One private d.i.y. ballet camp!

Oh dear, it's been a very long while since I last posted. But it's also been one very hectic Autumn (my word load doubled from last school year - only a positive thing!) and I've had lots of ballet classes, too. Currently my dance schedule is as follows:

Monday - 90 minutes (advanced) with P
Friday - 75 minutes (advanced) with P
Saturday - 90 minutes (intermediate) with P
Sunday - 90 minutes (interm. - advanced) with K

P was my teacher also last year, K is new. Last year I had also L & D, but this year L's classes are at the same time with my work and D doesn't teach here anymore. So, one new style to learn also this year with K. And so far I've liked it. :)

This week I have my "Autumn vacation". Almost a whole week. One week that is very very welcome. As the school year began, I planned taking at least one class with M-P (in Helsinki) and soon it became obvious that I'd have time for Only one. And this week would be the time for it. Started thinking about spending couple days in the City, since I really like it and haven't had too much time to visit for many months. Also 2 ballet friends asked if I'd be interested in taking a class at the Helsinki Ballet Academy with Mr Juha Kirjonen - well, yes of course! And since we don't have our regular classes this week (besides Sunday)...

Result:

My feet & our romantic tutu in April, at the dressing room :D

Wednesday is tomorrow and I'm excited! It's so much fun to pack my bag and choose shirts and tights and shoes. Friday classes are also in Footlight (like Wed), and the last one is a pointe class. That's pretty scary, as I've done pointe only with my regular teachers and I know that Madame G is quite strict. But in a good way... :) I've been only once before in her class, so it's a nearly new experience also.

And on top of these, I might go and see the Sleeping Beauty on Saturday afternoon (at the Opera, by our National Ballet). Haven't decided yet. But that show has an interesting cast, so I keep thinking... ;)

I decided to stay in this fairly cheep hotel and it happened to have an offer of 3 nights for the price of 2. It's in the center, close to both schools I'll visit etc. This is a ballet camp of my own, my "holiday in South". A chance to dance and meet some friends, to rest in between and see the town. Yay indeed!

Long gone, but still here!

It's been ages since my last post, but it doesn't mean I haven't been thinking about writing. There would have been Many subjects for posts, but I had just a bit too much to do right before Christmas - and lots to sleep during holidays! :D Schools = work continued couple of weeks ago, so did the dance classes. I've found new energy to do things and really wanted to write.

So, here we are :)

Today the boost for posting was the finals of Prix de Lausanne. I watched it online, though the streaming wasn't too good... During classical variations it was pausing every 10 seconds, really annoying. But the contemporary ones I saw just fine and dandy. Which was nice, as there were couple of dancers who'd chosen Jorma Elo's work (he's Finnish). And in 2 of them the music was by none other than Jean Sibelius, our greatest composer (if you ask me... :D). Too bad it was only a very short bit, but I can tell you it was from the finale (3rd movement) of his violin concerto. One of my favorites. I urge anyone to listen to the whole piece, here's one Excellent version by our Radio Symphony Orchestra and Leonidas Kavakos as the soloist (the finale starts at 27.40 or so).

*** If someone's interested, I recommend also the version played by Pekka Kuusisto. *** 

I've been going to my regular classes now, Friday evening + Saturday morning + Sunday early evening (jazz) + Monday evening. And about 2 weeks ago I took one additional (tourist) class at Footlight (Helsinki) again, such a joy... :) Madame Greve was her "usual" delightful self, if I can say that as I go there so seldom. 

The class started with a short warm-up for legs and ankles, facing the barre. And as we started, Madame M-P was there behind me, giving some fine-tuning corrections! I really did my best the whole 75 minutes, still got corrections - and enjoyed every bit of them. There was one slightly embarrassing moment for me, though -> tendus. Madame represents the French school and I do know that she wants her students to Cross The Legs, I mean Really Cross them. My other teachers are more of Russian school, so no crossing there. I wasn't that sharp when we started and - well, we did the first degage tendu to the front and then the music stopped. Madame kindly reminded us all that we do cross our legs. I knew it was my fault, as I didn't THINK when the routine started. So stupid!! :D She did give me a small look before putting the music on again. 

But from that on it was all okay. Stomach in, shoulders down. One correction for my hand to stay a bit lower in front (as most of the routines were done with one hand on barre, the other in the basic position (not first or second)). As we had one leg on the barre a la seconde, Madame came and wanted me to Point my ankle and toes, as we did  a cambre to the side. "Strech! Point more! Good, good! That's better, look how beautiful!" And I was smiling.... :) There were other compliments too, in different routines, as she had given a correction and I did my best to fulfill it (good! very good!). 

The only thing I didn't hear during the class was "Strech your knees!" But she did say that I should have a bit of space between my heels (in 1st position), because of my knees are like that. And That was something new to me. 

