Category: Uncategorised

Warming up is essential to any physical activity in which to prepare and protect the body, and dance is no exception (and no matter the style!) Conversely, some students may think they are warming up correctly and efficiently, but they may be seen bouncing through stretches, merely doing a few ankle rolls and chatting to their neighbour on the barre while they ‘get ready’ for such intense physical activity.

It is important to arrive to dance class in good time, not as your teacher is preparing the music to begin. Doing your own preparations for class is vital – you know your body best. If a warm up is part of your class, this is an integral part and cannot be missed. Wearing layers for this part of class helps to heat the body externally, whilst the movements you work through warm the body’s muscles and joints from the inside out. If your teacher allows it, adding layers to your usual dancewear can help keep your muscles warm and therefore more receptive.

Whilst a warm up is vital for dance, remember to ease your body into the movement and not go full throttle straight away. It can be tempting to do too much too soon before your body is prepared, especially when it is warm outside and in the studio, and your muscles feel overly pliable. It is important to take even more care here. In general, listen to your body and work on what it needs to perform correctly and safely during class. Gentle stretches will increase your range of motion whereas extreme stretches put undue pressure on the joints and muscles which can cause injuries before you have even begun.

Find out what works best for your body during a warm up, whether it is by working on simple exercises at the barre or increasing blood flow to muscles more quickly by jogging on the spot. Warm ups can also be a time to gather your thoughts before class and prepare for what you will learn. Concentrate on yourself and your body, and how to get the best out of it.

BalletBoyz, the internationally celebrated dance company, has opened applications for the fourth year of its hugely popular Dancer’s Course. Successful dancers will have the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of the young BalletBoyz company, representing the BalletBoyz ethos of excellence.

The course, which is delivered over three 10 week-terms on Saturdays and Sundays, is open to men and women from all backgrounds across the UK. Working closely with the BalletBoyz dancers, successful applicants will be coached and mentored by some of the leading teachers and choreographers working in dance today. Auditions will take place on Sunday 10 April, the deadline to apply is Friday 25 March.

Matthew Sandiford, a course director for the Dancer’s Course talks to the Dance Direct blog…

 

How did you come to be involved in the Dancer’s Course with BalletBoyz?

The BalletBoyz Dancer’s Course kicked off almost three years ago and I’d taught a few workshops during the first couple years. I was then offered the job as one of three directors for the course which would put me in charge alongside some other company members to shape and develop the course and its content. This is really exciting and I love working with a group and watching them grow within a year.

 

How important is it that BalletBoyz offers this professional platform for aspiring dancers to train further?

I think the course is a brilliant platform for dancers wanting to enter the professional world, wanting a bit more experience and exposure. The course allows the dancers to experience a real life company atmosphere as they are treated as professionals, training with and learning from so many different artists and choreographers whilst getting feedback throughout the year. Plus they get the opportunity to follow the main company so closely and to work with the current repertoire and dancers.

 

Have you always wanted to be on stage?

I’m not sure if I’d say I always wanted to be on stage but I’ve definitely always had an interest in the arts and theatre. The annual family pantomime when I was younger was probably where I found my fascination for the stage.

 

Where did you train and what was it like?

I trained at Trinity Laban Conservatoire in Greenwich and I absolutely loved my three years there! It’s such an incredible building dedicated to dance with fantastic facilities. There are so many students and tutors from all over the world sharing so much dance knowledge and training versatile dancers. I kind of miss it sometimes!

 

How did you come to be part of BalletBoyz?

I auditioned for BalletBoyz right at the end of my training. I was really keen to work with the company so applied for the audition. Headed off to the two day audition and was lucky enough to be offered a job. Absolute dream come true!

 

What is it like being on tour?

Touring is amazing. I think it’s my favourite part of the job. Getting to see so much of the world whilst doing what we love is great. Plus us dancers in the company are like a little family so it’s great to all go away together.

 

Do you have any pre-show rituals?

My pre-show rituals consist of sit-ups, press ups and some eyes closed balancing to check in with my body. I always have a banana before a show and as a company we always come together, wish each other luck and just check in with how we’re all feeling.

 

What is ‘a day in the life’ like?

At the moment we’re in the studio in the middle of a creation. The day starts with company class at 10:30am, usually ballet or contemporary lead by our fabulous rehearsal director. Then it’s straight into rehearsing the current repertoire, then lunch. Then we continue with the creation and rehearsals until around 6pm. I finish off the day with a workout and a cool down.

