Queensland Ballet Principal Clare Morehen Conversation

What motivates you at 8am on a Monday Morning?
Routine. I am a routine driven person, which kicks in the second my alarm goes off at 7am on Monday morning. The thought of coffee initially gets my dazed body out of bed. Then it’s off to the gym to get my body going and get the week started!

Why ballet?
The answer to that question has evolved over the years. As a child it was a hobby and time spent with my friends. As a student it was the thrill of striving for perfection and the exhilaration once a step was first achieved and then mastered. As a professional it’s enhancing the technique to create a character and project emotion to an audience. I love that the more I learn about this art form the more there is to be learnt. It is a never ending cycle that keeps me both inspired and intrigued.

What are you looking to dancing in the new season and what are the big challenges likely to be?
Performing a Pas de deux from Carmen in our upcoming International Gala. I love dancing with Keian Langdon, one of Queensland Ballet’s Principals, and immersing myself in emotionally driven roles. This scene comes from Act II where Carmen has read her tarot cards and foresees her death at the hands of her lover Don Jose. The big challenge lies in the Gala setting. We need to be immediately present in the scene, as with an excerpt the audience will not have been exposed to Carmen’s journey.

Who would you most like to dance with and what would you dance?
My ‘to-do’ list always included two pieces: Forsythe’s In the Middle Somewhat Elevated for the demanding technique it requires and its extreme use of extremities; and MacMillan’s Manon. Dancing Manon’s Aunt as a student, I was privileged to watch Sylvie Guillem and Darcey Bussell perform it night after night. I fell in love with the role and its dramatics.

If you could dance anywhere in the world (not only a theatre), where would you dance?
I think you build relationships with a theatre and there really is no place like home. Each theatre is its own organism and breathes life and rhythm. The Playhouse theatre in Brisbane, where I have performed the most in my career, makes me feel so safe, relaxed and grounded. I have the freedom to flourish and enjoy the journey of performance.

Although if the opportunity arose… maybe Bora Bora, close to Tahiti in French Polynesia ?
You trained and danced in the UK- at The Royal Ballet School, The Royal Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet before moving to Queensland. What do those particular experiences bring to your performances in Australia?

Moving to the UK at the age of 16 really opened my eyes to the world of dance and what it could offer as a career. I was exposed to a plethora of amazing artists and opportunities that were much more expansive than what I had seen as a child. My training at The Royal Ballet School was exceptional and set me up for a great, fulfilling career. I now feel I bring the best of both worlds to the stage; my refined technique and my ingrained Australian fire.

How do you prepare your point shoes?
I still wear the same pointes I started dancing in: a stock-standard Bloch Suprima 5 ½ B. I remove 1/3 of the sole with a Stanley knife, shave the outer sole (to aid balance) and remove the satin from the tip (so they don’t fray). I then sew criss-cross elastics to support my arches and add ribbons. Each pair takes about 45 minutes and it’s probably my least favourite part of the job. I often wish I could get someone else to do this for me!

What is your daily routine at the moment?
After returning from our annual regional tour we are back in rehearsal mode. I head to the gym first to get my heart pumping and then to work for some pre-class Pilates and stretches. After training I start my day at Queensland Ballet with Company class at 10am and then have rehearsals until 6:00pm with both principal and group rehearsals. Afterwards, I head to the sauna to relax my muscles, and then it’s finally home time! I spend the evening with my boyfriend, enjoying a home cooked meal and TV or a movie… and maybe a massage if I can swindle it. He’s very good!

What do you eat during the course of a typical working day?
I’m a grazer; I like to eat a lot of things frequently throughout the day. I learned early on that dancing on a full stomach wasn’t so easy. You can just imagine the comfort of a partner squeezing at your full tummy! I enjoy high energy, high protein snacks throughout the day including, muesli bars, nuts and fruit. My favourite dinner is crumbed fish and salad or vegetable stir-fry. I’m also prone to a Cadbury Crunchie or mixed berry pie for a treat!

You can ask six famous people to dinner- who do you invite?
Dylan Moran, Stephen Fry, Tim Minchin, Judith Lucy, Billy Connolly and Dawn French. I’d just sit back and watch…

What would surprise people about you?
That I couldn’t do the splits as a child! I was very inflexible and had to work really hard for the flexibility I have now. Most of the Company wouldn’t believe that if you told them.

