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Copenhagens ballet scene?


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Hello,

I am 16 and training to become a pro ballet dancer. I am visiting Copenhagen this summer, Aug 24-31. I am totaly clueless when it comes ballet in foreign countries. I was wondering if anyone could recomend ballet studios in the city, I mean i have heard of the Royal Danish and the Bourneville, but i dont know if they just let random Americans kids walk in and take classes, that seems kind of crazy. so as you can see I dont really know half of what I should know. I also dont speak Danish but i have two years of High German under my belt. Do people speak any german in Denmark? Please reply with any information or help about anything that i should possibly know about! And thank you so much for your time. Maybe I'll meet some of you at ballet class or something?!?!?!?!?!

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Hi Ed!

I'm afraid I don't have any information about private ballet training in Copenhagen (I did write to a Danish friend in the hopes he might know) but you should lay your fears of not being understood to rest. The majority of Danes speak very good English, and your German will come in handy to read signs, but picking up a traveler's guide to Danish will help as well. It's an enchanting city, I think you will have a marvelous time!

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Aside from the night watchmen at the Royal Theatre, everyone I've met in Copenhagen over 12 speaks beautiful English :) I'm fairly certain the Royal Danish Ballet isn't open to visiting dance students, but there are studios. Arne Villumsen, one of the Dane's great male dancers, has a school. I'll try to find the name for you.

There's also a place called Dansens Hus (The Dance House) that has classes -- it's for modern dancers, but they also have ballet classes. It's a hang out for dancers, too. There may be other performances around during that time -- watch for notices placed on trees :)

Copenhagen can be expensive if you eat at the touristy places -- anything that's in a guidebook -- and quite inexpensive if you walk a few blocks over and find a neighborhood pub or sandwich shop. There are "frokost" places that serve only lunch. The menus MUST be posted outside, so you know what you're getting into before you go in. And there's a McDonald's on Strøget (the pedestrian street, a street of shops that wends its way through the center of the old city) if you get homesick.

Have fun. It's a lovely city. And please go to Tivoli (the amusement park built the same year as Bournonville's Napoli) at least once.

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Ohhhhh, This is soooo cool! I am getting like really psyched! I have never heard of Arne Villumsen, but i am going to go look him up. If you find his school please let me know! Thanks for the info on the Dance House too! I'll make sure to eat right, AND for sure check out the amusment park! Everyone is so well versed! Thanks a lot!

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Ed, if you haven't seen (or even if you have, for that matter!) Onegin, do go and see it - I haven't seen RDB dance it but I have seen it danced by the Royal Ballet here. It was wonderful - I can't wait to see it again when it returns for a brief summer run next month. It was so different from anything I had seen before.

There are lots of reviews of various companies' productions here, if you put "Onegin" into the search feature they will all come up.:)

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Ed,

I read in the press a few weeks back - perhaps some could enlighten us - that a former Royal Ballet soloist has set up a private school in Copenhagen for MEN only, perhaps to avoid young men becoming discouraged from dancing, by the sight of us ladies rushing about dressed in pastel colours !!! Does someone reading this Website remember his name ?

IN any event, I believe that several former principals and soloists have their own schools, and/or give classes in private studios.

Or, you could ring the Royal Theatre, ask for the Secretary of the School (which is within the Royal Theatre itself), explain your situation, and ask them to recommend private classes to you. The Danes are extremely friendly and helpful, and they are very keen on Americans !

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hi ed.

re. arne villumsen he only gives 2 a week classes outside the royal theatre but i asked and you are very welcome to attend if you want.

the class consists of mostly woman but that shouldn't be a problem as he likes teaching them male variations from napoli, sylphide and more.

i don't have the details for the classes yet but i will post them a.s.a.p.

A

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Hello-

I just wanted to personally thank everyone who contributed to this thread! I just started going to a ballet bording school, so i have been quite busy, please excuse the late thank you!

So thank you to everyone who helped me have an awesome time in Copenhagen. I enjoyed the city to its fullest. I was permitted to take professional ballet classes at Danses Hus each morning, there i met some great ballet and modern dancers, some of which i got to enjoy watching dance on stage at tivoli. none of these great classes would have been possible with out Alexander's help.

I also would like to thank Arne Villumsen, Martha Gardner, and the folks at Move, for letting me drop in and being so kind.

Thanks everyone, Copenhagen is a wonderful cultural mecca!

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