Migrating Swans - Dance Classes for the Over 50s in the North

Whooper swans which migrate from Northern Europe Source Wikipedia

I mentioned Scottish Ballet's outreach programme for senior citizens in "Scotland" on the 6 Nov 2013. The programme came to the attention Emma Ailes of the BBC who published the video and article "'Silver Swans' taking to the barre later in life for ballet lessons". The name "Silver Swans" seems to have stuck and there is now a similar programme in the North of England.

According to the RAD Silver Swan workshops offer a specially designed morning programme for the mature dancer. They includes "a gentle ballet class alongside the opportunity to socialise with other like-minded people, as well as providing the chance to experience another dance genre". They are aimed at the over 50s who either already enjoy ballet and want to improve and develop their interest in dance or for those wanting to start dancing again after a break. The classes can also accommodate complete beginners for whom this may be their first experience of dance. These workshops take place at

• St Peters Community Centre in Haslingden, 
• Richmond Dance Centre and 
• Heatherlea Dance Studio in Glossop. 

Further information can be obtained from Louise Wilkie  of the RAD.

Northern Ballet already runs wonderful beginners and intermediate classes for the Over 55s in Leeds which I reviewed in "Realizing a Dream" on the 12 Sept 2013. Prospective students can attend a taster class as well as many other events at Northern Ballet's Open House at Quarry Hill on the 15 Feb 2014.

I have written a little bit more about adult ballet (including a clip of the class that I attend) in "Adult Ballet Classes" on 7 Sept 2013. Reviews of all the classes that I have attended are indexed at "Adult Ballet Class Reviews".

You can get some good tips from the Doing Dance section of the BalletcoForum website, particularly the "Simply Adult Ballet" and the "So, You Want to Learn to Dance? - but....uh...I'm an adult...." threads. Some of the contributors are dance teachers from all parts of the world.  One from San Diego California is particularly  helpful.

Blogs on learning ballet as an adult that I enjoy are

• Adult Beginner a young mum in Los Angeles with an infectious sense of humour;
• Dave Tries Ballet  a young man who started ballet as a graduate student in the USA a few years ago who progressed to the point that he can now appear on the same stage as Elena Glurdjudze and Arionel Vargas; and
• Pointe till you Drop a lady from Helsinki called Johanna who has also made a lot of progress.

I am sure you will find your own favourites.

Post Script

I emailed Ms. Wilkie for further information just before I went to sleep and I have just received the following reply from her together with an application form and flyer which is impressive in itself.  Here is the material part of her reply:

"Royal Academy of Dance Silver Swans events are specially designed mornings including two classes for the over 50’s led by RAD teachers taking place in March 2014. For some, these mornings will be an opportunity to try out dance for the very first time. Others in attendance may have danced in the past and want to rekindle their interest. For those who have previously experienced ballet and want to further their interest, the workshop includes a second class in which participants will be introduced to another dance genre for example tap or jazz.
Recently featured on BBC News, these classes are aimed at the mature dancer and include gentle ballet and non-ballet classes that will get your whole body moving to music. The workshops, which include both classes, costs £10 to attend and take place at the below venues.

Venues;
Tuesday 4 March
Manchester Road Methodist Church, Haslingden
Ballet & Jazz (teacher Charlotte Omerod)

Saturday 8 March
Richmond Dance Centre, North Yorkshire
Ballet & Jazz (teacher Maureen Mundell)

Wednesday 26 March
Heatherlea Dance Studio, Glossop
Ballet & Tap (teacher Joanne Craven)

Timetable
10.00-11.00 Ballet class
11.00-11.30 Cakes and coffee
11.30-12.30 Non-ballet class

Anyone over 50 who is either new to dance or is keen to re-join, or wishes develop an existing interest can attend. The mornings all include the essential social aspect where participants can meet new like-minded people, enjoy refreshments and hopefully make plans to get ‘back to the barre’ at the next available dance class or RAD event."

I have inserted a link to the locations on Google maps

I think this is a wonderful initiative. The scheme in Scotland which I mentioned above seems to have worked very well. I shall certainly try to participate though the timings and locations are inconvenient. The nearest centre to me is Glossop but I work very long hours and I already do ballercise and core on Wednesday afternoons and ballet on Wednesday evenings at Huddersfield University (see "Team Hud Adult Ballet Class" 22 Jan 2014 and "For those who may be interested ........" 25 Jan 2014).  I have to remind myself that I am a barrister not a ballet dancer.  The Saturday class would be ideal but Richmond Dance Centre is nearly 80 miles from my home and and between 90 minutes and 2 hours drive away. 

Nevertheless. I will try to find a way and will report back here as to what happens.

Around the Blogosphere: Adult Beginner

I think I have found a real treasure in "Adult Beginner". Look at the drawing on her "About Page" of "Your adult beginner ....... as compared to your usual beginner." Brilliant!   In other words this blog is about people like me. Or more accurately about people I aspire to be.  For although in one sense I am not a beginner in that  I took my first dance class in 1970 when I was an undergraduate, in every other sense I certainly am because there was a 42 year gap between those early lessons and my starting again.

Adult Beginner shares my sense of humour.   Look how she divides her blogroll into "Badgers" and "Mushrooms".  I remember struggling to keep a straight face through class immediately after the I had seem mrweebl's "Badgers" for the first time.   That blogroll incidentally has led me to several other delightful blogs this evening such as Johannan Balettikassi's "Pointe till you Drop" and "The Ballet Bag" which I shall review later.

My favourite bits of "Adult Beginner" are the "First Class Stories". Shear Schadenfreude!   I thought of offering my own first class story but it was such a long time ago that I am not sure my recollection  is accurate.   I could contribute my first class after a 40 year gap story but would Adult Beginner really like to know how I felt among a whole crowd of teenagers and 20 somethings young enough to be my granddaughters?

Also worth a laugh is "Le Lac des Poulet" - photos (I think) of "Adult Beginner" in fancy dress.   In the words of "Classical Ballet Teacher"  who also blogs: "You [Adult Beginner] have more guts than I ever will.".I was also delighted to find a lady at the barre from Norwich who is even older than me. Although there is one carping comment those photos seem to have amused a lot of people, including Cyril:

"Super ! J’adorre.

Je suis clown et metteur en scène en France et en Russie, et je commence en mars les répétitions d’un spectacle que j’appel “le lac des poules”, c’est en cherchant ce qui existait sur internet que je suis tombé sur votre site. (je ne veux pas faire une caricature du lac des cignes, mais plutôt chercher ce que serait une danse, un geste comique).

En tout cas bravo."

My last French class was even earlier than my first ballet class but I think he means something like this:

"Super. Love it.

I'm a clown and producer in France and Russia and in March I shall begin rehearsals for a show that I shall call "Chicken Lake". It was through looking out for what existed on the Internet that I stumbled upon your site. I don't want to parody "Swan Lake".  More a dance show in its own right.  A comic sketch.

Anyway Bravo!

My sentiments exactly, Cyril, and not just for Lac des Poulets" but for Adult Beginner's blog as a whole..

Learning Ballet as an Adult: Maegan Woodin's Top Tips

The best advice for someone who wants to learn dance that I have found on the internet so far comes from Maegan Woodin who seems to be quite a remarkable young lady.

She has made a series of short videos for Howcast which appear on YouTube.   I have already mentioned and linked to her grand jete video in the glossary.

Her top ballet tips are a good place to start:

I can certainly endorse her advice on attending class regularly and finding a good school and a good teacher from my personal experience (see "Where to learn")..