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Cecchetti
Society Day
The annual Cecchetti
Day took place at The Arts Educational Schools, Chiswick and it was a
great pleasure to welcome both Mary Goodhew, Ballet Principal of The Royal
Ballet School, White Lodge and Barbara Fewster amongst the packed audience
of guests and teachers.
Dorothy Ind bravely
began the day surrounding herself with some of the tiniest of people!
She explored movement ideas for pre-school age children and improvisation
for older students introducing rhythm and musicality and gently coaxing
creativity in an inspired and charming way. Ena Stillwell provided the
excellent accompaniment that is such an essential part of this working
partnership.
The demonstration
of the Cecchetti children's work arranged by Elisabeth Swan was seamlessly
choreographed and elegantly presented, displaying the strength of the
work as a training method for young dancers. It was also a great pleasure
to see so many boys demonstrating the work so well.
Alan Herdman's
lecture on appropriate body conditioning or remedial exercises for teenagers
was excellent. The importance of accurate placing and desirable strength
was stressed with a range of appropriate exercises given for growing bodies,
adapted to the needs of the individual. The only regret is that this type
of specialist support is not more widely available to teachers.
Juliet Locks introduced
the new Pre-Intermediate syllabus to teachers for the first time. The
work, beautifully accompanied by Stuart Marsden, received a warm response
from members and should prove a valuable addition to the existing syllabi.
The Cecchetti Scholars
gave an exuberant and sparkling display in cleverly choreographed numbers
by Gillian Toogood and Janet Kinson. This was followed by a fluid demonstration
of the Major examination work arranged and presented by Cara Drower. Senior
students from vocational schools reminded the audience how very demanding
and sophisticated the work is at this level and why it is such a valuable
method for producing professional dancers. The day concluded with a witty
and enlightening dialogue between Phrosso Pfister and Michael Holmes as
interviewer and Dancing Master, introducing the background to dances from
the Renaissance and the Baroque periods. The dances were ably demonstrated
with great elegance and ease by Christopher Tudor and Nicola Gaines, accompanied
by David Gordan.
Long service awards
were presented to Phrosso Pfister, Antonia Dugdale and Lesley Green and
a presentation of a Tom Merrifield sculpture was made to Mary-Jane Duckworth
from all the members, to mark her retirement as Chairman of the Cecchetti
Society.
Catherine Hutchon
 |
Linda
Pilkington, Chairman (right) & Mary-Jane Duckworth (left) making
a presentation to Phrosso Pfister |
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Cecchetti
Junior Summer School
The Annual Cecchetti
Junior Summer School was once again held in the beautiful surroundings
of the Arts Educational School, Tring Park. This year's course was held
from July 29th - August 5th and was attended by 107 enthusiastic young
dancers.
Pupils, ranging
from Grade 4 up to Intermediate, came from all over the UK, Belgium, Canada,
Jersey, Germany, Italy and Malta. It was wonderful to see how all these
children were brought together through their love for dance.
The Ballet teachers
included Susan Brooker, Cara Drower, Alison Jenner, Penny Kay, Juliet
Locks, Vince Redmon, Gillian Robinson and Elisabeth Swan. The pupils also
had classes in Contemporary (Nicky Ellis), Jazz (Donna Hayward, Leanne
King & Katie Ley-Wilson), Repertoire (Gillian Toogood) and Spanish (Gillian
Hurst). This Faculty was of course made complete by the inspirational
music provided by the pianists Ferdie Geyer, Adrian Johnson, Stuart Marsden
and Pam Peters.
The week culminated
with the choreographic competition, adjudicated by Birmingham Royal Ballet's,
Jonathan Payn. He offered great encouragement and gave individual criticism
for every piece.
It was inspiring to see so many imaginative ideas and to watch the children
perform their dances with energy and enjoyment. It was the perfect ending
to a wonderful week.
Congratulations
go out to this year's scholarship winners. Kimberley Benson was awarded
a full scholarship while Sarah Kearvell and Ruth Brill were both awarded
half scholarships. Well done to all of you!
Congratulations
must go to Alison Jenner for all her hard work in organising such a successful
course.
Heather Goltman
(Helper)
 |
Scholarship
Winners with Jonathan Payn, Birmingham RB. Kneeling-Ruth Brill, Standing
from R to L - Kimberley Benson & Sarah Kearvell |
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Cecchetti
Summer School at Chichester
A few months ago
I received a phone call from Mrs Duckworth advising me that I had been
nominated for the Pat Hardy Award and I was to attend the Annual Cecchetti
Summer School in Chichester. Without having to think twice about it, I
immediately accepted and planned my summer vacation around the summer
school.
