When we hear the word ballet, most of us think of girls in pink tutus and women dancing on their toes. Let's put a stop to that misconception now, and highlight one of the most important parts of classical ballet as an art - the male dancer. What would a pas de deux (partner dance, or 'step of two') be ...
The Beginnings of TLFCB
From En Avant Issue 3, March - April 2022 It is 1999, in a small village on the Kashmir - Pakistan border. A group of children are playing together when suddenly a strange, foreign woman with shiny golden hair steps out of a house and joins them. Bending and stretching, jumping and skipping, she teaches them movements that they have ...
Ballet on the Big Screen – The Secret Garden
by Aradhana Kiran, Maya Haridas and Siddhie Pillai Today we are looking at a ballet for our younger dancers - The Secret Garden by London Children's Ballet (LCB). A fun, joyous and beautiful adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic book of the same name. This ballet will be screened in the coming months for all students from Pre-Primary and above. ...
Prix de Lausanne Highlights
BY MAYA HARIDAS The finals of the 2022 edition of the Prix De Lausanne took place in Montreux, Switzerland on the 5th of February. If you were not able to catch the finals, or just want the results, here is a quick round up. What is the Prix? The Prix de Lausanne is an international dance competition held annually in ...
The Importance of a Constructive Learning Environment
As teachers, it is our responsibility to provide a positive learning environment for our students. A positive learning environment includes feeling a sense of belonging and trust in others. It is also about feeling encouraged to tackle challenges, take risks, and a place without distractions. In dance especially, it also includes a clear, undisturbed space for the students to move, ...
Classical Dance – Can I Learn More Than One Style?
When new students join us at the foundation, a question that often arises is whether learning another classical dance form, such as Bharatanatyam, Kathak or Odissi, will be helpful or a hindrance to learning classical ballet. Our answer is always that it can be helpful under the right circumstances. Let’s take a look at why with the help of professionals ...
Adult Ballet – Is It Too Late To Start? Part 2
What will I be able to achieve if I start ballet as an adult? Isn't it just for kids? Find out how ballet changed the lives of Sabitha Srinath and Arwa Hussain, both students with TLFCB who started their journey with ballet as adults. Arwa onstage in Cinderella, 2013 Arwa Hussain is a model, nutritionist and wellness coach. She began ...
Starting Ballet as an Adult – Insight
In conversation with Ramya Manikam about starting ballet as an adult. Ramya takes ballet wherever she goes What made you start taking ballet lessons? My first introduction to ballet was as a child, going through my grandmother's books on health and medicine that featured several chapters on ballet. I was instinctively drawn towards what I read and saw and believed ...
Ballet Movies To Watch
Looking for inspiration in the world of movies? There are plenty of great films out there. Here's our list of favourites from the ballet world. For the Kids Billy Elliot (2000) Set in England in 1984, the movie follows 11-year old Billy as he enrols in a ballet class to follow his real passion despite family and social pressure to ...
Adult Ballet – Is It Too Late To Start?
Is it too late for me to start learning ballet now, as an adult? This is a question we often get asked by students who are interested in ballet but who have not had the opportunity to try it. Many are under the misconception that ballet can only be learned properly if started at a young age. We say, it’s ...