Xena Posted August 27, 2003 Report Share Posted August 27, 2003 Well, some of you may remember me!! yes, there are lots of new faces so to speak, which is great to see, the more the merrier Well, its nearly time to start back at ballet, but it has dawned on me that I really don't like the class/teacher I am with. Oh the teacher is OK, don't get me wrong, she just a bit 'dizzy' I guess in the nicest possible way of course, and at £6 ($10) for an hour of some dancing intermingled with talking aimlessly about her baby dancers, I have decided to stop that class. It was taking its toll and I love ballet and want it to remain that way. Coming down from 10 hours a week to this really pathetic, (in my opinion) class, it was pretty awful and a hard knock. My body is aching /itching / generally not keeping still enough, to do proper classes, but so far no luck where I am living now. Maybe one will pop up, they usually surface, or rather other ballet lovers usually surface and somehow we attract and things go from there..plutonically of course..not dating wise..I'm married. So I have decided instead of spending £30 ($75) a month doing something that isn't benefiting me in anyway, I will put my energy and money into getting myself fit, so when something does come along, I will hopefully not have lost too much technique-wise. So I am going to join a gym for £33 instead and do their fitness classes of pilates, power stretch, spinning and cardiokick..not all at once of course... Plus actual gym work and swimming. Hopefully that will keep me in tip top condition along with the NYCB workouts I have on video. I do feel a bit of a traitor though, abandoning my ballet class...you're not going to speak to me now....but I have hope! Jeanette x Quote Link to comment
Administrators Victoria Leigh Posted August 27, 2003 Administrators Report Share Posted August 27, 2003 Really nice to "see" you again, Jeanette! So sorry about the lack of decent classes, though. Do hope you will find something soon, but in the meantime it sounds like you will be incredibly fit! Quote Link to comment
Alexandra Posted August 27, 2003 Report Share Posted August 27, 2003 Of course we'll speak to you -- you can dance vicariously through everyone else's experiences. Quote Link to comment
Guest piccolo Posted August 27, 2003 Report Share Posted August 27, 2003 Jeanette, Do you have the second NYCB workout? I've been curious to hear what people think of it before I buy it... Thanks, Deidre Quote Link to comment
skippy Posted August 28, 2003 Report Share Posted August 28, 2003 Hi Xena, really sorry to hear that you have not found a class to suit you, its a pity Manchester is so far from Reading you could have come back to our school - we do miss you, you know and Beckster. As for the NYBW 2 I have it and i think it is quite good. There are some exercises which are simular to nos 1 but they are more advanced plus they have put a dance combination in this time round. The extra footage on it is good, they have given an insight into the making of it and of the dancers. I am a proud owner of both workouts and one day i may be a dedicated to doing it everyday Skippy Quote Link to comment
Mr Robin Posted August 29, 2003 Report Share Posted August 29, 2003 Hi Jeanette Really sorry to hear that Manchester's let you down so badly on the ballet front Perhaps all is not lost, though - have you contacted the Northern Ballet School to see if they plan to run any adult classes this term? If you have and they don't, have you begged them to join their full-time students in daytime classes? They did suggest this to me as an option when I contacted them a couple of years ago, but that was before I they knew I was a beginner! But for an experienced dancer like yourself, I reckon it's a possibility. And it's so conveniently located near to work, wouldn't you say... Or if they won't let you do that, perhaps it's time to think seriously about hiring a studio there every week. Perhaps you could approach the University dance society and suggest that they move their ballet class from its unsuitable location at UMIST to the Northern's lovely studios! Anyway, a few ideas... Don't give up hope! Robin Quote Link to comment
Paul Parish Posted August 29, 2003 Report Share Posted August 29, 2003 Why don't you give yourself a barre at home -- and check out the situation around you..... Maybe you're not hte only one who'sknowws enoough ballet to miss it. If there are enough of you, you could give each other class -- and maybe organize it through your gym. Maybe YOU could teach a class there. That's a lot of maybes, of course..... but. if you've been taking class for 10 years and have thought about how the exercises go together, and what they're for and what makes moving to music feel like dancing, maybe you could find other dancers who want a ballet class. Maybe read some books go ahead and steal the combinations that you remember best from your favorite teachers and put something together for the other people around there. I say this because I'm inspired by the attitude at our studio -- one of hte kids in class tonight is in 10th grade now , and she's had her own little ballet comp[any for a couple of YEARS now. They just did a performance in a hospital a couple of days ago, using dances they've had in their repertory and some new ones... they're performing all the TIME. They make up their own dances -- well, Joanna makes up a lot of them -- they make hteir costumes, rehearse and coach each other, and they're getting GOOD. ........................ OOPS! I just read Mr Robin's post -- somehow I didn't register it. Yes, Northern Ballet might INDEED have something to offer ! (THouhg my friend Yuki went to Hamburg for a visit and had to give herself a daily class the whole time hat she was there, Hamburg Ballet had nothing to offer non-professonal dancers/ maybe manchester is like that, but more likely not.) Quote Link to comment
Xena Posted August 29, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2003 hi guys thanks for your supportive replies! Mr Robin, I hadn't realised you had actually been told that you may join the clases....I do think I need to get fit again. I have put on a few pounds since stopping, and I need to get back to how I was before! Jxx Quote Link to comment
Mr Robin Posted September 4, 2003 Report Share Posted September 4, 2003 Hi Xena Sorry I've never mentioned that before - it must have slipped my mind until now... Now, no-one ever told me that I actually could take classes, as the only ballet I'd done at that point was grade 3 RAD! But I have a vague recollection that the person that I talked to said that for a very serious adult student with enough experience, it would be a possibility. Gotta be worth a phone call, even if you do feel out of shape! And further to what Paul said below, perhaps there are more people in Manchester who'd like a class - me, for one! There were a couple of girls from Manchester who came to the last couple of classes at Kate Simmons last term, so if they come back this term I'll ask if they'd be interested. And perhaps there are a few more people currently attending the University class who'd like something more serious - if there were then that'd probably be enough people to make hiring a studio at Northern viable. What d'ya think? Robin Quote Link to comment
Guest grace Posted September 8, 2003 Report Share Posted September 8, 2003 xena: nice to "see" you again. i really can't believe there are NO suitable opportunities for you, in a city as big (and as awful!) as manchester! please at least phone NBT and ask a few questions...then phone the RAD and ask what teachers they have in the area. you can try phoning them, one at a time, till you hopefully find an adult class... please keep us informed. Quote Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.