Elisabeth Swan was
certainly an excellent organiser and a wonderful hostess. The course flowed
smoothly from start to end.
I planned my week
to revise my Cecchetti Diploma and also Advanced 2. Each day started with
an unset class and then we steadily revised the work. Kate Simmons, Raymond
Lukens and Victoria Chappell mainly taught these sessions guiding students
and teachers alike through their paces.
The excellent teaching
faculty encouraged all the participants and really worked miracles by
managing to bring out the best in all of us - at an expense of course
- by Tuesday our bodies ached all over. However, we were all eager to
get back into the studios to stretch and strain our bodies again.
Elisabeth Swan,
Heidi Wright and Denise Gillman all formed part of the teaching complement
giving excellent classes at various levels. Linda Pilkington gave a class
introducing the new Pre-Intermediate syllabus.
Several lecturers
were invited to talk about their chosen topics. Rachel Rist (Anatomy)
and Jill Barnes (Music) gave a series of enlightening lectures that will
be very valuable to new and more experienced teachers. Giannandrea Poesio
gave a fascinating lecture demonstration on Italian Mime and the Lost
Gestures. All the participants carefully listened to Giannandrea who conveyed
so much enthusiasm.
Undoubtedly one
of the liveliest moments was Friday evening's session with Robert Harrold
and Marion Roberts, who got everyone to join in a lovely evening of various
dances from all over the world. Barriers were broken with course participants
and organisers dancing and laughing all together.
Unfortunately, a
very exciting week quickly came to an end and soon it was time to say
a very fond farewell to 'old' and 'new' friends. This certainly was a
very inspiring week and all the participants will certainly have quite
a few new points to pass on to their students.
The Cecchetti Society
and especially Elisabeth Swan really did work hard to make this week so
special and such a success.
Thank you - I'll
definitely be back!
Theresa Lungaro-Mifsud
(Malta)
 |
Some
of the overseas teachers attending Chichester Summer School with Linda
Pilkington (Chairman) |
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Cecchetti
Summer School 2000
Once again I had
the pleasure of attending the Annual Cecchetti Summer School at Bishop
Otter in beautiful Chichester. This was my third visit and I plan to attend
many more. Of course the classes, teachers and pianists are, as always
excellent. However I attend the English Seminar because I am so welcomed
there.
Everyone is so
pleasant, kind, welcoming and happy to be there. The seminars are always
extremely well organised. The schedule has plenty of breaks so you can
refresh yourself, get to your next class at a nice pace and enjoy plenty
of free time before and during meals. The schedule is also sent to me
months in advance. This enables me plenty of time to prepare myself at
home for the classes I wish to attend and it enables me to see where I
have time to have a bit of a holiday to enjoy with friends in Chichester.
With such beautiful
surroundings, excellent teachers, great pianists, lovely people and superb
hospitality all in one place at one time, it is a wonder more do not attend.
I will always look forward to each English Seminar knowing I am always
welcome with open arms.
Thank you for another
great time.
Sonja Dickerson
LISTD
St Croix USVI
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Elizabeth
Swan assisting Yukie Fujino from Japan. (Photo by Heidi Wright) |
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Cecchetti
Centre Students' Summer Course 2000
The third very
successful Cecchetti Students' Summer Course took place at the Arts Educational
School, Tring, from 30th July-4th August. Organised by Cara Drower, Director
of the Cecchetti Centre in London. It was open to all students from the
age of 15 currently studying at Advanced 1 and Advanced 2/Diploma levels
and was as usual run in parallel with the Junior Summer Course.
Each morning there
were Ballet classes in both 'unset' and Cecchetti syllabus work at Advanced
1 and Advanced 2/Diploma levels. The teachers were Cara Drower, Richard
Glasstone, Gillian Hurst, Vincent Redmon (Rehearsal Director, choreographer
and dancer with Rambert Dance Company) and David Yow (ex Principal Dancer,
Birmingham Royal Ballet). In the afternoons the students took classes
in pointe work with Cara Drower, contemporary dance with Nicky Ellis,
Spanish with Gillian Hurst, classical repertoire with Gillian Robinson
and pas de deux with David Yow. Vincent Redmon also choreographed a contemporary
piece for the students to music by Smoke City entitled 'Underwater Love'.
The end of course
performance on Friday afternoon was a display of work in progress attended
by teachers, family and friends of the students, members of the Cecchetti
Society Committee and pupils from the Junior Course. The students gave
demonstrations of Cecchetti syllabus work arranged by Cara Drower and
contemporary work arranged by Nicky Ellis. They performed Vincent Redmon's
work and for the finalé, a Spanish dance 'Bulerias', choreographed
by Gillian Hurst.
