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Donna Schoenherr - Founder and Director of  Ballet4life takes the floor

 A little dark and rainy evening hello to everyone! I wanted to let everyone know that we are now having guest bloggers on a regular basis. SO if there is something you want to shout out about or are curious about please let me know and we can give you a slot here!

 It is all about dance, wellbeing, ballet, health, support, community, taking care of yourselves,  each other and our beautiful planet!

20 November
Neither here nor there!


Hello everyone,

Hope this finds you all well, staying warm, dry, and having a nice Autumn. I cannot begin to tell you all how busy this term has been! Every day it seems like an exciting surprise flies in and lands on my lap! I am so grateful and inspired by developments with Ballet4life and with our charity Move into Wellbeing®. Hard work, dedication, and perseverance DO pay off!

We also welcomed a new teacher to our roster and continue to diversify our broad range of top-quality dance tuition! Here is Ioanna Bili working with one of our Int/Adv dancers, Mary.


As some of you may know, we now teach MiW classes with full support from Hounslow Council at a lovely venue in Brentford. The class is so popular and well attended that we were invited to hold a second weekly class too. I went along yesterday to observe and am so pleased with what Chris is doing and with the attendee’s output and enthusiasm. Great stuff! #danceforall #danceforhealth


MiW class in Brentford

Beatrice, our lead teacher, is now offering a new Monday morning Int/ Adv ballet class in Greenwich which is building up nicely. She and I are also working on an invitation to offer MiW classes in Greenwich, so watch this space! Very exciting!

Our new classes in Chiswick, W4 are building nicely and we are working hard on spreading the news so everyone can benefit from having dance in their lives as a tool for better health and wellbeing. We just did a big campaign and contacted all GP practices in the area! Dance works- believe me! It helps the following: reduce BP, reduce stress, increase general fitness, increase flexibility, mental acuity, improve balance and confidence, improve coordination
, produce the feel-good hormones that last long after class. Our classes also provide an outlet for people to meet, form friendships, and to have a social network. VITAL elements for a balanced lifestyle!

I am on a committee and our group is called “Chiswick Together.” We have been brainstorming since last spring about ways to help deal with this topic of isolation and loneliness in our own community. Our first series of free coffee meetings has started. This happens on Wednesdays from 12-2pm at Christ Church, Chiswick.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Gayle
Yesterday I met with one of my formative ballet teachers from my early days of training. I had the privilege and honour to have Mr David Gayle MBE train me for over two years at my wonderful school The Enid Botsford School in Rochester, NY.
https://www.facebook.com/EnidBotsfordLegacy/

David not only was a distinguished professional ballet dancer with Royal Ballet amongst other illustrious companies, but he also set off at an early age to forge his way in teaching, and organisation of big dance events and to create dance organisations, He founded the highly respected Yorkshire Ballet Seminars.
https://www.ybss.co.uk/

For over thirty years this was a hot spot for major talent and inspiration, the carrying on of traditions and knowledge, and cross-pollination. The current director of the Royal Ballet was one of David’s much-loved students. David has so much knowledge and so many stories. I had a truly delightful time visiting him drinking tea from fine china cups, watching ballet videos and listening to the rain pummel his flat’s windows. When he escorted me to the gate for my departure home and the wind was roaring, our umbrellas breaking, rain coming down steadily he said heartily “This is a Yorkshire weather and I love it!” I am working on getting David to come do a ballet /dance themed Q and A in the New Year! Hopefully, I win him over to the idea.


Mr David Gayle, MBE with Donna a few years ago


Next up is artist Charlotte Fawley’s showing of her dance themed art on Saturday 24 November at the studio at St. Peter’s Hall, W4 1BB and our 50+ dance OPEN STUDIO on 4th December.
http://www.charlottefawleyart.com/







Charlotte’s Christmas card will be on offer.


I look forward to seeing you all soon!


With best wishes,

Donna 

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