Who inspired you to dance?
My mum initially inspired and encouraged me to dance. Throughout my journey there have been a number of teachers who have pushed me: Kim Bradshaw from Sunbury School of Dancing, Elizabeth Hill from the Victorian College of the Arts, Jacqueline Barratt from The Royal Ballet School and most recently, our Artistic Director Francois Klaus. Each has nurtured my passion and guided me toward the next phase of my career.

What is your best piece of advice?
Always be happy! Love a lot and be kind to yourself. Life is too short to waste so spend it on your most heart-felt desires and passions.

How do you prepare in the hours before a show?
I like to get ready for a performance early. I don’t like to be stressed or running late at all. After daily rehearsals I like to grab some food and do my hair and make-up at a relaxed pace. I then move to the studio and prepare for warm-up barre. Afterward I pre-set my costume changes, rehearse some steps on stage, touch up my make-up and finally, take a moment to relax into my role for the evening.

How do you deal with the stress of performing?
You can only do the best that you can do, on any given day under the circumstances you’re presented with. I like to stay calm and approach each performance as it comes. I do my best to look after myself by resting and eating well. At the end of the day, we are all only human.

Which role has tested you the most and how?
Emotionally, performing Blanche in A Street Car Named Desire was a huge dramatic challenge for me. I was worried I would not be able to perform a 40-something Southern belle with a deteriorating mental state! To play the role with justice and honesty I worked extremely hard on mannerisms and expression. At the conclusion of the season I was promoted to Principal. I must have done something right!

Technically, Aurora from The Sleeping Beauty is the most demanding role to tackle. It requires a huge amount of inner strength and confidence. You have to battle your demons of failure and produce a self-assured performance. It was the ultimate challenge of mind over matter.

If you were to design your own ballet costume, what would you create?
It would have to be either a leotard similar to Yumiko Takeshima’s, as nothing beats a beautiful bare body showing off amazing technique, or something similar to what I wore for Nils Christes’ premiere piece Short Dialogues for our International Gala last year. It was a long-sleeve shirt top. Tight along the arms, loose around the body with little shorts underneath. It was a dream to dance in!

What do you look for in a dance partner?
Someone who possesses both strength and sensitivity. Someone with inner beauty and a passion for our art form. Height is also welcome! (I often grab my boyfriend pre-show, a lighting technician for our theatre, to rehearse finger turns. His 6’4’’ is perfect for me and I think he may have missed his true calling!)

What is your favorite quote?
What if the hokey-pokey really is what it’s all about?

Do you have a ‘signature step’- one that come naturally to you?
If you asked anyone in the Company they’d probably say it would be something with a battement/kick. Front, side… wherever! My legs have a mind of their own.

A phrase I use far too often is…?
When’s our first performance?

What’s been your best on-stage moment so far?
One of the most memorable moments was when I entered ‘the zone’. It has only occurred a handful of times during my career. Athletes talk of this phenomenon, when you enter a sense of heightened being and relaxed success. I knew while dancing that everything was going to go well. It was during the Black Swan pas de deux for our return season of Swan Lake in 2010. I felt amazing and unstoppable!

Do you have a secret skill which no-one knows about?
My boyfriend tells me I’m the queen of the gallimaufry! I can make a meal out of any pantry’s contents, which I think stems from being a poor student. Give me a stone and I’ll make you some soup!

In terms of your ballet career, where would you like to be in a year from now?
Hopefully, in a similar position to what I am currently: happy, healthy and challenged both technically and dramatically.

What is your exit strategy, for the time you stop dancing, and how did you plan it?
A constant question to ponder… Sometimes I think I’ll go back to University and do something completely different and then I realise I’m too passionate about this industry to do anything else. How could I possibly leave all these amazing, passionate people and this unique lifestyle? I think it would be really difficult to find another career to equal the intensity and passion I have for this one. Within the industry I think I would lean towards a répétiteur type role. I have an eye for perfection and think I would enjoy the challenge that accompanies that job.

