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Thanks for clearing that up:) And what do you think about not using turnout correctly and other technique issues, are companies and choreographers putting the dancers at risk physically by requesting this style of dance, and what does it mean for the rest us who don't believe that this is the best way for our children to learn ballet, or can these styles exist side by side without detrimental effects on each other. Sorry if I'm being a bit of a pain about this. I learnt ballet many many years ago when a child and teenager, my teacher was very strict and demanded correct technique. Maybe I'm still in that world. Haha;)

Ah, different styles of teaching. Do you mean styles as in RAD, Vaganova, Checchetti etc or the teacher's personal style?

Yes, i could see that the leg wasn't turned out and i would rather see line, placement, etc rather than toes pointing to the sky. Do you think that higher extensions without correct technique is seen as "better" by many people? I just can't understand it, my daughters' teachers insist on correct placement and technique and also dirrect their attention ( the students, I mean) to examples of incorrect technique so these students theoretically know what is right and wrong. Do some of the students just go away later and throw that away just to be able to do " tricks" and think that because they can get their leg higher (for an example) they are a better dancer than others who don't have that ability? Or, is it that they are trying to emulate dancers who do have that ability? One of my concerns is that ballet may be over- run by people who have the opinion that bigger or higher is better and that technique is being eroded. If I want to see acrobats I'll go to the circus!

Ms Leigh placed a link on the young dancers page about arabesques. I would like to know why incorrect technique (sometimes) seems to be promoted even by professional dancers. Is technique losing out to appearance? Do others have a problem with this aspect of dance? Is it just that the audience member's eye is drawn to something that is off kilter in a momentary lapse by the dancer or the camera just happens to click then. The teachers know it is wrong, the dancers know it is wrong so why does it seem to be on the increase?

I not sure if it is picky but I feel the same way. I am so disappointed to see dancers who look like they are only going through the motions. Maybe they are tired from performances, over trained I don't know, sometimes they look like their body is on stage but their mind is elsewhere. I too would like to see some emotion, passion and joy in their dancing. However I think they do love dancing but something else is happening to prevent them expressing that love.

"Shall we Dance" with Fred Astaire pretending to be Russian ballet dancer named "Petrov" with Harriet Hoctor performing the infamous pointe shoe tapping head scene.

Many Australian students enter the Prix because they would go to Britain for the Genee and to audition for British ballet schools, then it was only a hop over to the Continent for the Prix de Lausanne. Now that the Genee is going to be held in other countries I don't know how it will effect the number of Australian students entering the Prix because it may end up being more costly.

Is modern dance the same as contemporary dance. My daughter has contemporary classes as well as her ballet classes. So is it like Americans say diaper and Aussies say nappy, footpath/ sidewalk, faucet/ tap etc. Or are they different dance styles?

Here I am , back again. Maina Gielgud (sorry about my spelling earlier) was Artistic Director of The Australian Ballet from 1983 to 1996, the board of the AB declined to renew her contract. She was with the Royal Danish Ballet for a short time and then I think she was going to the Boston Ballet but I'm not sure what happened there. While with the Aus Ballet she commissioned about 40 ballets some with Australian content according to the "political" feeling at the time. As well during her time as AD, Stanton Welch and Stephen Baynes were appointed as choreographers. Her production of The Sleeping Beauty was well received (I believe, unfortunately I did not see it) and was taken to London. Her production of Graeme Murphy's Nutcracker was a highlight in my opinion. If this thread has gone off at a tangent from the original video discussion I'm sorry and won't be offended if it needs to be moved:)

Hi BW, just off the top of my head right now I can tell Maina Guilged left the Australian Bllet several years ago. Whilst she was here there was some talk about her interactions with the dancers. I am reluctant to say much about it because I am not completely clear on some issues of the "differences" between the dancers and Ms Guilged. However, I'm sure there is always going to be some divisivness in any work place let alone a Ballet company. As for her artistic input can I get back to you on that because I really supposed to be working (my fault, now that I've decided to join in I've become somewhat "addicted";) )

As an Aussie ballet mum I have watched this video a few times, we have it our library. It is an interesting insight into the Australian ballet and also has Maina Guilged rehearsing dancers for Swan Lake.

i found this site about 6 months ago when i was looking for some information about ballet in general ( i was really just filling in some time until ballet pick up time ) since then i have looked in occasionally. my daughter joined a while ago so now i have decided to join so i can log in and talk as well