 

What’s the best thing about dance?

There are too many great things about dance to pick just one best thing, but one of the best things about dance for me is to learn choreography, rehearse it to perfection and to then get it onto the stage with the lighting and an audience and to feel that adrenaline and buzz…that’s an awesome feeling!

 

What is your advice for an aspiring performer?

My advice for aspiring performers is to look after your body! You only get one body so take care, eat well and be safe. See and experience as many different types of dance, theatre and art as you can. Become a sponge and you’ll find your passion! Push yourself, stay humble and follow your heart.

Queensland Ballet recently launched a new initiative – through a programme and website – that will offer its younger audience a sneak peek into the wonderful world of ballet. In its aims to connect with communities, and particularly children, no matter where they live, the new scheme is just one path in the road to this. Specifically on offer includes a positions of the feet quiz, colouring in, stories, games and videos, as well as further information about ballet classes, summer schools and junior programme auditions.

Named QB Junior, the website is aimed at entertaining and educating children, ensuring they are able to enjoy the benefits of the ballet company, whether they are in close proximity or not. The website aims to present the company through interactive magic, namely videos, photos, fun activities and competitions, sitting alongside a new membership programme called QB Junior Friends. Membership includes a complimentary pack with a bag, t-shirt and membership bag tag. The year-round membership will be ‘hosted’ by Queensland Ballet dancers to look after each membership group. They will teach special ballet classes, hold workshops and attend performances and parties during the year.

For young people with a passion for dance, QB Junior Friends is a unique opportunity to connect with a professional ballet company, receive access to exclusive classes and workshops, invitations to special events and be eligible for special regional travel bursaries. The unique programme gives children insight and special access to the beautiful art form of ballet, through many additional activities with the company too.

The Adopt–a–Dancer initiative enables private dance studios in South East Queensland to ‘adopt’ a Queensland Ballet company dancer for a year and will see the dancer leading workshops and classes in the studio for the students. In addition to the workshops, the studios and students will maintain an ongoing relationship with their adopted dancer through email updates, posters and connections after Queensland Ballet performances. June will the see the launch of the company’s first ballet especially for children, Little Red Riding Hood, choreographed for Queensland Ballet by Lucas Jervies, which will be a unique re-telling of the classic fairytale.

TourDigs.com is set to be a dream come true for touring performers who are working around the UK. As the brainchild of Daniel Bolton – who has recently finished his stint in the West End show Bend It Like Beckham – TourDigs.com is the revolutionised way to book digs and accommodation across the country, with all the information in one place. TourDigs.com has a dedicated team working behind the scenes of the website to build up the resources. Members of the team have worked both on stage and off, touring to over 60+ venues across the UK, now placing them in a prime position to present TourDigs.com.

The website is constantly developing in order to create the most efficient and reliable system for all parties involved in booking theatre accommodation. Similar to other online booking applications and websites, the team are continuing to develop a new way for performers to book theatre digs, using familiar booking and reviewing procedures that are found on other online booking applications. With the website still evolving, the team are taking on board suggestions and comments to ensure the service reflects the needs of the touring community.

The team are inviting submissions from people across the country with accommodation that is rented to theatre professionals during their touring stint to that area. In the creation of an app in addition to the website, those people are invited to take part in the final stages of development of the app, offering them initial use of the app free of charge. Overall the aim of the new app is to further revolutionise the booking and reservation procedures for theatre accommodation, improving the speed of searching and booking accommodation. The manual paper methods – and related problems – currently in place are sure to be transformed by TourDigs.com!

Carlos Acosta is set to bid farewell to classical ballet with his final performances at Royal Albert Hall for a limited run, from 3-7 October 2016. Entitled The Classical Farewell, the programme will celebrate highlights from Acosta’s career which led him to being cited as the most famous male dancer of his generation. Taking to the stage when he was just 18 years old, the 2016 performances will mark the final time audiences can watch the ballet superstar dance classical works live. Whilst Acosta is presumed to continue to choreograph for the stage, it seems his ballet shoes will be hung up for the last time.