Source: http://balletnews.co.uk/cupcakes-conversation-with-clare-moorhen-principal-queensland-ballet/

Black Swan Workout by Natalie Portman

How did you get Natalie Portman ready for her close-up?
I took my program, which combines mat work, cardio, and ballet and created a customized version for her. On the one hand, we wanted her to look the part so that her character was believable—ballerinas have obvious physical markers like long, lean muscle and beautiful posture—but we also wanted to make sure she was able to move and dance like a professional ballerina. Because of this, many of the exercises had a dual purpose. We’d work on her inner thighs to change how her leg was shaped but it’d also help her get a tighter fifth position. Or we’d target her abs to give her greater definition but also build her center of balance.

Did Portman have prior ballet experience?
She took ballet classes until she was about 13 years old. But she had never done point work before. When I first met her we got her fitted for shoes and I showed her how to sew the ribbon and elastic onto them. Getting her on her toes for the first time was a big adjustment—it was very foreign to her at first—so we started with basic relevés in first position and branched off from there.

How long did you work with Portman?
Natalie was very devoted to preparing for this role. She had a body double for some of the harder turning sequences but 90 percent of the dancing you see in Black Swan is her—even the upside-down splits! We started training a year before rehearsals began. We’d meet for five hours a day, six days a week. Even after filming started, we’d squeeze in sessions. Nat would spend 12 to 14 hours on set but we’d train in the morning and evening. It was a very intense time.

Did you include any cross-training in your sessions with Portman?
I did. Ballet can be hard on your joints and when you’re on a movie set doing take after take it can become really repetitive. To give her joints a break, we’d go swimming because it allowed us to work on her endurance and elongate her muscles with zero impact. We swam about a mile each day, doing the front crawl and breast stroke—I had her do these really long, ballet-type movements, reaching ahead in the water as far as she could.

The million-dollar question: Why are ballerina dancers so fabulously lean?
Ballet targets smaller muscles that you don’t often use—instead of working your quads it works the inside and the back of your leg. It also raises your center of gravity—when you’re standing in first position, you’re pulling up through your stomach and opening your shoulders so that you’re working your back and upper body. The inner thighs are engaging and you’re squeezing your butt to make sure you’re perfectly lifted. Everything is basically firing as one—and first position is just a resting point!

Godunov ballet

Ferdinand’s growth from ballet dancer To England captain

Rio Ferdinand’s past life as a ballet dancer is revealed in a campaign being fronted by the new England football captain.The National Portrait Gallery pictures Rio Ferdinand relaxing in a leather chair as part of the marketing drive.

According to Sky News, this refers to his background as a dancer who attended classes four times a week for four years. Born in Peckham, south London, Ferdinand’s sporting career started at the age of 10 when he was invited to the Queens Park Rangers Football Academy.

However, when he was 11-years-old he also won a scholarship to the Central School of Ballet in London. He traveled by bus from his home to central London to get to the classes. The dance lessons improved his natural balance but eventually he chose a career as a footballer and signed his first professional contract in 1995

The Manchester United defender joins historical figures, such as artist LS Lowry, King Charles II, Lord Nelson, and Mary, Queen of Scots, for the campaign.

Anitra N Keegan will teach Ballet III this semester

Anitra N Keegan will be teaching Ballet III this semester. Anitra began her training at the Academy of Dance Arts in New Jersey, where she received honors in both the Dance Education Syllabus and the Royal Academy of Dance examinations. She continued her training at the Royal Academy of Dance in England, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet in Carlisle, and Pennsylvania Ballet School in Philadelphia. After graduating from highschool, she began her professional career with Pennsylvania Ballet Company, Ohio Ballet Company, and American Repertory Ballet Company.

Ms. Keegan then moved to New York and continued her dancing career with DancesPatrelle, Chamber Dance Project, BalletNY, where she was featured as “Desdemona” in John Butler’s Othello. During this time in her career, she was featured in roles choreographed by Alonzo King, Donald Byrd, Laura Dean, Heinz Poll, George Balanchine, Thaddeus Davis, William Soleau, and Stanton Welch. Upon joining BalletX in Philadelphia, she has had the privilege to have worked with choreographers such as Christine Cox, Matthew Neenan, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Jodie Gates, Edwaard Liang, Alex Ketley, and Meredith Rainey. Ms. Keegan is also a graduate of Mason Gross School of Arts at Rutgers University.

