Taiwan

Just met Tzu Ling Chang, a young dancer here at Peridance  (New York) from Taiwan.  He was a member of the Horse Dance Company located just outside of Taiwan in Bang Chow.  At their studio near the Ming train station Tzu Ling said that adults could take the morning ballet classes from 10-12:30.  The phone number there is 02-2967-4495.  You will see the website also has an English version but I think you will have to contact them and ask about joining the class.  Adults with at least intermediated training are welcome on an open basis.

Moscow

I was in Moscow for a long rainy weekend at the end of August this year– not long enough to figure out the dance school scene.  After a day and a half at the exciting Tratyakov Gallery's Central House of Artists , just north of Gorky Park I attended a floor barre class at a place called 5Life.  The class was taught by a woman called Svetlanna, and it was incredibly thorough and focused on classical ballet technique for detailed work on turnout and positioning.  Through the open door to the next studio though I could see a woman working on her pole dancing routine and truly I wondered what kind of establishment I had stumbled upon.  In any case Svetlanna knew what she was doing, clearly she had years of serious Russian ballet training and knew how to communicate it to an adult audience.  We need more classes like this in the world.

Children's Ballet School Peridance NYC Downtown

Have to mention the great children's ballet schedule of classes at Peridance.  It's convenient for Williamsburg kids and Greenpoint kids as well as it's one block from the L train right off Union Square.  My god daughter has been in the program since the first level of littles doing organized movement and performance.  She is now in Kindergarten, in her third year at Peridance and has just begun at the bar in a baby blue uniform and a little bun.  She loves it.

Palermo, Sicily

Associazione Stage Centro Danza, Palermo, Sicily, Italy

I was there before the regular classes started.. so I joined one class for the company of the Teatro Massimo. What a treat!  They have regular classes for adults beginning end of September.  You should just go by and see them when you are in town and/or check the schedule on the website.  Location click here.

NYC Greg Zane at Peridance

There is a wonderful alternative advanced beginner class on Tuesday and Thursday nights at Peridance on 13th st.  taught by Greg Zane.  He has a gentle personality leading you through a demanding barre.  The class is super satisfying and challenging.  The weekday evening slot (7-8:30) alternates with Peter Schabel's class on M, W, & TH.

Nantucket

I joined Giovanna La Paglia's class this morning. She is teaching only three times a week (these were the summer hours actually- I am sure there are more classes during the school year) to a lucky group of children.  And it's the real thing. Giovanna was very welcoming to an adult joining her class and the young ladies made room. Giovanna is a lovely, talented and intelligent teacher. Here is her info: Giovanna La Paglia Studio of Ballet, 508-228-4979.  The studio is located near the Nantucket High School at 35 1st Way.

Kampala

I do need to post what I found in Kampala, after lots of walking!  I had been ordered by a doctor in New York to promise not to hop on a boda-boda for any reason whatsoever.  These motorbike taxis are the number one cause of deaths of peace corps volunteers in Uganda!  So though Kampala is not too large- the downtown area at least, I insisted on walking back and forth as i looked for the  Kamapala Ballet and Modern Dance School at 34c  Kyadondo Road, Nakasero. Tel: (041) 4234691.  Mobile: +256 752 809676. Email: kbmds@one2netmail.co.ug  .   I have to admit that i did not end up taking a class there.  I was busy enough following my eight year old host around to her private dance classes the week that i was there.  I partook in a class taught by the wife of the European Union Ambassador.  I also have to confess that by this point the father of my eight year old host had since thrown me on the back of a boda-boda when we were racing back to his office at lunch time.  Thus i was set free and from there on i was all over that town by boda-boda.  However when i gave the address of this particular house, not knowing myself where it was as we slowly wound up the hill and arrived at the gated, guarded foot of a villa it is not surprising that the driver asked for double the usual price!  I may have been the first to take a boda-boda to that address.

In any case the ballet class was taught on the front terrace with a gorgeous view overlooking the city.  I was horrified to  find that the young students were dancing on stone.  Not an option for adults who still plan to walk into their old age.  Luckily the jumping requirements were not extensive as the greater part of the emphasis was placed on theatrical expression!  

Stuttgart

Let me not forget Stuttgart -where my sister lives. When I visit I take public transportation from her village  to take class at the New York City Dance School on the outskirts of town. Usually I figure that in Europe it is easier to find dance schools than, say, in Kampala.. but it is really not easy in smaller towns or when you don't have weeks to do the research yourself. So for those of you mailed off to Stuttgart for a work week with IBM.. I would suggest getting out to a class at The NYC Dance School.. it's an interesting part of town near a great garden and right next to a Cultural Arts Center where a good friend of mine from Cairo took part in an experimental music festival.. so I spent a full week there inundated with music and squeezing in a dance class every day.

I hope that anyone who reads this will post their own information of the great classes that they know of around the world. This is the information I am always looking for when I travel. I am not a great tourist.. can't just stand around all week looking at things however much I love art. I have to jump around and stretch out no matter where I am. So please fill in with info wherever you are! All adult ballet class info welcome.. and though I haven't mentioned it for a while - video art and film festival info welcome too. I think it was one full week watching films that inspired my need to take class. I can do it (sit for a week) but best not to. If i can't find a class I will get up extra early and jog or do some yoga- but surely class is more fun. And I meet a lot of interesting people.. as i did in Russia... next blog.

