Guest BalletTeacherNE Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 Hi, Does anyone know what Gelsey Kirkland has been up to lately ? I heard she was living in Florida with her husband Greg Laurence and teaching/coaching at Southern Ballet Theatre. I just recently got through reading " Dancing on My Grave " for the tenth time and I was also able to obtain a transcript from her " 60 Minutes " interview with Diane Sawyer in 1987 and Im curious if a video copy of that interview exists ? She is such an inspiration to me in the sense that through all of her adversity she was able to overcome so much and become a positive role model for future generations of dancers. Link to comment
Mme. Hermine Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 She is married to someone else now and I think lives in Australia. Link to comment
nlkflint Posted April 22, 2004 Share Posted April 22, 2004 She was a guest teacher at Orlando Ballet last summer (formerly Southern Ballet Theater) for their Summer Intensive and I believe is scheduled to teach again this summer. At least at the time of auditions she was listed as a guest teacher. Link to comment
vrsfanatic Posted April 22, 2004 Share Posted April 22, 2004 I believe for the past two years she has been studying teaching in Melbourne, Australia at the Victoria College for the Arts. She is married to her 2nd husband, who is Australian (Lithuanian heritage). She found that in order to work in a high level job in Australia, she needed to study to be a teacher. I believe she is studying the RAD syllabus which is quite prevalent in Australia. Link to comment
kfw Posted April 22, 2004 Share Posted April 22, 2004 I admire her dedication, but it sounds like a waste of her career experience for her to be teaching a style she didn't dance in, presumably, ballets she didn't dance. Link to comment
vrsfanatic Posted April 22, 2004 Share Posted April 22, 2004 As a teacher, I would tend to disagree with you about studying a system that one had not known before. It should be most advantageous to any teacher to study any method of teaching. It helps to organize classes, recognize the breakdown of movements, understand/be able to communicate with students from different backgrounds and open eyes to differering ways. It is expanding one's vocabulary! Not all teachers are able to see so clearly. Teaching can be a very isolating experience and as much exposure as one can have, could only help, IMO. It is amazing to really comprehend how many different ways there are to do things. Also, studying the teaching methods of any country/culture shows respect for their ways. More often than not, big name dancers do not always know instantly how to teach! Link to comment
ToThePointe Posted April 24, 2004 Share Posted April 24, 2004 I have that interview on video. As far as her teaching a different style, although she grew up at SAB, wasn't she then coached by David Howard after the fact? Link to comment
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