As the routines were new / unfamiliar to me, I had to pay attention all the time very carefully. And I did feel it in my brains afterwards :D Only one set I remembered doing also in December (the last time I took this class) and it was a pirouette exercise in the center. Tendu a la seconde, plie in 2nd position, up to retire (working leg) - tendu to the back, plie in 4th position, up to retire - tendu a la seconde etc. again, but this time retire with releve (supporting leg) - same thing to the back, with releve in the end. It was a good basic exercise, just the kind I need to get a grip on my turns. 

Some small jumps and then a loooovely reverence, all together with Madame. Her hands are just so lovely... And the feet and legs and the whole dancer. I like my regular teachers a Lot, but Madame has that spark from the big world, which gives the classes something extra. 

To close this jeremiad, I put together a tiny collage of what I've been wearing for class in January. I found this mint green, long-sleeved t-shirt from H&M, perfect for training. Tight, but not too much. Fabric feels nice to the skin. In February, maybe pink for Valentine's day? :D 

Made it in Polyvore -> http://www.polyvore.com/ballet_outfit_for_classes_in/set?id=71052536

Now it's time for some cold remedies, got sick on Wednesday evening and it's been getting worse day by day. Yesterday I managed to take a class, no chance today. Or tomorrow. Or Monday... :( But luckily there's a lot of ballet online, so my mind can work :)

Decision time

So, it's done. Enrolled myself - there's going to be ballet on Friday and Saturday, jazz on Sunday. All of these start the Fall semester next week, so I still have to wait. So booooooooring.... :P

But today I'll finally go and try a new class, the second class for Friday (as I wrote last time). Trying new dance classes in this particular school is free, which is quite nice at the moment. It's ballet advanced, but for "younger people". I tried it last October, but didn't have the time to continue regularly. Also that time they'd had the barre routines for a while already, so the teacher didn't show much. It was bit of a challenge, but I got the most.

This time they've had only one class prior to today's, so the routines will probably be explained. The main thing that worries me are the participants. Last time there were 3 girls of maybe 18 and one over 20. I've heard that one of them applied to a university in Helsinki, but don't know if she made it. Maybe some other girls have moved to this class? Last time the teacher didn't have anything against me taking the class, but she might feel different of me going there on regular basis. I'm always over-thinking these things :D

Also... I feel HUGE compared to the girls. I'm tall (177,5 cm's) and not the skinniest. But on the other hand, I learned to accept the "difference" in all my other classes, so probably it'll be okay this time, too. In the Christmas recital last year they had the same purple leotard for everyone, wore them with white tutus. If there's a strict rule about the clothing, for example a class leo, it might be a problem. But we'll see. At 7.15 pm tonight. Yes ma'm.

I know they do pointe work, but don't know if it's regular. Their Monday class is 75 minutes, Friday 90. So it might, just Might, be on Fridays... Anyway, I'm taking the shoes with me today, just in case. Have to try some extra padding for the right foot, before leaving.

I'm quite nervous! :D

Anxiety and classes

Just a short note. I'm trying to figure out what dance classes I'm able to take this year. So far there's going to be ballet on Friday and jazz on Sunday. Also somewhat sure thing is ballet on Saturday.

What I'd Like to have also... Ballet on Monday (maybe another class on Friday, too, so there'd be 2 x 90 minutes), contemporary on Sunday and a streching class just before it. Feels kinda stupid that everything is gathering round weekends. Somehow. Of course I'll be a bit more tired during weekdays after work, but really, it would be nicer to have stuff on Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat. Or something like that.

But I just have to wait. And negotiate with certain people. And of course, as my own work starts again next week, I have to make those schedules - and I tell you, it's one big job. Not the most fun, might I add.

***

p.s. I took another tourist class in Helsinki last Tuesday!!! :) It was a lot of fun (and sweat). Hopefully will have some of those also this school year.

Ballet tourist reports from class!

Well, not "live from class", but almost!

Yesterday's teacher was of course Madame Greve herself. I have experienced her talent once before (read here about it), last September to be exact. This time I could only take one class with her, but decided to make the most of it. (Even though the level was for beginners.) And I sure did - can feel it in my body at the very moment... :D

I had time to warm up before the class, luckily, because the studio felt a bit too "breezy". When Madame greeted us as a sign of starting the real business, I had a comfortable feeling inside, ready to work. Just like in Autumn, the routines were very different from what I'm used to doing, so they kept me awake the whole time. I knew her favorite phrases and we did hear them all - about our popos (bum), tummies, knees (STRECH YOUR KNEE), shoulders (down), neck (long)... But I was also prepared for them, so I got only 2-3 strech-your-knee's and one popo-remark, once also shoulders-neck-stuff. I was happy that she also paid attention to me, although I'm not a regular. I wanted to show my best effort and I think she was happy with it :)

