IMPERIAL
CLASSICAL BALLET Chichester 2000
Excellent tuition,
inspiring insights, good friends, fine food and great accommodation is
how I would describe my week at University College, Chichester.
I arrived on a
sunny Saturday afternoon in eager anticipation of the week ahead. I had
attended the course the previous summer and had found it so confidence
building and enjoyable I had no hesitation in booking for this year.
The first event
of the week was a lecture on Health and Safety by Nicola Coote. This
was very much appreciated by all the Associate Diploma candidates, including
myself. An excellent evening meal followed, setting the standard of catering
for the rest of the week, after which there was a general gathering in
the Murray Hall. This was a chance for us to meet the Faculty, make new
friends and re-unite with old ones from college and dancing days. I was
pleasantly surprised to meet up with Fatima Lima, who I had danced with
10 years ago, (is it really that long??) whilst in the Companhia National
do Bailado in Lisbon, Portugal. Chichester has a distinctly international
flavour with people travelling from many corners of the world. This year
some of the teachers came from as far away as Trinidad and Tobago and
were finding the British summer a little cool. The course began in earnest
bright and early on Sunday morning. Two groups, one of Associates and
the Associate Diploma and Licentiates, alternated between two venues,
a beautifully equipped (and wonderfully large) dance studio and the Murray
Hall.
With every intention
of taking it steady at the start of the week we all threw ourselves into
the dancing, resulting in more than a few aching limbs and sore muscles,
but it's difficult to contain your energy with lecturers such as Miss
Rycroft, Mrs Prime and Miss Fish. Their enthusiasm for the work is tireless.
They take us through the syllabus from Primary to Advanced I, covering
every inch of the technical aspects, giving us invaluable advice relating
to all our individual circumstances and showing us the remarkable musicality
and artistry the Imperial Ballet Syllabus can develop. In their own individual
style and manner they so unselfishly impart their knowledge. In Mrs Primes
words "I think you now know all I know". I'm not so sure, but
I'm doing my best to learn.
Both groups came
together as lectures continues in the evening, covering several set variations,
and here special mention must be given to Pat Linehan and Alison Friend
our accompanists for the course, not only did they provide us with wonderfully
inspiring music for the week, but also a much needed lecture on time
signatures and musical influences, a blessing for the Associate candidates
I'm sure, but also very useful for established teachers, some of whom
are not lucky enough to work with a pianist regularly. I could write
another page on the help and knowledge I gained from the residential
course, but I have to tell you that it's also great fun. I made friends
with like-minded people, shared ideas, jokes and a drink (or two!) in
the college bar after a hard days work.
I know I speak
for everyone who attended Chichester 2000 when I say a huge thank you
to all involved in organising the course.
I personally would
like to thank those teachers who inspired me through my days at Bush
Davies to be the best dancer I could be, and now continue to inspire
me to be the best teacher I can be.
So with September
just around the corner, I am looking forward optimistically to the new
term with a clear knowledge of the syllabus and many new and original
ideas to pass onto my pupils. I also have a renewed confidence for my
next status exam and so will hopefully be back for more in 2001, on the
next rung of the ladder.
Jill Tindale
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Imperial
Ballet Faculty Official Associate Course
In April 2001
the Imperial Classical Ballet Faculty will for the first time be providing
an official 3 week in-depth teacher's course for those interested in
gaining their Associate qualification. It will provide teachers and students
alike with the opportunity to attend a course, which covers all the syllabus
requirements and gives an in-depth insight into current teaching techniques
and methodology. There will also be an opportunity to take the Associate
examination on completion.
If you have students
who are considering taking the Associate qualification please pass this
important information on to them. This promises to be the course of the
year and if you don't attend any other in 2001 make sure you or your
students get a place on this one. Places will be strictly limited, so
contact Mrs Julia Beattie for further details ASAP.
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This
article was written by Miss Rosemary Sarjent who composed the Class Test
Music
Music for Class Examinations Primary, Standards 1 & 2
There have been
queries on how to adapt the music for some exercises now that the children
are no longer entered in groups of six. This applies to exercises done
on the diagonal. The music should still be played as written and the
teacher should adapt the grouping of the children to fit.
Examples
Primary - Gallops
forward on Diagonal with four children can be grouped 1, 1, 2.
Standard 1 -
Running into a Picture - This music is easily cut and should not
be a problem.
Standard 2 -
Moving to Phrases of Music - If the musical examples are used, it
does not matter that every child will get the same number of phrases.
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Imperial
Ballet Competitions, Bursaries & Scholarships
Imperial Ballet
Awards
Held annually
in March for pupils who have passed Grade III and above. There is a competition
for each Grade where the children take part in a short class and dance
a set Solo in groups of three. Prize money is awarded to be spent on
further training with you or a teacher of your choice. Entries are only
accepted through teachers who must be members of the Imperial Classical
Ballet Faculty.
The Stella Mann
Bursary
Miss Stella Mann
very generously donates the prize money which in the year 2001 is to
be £1000. Competitors must hold the Intermediate certificate or above
of the Imperial Classical Ballet Faculty and be between the ages of 14
and 16 years on the 1st September 2000.
The competitors
participate in a class conducted by a guest teacher or one of the senior
examiners of the Faculty. There is no dance to perform.
The Baines-Hewitt
Award
in
association with the GORDON EDWARDS CHARITABLE TRUST
An award of £500
for present or former pupils of a qualified Imperial Classical Ballet
teacher who have been accepted, or are attending one of the following
establishments: The Royal Ballet School, Central School of Ballet, Elmhurst,
English National Ballet School or Northern Ballet School.
The competitors
must hold the Intermediate certificate or higher of the Imperial Classical
Ballet Faculty and be 16 years and under 19 years of age. Again the competition
takes the form of a class and there is no dance to perform.
THE ABOVE COMPETITIONS
WILL TAKE PLACE ON 3rd/4th MARCH 2001 at QUEEN MARY & WESTFIELD COLLEGE,
MILE END ROAD. LONDON. CLOSING DATE FOR ENTRIES IS FRIDAY 5th JANUARY
2001
Further information
on any of the above awards may be obtained from the Faculty Secretary:
Mrs J Beattie,
8 School Close,
Braunston,
Daventry,
Northants
NN11 7JD.
Tel 01788 899127
Imperial Ballet
Awards
The dances for
the awards will only be taught ONCE only prior to the 2001 Awards
on Sunday 3rd December 2000 at the following times :
| 10.30
- 11.30am |
Grade
V Girls Grade VI/Pre-Inter Girls, Grade V/VI/Pre-Inter Boys |
| 11.30
- 1.30pm |
Grade
III Girls, Grade IV Girls, Grade III/IV Boys |
| 1.30
- 2.15pm |
Lunch |
| 2.15
- 3.00pm |
Intermediate
Girls |
| 3.00
- 4.00pm |
|
Advanced Girls,
Intermediate Boys, Advanced Boys
Fees:
- Morning only
£15.00
- Afternoon only
£10.00
- All Day £25.00
The new dances
for 2001 are Girls Grade III and IV, Boys Grade III/IV and Girls Intermediate.
There are three cassette's of Award Dance music.
- Grade III/IV
Girls and Boys
- Grade V/VI/Pre-Inter
Girls and Boys
- Intermediate/Advanced
Girls and Boys
Please order PRIOR
to the Award Dance Course. Each cassette will cost £6.00 To book for
the above course please send your name together with your cheque or postal
order for course fees and cassette's to the Faculty Secretary Mrs J Beattie.
Cheques to be made payable to ISTD Imperial Ballet. Please enclose an
SAE.
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