| Malta
Mid-December
is generally considered a time to start unwinding in
preparation for the Christmas break. This, however,
was not the case with the Cecchetti Dance Faculty in
Malta. Cecchetti teachers and students worked tirelessly
during an intensive course covering the Vocational Grades
work and the Cecchetti Diploma.
Diane
van Schoor, Principal of The Royal Ballet School and
International Examiner for the Cecchetti Society, visited
the island as guest lecturer. The local representative
of the Cecchetti Society in Malta, Ms Theresa Lungaro
Mifsud, organised three full days of classes and discussion
at various local dance schools. Despite the cold snap,
classes were well attended and both students and teachers
were quite happy to participate.
Diane
willingly shared her expertise and knowledge with everybody
present, encouraging all to get onto the dance floor
to experience the movements. She taught the syllabus
work very clearly and creatively, describing how to
build up to the work technically and artistically.
Through
the syllabus and also by means of stimulating unset
work, Diane emphasised the use of musicality and rhythm
to bring out the quality of movement. She also accentuated
the importance of technical precision and the understanding
of body mechanics in order to create flow of movement
and line. Each class surpassed the previous one with
motivated students and teachers being further encouraged
to achieve more.
Discussion
time gave the opportunity to expand further on queries
that would have arisen during class as well as giving
teachers an insight into the training at vocational
schools of quality – where both traditional and
alternative dance practices are used to help the dancers
evolve to today’s needs.
It
was a wonderful weekend, which unfortunately came to
an end too soon. I would like to thank Ms Elisabeth
Swan and Ms Juliet Locks who helped to make this course
possible, who lifted all our spirits and encouraged
us to be courageous and to dare to challenge ourselves
and our students to pursue our dreams of teaching good
ballet.
Theresa Lungaro-Mifsad
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