Pointe at Richmond

[Guest epatrick]

Thanks to this board, I am very interested in going to Richmond this summer. I noticed on last year's curriculum page that there is a pointe or variations class offered after technique every day. I've never been on pointe (although I'd love to some day), and I'm guessing it's not for people doing pointe for the first time. So do non-pointe dancers do variations instead? Or is there a beginner- pointe class? I'm not a beginner dancer, but am only taking 2 1.25 hour classes per week (plus Flamenco 1/week).

 

Thanks :-)

[spinbug]

If I recall correctly, Heide, the director, started some of the ladies on pointe for the first time and even went with them to the dance store to help fit some pointe shoes. If you want to ask her yourself, though, go to adultdancecamps.com and e-mail her to ask.

 

I hope you do decide to come. I look forward to it every year. The experience is terrific! The teachers are always so varied and interesting and the friendships we form last all throughout the year. Since all the students in the studio I attend are kids it is a great chance for me to share the love I have for dance with other adults my own age. They are so inspiring to me also. Some of them are older than me as well and it helps me to remember that I can be doing this for years to come.

 

I hope I see you there, I usually attend the last session.

 

Candi

[yourotherleft]

Hi Spinbug-

off topic, so be prepared...

Just wondering, were you at the last session last year?

thanks!

MB

[mermaid7176]

If I recall correctly, Heide, the director, started some of the ladies on pointe for the first time and even went with them to the dance store to help fit some pointe shoes.  If you want to ask her yourself, though, go to adultdancecamps.com and e-mail her to ask.

 

I hope you do decide to come.  I look forward to it every year.  The experience is terrific!  The teachers are always so varied and interesting and the friendships we form last all throughout the year.  Since all the students in the studio I attend are kids it is a great chance for me to share the love I have for dance with other adults my own age.  They are so inspiring to me also.  Some of them are older than me as well and it helps me to remember that I can be doing this for years to come.

 

I hope I see you there, I usually attend the last session.

 

Candi

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Out of curiousity- what is the etiquette regarding this? I'm dreaming of some day being on pointe but was trying to imagine what my teacher would say if I suddenly returned from camp after having been put on pointe by another teacher?

 

Thank you! Looking forward to June!

[Guest Lizzie 37]

Suggestion...advise your teacher of your thoughts/plans. They may have great suggestions for you. You are an adult and it's OK to try this if another trained professional teacher thinks you can do it without risk of injury. Go slow. Best wishes

[2 Left Feet]

Knock, knock from a guy here...

 

You might want to talk about it with your teacher in advance. Maybe make it a goal to work up to for Richmond. She could give you strengthening exercises to do between now and then. And, perhaps your teacher will even go shopping for pointe shoes with you. My teacher here in LA does this with her students when they start pointe. It helps both because the students gets sage advice and the teacher knows they're working in a pair of shoes that have been fit properly.

[onyx]

Yes, it would probably be a good idea to tell your teacher about the intensive and that you would like to try pointe.

What Heidi did in the past with the the beginners, was have a question and answer session in the place of pointe class the first day, then , if they wanted to try pointe she went with them to the dance store to help them with the fittings, and since I never took the beginner class, I don't exactly know what they did on pointe, but I imagine it was mainly exercises at the barre.

[jayo]

epatrick - congrats on going to richmond! I hope you have a great time.

 

You should definitely tell your teacher that you plan to go, and if you have an interest in pointe she should know that too. You might want to ramp up on classes before you go to the intensive anyway - so that you don't die at the sudden increase in activity - and your teacher can help you prepare for pointe during this time too. You'll be stronger and a lot safer on pointe if you're taking at least 3 and possibly 4 technique classes a week!

 

jayo

[spinbug]

Hi Spinbug-

off topic, so be prepared...

Just wondering, were you at the last session last year?

thanks!

MB

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Sorry for the late reply, I've been out of town for a few days. Yes, I was at the last session in August. Did you go then?

 

Candi

[spinbug]

If I recall correctly, Heide, the director, started some of the ladies on pointe for the first time and even went with them to the dance store to help fit some pointe shoes.  If you want to ask her yourself, though, go to adultdancecamps.com and e-mail her to ask.

 

I hope you do decide to come.  I look forward to it every year.  The experience is terrific!  The teachers are always so varied and interesting and the friendships we form last all throughout the year.  Since all the students in the studio I attend are kids it is a great chance for me to share the love I have for dance with other adults my own age.  They are so inspiring to me also.  Some of them are older than me as well and it helps me to remember that I can be doing this for years to come.

 

I hope I see you there, I usually attend the last session.

 

Candi

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Out of curiousity- what is the etiquette regarding this? I'm dreaming of some day being on pointe but was trying to imagine what my teacher would say if I suddenly returned from camp after having been put on pointe by another teacher?

 

Thank you! Looking forward to June!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

As I had already started pointe when I got to Richmond I am unsure of this. But I'm sure that the other replies are correct. You are much better off letting your regular teacher know what your intentions are. Sorry for the late reply, just got back from a Cecchetti ballet workshop.

 

Candi

[yourotherleft]

Sorry gang, I'm still off topic....

Hi Candi -

Yes, I was there then, and I'm just trying to place you. Your location is Nebraska? May I ask where you dance?

thankyou, thankyou!

MB

[spinbug]

Sorry gang, I'm still off topic....

Hi Candi -

Yes, I was there then, and I'm just trying to place you.  Your location is Nebraska? May I ask where you dance?

thankyou, thankyou!

MB

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I always wore a skirted leotard and sometimes this funky watercolours over dress. My hair is long and black. Last year my husband and two daughters came up to see the recital. He has brown hair and a mustache and they have long blond hair. I think I was in level 3a and Cathy Sawyer taught most of our classes.

[yourotherleft]

Hi Candi,

I've got a memory like a sieve. Or maybe I've got the sessions mixed up.

Anyway, I teach at a small studio here in Omaha, and I'm always looking for *daytime* ballet classes. Because sadly, I am not taking any classes right now, just teaching, and boy, will it be tough to go back to camp without having taken. Just wondering if you knew of any.

thankyou, thankyou!!

MB

[spinbug]

Yourotherleft,

 

I live about an hour and a half away from Omaha in a pretty small town. We don't have many daytime classes because most of the students are in highschool. I take two private lessons a week and a pointe class in the evening.

 

I don't know of any place near here that offers classes during the day. Boy, it sure would be cheaper for me if I could do it that way. During the summer there are a few places I go to in Lincoln during the day to help gear me up for camp. Those might be worth looking into. Unfortunately ballet is pretty much geared around school aged kids' schedules which don't always work out for the rest of us.

 

Tell me what you look like and maybe I could place you. I do remember talking with one girl who was from Nebraska but I forgot where.

 

What style ballet do you teach? I mostly know Cecchetti.

 

CJ

[yourotherleft]

Hi Candi-

Well, thanks for the response, but it is as I suspected - no daytime classes to be had anywhere in the state. So tough for me because we moved here from New York, where I pretty much had my pick on any given day.....I am so spoiled.

In answer to your question, I grew up Cecchetti, but have since also studied Vagonova, RAD, and others (my husband is military, so we move around a lot - it has been a tremendous experience for me to be able to study and teach all over the country!).

Ok, I'm realizing when I said "last session last year", I meant August 15-21, 2004. Sorry for any confusion - is that when you attended?

mb