The Classical Farewell programme features new repertoire, to be announced shortly. The performances at the Royal Albert Hall are ahead of Acosta embarking on a UK tour to Nottingham, Birmingham, Southampton and Salford in May 2016, delighting regional audiences away from London. For lucky London audiences, Acosta’s final Royal Ballet season saw him choreograph and dance the lead role in Carmen late last year, marking his farewell to the company after 17 years.

For The Classical Farewell Acosta has put together a programme featuring some of his closest contemporaries from The Royal Ballet, presenting some of his favourite pieces from the classical repertoire for the final time: Acosta’s past productions have played to sell-out audiences. In 2014 he was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List for services to ballet, and is known for his passion for nurturing and inspiring the next generation of dancers.

Additionally Acosta choreographed Chichester Festival Theatre’s production of Guys and Dolls in 2015 alongside Andrew Wright. The show is currently playing in the West End and Acosta has been nominated for an Olivier Award. At the National Dance Awards 2015 Acosta was awarded the De Valois Award for Lifetime Achievement and he is currently working in Havana, Cuba with his new company Acosta Danza.

Born in Montreal, Samuel Tétreault began his artistic development at age 14 at the Montreal National Circus School of Canada where he studied for seven years. There he developed a passion not only for the acrobatics but also for dance and theatre. Upon graduating in 1996 he started his career as a hand-balancer, winning several awards in circus festivals. 

In 2002, after performing over 1,500 shows of Cirque du Soleil’s production Alegria, touring with Cirque Éloize’s production Orchestra and appearing in some of the most prestigious cabarets in Germany, Tétreault became one of the co-founding artistic directors of Les 7 doigts de la main, the Montreal-based circus collective also known as the “7 Fingers”.

Since the foundation of the company Tétreault has collaborated as artistic co-director to create most 7 Fingers shows, as well as appearing on stage in the productions of Loft, La Vie, the Fibonacci Project and Le Murmure du Coquelicot. The 7 Fingers return to Sadler’s Wells with the UK premiere of TRIPTYQUE, a new triple bill of dance and circus on 1 & 2 April 2016. Hailing from Québec, renowned as the home of the modern circus discipline, The 7 Fingers is one of the world’s most inventive contemporary circus companies.

 

Have you always wanted to be involved in the performing arts?

No… When I was a kid and young teenager my dream was to become a professional goalie in the National Ice Hockey League! Then I was fascinated by the Olympic Games and tried different sports in search of the one discipline that would best suit my physical qualities in the hope to make it into the Olympics… I guess I was inspired by the athletes I saw on TV, the intensity of their drive and willpower, the fact they could perform extraordinary skills.

 

How did your involvement begin?

I discovered circus at age 14 and was first drawn to it because of its physicality and its eccentricity… I liked learning things that most people couldn’t do… It made me feel special and I enjoyed the extra attention I was getting from people when they saw me training in the park or riding my unicycle to school. But strangely, even if I grew up in an artistic environment (my dad was running a contemporary art gallery and our house was decorated with abstract sculptures and paintings), I had never imagined being involved in the arts myself. The revelation of my artistic vocation only came a year later when I saw Cirque du Soleil’s Le Cirque Réinventé in 1989… it was still in the very early days of what we now call “contemporary circus” but already, there was a mix of theatre, dance, acrobatics, live music, and comedy forming a show that was held together by a storyline that was emotionally engaging… that’s when I decided I wanted to become a performing artist! I wanted to be onstage and be able to make an audience feel the way I felt!

 

Did you train? Where, and what was it like?

I studied at the National Circus School in Montreal for almost six years. I was on a scholarship programme that combined the academic classes and the circus training, but beyond the acrobatic skills, it’s the artistic formation I received there that has influenced most of my career. Throughout my formation as a circus artist I was always encouraged to develop my own artistic reflection and original voice… very early on, under the guidance of artistic counsellors, I had to come up with my own ideas and concepts for the creation of my end of year and graduating act. Originality and artistic research was highly encouraged. I also remember one of my favorite classes ever was about writing and directing a show… We were put in small groups and over the course of the whole session we had to write the concept of show with all the details of scenario, set and costume design, production budget, etc. I had so much fun and felt so inspired to discover this creative capacity to imagine things, to see them come alive in your head and plan how to turn these visions into a show… That’s when the seed of the idea to direct my own shows one day was planted.

 

What was a typical day like?