Susan Balogh
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CTA
Emergency First Aid Course
Sunday 2nd of July
2000 and members of the CTA arrived at ISTD HQ for a course in Emergency
First Aid. The course had been arranged by Tessa Barker and was given
by a St John Ambulance instructor.
As the course began
we were all issued with a personal guidance booklet divided into the topics
we were to cover. Besides the information contained in this booklet we
could fill in vital facts as we learnt them and in its easy to follow
layout would prove useful in the future for a quick refresher. Over a
four hour period we were instructed in the contents of First Aid boxes,
the use of Accident books (for those working in schools or sports centres),
casualty management and the 5 point action plan, the recovery position,
wounds, bleeding and applying a bandage, resuscitation, heart attacks,
shock, choking, fits, stings and head injury. Our instructor taught us
with a good balance of facts and practical guidance punctuated with humour,
which made the morning enjoyable and interesting for us all. It was advised
that this course be taken every three years.
The appreciation
of teachers to the importance of a First Aid course when working with
children and adults was reflected in the fact that the course was full.
Our thanks go to Tessa for organising such a worthwhile and beneficial
course.
Judith Wilson
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Linda
Pilkington (L) presenting the Peter Pearson Scholarship to Diana Cremona |
At the end of the
day the CTA's Peter Pearson Scholarship to Chichester Summer School was
presented to Diana Cremona by Linda Pilkington, Chairman of the Cecchetti
Society Faculty Committee.
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Diary
of Events 2000
| 5th
November |
Northern
Mabel Ryan Awards, Pomegranate Theatre, Chesterfield. For details and
entry forms apply to Pat Garfield, 3 Werrington Mews, Church Street,
Werrington, Peterborough, PE4 6GJ (01733 574836). Closing date 18th
October. |
| 12th
November |
A
Tribute to Ashton and Cecchetti, with artists of the Royal Ballet Company,
in the Linbury Studio Theatre, The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.
Tickets available from the Box Office. |
| 18th
November |
Choreographic
Competition, Cecil Sharp House, NWI. For details and entry forms apply
to Linda Isaacs, 15 Atherstone Road, Canvey Island, Essex SS8 7DD. (01268
693636) Closing date for entries 30th October |
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Diary
of Events 2001
| 7th
January |
Meeting
of Cecchetti Teachers' Association. For details contact Diana Cremona
on 01483 851212. |
| 18th
February |
Preliminaries
- London Mabel Ryan Awards. Arts Educational Schools, Bath Road, Chiswick
W4. For details and entry forms apply to: Susan Handy, 20 Eton Road,
Datchet, Berks SL3 9AY enclosing a large sae. Closing date 29th January
(to be confirmed) |
| 4th
March |
SW
Mabel Ryan Awards, Bridgwater Town Hall. Details and entry forms from
Pamela Miller, 53 Maes-y-Gwernen Road, Morriston, Swansea SA6 6LL Tel:
01792 774561. Closing date 1st February. |
| 10th
March |
Preliminaries
- Southern Area Awards, Shoreham by-Sea Community Centre. For details
and entry forms apply to Miss M Caulder, 296 Selsfield Drive, Moulsecoomb,
Brighton BN2 4HJ enclosing large sae. (01273 601117) |
| 18th
March |
Finals
- Southern Area Awards. Venue as above. |
| 25th
March |
Finals
of the London Mabel Ryan Awards and Barbara Geoghegan Award. Cochrane
Theatre, Southampton Row, London WC1B 4AP |
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| Examinations
- Major examinations. The Classical solo now required at all levels
in both A and B categories. |
| Pre-Intermediate
& Intermediate |
| This
should be the teacher's own choreography, lasting approximately 1 minute,
and should not be on pointe. Piano music should be used. |
| Advanced
1 |
| As
Pre-Intermediate & Intermediate but may be danced on pointe by Category
A girls. |
| Advanced
II |
| Either
the teacher's own choreography or a repertoire solo. To be danced on
pointe by Category A girls. Orchestral music may be used for a repertoire
solo. |
| NB-
Pre-Intermediate and Intermediate examinations held at studio sessions
should always be at the beginning of the day. The revised syllabus for
Pre-Intermediate will become compulsory as from January 2001, from which
date it will no longer be possible to submit entries for the Senior
Certificate examination. |
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Maestro
Cecchetti Diploma
Our congratulations
go to Susan Handy who was awarded her diploma in July 2000
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