Category: Uncategorised

The Royal Ballet Receives RAD’s Highest Award

Royal Academy of DanceThe Royal Ballet received the Royal Academy of Dance’s highest award during a fundraising gala recently: the QEII Award – presented annually in recognition of outstanding services to the art of ballet by the RAD – was first conferred sixty years ago upon Royal Ballet founder Dame Ninette de Valois, in 1954.

To celebrate this benchmark in ballet history, the award was presented to The Royal Ballet’s Director, Kevin O’Hare, during a glamorous dinner at Claridge’s in Mayfair, London. Also in attendance were past Genée International Ballet Competition medallists, as well as 19 current Principals of The Royal Ballet, Wayne Sleep OBE (RAD Vice President), Dame Monica Mason DBE (former Director of The Royal Ballet and past QEII recipient) and other celebrities and luminaries of the dance world.

The RAD’s initial projection is that the evening raised £65,000 towards the creation of a new bursary scheme to enable more young people to compete in its flagship event, the Genée International Ballet Competition. The Genée has proved to be a launch pad for a professional career in dance. Since the year 2000, 14 Genée medallists have gone on to dance with The Royal Ballet alone – amongst them current Principal Dancers Lauren Cuthbertson and Steven McRae. The auction proceeds will create means bursaries of up to £3,000 for future Genée International Ballet Competition candidates who cannot afford the costs involved in taking part, as well to develop the competition itself further.

The Daily Telegraph’s joint dance critic Mark Monahan, who delivered the QEII Coronation Award citation, described the former winners of the QEII Award as ‘people, as we all know, without whom British ballet would be unrecognisable today’.

World Ballet Day

World Ballet DayOn 1 October, the first World Ballet Day will see a fantastic collaboration between five of the world’s leading ballet companies: the Australian Ballet, the Bolshoi Ballet, The Royal Ballet, National Ballet of Canada and San Francisco Ballet. On the first day of October, each company will stream behind-the-scenes action live from their rehearsal studios. Starting at the beginning of the dancers’ day, each company will take the lead with a four-hour period, streaming from their headquarters.

The day will begin with the Australian Ballet in Melbourne, before the live link passes across time zones from Melbourne to Moscow, London, Toronto and finally to San Francisco. The backstage access will highlight the differences in style between the five companies – as leaders in their field – as they follow a similar routine but approach choreography and performance in individual ways. Starting with morning class, the day will be a celebration of dance as they move onto rehearsals.

World Ballet Day is a development of Royal Ballet Live, a nine-hour live stream via YouTube and the Guardian website. Watched by 200,000 people, there have been a total of 2.5 million views on YouTube to date. World Ballet Day will be the first time that the other four companies have taken the cameras backstage in this way, and the first time that YouTube has streamed so much content. The day’s streaming will be repeated on YouTube in full, so viewers around the world can catch up on any parts of the day they missed; edited highlights will then be made available for further viewing, increasing the reach of the day further.

Full details of the day are yet to be confirmed, however The Royal Ballet’s section will include Marianela Nuñez and Federico Bonelli rehearsing for Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon, which opens at the Royal Opera House on 26 September.

Memorising Combinations

Dance StepsSurprisingly many dance students find learning new combinations tricky and challenging. Of course the more you try to learn new exercises quickly the easier it becomes, but there are a few tricks to make it easier.

During class, it is important to learn the movement at a fast pace, and then perform these exercises simultaneously. Learn the pathway of the movement first so you have a good idea of where you should be going and the direction you should be facing. Maintain spatial awareness in respect to the other dancers and group the steps together: most combinations are grouped into musical phrases, directions or predictable sequences as well as frequently being choreographed along a diagonal line. It then becomes easier to recognise patterns.

