

Glad that you are back and dancing again.

I have no personal experience of Cecchetti. There are quite a few members of Ballet Alert who do though. So I am hoping they will jump in and help you out.

 

What previous dance training have you had and in what technique, i.e. RAD, Vaganova etc

 

Jeanette

[Rio]

Xena,

 

I've only ever done RAD. The open adult class I go to is taught by a woman who teaches Imperial, but I don't know if that counts.

 

As for the class, it went really well. It is a lot more challenging than my other classes. Another thing I was worried about was taking classes with 13/14 year-olds. But the 3 girls in my class are fantastic. They were so happy to have another person in the class, especially since that means that we can all pair up for the exams. When we were doing the exercises in pairs, the girl that i happened to be paired with marked the exercise out with me at the back, and then stood slightly in front of me during the exercise. I must say, I was very pleasantly surprised!

 

The teacher is excellent, and very accomodating! She has the attitude that if you can take just one thing home with you from the lesson, you've had a good lesson!

 

I'm very happy with my decision to join this class.

 

I didn't really pick up any differences between RAD and Cecchetti, but I'll have to have a few more classes to really see.

 

Thanks

Rio

[dancepig]

Sounds as though you've found a great class. As far as I know, if you've done RAD, the Cecchetti should not be a big problem. My understanding of the different techniques is that Russian and Cecchetti have the biggest differences (I have studied both, Cecchetti for 6 years during the first 40 years of my life, Russian the past 5 years). Your teacher will most likely pick up any variances you will need to adjust. Enjoy your new class, from what you said has happened lately, you've earned it!

[JaneD]

I started on Cecchetti, then did some RAD before coming back to Cecchetti (class availablility when moving around the country).

 

There are a few differences in the positions of the arms - Cecchetti has a demi-seconde (between second and fifth en bas), and uses this for the lower arm in third and fourth. Also, Cecchetti uses both open and closed fifth of the feet. Finally, épaulement plays a larger role in Cecchetti than RAD - both head and shoulders are used during barre and centre work.

 

All of these can become habit quite quickly. Enjoy the class!

 

One thing - as an adult, I was required to take Major exams solo, while the teenagers took them in pairs. It's worth asking your teacher to check this out. I took my Elementary on the hottest day of the year in the mid afternoon (so the studio had been shut up since first thing), and had a trainee examiner sitting in to see how it was done - my examiner being Richard Glasstone, no less!