World Ballet Day

Five of the world’s leading ballet companies broadcast a full day of behind-the-scenes footage from across the globe on Thursday 1 October as part of “World Ballet Day LIVE”. Pipers Corner also took part in this worldwide event which gave the girls a fantastic opportunity to see what it takes to be part of one of the world’s top ballet companies and get a real insight into the dedication required to be an elite professional ballet dancer.

World Ballet Day is now in its second year with The Australian Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, The Royal Ballet, The National Ballet of Canada, and San Francisco Ballet coming together to provide viewers around the world with an inside look into their work in the studio, on tour, and in performance with live streams of various experiences from technique classes, rehearsals and backstage preparations.

Highlights from the day at Pipers included:

• During Form Time girls were able to watch the live stream from the Bolshoi Ballet’s first class of the day.  Ms Halton, Head of Prep Drama said “The girls were completely hooked, even if they thought they didn’t like ballet, the live stream gave them an insight into the actual workings of a company, which they had never seen before.”

• Year 3 played “World Ballet Dance Bingo” during their Dance lessons.  As they watched the live stream the girls were asked to spot ballet techniques from their bingo card.  They then used their artistic skills to produce drawings from the rehearsal.

• The Year 10 GCSE Dance class watched the Scottish ballet rehearsing the pas de deux for “Swan Lake” live.  The girls then discussed rehearsal techniques and the importance of vigorous rehearsals to achieve the perfect performance. 

• In all Dance classes throughout the day “World Ballet Day” was streamed before the lessons to inspire all girls in their movement, etiquette and discipline, which helped bring out their best techniques and performance during the lesson.

• In French lessons the girls learnt where the formal ballet vocabulary came from.  “Plie” – to bend, “tendu” – to stretch and “cloche”, which represents the movement of a bell swinging, means bell.

• Dr Smith, English teacher, asked the girls to use ballet terminology to describe something they had done in the morning.  A fantastic example was “marshmallows pirouetting on top of hot chocolate.”

Mrs Wood, Dance teacher said “World Ballet Day has been  a fantastic opportunity to show girls what actually happens backstage and at rehearsal time in professional dance companies. Most girls never see this side of the dance world and really helped them understand the dedication and commitment professional dancers undertake to become world class.”

Photos show - Year 10 | Drawing by Hilda H (Year 3) | Drawing by Lily M (Year 3)

For more information contact:

Rebecca Conroy, Senior Marketing Executive, Pipers Corner School. Telephone 01494 719850 or email [email protected] | www.facebook.com/PipersCornerSchool | @PipersCornerSch