Christmas Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Family Workshop

Alice's Adventures of Wonderland, The Royal Ballet © ROH

This Christmas I am delighted to offer Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Family Workshop, a lovely way to enjoy this time of the year in family.

In this creative workshop, parents and children will explore the fantasy and Lewis Carroll's story characters through creative dancing, crafts and make-up for the younger ones (or who wishes!). 

No special skills needed, just a large amount of enthusiasm and will to have a great time.

Come all and enjoy Alice's adventures with the mad hatter and the tea party, the white rabbit, the naughty playing cards and the wicked queen of hearts - a workshop for all the family to have fun.

Jillian Vanstone and Aleksandar Antonijevic in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland,
The National Ballet of Canada.

The workshop is for all ages. Parents, brothers and sisters are welcome. Please bring clothing that allow movement.

When
Sunday 14 December at 12.00 - 2.00pm

Prices
Adult: £17
Child: £12

Adult to child ratio: 1 Adult to max. 2 children

HACKNEY FORGE
243a Victoria Park Village
London E9 7HD
view map

Numbers are limited. To book a place please contact:

07550 722 693 or rod_maf@yahoo.com

I look forward to seeing you there!

New Coppélia Ballet Workshop

Following the visible enjoyment children had in previous workshops, I am now offering a New Coppélia Workshop to welcome the best way this new academic year.

After the success of our last Coppélia workshop, this time we have new surprises.

In this creative workshop children will explore the story and characters of this comic ballet through new games with dancing, mime and crafts, and have lots of fun.

Come and meet the eccentric Dr. Coppelius, his favourite doll Coppélia, and the young Swanhilde, and make dolls come to life!

The workshop is open to children of 3-8 years old and, as usual, it will end with a small presentation for family and friends.

It is a lovely introduction for newcomers to the ballet classes.


HACKNEY FORGE
243a Victoria Park Village
London E9 7HD
view map


NEW DATE Sunday 14th September

12.00 - 2.00pm

Cost: £21

Bring a friend or sibling - £18 each


Booking essential. To book, please contact:

07550 722 693 or rod_maf@yahoo.com

Sleeping Beauty Summer Ballet Workshop

I am delighted to offer a Sleeping Beauty 2-day workshop, the perfect way to start the summer holidays.

In this creative workshop, children will explore the story and characters of this classic ballet through dance, crafts, storytelling and basic make-up!

Come and have fun with Princess Aurora and friends learning dances set to Tchaikovsky's enchanting score.

Children are welcome to bring princesses, witches or fairies' costumes!

The workshop is for ages 3-8 years, and will end with in a performance for family and friends.


Group 3-5 Year olds

Wednesday 23rd July at 9.45am - 11.45am
Thursday 24th July at 9.45am - 11.45am

Group 6-8 Year olds

Wednesday 23rd July at 1.30pm - 3.30pm
Thursday 24th July at 1.30pm - 3.30pm


Cost: £42

Bring a friend or sibling new to our ballet classes - £38 each


HACKNEY FORGE
243a Victoria Park Village
London E9 7HD
view map


Numbers are limited so to book a place please contact:

07550 722 693 or rod_maf@yahoo.com

Coppélia Ballet Workshop

I am delighted to offer a Coppélia workshop.

In this creative workshop children explore the story and characters of this classic comic ballet through dance, crafts and lots of fun.

Meet the eccentric inventor Dr. Coppelius, Coppélia and Swanhilde, and make dolls come to life!

Children will colour, create their props, learn dances and become a mechanic doll.

This Easter come and have fun with Coppélia. The workshop will end with a presentation for parents.


HACKNEY FORGE
243a Victoria Park Village
London E9 7HD
view map

Sunday 6th April

12.00 - 1.45pm - 3-5 Year olds
2.00 - 4.00pm - 6-8 Year olds


Cost: £21

Bring a friend or sibling - £18 each

Includes a Goodie Bag!


To book a place, please contact:

07550 722 693 or rod_maf@yahoo.com

A Chat with Tamara Rojo on Teaching Artistic Emotion

How to train children to become future dancers with artistic emotion.

Talking with Tamara Rojo

Yesterday I had the pleasure to meet and have a little chat with Tamara Rojo, the artistic director of the English National Ballet and one of the best dancers in the world. In good Spanish we chatted.

One of my main concerns on ballet education at the moment is the lack of artistic emotion of english dancers on stage. Schools and teachers have the power to cut out a personal expression on a search for a style, or to nurture it; I work to empower it.

Tamara is famous for her emotional presence on stage and so I asked her what is her opinion about this matter and if she had any suggestions on how not to cut student’s self out of them. To always do whatever inspires them was her advice. “When they are young, put some music on and let them dance freely; improvisation in young ages is very important", she said. This will lead them to one day find their own style. “A 5th is a 5th and a port de bras is a port de bras, but everyone has their own way to do it", she admitted.

Apparently we both agree on this matter. As a teacher, I let my students have their own style, their voice; it helps develop confidence and self expression, and is what makes them special. I do not see them as machines, but as humans with own thoughts, own bodies and own souls.

I told Tamara in my classes for little ones, we let our imagination fly visiting the Space, the Circus or the Zoo, and in our adventure we get to do our train in our high tippy toes to get there, our sensitive hands to smell flowers or pick up some stars, our balance in the trapeze, and our skips to come back home. “But when I ask my students what we did last week, they do not remember the steps, they only remember the story!”, and we both laugh.

Tamara Rojo and me (reads right to left)

Tamara Rojo also suggested to take children to attend ballet performances and see real ballet dancers on stage. Funny, as I am now arranging tickets to take my younger ones to see “My First Ballet: Coppélia”, an English National Ballet production for children aged 3+.

I can prepare students for vocational training and a professional dance career, but this is not what matters the most to me. What I do care about is that they have fun, enjoy learning dance, grow into good persons and are inspired by ballet as an art form, and that this gives them life.

It was a great moment and very inspiring talking with Tamara. With me, ballet enriches children’s minds and hearts; children become fulfilled beings and dancers with own style and voice and, in the future, will be more humans ready to star uniquely on a stage.


Photos by Roman Perona