Ballet dancer: Alina Cojocaru

Alina Cojocaru is a female principal dancer with The Royal Ballet of London. She was born on 27th May 1981 in Bucharest, Romania. From her young age she studied gymnastics. Later she began ballet classes, despite never having seen a live ballet.

At the age of 7 or 8 she began gymnastic classes, progressing at the age of 9 to a Bucharest ballet school which acted as a feeder for the Romanian State Ballet school. In January 1997, aged 16, she competed in the Prix de Lausanne, a prestigious international ballet competition. She won the gold medal, winning a six month scholarship to train at the Royal Ballet School in London. She moved to London that same year to commence her training, but did not speak any English. Cojocaru's early appearances with the company included performing in the opening gala for the refurbished Royal Opera House, plus appearances with the corps de ballet in the Kingdom of the Shades from La Bayadère, as a snowflake in The Nutcracker and as a doll in Coppélia.

Ballet dancer: Allie Bertram

	Allie Bertram is a Ballet dancer from Calgary, AB. She is a graduate of the International School of Ballet. She participated in so you think you can dance canada ,she was one of the top 19 contestants. Allie Bertram was Runner-Up. That week she performed "Rock This Town"—Stray Cats, style was Jive with Danny Arbour.

Georgian National Ballet

Ballet dancing for beginners

Ballet dancer: Anders Selinder

Anders Selinder was a Swedish dancer, Ballet master, choreographer and director who lived during 4 November 1806, Stockholm-6 November 1874, Stockholm . He was the master of the Royal Swedish Ballet from 1833 till 1856.

Anders Selinder was also a premier dancer at the Royal ballet in the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm in 1829-1846. In 1833, he was appointed as the ballet master at the age of twenty seven, and replaced Per Erik Wallqvist, who had first shared the position with Sophie Daguin; Daguin was principal of the Opera's ballet school, and together, Selinder and Daguin are considered to have uphold a high standard in the ballet. Selinder are considered as one of the most notable of the masters in the ballet. During this time, there was a new interest for the old Folk dance, which were at that time disappearing, and Selinder learned them and preserved them by making them in to ballets. He wrote several ballets and made the choreography to the national opera Värmlänningarne in 1846. In 1856, Selinder lost his position; Sophie Daguin was fired the same year, and this is considered to be the start point of the decay, which was considered to affect the Swedish ballet during the second half of the 19th century. After 1856, he created the first travelling Swedish ballet company and toured in Sweden; they also performed folk dance and instructed everyone interested in learning. In 1858-1866 he managed a children's theatre, and in 1870-1871, he was joint director in the theatre Ladugårdslandsteatern.

World Ballet Competition 2010 - Christina Ricucci

Christina Ricuccu, the 11 year old girl won the gold medal for her Murrieta Dance Project in the introductory division held at the World Ballet Competition, 2010. She was also the Hope Award Winner at the 2010 YAGP - San Diego, and 1st place winner at the YAGP Philadelphia. For this particular dance she also won first place at the KAR National Finals in Las Vegas 2010 and at the Bravo Competition in Los Angeles.

Ballet dancer: Agrippina Vaganova

	Agrippina Yakovlevna Vaganova was an outstanding Russian ballet teacher who developed the Vaganova method- the technique which derived from the teaching methods of the old Imperial Ballet School.Vaganova's whole life was connected with the Imperial Ballet of the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg.
Ballet did not come easily to Vaganova in her first years as a student, but slowly, through the efforts of her own will power, she was able to join the illustrious Imperial Ballet upon her graduation. By the time she attained the rank of soloist, Saint Petersburg balletomanes dubbed her queen of variations, for her unlimited virtuosity and level of technique.

Ballet dance: Isabella's 1st Ballet Competition

Ballet dance: How to Behave Responsibly at a Ballet?

Professional ballet dancers spend countless hours preparing for a performance. They are expected to follow several rules of etiquette for their audience, both backstage and onstage, to ensure a successful, entertaining show. It is the responsibility of the audience, in return, to respect the dancers by also following a few rules of etiquette. Remember the following rules of etiquette the next time you attend a ballet performance.

