Just Like Old Times: April's Company Class
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| Company Class 29 April 2023 © 2023 Powerhouse Ballet: All rights reserved |
It has been a long time since we last had a class with Mark Hindle and he has done some great things since we last trained with him. Not the least of those achievements was graduating from The Royal Ballet School and National and International Workshop Leader training programme. Apparently, he was the first Black or Mixed Race male teacher to graduate from that or any other training programme with the Royal Ballet School.
Mark's classes have always been challenging. His motto used to be: "Why be good when you can be great" He is even more ambitious now. For instance, his second exercise at the barre which turned out to be tendus was as follows. Mark asked us to step away from the barre and execute petits battements devant, à la seconde, derrière and en croix, make a half turn and then repeat the whole exercise again. All at a cracking pace.
The ronds de jambe, grands battements and other barre exercises were more conventional but no less demanding. I had trouble keeping up but nobody else did. Indeed, everyone including me relished the challenge. Mark gave us a lovely adagio in the centre starting with chassés, balancés, pirouettes and so on. We proceeded with glissades, pas de bourrés, remps levés and pas de chats.
The ronds de jambe, grands battements and other barre exercises were more conventional but no less demanding. I had trouble keeping up but nobody else did. Indeed, everyone including me relished the challenge. Mark gave us a lovely adagio in the centre starting with chassés, balancés, pirouettes and so on. We proceeded with glissades, pas de bourrés, remps levés and pas de chats.
Because the last Saturday of April fell on a bank holiday weekend, several of our regulars were unable to join us. I know from the "likes" and comments on our Facebook and WhatsApp groups that many of them would have wanted to do so. Many of those who attended Saturday's class had travelled very long distances.
For that reason, it may be sensible to reorganize Powerhouse Ballet into regional groups around Liverpool and North Wales, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cheshire, West Midlands and Yorkshire. We could still come together for company-wide workshops and rehearsals and perhaps quarterly company classes. I will give the idea some thought and canvass opinion.
For that reason, it may be sensible to reorganize Powerhouse Ballet into regional groups around Liverpool and North Wales, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cheshire, West Midlands and Yorkshire. We could still come together for company-wide workshops and rehearsals and perhaps quarterly company classes. I will give the idea some thought and canvass opinion.
We have now held two classes in Ballet Contours. It is a well-equipped modern studio underneath the railway arches. Heather Boulton has fitted it out with a sprung floor, travelling barres, a good sound system and even a café which also sells dancewear and other merchandise, It is not far from Salford Central and Salford Crescent and there is parking right outside the front door. We were grateful for that as it started to rain tigers and wolves or, as Holly might say, oedd hi'n bwrw hen wragedd a ffyn (literally, "it rained old ladies with sticks") the moment we drove away.
Our next company class will be a special one because it will mark our 5th anniversary. It will take place at Dance Studio Leeds between 13:00 and 14:30. I have booked Jane Tucker for the occasion. It will be our first class with Jane since our performance in November. I for one am looking forward to it immensely. All her classes are good.
Our next company class will be a special one because it will mark our 5th anniversary. It will take place at Dance Studio Leeds between 13:00 and 14:30. I have booked Jane Tucker for the occasion. It will be our first class with Jane since our performance in November. I for one am looking forward to it immensely. All her classes are good.
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