| Berkshire
Cecchetti Teachers Course
Sunday
10th October
Pilates and Pointe Work
Gillian Robinson's Bucklebury Studio
Though
not really raring to go on a Sunday morning, I found myself
absolutely captivated once more by the intricacies of Pilates.
Presented
by Emily Brown, we were left in no doubt as to how effective
this method can be in correcting any stance and muscular weakness.
Despite resounding grunts and groans, there were many cries
of "Oh, yes!", when the right muscles were engaged.
Emily constantly reminded us how to breathe correctly whilst
we squeezed the relevant parts and, whether it was our first
or subsequent outing, the sound of puffing and blowing gallantly
rose above the winces.
Exercises
with partners also achieved success; Emily constantly talking
us through the moves as we worked. We all had in mind various
students of our own who would benefit from specific exercises,
especially those assisting a strong arabesque, though there
were one or two particularly painful exercises we thought
we might reserve for our enemies. For me, the highlight of
the morning was being able to sit on an examiner! Much was
learnt by the clarity of Emily's teaching and we limped out
to lunch, eager to pass on our new-found knowledge as soon
as possible.
After
much discussion and delicious reviving soup, we returned for
a session on pointe work. Annabel and Isabelle were 'volunteered'
by their teachers to be guinea pigs. Gillian had devised exercises
for the beginner, up to exercises to aid Advanced 1 students.
Despite both girls having done only a year of pointe work,
with Gillian's lively and encouraging manner coupled with
simple but clever exercises, they achieved a level of success
of which even we teachers were envious.
They
worked solidly for almost two hours and although Gillian reminded
them there was back-up from two of the younger, braver teachers
if their feet became too sore, neither Annabel or Isabelle
were going to give up the limelight without a fight. Many
of the suggestions and tips Gillian gave us were to aid students
with difficult feet, which I know will prove invaluable.
Though
no teachers danced, we ached from 'doing it' with them. We
inspected and admired the girls' blisters afterwards and,
although we were secretly relieved it was them rather than
us, the two standby teachers left very disappointed!
Thank
you to Emily and Gillian for such an enlightening and inspiring
Sunday; tomorrow we hope to pop
up, squeezing in the right places, fresh-as-daisies in our
own dance studios.
Yolande
Parkin
Photograph: Alan Robinson
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