Ballet4Life Talks Dance

END OF YEAR REFLECTIONs from Donna    Hi everyone, Remember me? With my Christmas stocking I know it has been so very long time since a new Ballet4Life Talks Dance blog was created. Apologies if you felt abandoned- you were not! This silence was not due to a cautionary forecast of fading trends nor wondering if people read anymore, but simply due to life's fullness and waves of electric synergy and movements.   "Company Warm-up" at Watermans Art Centre with Beatrice Ghezzi- May 2023 Ballet4life is nearing its 20th Anniversary, this milestone, which I am deeply proud of, also comes with a certain amount of reflection, reviewing, with long- and short-term projection & planning and wonderment and curiosity. When I think back on the now thousands of people I have had the privilege to meet, work with, teach, mentor, facilitate good quality dance training for, befriend, support, help on their career paths, help through grief/illness/loss, it is a bit mind blowing!?! I ...

Ballet4Lifer-of-the-Month of March!! Hiromi Bunch Apologies for our delay here, it has been very busy! Without further Adagio *, oops we mean ado  we now have the great honour to share Hiromi's words with you. Hiromi's calm elegance, steely focus, friendly personality, and lovely alignment and placement in our classes has always impressed her teachers and fellow dancers. She is also a wife and a proud mum to their son and will enjoy being pampered and adored on  Mothering Sunday on 19 March! When did you start dancing? - When I was a young girl, I had bad asthma and so I went to swimming lessons regularly.   Then I started Jazz Dance at high school.   I got a chance to learn ballet and modern dance when I was in my mid -20’s.   As a young dancer In a Ballet4Life class with fellow dancers.  What makes dancing so special to you? -When I dance it gives me fresh mindset for the rest of the day or the week.   When did you start with Ballet4Life? ...

Ballet4Lifers-of-the-month of February  Sticking with the Mother & Daughter theme, we bring you the lovely duo mum Marilyn and daughter Lisarain. They are always trying their best in our classes, focussing, smiling, working hard, and being delightful to be around. Their deep love and admiration of Classical Ballet certainly shows! We hope to have them on stage together dancing a Traditional Chinese Dance at our next Dance Showcase Fundraiser!  Together in moments from a Traditional Chinese Dance  Together in a moment in a Ballet4Life class  Marilyn's words: My daughter suggested that I should try ballet in 2017. Through her own experience of learning ballet, it not only brings better physical health, but also enhances mood, especially benefitting  the elderly. Despite enjoying my career as a doctor since graduating from university in the 1960s, even well after retirement, I always loved different forms of arts, and one of my favourites is ballet. I enjoy...

 Ballet4lifers-of-the-month- January Donna's Art Work- created for Alina Luts  Happy New Year!  2023 Mother & Daughter Kseniia & Polina   We shall embark on 2023 with hope and optimism for balance and world peace. Our feature this month is a most special and remarkable one in that we highlight a Ukrainian mother- daughter duo who have withstood extreme challenges, and have bravely carved out and embraced new lives here in London. We welcome the beautiful pair, Kseniia Kurinna and her daughter Polina , to share their histories and tales with us here, and we are very grateful that their paths crossed so poignantly and powerfully with Ballet4Life. (Original text written in Ukrainian, kindly translated by Polina, with a few tweaks from yours truly.) Kseniia performing in London in Alina Luts' Ukrainian Dance Ensemble "Stefania" When did you start dancing? Kseniia as a little girl and she says: My "class near the Barre- look at my feet!" When I was 4, ...