I started around 9am and sometimes didn’t get out of the school until 8 or 9pm… We would usually start the day with some dance classes, acting classes or music and rhythm and then would have some general acrobatic training sessions like trampoline, floor acrobatics, juggling, or stretching sessions. Then, after lunch we would have 4 to 5 hours of training in our own circus “major”, mine was Hand-balancing and Hand to Hand pair acrobatics. In the evening we would have the regular academic classes as well as some specific to the circus school, like Circus Arts History, Career Management, Human Anatomy… Overall I did about 6-7 hours of physical training and 3-4 hours of academic classes everyday!

 

What is a typical day like now?

After I graduated I spent about six years working as a soloist performer on tour with Cirque du Soleil (in Alegria) and with Cirque Éloize (in Cirque Orchestra). My life then was entirely focused on my training and my performance on stage, sometimes doing up to 10 shows a week… But my life is very different since I became one of the artistic co-directors of the 7 Fingers, the collective circus company I co-founded with six friends in 2002. A regular day for me doesn’t really exist as I can sometimes spend a whole day in meetings and answering emails and sometimes I’ll be in the creation studio all day, either directing a new creation, rehearsing a show with new cast members or taking a dance class and doing my own hand-balancing training. It is a great challenge to find the time to combine all these things and I often end up working extra long hours… But fortunately most of it doesn’t feel like it’s a job as my passion to create is what drives it all!

 

Tell us more about your work with The 7 Fingers – what do you enjoy most about it?

The diversity of the projects we create… The fact that the company has grown over the years into an amazing collective tool that allows us to fulfill both our individual and collective creation dreams. The creation of Triptyque for instance came out of my own desire to create a show that would combine dance with the circus arts, and although it was an artistic proposition very different from what the company had ever produced, I had the support of the other “fingers” who supported my vision and agreed to put the company’s resources to create the show.

 

What’s next for the company?

Oh there are so many creation projects in the pipeline for the coming years it would be too long to list them all… To mention only a few, there is a theatre and circus show about the Dutch medieval painter Jheronimus Bosch I’ll be directing this summer in Denmark, another “Finger” is directing Reversible, our new touring show this fall in Montreal, another “Finger” is directing a circus opera in Russian, and the list could keep going with another 3 or 4 new creations on top of our other shows we currently have on tour! But maybe the most exciting project for 2016-2017 is the building in Montreal of our own creation studios set in an old brewery… this is going to be an amazing asset for our collective, bringing our administration offices together with a creation studio, a training studio and a dance room under one roof!

The 2016 Olivier Award nominations have recently been announced, with much excitement amongst the performing arts industry. The nominations were revealed in London, and are presented by the Society of London Theatre. They will be announced at a ceremony at the Royal Opera House on 3 April, as the 40th anniversary year of the awards. New for this year, the ceremony will be live streamed on Youtube for the first time.

The dance nominations in particular are a follows:

Best New Dance Production:

He Who Falls (Celui Qui Tombe) by Compagnie Yoann Bourgeois (part of London International Mime Festival) Romeo Et Juliette by Les Ballets de Monte Carlo The Royal Ballet’s Woolf Works by Wayne McGregor

Outstanding Achievement in Dance:

Alessandra Ferri for performances in Chéri and Woolf Works Javier De Frutos for his choreography of Anatomy Of A Passing Cloud Sasha Waltz for her choreography of Sacre

Best Theatre Choreographer:

Carlos Acosta and Andrew Wright for Guys And Dolls Drew McOnie for In the Heights Jerry Mitchell for Kinky Boots Stephen Mear for Gypsy

Other nominations for the Awards were dominated by theatre heavyweights Imelda Staunton, Judi Dench and Kenneth Branagh. Musicals Gypsy and Kinky Boots received the most nominations, eight and seven respectively. Branagh has been nominated for best actor, and Dench, who was nominated for best supporting actress, received her 15th nomination. Staunton received her 11th Olivier award nomination, for Gypsy, in the best actress in a musical category.

Musicals Kinky Boots, Bend It Like Beckham, In the Heights and Mrs Henderson Presents are all nominated for best new musical, with Bugsy Malone, Guys and Dolls, Gypsy and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers all nominated for best musical revival.

Dance injuries can unfortunately be common; whilst many can be rectified with rehabilitation, it can often be helpful to work hard at avoiding injury altogether. Certain precautions can be taken before, during and after class in order to limit any damage you may do to your body whilst dancing. You only have one!