Another way to make learning sequences easier is to identify the “landmark” movements and building up the sequence that way with the movements preceding and succeeding the transition steps. Learn which foot you begin each section with and which foot takes you into the landmark movements, as well as the foot which finishes the sequence. It is easier to think of the feet as downstage and upstage rather than right or left, as this will make the movement simpler when you come to do it on the second side! Listen to the music and where the landmarks occur, taking counts for these if necessary. Music should drive the movement, rather than aiming to match the steps to the music after learning them.

If all else fails, mark the movement and ask the teacher for further clarification. Mark the combination as you learn it, moving in the right direction so the movement is imprinted onto the memory faster. Make sure you don’t get in the way of other dancers and make the movements smaller. Overall it is important to finish correctly, with the correct foot and facing the right way.

Sylvie Guillem To Retire

Sylvie Guillem & Russell Maliphant in PushThe iconic and ethereal dancer Sylvie Guillem has announced that she will retire at the end of 2015. Having begun as a classical ballet dancer at the Paris Opera Ballet and then becoming a principal with the Royal Ballet, the French ballerina turned contemporary dancer will be sorely missed by her audiences. Guillem joined the Paris Opera Ballet in 1981 where she was singled out by director Rudolf Nureyev: she was promoted to the top rank faster than any other dancer with the company.

Guillem chose to make the announcement through the Japan Performing Arts Foundation; her farewell performance will also be taking place in Japan, which will make it difficult for the rest of her international following to witness the scheduled farewell. Recently Guillem has performed solely contemporary works, creating works with esteemed choreographers such as Russell Maliphant, Akram Khan and many others.

Guillem is now 49 years old, however you would not know considering her fantastic technique and lithe body. Following a rather eventful career Guillem is one of the world’s most famous dancers. This is in part due to her fantastic legs and feet, but ultimately due to her impeccable performances and the artistry, expression and quality that comes as a result of her acclaimed performances. She is also an associate artist of Sadler’s Wells.

November this year will see Guillem dance in a revival of Sacred Monsters, a duet with Akram Khan at Sadler’s Wells, giving London audiences the chance to see Guillem in action once again. Despite this, it is fitting that Guillem’s performance will be in Japan as she feels a particular tie to the country: her 2011 show 6,000 miles away was named for the country to support the earthquakes and tsunami victims in the country.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Strictly Come Dancing 2014

Strictly Come DancingStrictly Come Dancing is back for 2014! Judges Len Goodman, Darcey Bussell, Craig Revel Horwood and Bruno Tonioli will all be returning to the popular BBC1 show, ready to judge 15 celebrities on their ability to jump, jive and boogie.

The final line-up of celebrities for 2014 has recently been finalised and announced, and they are Frankie Bridge (of S Club Juniors and The Saturdays fame), Judy Murray (tennis coach), Alison Hammond, Thom Evans, Simon Webbe (of the boy band Blue), Mark Wright (former The Only Way is Essex star), Sunetra Sarker, Jake Wood (of Eastenders fame), Steve Backshall, Scott Mills (from BBC Radio 1), Pixie Lott (solo pop star), Caroline Flack (TV presenter), Jennifer Gibney, Gregg Wallace and Tim Wonnacott.

There have been many Strictly news stories ahead of the live shows this year, mostly because of the BBC’s decision to release the names of the celebrities one by one (with the exception of the last three names) in the run-up to the 2014 contest. There has also been some controversial discussion about how well-known the celebrities are compared with previous years when contestants included those such as newsreader Natasha Kaplinsky, model Kelly Brook and household names Russell Grant, Susanna Reid and Vanessa Feltz.

In presenting the show, long-time host and veteran Bruce Forsythe has handed the Strictly baton to Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who will welcome this year’s 15 celebrities to the Strictly studio for the very first time on Sunday 7 September. New for this year, there will also be a Strictly Come Dancing Red Carpet special, featuring the first interviews with the entire Strictly line-up debuting on the Red Button and BBC iPlayer at 7pm on Wednesday 3 September in order to give viewers at home a little more insight into the Strictly world.

