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The Magic of the Dance The Thrill of the Performance
Becoming a Dancing Member
If you are between the ages of 9 and 19 years old and study classical ballet regularly,
then you can apply to become a Dancing Member of South Coast Ballet. You will need to attend an Audition and Assessment Day
first. These are held aproximately in September, December and April. Our places are strictly limited, because of our focus
is on the dancers gaining as much as possible from the experience of performing on stage. A crowded stage is not
conducive to gaining precious skills, knowledge and understanding of the dance theatre. If you are interested in joining then
contact us by any of the methods listed on this website to secure your place. We regularly send information to all
registered local ballet teachers prior to an Audition session coming up.
Our aim for dancers is:-
To
provide performing experience to young classical ballet dancers so that they may extend and develop performing skills
such as artistry, expression, interpretation and projection;
Cultivate a more diverse exposure to and understanding
of music, and to develop musicality;
To nurture and encourage drama, mime and characterisation skills;
To guide each dancer in the exploration of their own unique performing talents and potential - their 'own'
style, quality, and stage dynamics;
To augment the work of the ballet teachers through supporting
their technical and postural corrections
Where relevant to convey additional perspectives and/or thoughts
on how to improve dancing, or approach and/or execute a step or movement differently. [It must be noted however, that
this is utilised as an 'alternative' and not as a 'replacement' to what is being taught by their
respective ballet teacher, and is principally focused on the demands of the choreography. So far, our work has
NOT interfered with anyone's ballet exams or other dance activities].
We
wholeheartedly strive to instil and foster a sense of 'the theatre' and 'theatricality' in all our member
dancers. This is important for those who wish to someday pursue a career in the performing arts - and, for generating future
audiences for dance!
What we Promise is that:-
Every member dances in every performance of each ballet season (this is usually
4 consecutive performances in all)
Every member dances in every act of every ballet that
we perform. We make sure that the whole cast in involved in every Act. In only rare circumstances this may exclude one
or two solo or lead performers, or in the case of certain ballets where it may not be possible to include the whole cast in
every act.
Other than where it is necessary for Principals to share casting, all members of South Coast Ballet
constitute one single cast. We do not split casts or share performances.
The dancers who make up South Coast Ballet,
are as one entity, regardless of the school from where they receive their ballet training - no-one is separated by school!
In each year the dancers will experience the opportunity to learn how to express themselves in works that will engage
them in the various aspects of drama from the serious to the light-hearted, to comedy and mayhem, high drama and beyond.
Each year the dancers will experience a range of productions that will expose them to ballets where each Act is composed
of one 'scene' only, as well as others that will involve several scenes - thus teaching them about narrative ballet,
continuity, the technical theatre, and the demands inherent in different productions etc. It will also give them
the opportunity to develop their skills in quick changes of hair, make-up and performance character - not just quick
costume changes!
Each year the dancers will experience involvement in the creation of a new and original ballet
being created on them - a chance for them to learn how to create and develop characters and roles all by themselves. By being
exposed to how creativity and originality is explored this gives them a practical insight to how important a dancers'
input is to 'the production' as a whole.
In every production the dancers will learn the importance of the
Technical aspects of the theatre, learning to work with different types of sets - some in situ for a whole Act, while other
Acts have several scene-changes. They will understand the importance of the 'at Theatre' Dress Rehearsal being about
the Technical aspects of the performances and not the dancing. About knowing how to enter and exit the stage, find the light,
and liaise with technicians.
The dancers will be given the skills and techniques that will help them to learn to
manage their performance energy and skills to best advantage - to get the best out of their enhanced excitement levels and
use this appropriately in their performances to raise their performance standards
Dancers will experience the 'reality'
of what it is like to be in an entire full-length ballet production. This is NOT the same as a variety performance (showcase,
concert or annual show) as it requires much more enhanced and very different coping skills and emotional control.
For the more senior dancers, who will be required to dance en pointe the reality of how hard the requirements and
demands of classical ballet are, will be realised. [Anyone who has undertaken a Summer School in
dance with a daily pointe class will understand this!]
Dancers in our company are ordinarily performing in
full narrative ballets, be this full-length or One-Act, and as such this requires a different mindset to performing in a variety-based
performance or showcase. This type of experience is rarely available until the final year of full-time ballet training.
Dancers are encouraged to explore their own potential as a performer, we do not molly-coddle, nor do we enforce a
specific style (as is often required with exam syllabuses) for we promote and encourage the individuality of the
dancer. While a role may have specific characteristic requirements to portray, we believe in coaxing the individual style
and talents out of the dancers, so that they may understand their own talent and potential. We mostly allow solo dancers the
opportunity to explore their own talents in their own way, without too much being handed
to them. It should be understood that solo dancers will not be handed every artistic detail of a dance - as we promote self-exploration.
However, the Principal dancers may be given more coaching to extend their already developed style and in line with
the artistic needs of certain roles.