Arrive on Time
It is considered courteous to arrive on time, even a bit early, to a ballet. Some theaters do not allow late seating, meaning you may not be able to enter the performance hall once the ballet has begun. Ballet audiences become extremely annoyed at people walking in front of or stepping over them, as a ballet is emotional...it simply ruins the moment. If you must be late, wait until the first intermission to find your seat. Sometimes there will be a pause or a break with enough time for an usher to help you find a temporary seat.

Be Silent
Once the ballet has begun, be as quiet as possible. Do not talk, unwrap candy, tap your feet, or make any other sounds. Cell phones have become a major distraction at live performances. Make sure your cell phone is turned off or silented, and never attempt to answer a call.

Don't Take Pictures
Don't even bother bringing your camera. Dancers rely heavily on lighting during a performance...a flash could interrupt their spotting technique, or even blind them for a second or two, which could result in injury. Some theaters have laws against cameras of any kind.

Ballet Ireland: Romeo And Juliet

The company performs a new production of the classic ballet, choreographed by Morgann Runacre-Temple.
Location
Ardhowen Theatre
Dublin Road
Enniskillen, County Fermanagh BT74 6BR
Phone: 028 6632 5440
Website: www.ardhowentheatre.com
Date:Fri 29 Oct 8pm

Theatre By The Lake
Lakeside
Keswick, Cumbria CA12 5DJ
Phone: 01768 774411
Email: enquiries@theatrebythelake.com
Website: www.theatrebythelake.com
Date:Tue 16 Nov 7:30pm

Source:http://www.list.co.uk/events/dance/ballet/

Youth America Grand Prix

Youth America Grand Prix is the world’s largest student ballet competition that awards over $250,000 scholarship annually to leading dance schools all over the world. This competition will be held annually worldwide and in New York City.

This competition was launched in 1999 by two former ballet dancers of the world-renowned Bolshoi Ballet, Larissa and Gennadi Saveliev. YAGP was created with a mission to provide extraordinary educational and professional opportunities to young dancers, acting as a stepping stone to a professional dance career. It aims to fulfill its mission by offering:

• Educational opportunities for dance students around the world
• Opportunity to receive contracts to dance companies worldwide
• Scholarships to leading dance schools in the U.S. and abroad
• Invaluable professional exposure to world-renowned dance professionals
• Performance opportunities on some of the world’s most prestigious stages and at dance festivals around the world
• Workshops with the renowned master teachers and judges of the competition

The annually sold-out Youth America Grand Prix Closing Night Gala featuring YAGP finalists on the same program as the stars of the world’s leading dance companies, "Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow,” will take place at New York City Center on Tuesday, March 22, 2011.

Ballet dance: Moscow International Ballet Competition

New York International Ballet Competition

Ballet dance: New York City Ballet

The New York City Ballet, one of the foremost dance companies in the world, is unique in US artistic history. Solely responsible for training its own artists and creating its own works, the New York City Ballet was the first ballet institution in the world with two permanent homes, the New York State Theater at Lincoln Center and the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, New York. Explore what New York City Ballet has to offer — its rich company history, repertoire of ballets, and world-class dancers.

Location & Nearby Info: David H. Koch Theater 20 Lincoln Center Plz New York, NY 10023 (212) 579-4176 Event date & time: Wed, Jan 19 - 7.30pm Thu, Jan 20 - 8:00p Fri, Jan 21 - 8:00p Sat, Jan 22 - 2:00p Sat, Jan 22 - 8:00p Sun, Jan 23 - 3:00p

Kings of ballet dance: Margot fonteyn

The ballet dancer of all time suits well to Margot Fonteyn and she is an excellent ballet dancer of 20th century. Let us see how her Margot started her dancing career. At the age of eight she started to learn ballet from the Russian teacher and at the age of fourteen she joined the ballet school to learn ballet. At the age of twenty she performed a role in Giselle and swan lake and at the age of thirty she toured the united states of America and became as the most famous celebrity due to her performances.

At the age of 21 she and her dance partner Robert helpmann toured several countries and her passion towards balled dance had not stopped. Most of them thought she would retire, but at the age of 43 she paired and danced with the male ballet dancer Rudolf nureyev and it happened to be a successful performance. During her entire career life she danced for the royal ballet and she was honored with the title prima ballerina assoluta. She did many main roles and got many awards and honors such as dbe, women of achievement and she was also a chancellor of university of Durham. The great dancer life was ended at the age of sixty in panama