63% Say Dance Degrees Are “Valuable”

Dance DegreeA recent survey has revealed that 63% of UK residents consider a degree in Dance and the Performing Arts to be equally as valuable as any other theoretical subject, with a further 56% of parents stating they would take pride in their children pursuing a career in The Arts.

As university fees rose dramatically from an average of £3,225 per year to £8,400, with some universities charging the maximum of £9,000 per annum, along with the recent news that the government loses 45p for every £1 loaned to students, the actual value of higher education has been pulled into the general public’s spotlight.

For many, the opinion may be that degrees should be studied in order to secure the best possible career following graduation, which, for some, may lower the opinion of the value of performing arts and dance, along with languages and other studies of the arts.

However, a recent survey conducted by One Poll on the behalf of Dance Direct, has shown that this opinion is not overwhelmingly negative. Along with the result that 63% of the British public believe that a degree in dance is as commercially valuable as any other theoretical degree, it has also shown that more than a quarter of the 1,000 participants polled believe that pursuing a career in the subject is “sensible”.

Hobby Versus Career

While the results might not show that the British public see a degree in dance as a guaranteed investment for a career path, it is vital that the study of a degree of any kind is not seen purely as an investment for employment.
Underemployment is a significant issue for many graduates, as a study conducted in November 2013 found that almost half of graduates were working non-degree related jobs. While the figures may prove to be depressing for many, they should not necessarily be considered a death toll for those looking to study dance at a high educational level, as the proof shows that the value of the vast majority of degrees has been brought into focus.
In a response to the survey, Paul Franklin, Head of Marketing at Dance Direct, stated: “For the dance industry to continue, we need budding performers not to lose sight of the extremely rewarding career path that dance can bring”.

“Rising university fees are unfortunately a barrier many young people are facing at the moment, and it’s understandable for parents to think that a job in a more theoretical discipline would stand their child in better stead for the future.”

He added: “However, this is not the route many young people want to go down. If their talent lie in dance, they should be actively supported in following the career path that they want to follow.”

Passion in the Arts

A career in dance must be realistically viewed as difficult, with strict competition between those hoping to work in the industry. However, as studies show, there is competition in every role, no matter what the industry is.
Ultimately, passion should be considered as the main indicator of the value of a degree in the performing arts. As a recent study published in The Telegraph shows, 19 out of 20 graduates have changed their career before turning 24, with “creative skills” cited as one of the most valuable assets a potential employee can have.

The noted value of creativity and passion for any role is universally acclaimed, as those students who have perhaps conducted a career which they do not ultimately care for, do not have the motivation to continue in the career.

As an industry, performing arts has always been considered somewhat cut-throat, but through the commitment shown by studying a degree, along with talent and passion, will undoubtedly give young dancers the boost that they deserve into a career.

Dance Direct’s New Look!

Dance Direct's New LookFor over a decade, Dance Direct has striven to provide the best value in dancewear, so dancers can focus more on their training and less on their kit. Although a lot has changed during this time, our ultimate goal of making affordable, high quality dancewear widely available remains at the heart of the Dance Direct brand.

Like you, we are passionate about dance, and we are also inspired by customers such as yourselves everyday. Your feedback drives much of what happens within Dance Direct HQ and has been integral to the launch of our new branding.

With a fresh new look and a new, easy-to-use website soon to be launched, we hope that our continuous desire to remain your No.1 dancewear supplier is clear to see. Our collection continues to offer both amateur and professional dancers great quality and affordable dancewear, perfectly designed for both basic and performance needs.

We look forward to sharing your dance stories, photos and more via the Dance Direct community and hope to hear from you soon!

What Makes A Good Teacher?

Teachers are an integral part of a dancer’s development. Not only do they aim to build up the dancer’s talent and ability but they also act as a mentor and inspiration to the student.

Teaching any subject of dance requires the teacher to be resourceful and flexible in their approach in order to get the best out of their students, particularly for students with various standards and styles of learning.

