MB Academy of Dance
The Scout Hut
Flamsteed Road (off Rustat Road)
Cambridge
01223-213120
Classes are taught by Zoe Mottaz-Boukouvalas, with adult ballet on Friday evenings, from 6.30-7.30. My informant says, 'It's for mixed abilities, and Zoe is very good at setting the levels so that everyone from beginners to advanced students are stretched, but no one feels left behind. She is young and enthusiastic, and the atmosphere is friendly and informal. Her technique is very good.'
The Russian Ballet School
University Sports and Social Club
Corner of Mill Lane and Laundress Lane
Cambridge
01223-365804 (evenings)
My Cambridge correspondent writes, "Director Karen Stringer herself began ballet as an adult. She knows how hard it is for her adult beginners/returners -- and she also knows from personal experience that we are capable of more than we think, no matter what our age or experience. Her classes are enjoyable."
My Cambridge correspondent mentions that both of the locations above are used for ballet only during the times listed. MB Academy is about a mile from the centre of town, but has ample free parking. The Russian Ballet School is as central as you can get, and has parking facilities beside the school for weekday classes only. Students with cars should collect the key to the car park barrier from the steward at the downstairs bar. Since this listing first appeared, I've heard from the director of The Russian Ballet School, who writes that she entered eight adult students in examinations last June and they all achieved at least Pass Plus, and two received Honours. It seems to me that this school would be an excellent one to check out.
Here's the latest from ballet teacher Karen Stringer: "Just to further encourage adult ballet learners you might like to know that in March of this year I passed the final teacher's exam of the National Association of Teachers of Dance at the age of 58. I got Merit (80). I was examined by Beryl Morina who is famous for producing THE guide to mime in ballet and who herself learned from Mathilde Ksesschinskaya, the prima ballerina assoluta of the Maryinsky Theatre (and the last Czar of Russia's lover). I have been very inspired by Miss Morina and was very honoured to be examined by her." 8/03
Danceworks
16 Balderton St. (opposite Selfridges)
London
0207 629 6183
Recommended teachers are Renato Peroni and Theresa Kelsey. My correspondent writes that both of these teachers care a great deal about their students, run very safe classes, and know ballet inside out, emphasising control, placement and building strength in the right places.
First, regarding Renato: "Renato teaches a pure classical Maggie Black Barre (rumoured to be more Maggie Black than Maggie Black!) and a Balanchine inspired centre. The emphasis on technique in these classes is legendary, and you do see a lot of improvement in all his regular students. He is a perfectionist and it is not unknown to repeat the same exercise three or four times, with something new to concentrate on each time. Far from being dull, the class is enlivened by Renato's use of philosophical and comic examples to make his point clear." Classes are: beginning ballet on Thursday 7-8pm and Sunday 1-2:30pm; intermediate on Sunday 2:30-4pm; and professional Tuesday through Friday 10-11:30am.
About Theresa: "Theresa is teaching the RAD method. She has an uncanny ability to see absolutely everything that's going on in her class, and everyone gets a lot of individual corrections." Her classes are: beginning ballet, Tuesday 6-7pm; easy pre-elementary, Monday 5:30-6:30pm; and hard pre-elementary, Saturday 2-3:30pm.
Morley College
61 Westminister Bridge Road
London
0207 928 8501
Two different persons have written in to recommend two different teachers. The first is Anne Aylor: "Anne came from the US, teaches Russian-style ballet, and is a very patient, musical and stimulating teacher. Instead of correcting bits and pieces, she identifies the keys to make you stay in balance longer and jump up higher. She is very serious about technique and she usually attracts students who are serious and care about the detail or subtlety of movements. Anne also trains your musical sense; her allegro is challenging while her adagio is stunningly graceful. Finally, she always encourages each individual to make progress, without adopting the old British way of trying to push students forward by promoting a strong sense of competition, or defeating their ego. Her enthusiasm will really impact you." She teaches every Friday night, with an elementary class from 6-7:30 and an intermediate class from 7:30-9.
Also recommended is Jane Carr, whose student writes, "She is the best thing that ever happened to adult education with regards to ballet. She is the ultimate teacher for adults taking on ballet for the first time. She put me through my basic and improvers course for my access course, which has since enabled me to start a degree in Dance. If she hadn't taught me, I would be finding my ballet course extremely hard round about now. She makes the most difficult concepts look so easy and has a nice professional and kind manner about correcting people. She is based at Morley College and is the director of dance and drama there. She is rarely thanked for her hard work but needless to say I and lots of others are extremely grateful to her for her continuous support."
Pineapple Studios
7 Langley St.
Covent Garden, WC2
London
Classes at the above London studios are taught by Suzan Zalcman, ARAD (i.e., taught using the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus). For more information, contact Suzan at 01 171 289 1869.
The person who recommends this teacher began ballet at age 27, and Suzan was her first teacher. After three years of class, my correspondent says, 'I can hold my own in higher level classes without too much embarrassment.' She goes on to say: 'I can recommend Suzan's classes, especially for a complete beginner who does not want to spend the first year just performing plies (like some basic classes I have tried). The classes are of a mixed level, but generally the classes at Pineapple are more basic than those at The Urdang Academy.'
Willow Dance School
St. Georges Church, Hamilton Avenue
Tolworth
Surrey
07956 182488
Joanne Brack has recently introduced a new class for adults in Tolworth on Tuesday evenings at 7pm. A student (and Blue Diamond newsletter subscriber) writes: "It is a very relaxed class, not like the children's classes I remember! The exercises range from grade 2 upwards, although it doesn't matter if you have not had any previous experience in ballet. The exercises are all in soft-shoes, with no particular uniform, just something comfortable."
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