Summer ’08

International Summer Course
and Competition,
Calgary, Alberta, July 2008

by Eva Romanowski-Annett and Juliet Locks

Juliet Locks
This summer I was thrilled to attend the Cecchetti International Classical Ballet summer course and competition in Calgary, Alberta. As a Canadian, I was truly proud to see our country host such a prestigious event and equally excited to renew friendships and meet new Cecchetti teachers and students from around the globe.

 

The organising committee should be proud of their work in coordinating such a major event because it was evident in the meticulous planning and scheduling. To fulfill the goal of meeting the needs of students, teachers and competitors in one summer school under one roof is no easy task. Yet, thanks to the generosity of the School of Alberta Ballet under the directorship of Nancy and Murray Kilgour and the hard work of stellar committee, this summer school not only surpassed those goals but gave all participants a summer school to remember.

 

The School of Alberta Ballet was literally abuzz in dance. Five studios were awash with students and teachers yearning to get the most out of their bodies. Teachers had the privilege of working with an outstanding faculty which included Nancy Kilgour, Diane van Schoor, Sheila Kennedy. Their understanding, respect and love for the Cecchetti work are so tangible that it breathed life to every class. In the hands of those brilliant teachers, we were willing to push ourselves so we too could experience the technical challenges, the dynamics, the phrasing or the sheer beauty of putting all those elements together. As well as the majors, pedagogy and music were offered, the latter taught by Ross Alley whose knowledgeable and energetic manner was welcomed at the end of the day. The “Fitness table” was an inspired addition to the summer course. The introductory class taught by Patricia Maybury let us experience a new way of lengthening muscles, strengthening the spine and developing muscle tone.

 

Teachers were also free to watch and observe students and competitors in their daily classes. From ballet to pointe, from variations to contemporary, from character to repertoire, students were fortunate to dance so many disciplines under the guidance of a truly international faculty. This included: Raymond Lukens, Murray and Nancy Kilgour, Diane van Schoor, Janet Tait, Jean Freebury, Joyce Shietze, Edmund Stripe, Aram Manukyan and Marijka Stanowych. The classes were a joy to watch due in part to the inspired playing of the musical faculty which included: Sharon Fox, Susan Koybasi, Lorel Plett and Nina Pinzarrone. As you will read, the competition concluded the summer course and celebrated not only the talent of the dancers but also brought attention to the Cecchetti method as a viable training method for future performers to the world stage. The success in Calgary has given us the inspiration and the energy on which to build. I hope to meet my fellow friends (in the not to distant future) at the 3rd  CICB Summer Course and Competition.

 

Eva Romanowski-Annett

An exciting and prestigious competition followed linked to the course was held at the Max Bell Theatre, in Calgary from July 31st – Aug. 2.  28 dancers, aged 13 – 19, from seven different parts of the world – Australia, Canada, Italy, Cecchetti USA, Cecchetti Council of America, South Africa and United Kingdom, showed their talents in Classical and Contemporary Ballet, entertaining audiences on three consecutive evenings. From the twenty eight competitors nine were chosen to perform their solos on at the Gala Performance the Saturday night. The teachers of all the dancers are deserving of the highest praise for the standard achieved by their pupils. The nine finalists were James Lyttle, Kirsten Marsh, Dominique Yong (Australia), Mary Kate O’Sullivan (CUSA), Garrett Groat, Alexandra Gibson (Canada), Alexandra Potgieter (South Africa), Lauren Claire Smith, Ruth Brill (United Kingdom). Jean Grand-Maître, Artistic Director of Alberta Ballet, and Robina Beard, Chair of CICB, Masters of Ceremonies, introduced us to the judges: Desmond Kelly, formerly Assistant Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet, Anthony Randazzo, Ballet Master of Boston Ballet and Diane Van Schoor, Principal of White Lodge Royal Ballet School. Their task included watching the students in both the class situation taught by Jean Freebury and Edmund Stripe, accompanied by Nina Pinzarrone as well as their solos on stage.

 

The atmosphere was electric on the evening of the Gala and tension rose as the finalists performed their solos. Artists of the Alberta Ballet, Jung- Min Hong and Bernard Courtot de Boutellier then danced ‘For the Roses’ and an excerpt from ‘The Fiddle and the Drum’, during which time the Adjudicators retired to make their final decisions on Awards. The Competition was a wonderful Showcase for Cecchetti Classical Ballet world wide, and it is likely the prestige of this event will flourish with another competition planned for 2011.

 

 
 

Maestro Cecchetti Award – $5,000
Kirsten Marsh, V.C.A.S.S. Australia coached by Anne Butler & Ben Ho

Most promising Dancer  – $2,000
James Lyttle, Australia coached by Carole Oliver & Ben Ho

Adjudicators’ Choice   - $2,000
Alexandra Potgieter, South Africa coached by Lynne Fouché 
 
Musicality and Dynamics in Movement Award – $2,000   
Mary Kate O’Sullivan, CUSA coached by Sylvia Palmer

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SCHOLARSHIPS:
 
Australian Ballet School – 1 week tuition
Dominique Yong, Australia, coached by Hilary Kaplan & Archibald McKenzie 
 
National Ballet School of Canada – 2 weeks summer school.
Kirsten Marsh, Australia, coached by Anne Butler & Ben Ho 
 
 Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, American Ballet Theatre – 1 year tuition.
Garrett Groat, Canada, coached by Margaret Dalwood
 
School of Alberta Ballet – 1 year tuition
Alexandra Potgieter, S. Africa, coached by Lynne Fouché
 
Royal Ballet School – two weeks summer school
Alexandra Potgieter, S. Africa, coached by Lynne Fouché   