Teachers in vocational schools play a specialised role in student development, taking time to develop the skills of their students by giving information and guidance to progress quickly, building on what earlier teachers have taught the students.

At vocational schools specialist teachers apply both experience and theory to teaching lessons where physical skills are used to train in the dance subject. Vocational teachers help to rectify bad physical habits and engage students intellectually.

Teaching in vocational institutions is the subject of much discussion with many training options available, be it a more academic course or a more practical course. Vocational school is available both as full-time and part-time schools. A full-time vocational school teaches core curriculum subjects and specialist subjects, such as acting, dance and drama full-time, whereas part-time vocational schools work alongside traditional schooling, teaching specialist subjects after school or at weekends. There can be academic and vocational grades awarded, depending on what each school offers. Many teachers share industry contacts and careers advice with their students in order to enhance their training.

It’s important that vocational schools ensure high standards of teaching, not only because vocational schools are expensive to attend but also to help children progress onto specialist further education schools: vocational schools are important for young people to learn the skills needed for entry into performing arts if they have not had prior experience.

Conquering Stage Fright

Janet Leigh Screaming!Fear backstage is common for at least 50% of performers, regardless of performance experience. More commonly known as “stage fright”, performance anxiety can be a constant problem or something that emerges over time.

Stage fright can occur for many reasons, as well as bring unexplainable, such as because of an injury or recovery from one, a bad experience or pressure of an important performance. Anxiety can drastically affect your performance and love of dance, if not overcome and dealt with accordingly. Symptoms of stage fright include racing pulses and fast breathing, a dry mouth, tight throat, trembling, and sweaty or cold hands. Mental symptoms can affect your career if not dealt with, with fear and self-doubt taking over.

A reason behind stage fright has been suggested as a result of the brain’s fight or flight response. Most performers are able to control stage fright by controlling the lead up to a performance and controlling a certain amount of anxiety needed to perform. This can be done such as by a pre-performance routine or a specific warm up. However, too much anxiety and adrenaline will mean you turn and run, sometimes literally.

It is important to take care of your body, and in turn control and calm performance anxiety. Avoid caffeine and alcohol, especially before a performance and eat potassium-rich foods to help lower your blood pressure naturally. A familiar routine backstage, and peace and quiet, can also aid anxious feelings. Breathe deeply and try to relax.

Project Plié’s First Yyear

ABT Project Plie LogoAs American Ballet Theatre celebrates its 75th anniversary, it will also celebrate the first birthday of Project Plié, its national initiative focusing on increasing racial and ethnic representation in ballet. Even in the US ballet is still incredibly streamlined, with nearly every major ballet company being made up mostly of Caucasian dancers.

Project Plié seeks to combat this issue of deficient racial diversity through dance scholarships for non-white dancers, complimentary training for teachers who work with ethnically diverse populations, partner companies around the country who reach specific populations, free classes for children through Boys & Girls Clubs of America (how ballerina Misty Copeland began) and masterclasses that introduce youth to ABT in each of New York City’s five boroughs.

The initiative aims to assist ballet students from diverse backgrounds reach their full potential by providing them with the support and active engagement of teachers, mentors and current professional dancers. ABT believes that diversifying the art form at its training level will strengthen and broaden the pipeline of future artists and help ensure ballet’s continued relevance in the 21st century. So far the project has been well received with many embracing the mission of the programme and reaching out to get involved.

Since the project began, there has already been a rise in the number of dancers who have auditioned for ABT’s summer and full programmes. In addition, ABT has been able to award 40 merit-based scholarships for talented students. Project Plié was also able to provide six teachers National Training Curriculum scholarships, giving them the means to travel to New York, train with ABT and learn to creatively and collaboratively address barriers to young dancers’ participation in their communities.

Overall, the long-term goals of the many outreach initiatives of Project Plié are to see America’s ballet companies diversify and reflect the country’s multiculturalism to remain relevant, recognising that the demographics of the country are changing.