John Coumbe-Lilley’s Post

Ballet is not an easy path, however it has definitely had a major impact on the person I have become. The discipline and teamwork that dancing taught me are only some of its many benefits. Read these testimonies to learn more!🩰 👉 https://lnkd.in/e8MsPEig

Ballet Touring Class: Depending how you travel either by bus, by train, ot longer trips which could mean just a few hours by plane but depending on the time zone and long international flights as London to Sydney, even if dancers are very adaptive individuals they will have to go slowly and not give to much effort for at least the first 24 hours after landing. On the plane obviously dancers cannot do any stretching or warm up, nor a class, so you might look or walk a little bit as an "octopus" when you go to the baggage claim to collect your luggage. First, ballet class after 24 hours flight, is hard, but dancers are capable to mask all that with a special ingredient of adrenaline. Ballet tours are exhausting, but are an excellent experience for all the ballet company members. Of course, it may happen that after a long tiring flight a dancer might be ill, so an urgent alternate or replacement must be set. During ballet tours, you have to take care what you eat and what you drink, you must remember to not try the traditional food specialities of the new country, your stomach has to slowly adapt itself. Ballet classes are then more based on simple enchainment, warm up and a lot of stretching, then the technique will return active and stronger after one day.

Does Perfection Have To Be The Measure Of Ballet? Is it possible to imagine the ballet world without a primary teleology of aesthetic perfectionism and a baseline of low self-worth? Is it possible for our culture at large to stop conceiving of art and fame in this way?

Case Study: Royal Expressions Contemporary Ballet Company and School Website Overview: The website for Royal Expressions Contemporary Ballet Company and School is an online platform that serves as a dynamic hub for engaging with parents, guardians, plus ametuer, and professional dancers. Designed with a focus on movement, the site embodies the vibrancy and fluidity of contemporary dance while providing essential information about classes, events, and promotions. Client's Goal: The primary goal of the website is to effectively connect with parents and guardians of potential school attendees, as well as professional dancers seeking opportunities to market themselves and engage with schools and studios. The client expressed the necessity for a dynamic and engaging online presence that accurately reflects the energy and creativity of Royal Expressions. Design Elements: 1. Movement: The design of the website emphasizes movement, mirroring the grace and agility of dancers. Through strategic use of animations and custom icons depicting dancers in motion, the site captures the essence of contemporary ballet, ensuring a visually stimulating user experience. 2. Deep Contrast for Accessibility: Deep contrast was employed throughout the design to enhance readability and accessibility for all users, especially considering the diverse audience of parents, guardians, and professional dancers visiting the site. 3. Custom Icons: Custom icons featuring dancers were crafted to add a unique, personal touch to the website, reinforcing the theme of movement and artistry central to Royal Expressions. These icons serve as visual cues that guide users through the site and create a cohesive aesthetic. Unique Feature: The standout feature of the website is its dynamic nature. By focusing on capturing the essence of a dancer's movements without resorting to intrusive background music, the site achieves a balance between creativity and user experience. The incorporation of animations and custom icons ensures that visitors are immersed in the world of contemporary ballet while navigating the site seamlessly. Through a harmonious blend of design elements and a commitment to maintaining a dynamic online presence, the Royal Expressions Contemporary Ballet Company and School website successfully fulfills its purpose of engaging with parents, professional dancers, and the wider community, embodying the spirit of innovation and artistry that defines the institution. #beardedBlackbrandnerd

What are you brave enough to suck at? I took ballet for the first time at age 24. Every evening for a month, I drove across town and practiced ballet for two hours. I was in waaaaaaaay over my head. Ballet terms are in French--who knew? Not me. I was clueless when the teacher called out 'tendu,' 'rond de jambe,' etc. And it was *hard.* I got into amazing shape that summer. Now, I watch ballet and wonder how the dancers are not all red-faced and puffing. You know what, though? I had the *best* time. That ballet class is one of my most joyful memories. Being an absolute beginner is okay--exhilarating, even. We think we need to have stuff figured out before we begin; and yet we only figure things out by doing. (And the doing turns out to be...fun. Surprise!) If you want to write a nonfiction book but you're an absolute beginner and have no idea where to start--I've got you. I created Book In Six to take aspiring nonfiction authors all the way from "idea" to "the end" in six months, with 183 days' worth of specific action items. It's everything I've learned about writing nonfiction books, all in one place. Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/gmJyzfpK When is the last time you were an absolute beginner? My most recent experience with this: salsa lessons! So fun! 💃 [Image: the author in a jean jacket, white shirt, floral shirt and white chunky shoes. Dressed up like a girl from the early 2000's for a "dress like you did in high school" event]

