Ballet Central Diary

Brian Allen's Introduction

4th November 2003

Hi everyone I’m Brian Allen, one of the new members of Ballet Central. I’ve come a long way from home in Harare Zimbabwe, where I was brought up. I have one brother (Stephen – 18) and a sister (Kate – 24). My father, and brother live in Exeter now having moved there in 2001 (political trouble etc) with my grandmother (Polly) and Kate lives in Cape Town and will graduate from UCT in December.

We hit the ground running at the start of the new academic year and were straight into rehearsals and workshops. In the second week we danced with George Piper Dances on the Sadler’s Wells Stage - it was an amazing experience and one I hope will be repeated when I join a company and perform there as a professional. The Ballet Boyz were very inspiring and had so much energy, and their enthusiasm gave us energy.

We have been rehearsing two main ballets, the first being a new piece by David Fielding. He has used Stravinsky’s Piano Sonata. It is a very challenging piece, and requires a lot of stamina, especially the second movement which is about five minutes long, and is full of lifts.
The second piece is the pas de deux for Harker and Dracula from Northern Ballet Theatre’s Dracula. I have been lucky enough to be cast as one of the Draculas and I do relish the role. It is so satisfying to dance, throwing and tormenting Harker. The role has to exude power and I love portraying the intensity of the role. However, it’s another piece that requires plenty of stamina, especially for us Draculas as we cannot show we are tired as it would spoil the illusion of the character’s power and strength.

Will sign off here and will keep you up to date with all that we are doing.

Brian Allen

Sarah Kundi's Introduction

4th November 2003

Hello Everyone! I’m Sarah Surinder Kundi, 18 years old and from London. I am half way through the first term of my third year at Central School of Ballet and I am a member of Ballet Central 2004. I have been dancing for the last twelve years of my life and look forward to the exciting and demanding final year at Central – I can’t wait!

So, what has my journey been like up until now? Pretty easy compared to what I’m about to embark upon, I expect! At the age of six, I experienced my first ever ballet lesson with my sister. I took to it straight away and with that went on to win lots of medals at festivals and performed in school shows. By the age of eleven, I realised that Ballet was something that I really wanted to do and so whilst at High School, I trained at the West London School of Dance with Anna du Boisson. It was hard for me to juggle school work and classes in the evening, but I coped… (and looking back, I don’t know how!) The year before joining Central, I attended Saturday classes at London Junior Ballet and I was a Senior Associate at the Royal Ballet School.

Before and during my time at Central, I have participated in many competitions. When I was 12 and 16 I was an All England medallist and I was a finalist at the Molly Lake Award in 1999 and once again in 2002.

I ventured on my professional training at Central two years ago and I then realised that my dream of becoming a professional ballerina was nearing reality!

This summer, I attended Northern Ballet Theatre and Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Summer Schools and I have also gained valuable performing experience at Central School of Ballet performances in 2002 and 2003, the Philip Lawrence Awards in 2002 and Design for Dance in 2003.

In September I qualified for the Bloch Genée Award (hosted by Birmingham Royal Ballet) by passing my RAD Advanced II with Distinction. I will take forth the experience I gained there into my professional career and the friendships made, I will keep in my heart for ever…

Goodbye for now and I’m really happy to be sharing the most exciting part of my life with you!

Sarah

Christie Duncan's Introduction

4th November 2003

Hello everyone!

My name is Christie Duncan and I’m a new diarist for ballet.co.uk which I’m really excited about! I am a third year student at Central School of Ballet and also a member of Ballet Central.

I come from Fareham new Portsmouth where I lived with my Mum and Dad until the age of eleven when I went away to White Lodge. This was such a great shock and change for me as I’d been used to just one ballet lesson a week in my local church hall with Elizabeth Hamer. It was also a surprise as I was so small, just 4’4”, when I began in September 1996, which is why I thought I’d only be there for one year. However, despite only reaching just over 5’, I stayed for all five years at White Lodge.

At the age of 16, I joined Central School of Ballet and received the Gable Scholarship, which is a great honour. My time here has passed so quickly and now that I’m in the third year I’m looking forward to starting the tour in March 2004.

Although it is only November, just a few months into the third year, so much has already happened. September brought about the Bloch Genée International Ballet Competition, a prestigious event that three students from Central, including myself, entered. It was held at the Birmingham Hippodrome which was very exciting, and we rehearsed and took class in Birmingham Royal Ballet’s studios.

The competition was a fantastic experience where I met lots of other dancers, all striving for the same goals and all making the most of the week. This was great as it meant that generally everyone was really supportive of everyone else – something I found was comforting in such a competitive environment. It was also a brilliant opportunity to be coached on variations as well as have a solo choreographed on us by Christopher Hampson. This meant we could work with the staff individually in preparation for the semi-finals. These took place over two days and consisted of the demonstration of class work, our 19th century variations (I danced La Bayadere Act III, 2nd girl) and Caprice, the commissioned solo by Christopher Hampson.

I was delighted when I reached the finals and thoroughly enjoyed all three variations that I had prepared for the big day. I performed La Fille Mal Gardée, Fanny Essler pas de deux – Lise, as well as the other two solos that I danced at the semis. Although I was nervous before I went on stage, I wanted to do it all over again as soon as I came off!

Now I’m back at school and already preparing for the Ballet Central tour. I’ll let you know how this develops and any other news I have.
Bye for now, Christie

Ashley Dixon's Introduction

4th November 2003

Hey Everyone

My name is Ashley Dixon and I’ll be keeping you informed about what’s going on at Central School of Ballet and on the Ballet Central tour.

I come from Hessle, near Hull in East Yorkshore. I started dancing at the age of seven at the Lynn Jenkinson School of Dance. At the age of twelve I wanted to take dancing more seriously, so I moved to the Northern Theatre Dance School, under Julie Lovewell. A year later, I auditioned for the Louise Browne Yorkshire scholarship Centre and was successful, which meant I went to York every week to take classes. The following year I gained a place on the Royal Ballet School Senior Associate programme and took fortnightly classes with Anita Young, who also now teaches here at Central.

When I turned sixteen, I was lucky enough to receive a scholarship for Central School of Ballet’s Senior School. It only seems like yesterday that I started at the school and now I’m a third year preparing for the tour – scary.

Although we’re only a couple of months into the third year, a lot has happened already including entering the Bloch Geneé International Ballet competition in Birmingham, along with two other students from Central. This was the best experience I’ve ever had, helping me gain confidence in such a friendly competitive environment. It was also great to be coached in our solos (I danced a Swan Lake pas de trois) and have a solo created on us by Christopher Hampson.

Anyway, we’re back at school now and preparing for Ballet Central’s national tour already. I’ll keep you up-to-date on that and any other news when I write next month . TTFN, Ashley