Ellison Ballet Pas de Deux Intensive 2015 Plus My Plans for Year Round
Read to the end for my big announcement…
I was so happy to be able to do the Ellison Pas de Deux intensive! The following two weeks (after 5 weeks at American Ballet Theatre SI) I trained at Manhattan Movement and Arts Center. Technique class started at 12pm on Monday and we were combined with boys. This was the same everyday. Mr Ellison usually would teach our class, but some days we would have a guest teacher. In Mr. Ellison’s class you would have to remember each combination. Usually he would add on to them or add a few more throughout the week.
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Mr. Ellison with all the girls from PDD Summer Intensive 2015 |
I woke up the next morning and it was sill stiff and hurt a bit to walk. For class we had Maina Gielgud. Ms. Gielgud is a Russian trained International Répétiteur that partnered with Rudolph Nureyev! She then directed the Australian Ballet (1983-1997) and the Royal Danish Ballet. Read her full bio HERE .
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Photo copyright http://www.mainagielgud.com/ |
I told her about my foot and took it easy. I didn’t jump. Ugh I HATE being injured. It is so frustrating! As an observer of her class I noticed she focused a lot on port de bras and her style was a bit faster paced. The combinations moved quickly. She was a really nice person and a great teacher. I wish my body had been cooperating with me. I also told Mr. Ellison and marked the legs in the back.
On Friday I woke up very sore and it lasted for many days. I was mainly sore in my back. My foot felt way better!! This time we ran Diana and Acteon all the way through! Including coda and variations! This pas requires a lot of stamina, especially going from the variation into the coda.
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Ellison Ballet student Juliette Bosco. Copyright Rachel Neville Photography. |
Class was pretty rough for me. One, it was crowded, and 2, my Achilles was bothering me. One thing after another :/ I didn’t really do much of center. Also, Misty Copeland took his class. After class I hung out with some of my friends from the dorms.
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With my friend and classmate, Gillian Fitz. |
Thursday was pretty similar to Wednesday. Except we then ran the whole pas through. Boy was that hard. On Friday it was parent observation day. This is the first summer my mom wasn’t there but she did come for the end of ABT. For class we went non stop from warm up facing the bar through rond de jambes. The rest of the barre was also pretty fast paced. After class we had a short 10 minute break and then warmed up in our pointe shoes. We then started going into groups of 2 for showing the pas. We would alternate between Diana and the Swan Lake. After running a decent amount of groups we had a 45 min break. Honestly the pas were pretty rough. My Achilles was still slightly bothering me and I was physically drained. I think it was about time for a break!
I have been home now for almost 2 weeks and my body really needed the rest. I am really stiff and tight though.
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Check out some of her DVD’s on the stretching page at BalletFreak.com |
Okay, time for my big announcement… I auditioned for the Ellison year round Professional Training Program and was selected. I have been wanting to do it since I was 13 years old! I know the training is just what I need and I am BEYOND excited for this opportunity. It’s going to be challenging to make it work financially but Mr. Ellison awarded me a 25% scholarship based on talent and potential. Thank you Mr. Ellison!! It is a huge honor to be accepted and extra rewarding, on so many levels, to receive a partial scholarship. This is what I have been working for. I am doing a fundraiser and you can read all about it and more about the program and my history at www.robbbiedowney.com. Thank you for following my journey this far and this next year is going to be so important for me.
The EB-PTP offers
Every winter I watch the winter show case come and go and wish I could be in it!
Every spring I watch the spring show case come and go and wish I could be in it!
Every year I watch the YAGP group piece and I wish that I could be in it!