We dancers all experience some basic concept, you start discovering that from your first ballet class. While you grow up you start hearing some ballet teachers, ballet colleagues saying: No pain, no gain ! But you start understanding the real meaning of these cut glass words when you initiate your professional dance career in a ballet company. Days in which a simple tendu might hurts the toes, a Demi Plié might hurts the knee or the hip joint, a cambré might ache the spine, a pas Deux rehearsals will hurt your full body, finally a full stage performance might feel as a poison to your body. More you approach to the 40's more you feel as a prisoner and chained. More chains become heavy, more your elevation get lower. But after all chains or not it's only your stubborn love to the art of dance that keeps you alive and keep you motivated that you really don't feel the pains, actually you start loving it. Only dancers will understand the real meaning of my words.

There are new moves ‘a foot’ in the teaching of ballet! 🩰 (See what I did there?!🥴) I am working on a leadership project at the fantastic performing arts college in Sidcup - Bird College. The excellent team of Ballet teachers is led by Justine Berry PDTD RTS ARAD PGCE MA. (Bird College is extremely lucky to have her expertise available). Justine also works within the Royal Dance Academy training ballet dancers to become ballet teachers. She has many responsibilities in the Ballet world! Yesterday was really fun! We had an intense debate about the difference between training and teaching. Developments in the pedagogy for Ballet teaching formed part of our discussion. Tradition dictated that Ballet teaching was focused on preparing the body through intense repetition. (And much more, of course.) Recently the approach has changed to being based more on mind and body - seeing the connection more holistically. “Start with in end in mind” Stephen Covey says. I was reminded of this during the facilitation. A quick Google search led me to this article about the traditional teaching of Ballet and some of the limitations of preparing dancers for the new dynamics of work. https://shorturl.at/zfGw1 It can be challenging for people to leave behind their beliefs having had an experience based on years of tradition and heritage. Adapting to new thinking and embracing new philosophies is hard without the personal experience deep inside to make changes feel safe. This is where trust plays a huge part in leadership. Effecting change is exciting and refreshing. It is also challenging and demanding. Sometimes an external faillitator can guide teams through differing perspectives. How is your team embracing change? What new philosophy might be causing a debate in your world? #balletteaching #leadershipdevelopment #changemanagement

As a former ballet dancer, I've found my way back to watching a lot of YouTube ballet videos.   In watching the videos, I'm reminded of the need for FOUNDATIONS in ballet!   If one cannot do a "tendu" with appropriate understanding, one cannot dance well in ballet.   Tendus can be thought of as completely boring and basic - "no big deal" kind of moves.   Yet, a mastery of tendus is significant.    I constantly think about FOUNDATIONS with estate planning.   If one cannot do simple preparations with appropriate understanding, one cannot plan for the future well in estate planning.   Yet, just as in tendus, there are numerous factors and complexities with the “basics” that can completely throw people off. Doing sloppy tendus over and over again is useless. Lacking the understanding of tendus is the first problem . . . then we need to practice our understanding, build the right muscles, change tempos, change exercises, etc.! Tendus and basic estate planning require some depth - depth that you can gain (and practice) with the right help.   

Warming up and cooling down the body may seem basic for many dancers, but for Indianapolis Ballet, Inc. principal Yoshiko Kamikusa it’s of optimal importance. Learn about Kamikusa's daily conditioning regimen, certification in sports medicine, and more: https://lnkd.in/eZjXG2Mu #conditioning #dance #workout

The surprising similarity between ballet and success: Before you get anywhere in ballet, you first fail—a lot. But the dancers who make it, are the ones who learn from their failures and get back up. It's the same with success. You stumble and fall, you fail, you lose confidence. But asking yourself the right questions after a failure can change everything: - What did I do wrong? - What can I do better next time? - What lessons can I learn? You're not a ballet dancer, but you have something in common with them. Failing is just a step towards success. Picture: Me talking to my students after the ballet exam. They made a mistake in the waltz variation but still continued. I am praising them for not giving up.