Contemporary Ballet--post HS training

[POD]

Hi my DD is at SFBS, Level 8 and graduated HS at 17 to attend SFBS full time without HS hindering her,

 

Her focus for this year (possibly next year as well) is to get the best foundation in ballet.

 

But she is also feeling less desire to dance classical ballet and is looking for contemporary ballet post secondary training is this school a place that is an option- John Cranko....Academy

 

and if not can a mediator tell where on this site, I can look at some programs for her to look into???

Thanks

[Victoria Leigh]

POD, by contemporary ballet do you mean modern dance or just newer ballets like Forsythe, Bruce, MacIntyre, or Tharp works, which are in the repertoire of many ballet companies?

[POD]

No i do not mean contemporary dance or modern dance, I mean sort of the contemporay ballet such as LaLaLa Human Steps from Canada is doing

 

Yes more like some of the rep from all companies now are doing- Jiri Kylian , LALALA Human Steps etc... Where does a trainee study for those types of dance??

 

Stay in ballet training or go to Julliard etc???

Where to look on site any ideas

[mmded]

Cranko is not the place for your daughter if she is moving away from classical training! Ballet classes can be up to three hours a day six days a week. The training is intense with great attention to detail and is geared towards producing "state certified classical ballet dancers".

[Victoria Leigh]

Her classical training is where she stays if she wants to dance in a ballet company. Adding some jazz and modern classes would be a good idea, however, the basis of it all is still classical ballet.

[diane]

I would also look for a program which offers regular modern training - graham is always good - as well as daily classical ballet, pas de deux, etc. etc.

Some programs do not offer modern on a regular basis. And other programs do not offer careful enough classical... -sigh-

 

Do the kids at SFBS get regular modern and jazz as well, or what else do they have besides classical, pas de deux and co.?

 

-d-

[dancemaven]

POD, I have changed the title of your thread in an attempt to better delineate your actual question--i.e., where does one find post-grad training for contemporary ballet rather than specific information/questions about John Cranko's program. If I misunderstood the focus of your post, please let me know and I will restore its original title.

 

If she is interested in becoming more adept at contemporary ballet repertoire, then, in addition to maintaining her skill levels in classical ballet, she will need to become proficient at modern techniques and some jazz techniques. If she isn't training in those disciplines currently, she probably should begin supplementing her classes.

 

Given that she's already in San Francisco, she has the opportunity to check out the open classes at the San Francisco Dance Center, the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, ODC Dance Program, the Lines Ballet Training Program and/or BFA program, among others. If she wishes to look farther afield, look into the Hubbard Street School in Chicago, the Alvin Ailey program in NYC, Juilliard, and other college programs.

 

Some of these schools do have threads in our Pre-Professional Programs/Schools forum, others in the Trainee, Apprentice, Second Company forum, others in the Colleges/Universities with Dance Programs, and some you may have to research for yourself via google, et al. as they don't have threads here.

 

Happy researching! Let us know what you come across!

[POD]

D-

San Francisco is all classical technique and Pas. Although my daughter say's it is more than just classical they add more to the combinations. And for now it's great but eventually I believe all the info given here is good and thanks to all

 

dancemaven-

Thanks for the info, it helps!

POD

[BalletIsLife]

The LINES Ballet has a post-grad training program specifically geared towards "contemporary" ballet. The dancers have classical ballet classes and pointe classes, but also learn repertory from contemporary ballets, study modern dance, etc. It might be more what your daughter is looking for?

[dancemaven]

There is more specific information on the Lines Ballet post-grad training program in the Trainees, Apprentices, Second Company, Post-Grad program forum: Lines Ballet Training Program, but I would note here that LBSTP does not typically have a dedicated pointe class or pas deux class.

[ddsupportteam]

POD, your dd might also consider doing a bit of exploration over the summer. I've read that SFB students tend to stay at the school for their summer program, but if it's not cast in stone, she could try LINES, San Francisco Conservatory, Ailey etc. If she wants to stay at SFB next year and is uncomfortable taking the summer away, Complexions offers a three-week intensive in August that may not conflict. My dd attended for two weeks last summer and loved it. At the end of the program, we were told they were looking to do increase the scope of the program so that would be even better for your dd. Last year the students took a 2-hour tech class, had a short break, and took a 2-hr rep class each day. Students worked with Dwight Rhoden and/or Desmond Richardson every day. My one caveat is that last year they put older students (18+/post-high school) in a separate workshop class. Based on the show at the end, the younger group seemed to be more technically adept - as a group. There were some tremendous dancers in the older group, but as a whole, the younger level seemed to have had more training. An older friend of dd's who attended for two years, felt more challenged last year when she was in the high school level than in the workshop level this summer. Someone at the performance said the workshop dancers did not audition so it was a much more eclectic mix. Regardless, working with those two gentlemen was a tremendous opportunity.

[mom2]

A dancer friend of my older dd went to a program in Rotterdam, the Netherlands after high school:

 

http://www.codarts.nl/01_home_en/03_dans/c...anceacademy.php

 

I'm sure there are others in Europe which might fit your bill, this is one we've heard of through dd's friend.

 

That said, I think an opportunity to train even briefly with Complexions sounds amazing as well. Would they notice a middle aged woman in the room?

[j'adore.danser]

Here are some ideas to look possibly look into:

 

-San Francisco Conservatory for Dance

-Tisch School for the Arts at NYU