Paris check in

Last Thursday morning in Paris at the Ecole du Marais- the 9:30 class, toujours la, with the charming Frederic Lazzarelli. It's impossible not to be profoundly happy with all this light and energy. 

April in Buenos Aires

Returnd to  Buenos Aires last April- Returned to the wonderful classes at the Julio Bocca Foundation in the Galaria Pacifico downtown.  A pleasure to be around all these young students and the attention to the adult dancer is serious and greatly appreciated.  My favorite classes were with
S. Von-Potobsky and R. Rivas.  

London- July

Back at the Pineapple Dance Studios in Covent Garden I took a wonderful class with Ian Knowles- and another with Maggie Paterson- these are the 3pm elemetary level- which are the equivalent of advanced beginner for us dancers.. good for anyone really- pros for warm up and adults with training.
Loved the classes and the energy in the room.  Pianists accompany.

Back in LA

Will be checking back in with Stefan Wenta this week.  Just arrived.  Here is the studio, updated, with a new cafe in the front (Paper or Plastic).  At the corner of Pico and Ogden, two blocks east of Fairfax.  I may also check out a class with Edouard Kouzmitch at Edge where there are a lot of beginner ballet classes for adults- check out the schedule.

New York City. Kathryn Sullivan at Peridance

Best ballet teacher for the adult ballet student at an advanced beginner level so far in my experience:  Kathryn Sullivan.  She also teaches at Steps and is on the faculty at Columbia College.  She is teaching two classes downtown at Peridance on E.13th St. in Manhattan on Tuesdays and Thursdays at ten am.  The barre is super thorough and precise.  Always with a pianist.  Show up on time!  You won't want to miss a minute.

Ballet Theater of Maryland

In Maryland the Ballet Theater of Maryland has four to five classes a week for the adult student of ballet.  Classes are held in Annapolis Monday through Saturday at two locations.  I have just taken all the classes currently available for adults this season.  The 'continuing beginner' class is the best level, short of the 'intermediate' which I find more appropriate for the professional dancer. They could use more of this level ( 'continuing beginner') and if the school could develop a deeper commitment to the adult dancer I'm sure a lot more mature students would come out of the local woodwork to address their interest in the study of ballet. It must be noted that the class prices even with the group discount are, in fact, the most expensive in the world that I have come across -four to seven dollars higher than any class in China, Europe, Africa, Russia, The Middle East,  South America, and the larger cities in America including New York and L.A.! This should surely be addressed if they have any intention of attracting more students. School tuition should be supporting the company but they are only hindering greater participation with such outrageous prices.

Paris

Since 1978 I have been taking the morning classes of Yves Casati, now joined by Frederick Lazzarelli at the Ecole du Marais Danse Center.  The beautiful class room has large French windows on two walls and its original hand painted medieval ceiling.  There is always a piano player.  Casati is from the Paris Opera Ballet and has a reputation- He seems strict, has a sense of humor and personally I adore him.  It is my favorite class in the world.  Following his career a the Paris Opera he has devoted himself to teaching and the 9:30 morning class and evening classes at 7 pm have become an institution.  I have breezed into them with all my bags upon arrival or just before leaving the city for over thirty years.  It looks like Frederick will guarantee the continuation of the class with his humor, joy, and equal commitment for at least another thirty years.

I also join a friend at a floor barre class at The Institut Stanlowa in the 8th arrondisment which has a full range of open ballet classes for adults during the week.