Most of the class we spent at the barré, but that I knew beforehand. Challenging for me was to keep my "working" hand in 1st position almost the whole time. It was somehow liberating, but as I'm used to using the hand, it was also one other thing to keep me focused. From the routines I'd say grand battements were the tricky ones - we stood with our backs close to barre, faces towards the center. Grand battement devant we did that way, both legs. Then a quick turn, other hand on barre, grand b:s a la seconde (that was easier). On the devant side we also had our both hands on the barre, on our sides. I think I've never done it that way, or maybe as a child... It was interesting!

via weheartit.com

We had some time left for center work. Tendus (devant) en croise, en face, efface, temps lie, same tendus with the other leg, tendus a la seconde with some heel down action... It was a nice routine :) Then some small jumps (echappe + soubresaut, then a set of glissades). And last-but-not-least, a beautiful reverence from the back of the studio, walking to the front (not just ordinary walking of course, steps with soul in them) with different port de bras.

Can't wait to get back to her class! I have every second Tuesday off, so I could go each of those days, but don't know if my budget would allow that :D But at least once or twice I Am Going to go this Spring. (I'm also dreaming about taking summer classes in Helsinki, but that's a whole different thing.)

Tourist at ballet class, second edition

Yay! I'm soon off to Helsinki and among other things there'll be a ballet class. Beginner's level (don't have time for the other ones), but still it's going to be amazingly fun, as I know who the teacher is :)

Tourist at ballet class

Precisely 3 weeks ago I sat on the balcony of Finnish National Opera house with 2 friends, watching Blood Wedding. BUT: before that I took 2 classes with a teacher I've heard so much about. And I can honestly say: all the praise is true!

Because of our planned schedule I could participate in the beginners' class and the basic level after it (also we had to leave a bit early for the "show"). But what I can tell you, I was SO nervous beforehand! Most of it was unnecessary, but tiny bit helped me to stay sharp - even when the moves were very easy for me. To put it shortly, I didn't expect any corrections because of being a tourist, but was pleasantly surprised of getting some, both classes.

Yap, that beautiful building in the middle... Photo courtesy of Footlight.

Okay. So there I was, going in to the building of Footlight at Mannerheimintie (Helsinki). Love that hallway!!! Makes it even more glorious to go and have a class with a master. Went there almost super early, but it was good to have time to "catch my breath", change in to my dance gear, warm up a little. A dance-sister came quite soon, too. I was really happy that she made it to the first class, didn't feel so "orphan" anymore. So, soon we went to the studio (smaller one, number 3 I think) and took places by the barre. I was in the corner, near the pillar on the same wall as the door. Dance-sis was right next to me (well, on my left side, haha). There were only about 8-10 people in the beginners' class that time, so Madame had time to look at all of us.

I was actually in front of that black clothe :) Photo courtesy of Pointe Til You Drop.

What I was waiting for the most was actually seing Madame "in action". Despite her problems with her back, she was lovely to look at. At some point the right leg just rose by her ear (12 o'clock), nothing tight to see there! Only a relaxed and skillful person. And her arms in the port de bras... Wow. I also enjoyed very much to be taught in combination of English & French. Feels so different from the Finnish terms that I hear usually all the time. Btw, I have to say that Madame was taller than I thought! But oh so petite in other ways... Very polite, but firm. Some hands-on-correcting, even for me! :)

My corrections were mostly about my upper back, shoulders and chin a little. In tendus I heard very often this "Cross your legs!", which has been a bit of a subject this Autumn for me, since I'm taking classes with 3 (sometimes 4) different teachers. They all have their own styles. But now I know who want tendus/rond de jambes in the back (derrière) to be very much crossed, meaning the toes to be in line with the supporting leg's heel. And I admit that with the others I don't cross That much. But back to Madame. Corrections for the whole group were her "favorites" - "Strech your knee! Present yourself!" Also very often she said to tuck the lower tummy in and our bum had to be in, too, but also tailbone down. She had a fun word for the buttocks, but I don't remember it!

When we had a streching exercise by the barre and in the end of it lifted our leg from the heel to the side, Madame wanted our head to be to the other side. Also the upper body to tilt there, too. She wanted even me to tilt, though my legs won't rise much. Tried it twice. With the right leg it kinda happened, but the left, disaster... :D But otherwise I think I did well during the class. In the end we had some stuff in the middle, and I got the show small jumps as an example because Madame could not do them. Well, she didn't ask me particularly, but asked if someone could. And as no one did, I decided to hop a bit. I think my dance-sis did too? :)

I have amazingly bad memory, when it comes to the routines we did. I can remember only one of them, but that one I remember exactly right! It was this port de bra we did by the barre. First in relevé with right hand, then left. After that in the first position (no relevé) with both hands at the same time (twice I think). The hands were like this (eyes on the hand all the time): first position, second, third, then a looooovely move down = head tilts to the working side a bit, fingers/palm on the opposite cheek side. And when doing it with both arms, in the end they are of course crossed and head tilts the the side which hand is on "top". (Sounds a bit complicated, no? It was and Is easy, but explaining not so easy.) Something swan-like there, for me.