Do not wear ill-fitting footwear to class: whilst this seems like common sense many dancers continue to work in shoes that don’t fit their feet properly, or have simply worn out. Every brand of footwear is different, as well as considering how different pairs of technique shoes are! Have new shoes fitted by a professional before you know the brand and style that suits you. Check that your toes are snug, however shoes that are too tight do not allow you to distribute weight evenly throughout your feet. Equally you don’t want to dance gripping your toes to keep the shoe on.

Ballet teachers should decide when a student should go on pointe to avoid unnecessary damage to the dancer. However eager students and parents can mean this happens earlier in a dancer’s training than it should. Dancers need a strong foundation of technique and strength before they begin pointe work, knowing how to use their plié, articulate their feet, pull up and out of their hips, and how to control the work. Compromising the strength and alignment of the ankles and knees will only lead to injury and could affect all areas of dance, not just pointe work in ballet.

Work hard to maintain and then improve your technique in order to avoid injury. ‘Cheating’ movements or positions will mean your body is not working in the correct way, such as twisting your knees or ankles. For ballet, basic technique means turning out from the hips and not forcing the body to work beyond its limitations. This cannot be sustained and will just cause problems in the future, if not then and there in the studio.

Early February saw an announcement by Entertainment Tonight that 13 year old Maddie Ziegler was set to leave the hit reality television show Dance Moms, and the Abby Lee Dance Company to boot, after season six. Industry rumours circulated about Ziegler’s involvement in Sister, a film project written and directed by the pop star Sia, who is her frequent collaborator. The pair have previously worked on three of Sia’s music videos, “Chandelier,” “Elastic Heart” and “Big Girls Cry”, and Sia’s first-ever film Sister will be based on a one-page story she wrote.

It also looks as though Ziegler will be a competition judge too. She is said to be joining the judging panel of the new So You Think You Can Dance season, alongside judges Paula Abdul, Jason Derulo and Nigel Lythgoe. The show will be celebrating its 13th season, and will be changing in order to focus on younger dancers, hence Ziegler’s involvement. Despite this fitting involvement, it is important to remember the age and breadth of experience of the young dancer, and how much she has to offer ahead of stepping into a prestigious role.

The teen dance phenomenon will lend her expertise as a dancer who has performed professionally on Saturday Night Live, the Grammy Awards, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, “We Can Survive” at the Hollywood Bowl, Dancing with the Stars and Jimmy Kimmel Live. She will be expected to critique and praise the contestants as they compete during the studio shows this summer. Dancers as young as eight years old will be invite to compete in various dance styles, such as contemporary, tap, hip-hop, ballroom, animation and breaking. They will then be paired with All-Stars to compete for the title of “America’s Favourite Dancer.”

As busy as Ziegler is, another project she is reportedly working on is the upcoming feature film The Book of Henry, directed by Colin Trevorrow. This will be her big screen debut, starring opposite Naomi Watts.

Barre work is the most important part of ballet class – echoed by any teacher – in order to set up the body’s foundations to move into the centre and onto allegro. The barre is where you learn to stand, move, and hone in on the body and how it is performing in the class, aiding alignment, technique, and confidence. Barre work can sometimes feel static and like the body is ‘going through the motions’, however it is important to give this part of the class just as much attention in order to perform at your best throughout the remainder of the class.

Let your hand rest on the barre, not grip it, so you can easily move it up and down the barre depending on the exercise set by the teacher. Find a happy medium at the barre so you are not standing too close or far away. Your fingertips should be in contact with the barre so there is a sense of support but not reliance on that part of a dancer’s comfort zone. Keep the elbow bent as the hand rests on the barre so it is relaxed and free. Don’t let your elbow sag, but support the arms through the back to create a continuous line.

Lengthen your spine and soften your plié to further enhance your posture, being constantly aware of the body and the positions it is moving through during the exercises. Keep the shoulders back and the tailbone tucked in so the spine is one line, keeping the chin level with the floor. Imagine the pull and balance of gravity pulling you towards the floor and the back of the neck being pulled upwards to lengthen the spine and stand correctly. Don’t rush when you plié, but use your muscles and squeeze through the movement. When you rush your plié it is likely you have floppy arms and an arched spine. Control the movement and this will translate to the upper body too, to develop a sense of grace and poise.