We hire professional sets and lighting designers, and have a wide audience
following - a very different environment and expectation to annual or biennial dance school performances. We promote the dancers
behaving and performing 'as though they are professionals' as audiences are generally made up of members
of the public not connected to South Coast Ballet or its dancers. This is the closest young dancers will get to performing
to the open general public and not just parents and friends!
Our Principals receive instruction in the art of Pas
de Deux, and for those that may go on to full time professional ballet or musical theatre training, will give them a little
bit of and advantage in their first year of full time training.
We engage in professional photographic shoots for
publicity purposes on several occasions throughout the year - which gives the dancers involved an insight of how hard it is
to get publicity photographs right and how time consuming it is. This is a rare opportunity, that is often not available until
reaching the first year corps de ballet of a ballet company, or the chorus of a musical theatre company. Valuable indeed,
and a way of building a professional portfolio.
If you never go on to pursue a career as a dancer or other performing
artist, your membership with South Coast Ballet will guarantee you a fantastic time while you are a member. Few activities
will leave such an indelible impression on your life.
South Coast Ballet does not
Audition solely for the most talented students of ballet. Elite private coaching covers much of what very talented students
of ballet need. We believe that talent is not always evident and up front, and can come from anywhere. We also acknowledge
that ballet is first and foremost a 'performance art' and it is this aspect which we aim to develop
in our members. But, like technique, it doesn't happen overnight - it takes time and effort. So, whether dancers are hoping
for a career in the ballet, musical theatre or theatre, there is so very much to be gained from the live performance experiences
we offer. A career in ballet is a career as a performer, not just as a technician.
We also believe that the
dancers of today are the audiences of tommorrow - dancers cannot perform without an audience, so this is very important. If
dancers learning ballet today have positive and life enriching experiences from their ballet training, they will support
it as an audience member in the future. Encouraging young dancers to see and experience the ballet from a young age is very
important - not just their own dance schools' shows either - and is something that we, even
though we do not teach and enter for exams, realise is a very important responsibility for the future of dance. We embrace
this wholeheartedly, as ballet (dance, and theatre) cannot survive without audiences - and audiences must be grown from
childhood. We make ballet accessible and affordable, so that all people of all backgrounds can enjoy it and what it has
to offer the human condition.
If you want to become a member, are a parent, or you are a teacher and have students
you believe would benefit from becoming a member you can always ask for further information by contacting us:-
(01305)
767552 or 07870 839070 [After 5.30pm, or leave a message]
caronyardley@live.co.uk
No.11, Wyke Road, Weymouth, DORSET DT4 9QE
Becoming a 'Friend'
We are currently in the process of developing a Friends Program. This will involve a small annual membership fee to cover
costs and will include:-
A regular Newsletter, 'The Stage Door', which will include information about the
dancers and their achievements, news, coming events and appearances, changes, advance information about when the box office
is open for sales etc
Access to the pre-theatre Dress Rehearsal, to see how the production is shaping up, and get
an insight into how a ballet production is put together
Additional and surplus membership funds will, at the conclusion
of the membership year (September to July), be used for the 'South Coast Ballet Scholarship' or similar Award - an
Award which will be voted for by the Friends themselves.
The cost of one year's Membership is only £5.00.
If you would like to support the Scholarship Fund then you can become a member for £5.00 and the additional
funds will all go towards awarding young dancers and helping them with their dancing.
Bronze
£10 Membership
Silver £15 Membership
Gold £20 Membership
As the Scholarship or Award
will be presented at the end of the Company year, in July, Friends, Bronze, Silver and Gold Friends will all be listed in
the July Performance Program (in 2010 this will be Snow White). This way, your contribution will be acknowledged publicly
(unless you wish to remain anonymous). Ordinarily, £5.00 is all that is needed to become a Friend.
Please
contact us via this website or fill in a Friends Membership Form at one of our performances, the next will be The Nutcracker
in December at the Bournemouth Pier Theatre. Forms will be freely available in the foyer.
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Mailing List
Want to be
a part of our Mailing List? Then sign up and let us know and you will recieve information about performances and appearances
by South Coast Ballet as well as a Bulletin to keep you up to date with what is going on. However, this does not include the
benefits of Friends Membership, free attendance at rehearsals or other events not any of the other benefits that Friends would
receive.
Sponsorship
If you would like
to Sponsor any aspect of South Coast Ballet then we would be happy to hear from you. All of what we do is entirely charitable
- even though we are not a Registered Charity. So if you have an idea about anything you would like to be reponsible
for in regards to Sponsorship, then we will be only too happy to hear you out. Just get in touch with us.
Creative Involvement
We love working with people who are creatively minded, or who need
experience to help them with their future career. If you believe that by being involved with a production of ours, that this
will be helpful work experience for you, then get in touch and we'll see what we can do. Anything you do will get proper
recognition in our Theatre Programs and on our Website, you'll have something for your portfolio of work, and an official
thank you letter that you can also use as evidence. We may not always be able to help everyone, but we will do our best to
help young people get the experience they need. Examples may include filming and editing a performance, photography, marketing
and promotional work, designing and/or making specific costumes, working backstage with the technical crew, making props,
being a press officer...the list goes on!
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