It is encouraging that the Cecchetti Method of Ballet is alive and flourishing worldwide and with a successful Competition and Conference in Canada to bring its members together, we hope to see a continuing growth and development in the future. Juliet Locks
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International Forum – Max Bell Theatre,
Calgary, August 2, 2008

Robina Beard was Moderator with an International panel from Australia, Britain, Canada, Southern Africa, and the USA. – Yvonne Barker, Carole Hall, Desmond Kelly, Lee Ann King, Juliet Locks, Raymond Lukens, Beverley Miller, Anthony Randazzo, Diane van Schoor, Joyce Shietze.
Lynne Fouché, Marnell Himes, Betty Seibert and Murray Kilgour were unable to attend.
An excellent talk from Beverley Miller giving a fascinating record of her Cecchetti memories, stressing the theatre and values of the method set the stage for the two hour Forum.  Questions flowed easily from the audience and the resulting opinions from the panel gave anyone teaching the method a lot to think about.
The wide range of topics raised by the audience included:

 The image of the Method in professional companies
 The ‘look’, what, if anything, in the method is out-dated?
 Marketing strategy
 CICB Competitions, is there a will to maintain the Calgary format on a regular basis?
 A proposal to create a more ‘up to date’ examination, to be taken in conjunction with the Maestro Cecchetti Diploma.
 Is the training of the Cecchetti Advanced II syllabus, a logical and progressive link to
the requirements expected of today’s professional dancer?
 What our training must accommodate
 The importance of ‘live’ performances
 How can Cecchetti Societies, CICB and the method meet the needs of regular studios?

Responses from the panel
Image of the Method in professional companies:

1) Artistic Directors have the say regarding training. We need to make them more interested in the Cecchetti training method, this relates to repertoire used in each company.
2) Each company has its own tradition, what is the culture of each company?
3) Companies need to be more encompassing.
4) The method is multi purpose with the 6 day programme of professional set work – it has a scientific base, safe, makes for less injuries, and a longer dancing life.
5) The method will not survive if not taught in professional schools.
6) We need to look at what is feeding into the Major work, and to look at Advanced 1 & 2 syllabi.
7) What is wanted for a dancer to be employed?  See Conference Report for #’s 6 & 7

The “Look” of the Method

1) pelvic and spinal alignment – safe and controlled. The method is not out-dated, but teaching these days often does not go beyond upright stance. When taken further there is so much more body movement, as there used to be. Fads and cycles come and go but Cecchetti basic principles always remain.
2) if used correctly the method produces performers not just technicians.
3) Versatility, simplicity, dancers must be able to impact their audiences.
4) It was asked what was outdated about the use of lines and circles? A suggestion was offered that the terminology and approach to teaching might be up-dated to give more current meaning to the training.
5) With larger theatres today ‘the look’ needs to be broader.
6) Amalgamate methods to produce a good dancer – but we need to clarify the essentials of the Cecchetti method so that the value and detailed work is not misunderstood. Keep it living, not static.  Retain the Romantic way of moving while the understanding the body coordination required for the Romantic style. At present the interpretation is not understood.  It is perceived as restricted movement.
7) There is plenty of variation of style in the major Cecchetti material if well taught. Young dancers lack physicality, the Cecchetti method should be regarded as developing greater physicality as well as all the other attributes.
8) It is valuable to study what each company is looking for.
9) Musicality, a true feeling for dynamics, versatility. The value of daily balanced muscle use such as the simple port de bras that has so much depth of detail developing malleability for all kinds of choreography.
10) Knowing how Cecchetti evolved his method offers dancers the ability to ‘grow’ in the knowledge of tradition.
11) One experienced dancer expressed a wish that she had had an earlier exposure to the method.
12) The method was described as unsurpassed in the detailed coordination of the whole body.

Marketing strategy
It was agreed that marketing is necessary for individual Cecchetti Societies and CICB. It was suggested that there be a uniform image for Cecchetti, which could be designed and available for all the societies to use, in their publicity and advertising, so that this image would come to be recognized as “Cecchetti”.  This subject was taken to the CICB conference later in the week, and was discussed.  Inquiries are being made by the various delegates, and we hope to have some progress on this soon.
CICB Competitions, is there a will to maintain the Calgary format on a regular basis?
CICB Competitions were discussed, and it was agreed that this is an excellent way to promote the method, please see Conference report, and reserve 2011 for the next such event.
A proposal to create a more ‘up to date’ examination, to be taken in conjunction with the Maestro Cecchetti Diploma was presented on behalf of a teacher who was unable to attend. This suggestion was also taken to the conference, and instigated a great deal of discussion.
Is the training of the Cecchetti Advanced II syllabus, a logical and progressive link to
 the requirements expected of today’s professional dancer? Please see Conference report.
What our training must accommodate?

1)  new generations with an awareness of the changes in attitude, mental development, education
and practical conditions
2)  more challenging to individual intelligence and imagination
3)  more freedom to experiment with basic training being received

The importance of ‘live’ performances, especially in this electronic age was emphasized
Further questions for you

 How can Cecchetti Societies, CICB and the method meet the needs of regular studios?
 What role should the Cecchetti method play in movement training for all non-professional dancers, young children to all ages?

We would welcome views from all our dancers and teachers around the world – visit www.cicb.org and let us hear from you, give your email and we will try to reply.

The Forum concluded with an interesting question from one of the panel, who asked the audience to relate what they felt was so special about Cecchetti.  It was clear that it means a lot of things to a lot of people, and all of them are positive and powerful.  It was a most enlightening way in which to finish our first International Forum.

Now it is up to all of us who value the method to meet these challenges in our own teaching

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