So I made it through the first class, happy and alive. The second class had twice the amount of people, even more, so Madame had only a little time per person during class. But the fun thing was that there was another dance-sis AND a former studying friend of mine! :) Too bad there was basically no time to catch up with them... (Luckily we have this thing called internet. Blogs and facebook etc.)

Many of the routines were the same as in the beginner's, so it eased my mind a bit. Well, in the first class there was more stuff facing the barre, now it was mostly with one hand on the b. I was very curious to see the other dance-sis in action, but there wasn't time/space (as there was so many people). The whole class would have been 60 minutes, but we left 15 minutes early, so no middle floor for us in basic level. One thing happened to me for the first time Ever in this class - there was a man! (I've had Jarmo Rastas substituting his wife when I was a teen, but that's not the same.)

***

What was in it all for me? Very basic things, but So Important.

- The knees. Strech them, baby!
- The upper back and shoulders. Relax them, but still present yourself... Don't forget the chin!
- Tummy & bum in, tailbone down.

Everything can be dancing. When we do the very basic routines, one has to breathe and listen to the music. Look at the hands as they move. It's not easy, but it sure is worth it! :)

***

Who is Madame?

Photo courtesy of Footlight.

Marie-Pierre Greve

Principal Dancer @ Royal Danish Ballet (retired in 2008).

***

 
More Footlight for me in the future? Yes pleeeeease! :) If only the timetable allows me... This weekend I'm having training/education (Suzuki stuff) from Friday till Sunday - and there's a Friday class that I just Might take. The teacher is going to be different, but as nicely spoken of as Madame Greve. And as I've heard also, super effective when it comes to basic elements of ballet. And that's something one needs always. I'm (of course) talking about her!

The studio will be different (this is bigger, number 1 I think) and level will be J1 (next from the basics). Photo courtesy of Pointe Til You Drop.

  
***


Yesterday I took another tourist class, but here in my hometown and with younger people... More about it later, but for now: my bum hurts!!!

Tunti ilman tankoa

Uskaltauduin tänään siis reippaana alkeis-/keskitason tunnille, eri opekin oli tiedossa. Vakkaritunneilta tuttu rouva kertoi odotellessa session alkua, että niin, tässä salissahan ei oo tankoja ollenkaan :D Puolitoista tuntia keskilattialla oli hyvin mielenkiintoista. Oon kuvitellut, että mulla on hyvä tasapaino. No, ei kyllä näyttänyt olevan :D Mutta kivaa se oli. Perus-tankosarjat tehtiin, sitten jonkun verran sen ryhmän kevätnäytökseen tulevia osioita (ilman musiikkia). Pari hirmuisen kivaa hyppysarjaa on tulossa, ja mietinkin jo, että pitäskö koittaa ängetä siihen mukaan! Tehtiin myös diagonaalissa kaikenlaista, Amélien musiikkiin <33333 Piruetteja tehtiin vaan viidennestä ja tokasta, mutta sepä olikin kyllä mukavaa. Varsinkin kun tänään olin ihan supersurkea niissä :D Tein lopulta viimeiset toistot vaan tasapainoja, jotka kyllä sitten taas sujuikin jo.

Mietittiin kahden "meidän ryhmäläisen" kanssa, että olisi aika avartavaa välillä keskittyä vaikka puolet tunnista vaan piruetteihin... Teematunti siis :) Mutta saa nyt nähdä, mitä opettaja on keksinyt keskiviikoksi.

Tänään muuten pääsin tutustumiskertana ilmaiseksi ton tunnin. Sitten on vielä 3 korvauslippulappua käytettävänä, eli aika monta kertaa voin osallistua. Ja sen jälkeen ei sitten hirveästi olekaan jäljellä kertoja ennen näytöstä. Teemana siinä on kuulemma kukat. En tiedä, että ihan yleisestikö vai vaan tän tietyn ryhmän kanssa. Tulppaani- ja lumikellokäsiä vilahteli... :D

Aamu alkoi parin tunnin orkesteritreenillä, kaverin piccolo totteli aika mukavasti. Nyt sitten on jäljellä illan teatteri :) Pitää mennä maalaamaan nassu ja pukemaan kivat vaatteet.