St. Petersburg, Russia

I have been remiss in not adding my experience in Russia. I was there last August, 2010, in St. Petersburg and Moscow. The Mariinsky Theater was closed (pic). The skies were often grey but I was well located downtown between the Hermitage and the Russian Museum. I found an independent ballet teacher who rented a studio on Vasalevski Island. Her name is Yiliana Malashevskaya, 915-8541. This turned out to be much closer by bus than by the profound St. Petersburgian subway. The depth of the subway adds 15 to 20 minutes to your trip. Yes, it takes that long just get down there and back up. You could read a book. You find many couples face to face kissing or having intimate conversations. Otherwise it took me a few days to figure out the right bus which took about twenty minutes door to door. I love buses! My sister, Eleanor, says that I am going to take a bus around the world one day! But it gives me great pleasure to figure out a new city bus system- in Beirut, Buenos Aires, Beijing, and here in St. Petersburg.

Great dance centers in Rome, Paris, and New York

Just to re post this info:

Ballet classes for adults in Rome:

NO problem.. IALS is the incredible dance school for walk in ballet classes and lots of other movement classes. My wonderful teacher was Giancarlo Stiscia. http://www.ials.org/ ( I believe they are only closed for about two weeks in early August.. i was lucky to find them opening their doors in late August, thank God!) Location

In Paris: www.parisdanse.com ballet classes with Yves Cassati and Frederick- this school is also a beehive of all different kinds of dance, a medeival three storied courtyard full of dance from all over the world.  One more addition in the 8th arrondisement of Paris:  Institute International de Danse Janine Stanlowa

In New York: www.peridance.com/ ballet classes with Bill Badoloto, Graciella Kozak, and others. They have a new location with an entire building and have added loads of classes. It is the great dance center downtown (near Union Square) The Limon school is here, along with Djoniba (African). There are also classes in Flamenco, salsa, yoga, hip hop... check out the website.

Beijing

2010. Ok, i searched and searched: in Beijing i found J-Ballet Studio http://www.j-ballet.com in the Chaoyang District. They were really nice and the classes were open though few and far between. (only one or two a week). Sorry to say that the class i took was not very satisfying. So i kept searching and found the official Beijing Dance Academy which has an adult curriculum by the semester. It is located north of the National Library, in the northwest of the city. It is an exciting place to visit, just to see the building pulsing with music, and the classrooms packed with the best students in China. I shuffled around from office to office for a few hours until they agreed ( for a generous fee) to allow me into the adult course as a visitor for a period of one week. The class was absolutely incredible. The adults benefit from the same lessons as the full time students. Adult students take two classes a day of classical ballet, character and history of dance. It is a worthwhile course if you are staying in Beijing for more than three months. I also think that they will work out short term stays for one month or more. They were very welcoming though it is not cheap! I interacted with Xu Lei in the Foreign Affairs Office, Beijing Dance Academy. Tel: 86-10-689-53859 Their website does not yet have an English translation. However Xu Lei, does have an email address: Sherryxu1012@sohu.com .

In Shanghai i heard about a wonderful teacher, but was unable to get the details. I am working on it. Shanghai being the giant international city that it is i do not doubt the presence of great dance classes!

Ok: Buenos Aires!

Alright, I made it to Buenos Aires to check out the dance scene. I was unable to figure out open classes over the internet but when I arrived I asked around at the dance clothes shops and found that the Julio Bocca school did have open classes: (though the majority of them are advanced intermediate, there are some great beginner adult classes for the fatigued ballet traveler)
FundacionJulioBocca.org

Also I found the wonderful studio of Olga Ferri near the Teatro Cervantes: Estudioolgaferri.com.ar
I took a great 'ladies' ballet class here with lots of stretching and understanding in a beautiful giant studio with big windows and natural light. It was so appreciated after the two 11 hour bus rides I took round trip to heavenly Mendoza and back over the weekend!

Of course, downstairs from the Julio Bocca School, located in the Galerie Pacifico, is the Estudio Tango Argentina, so it is very convenient to squeeze in some tango lessons after ballet class.. Though it's hard to find classes here specifically for beginners and the ones there are seem to be wildly mixed, I did find one class only for beginners and I was thrilled to have a real introduction to a dance a knew nothing about. I was intimidated by the over abundance of tango classes available here and had no idea where to begin so I really appreciated the convenience of a school where many of the well known teachers show up at some point and where classes are available literally all day and night to work with any schedule.

Stockholm

Open ballet classes -for adults.. in Stockholm at the Balettakademien. They were right in town with a beautiful building and studios. I took some great classes with adults and teens.

BALETTAKADEMIENBox 6901, 102 39 StockholmVisit: Birger Jarlsgatan 70Phone: +46 8 789 41 20 , +46 8 789 41 20 , Fax: +46 8 789 41 23
E-mail: balettakademien@folkuniversitetet.se