What a wonderful piece, Prue! So much to love here and the smiles in that group picture say everything. (Plus, you are all GORGEOUS!) Anyway, just to address the fear thing - if I have learned anything in my (ongoing) struggle with Anxiety, it's that I must accept the occasional "visit" but I don't have to invite it in for a full meal with dessert ha! It's what you say here. Acknowledgment - and then, do it anyway! Isn't it strange how it presents each time, for me at least, bringing that profound conviction that THIS time is different! The fear has never been this intense before and I may well vomit/die/faint/have to be air lifted somewhere etc.etc. But then I don't - and some of us even end up not only dancing in front of an audience (!!!) but writing beautifully about it later! I am cheering you on from Canada. Bravo, dear Prue, bravo!!!
Anxiety - such a pain. It'd be great to be calm 24/7 and in my private milieu, I am but 'public' is a whole other thing. Sue, i did laugh at the airlift thing! But the reality is that the mind is such a traitor, isn't it? Worst case scenarios and all that.
Which is why I took Ant Middleton's words very much to heart. That and core-breathing, visualisation, meditation... you name it and I'll do it!
But we did it! I did it and the next day I am always exhausted, but on such a high that it's almost as good as swimming in winter water.
Thank you, dear Sue for you comments. I appreciate them so much.
Well done Prue and ladies how marvelous you all are. You sound so like me with the content of your bag ready to go with you, especially tea bags first ;) Also going to the loo I am forever going when I;m nervous or just before something important is happening. You should all be proud Bravo !!!
I had two cups of camonile tea, Libby. Probably far better than coffee as coffee is a diurietic and the loo and I would have been even more friendly! Freezing day and I was glad to actually be in the warmth which is rare!!!
Ballet is a beautiful thing for keeping the body and mind elastic as we age. Add to that the friendships (evidenced in the pictures), the music and the support of a wonderful ballet mistress and I think I've chosen the best thing to help me age.
Try and see a performance of Swan Lake if you can. It's a very beautiful ballet but for me, my most favourite is Don Quixote.
Yay!!!! Congratulations!!! (I hadn’t realised I can use the tag ‘sexuagenarian’!!! Well!!) I love that this is at Mt Nelson, a place I visited for around twenty years after family moved there. What a beautiful Hall, what a photogenic group of dancers, what a wonderful story!! I’m so thrilled for you dear Prue! Congratulations!! I hope you’re sleeping soundly and that you awake full of relief and happiness (and painfree!) Such a good read. I’m so thrilled for you. Sending heaps of hugs and best wishes. 🤗🤗😘😘🌼🌼
Brava!! Brava!! So elegant. So brave. So inspiring! I do hope you'll share some of the professional photos and perhaps some video at some point, but I can practically picture you all moving gracefully across the stage, tulle flowing, gold glistening, smiles radiating. I think that even if there was a misstep here or there, your troupe would be a source of great joy to watch. There is wild applause coming from my part of the planet. Surely you can hear it!
Thanks so much, Elizabeth. Isn't 'brava' the most wonderful word?
As i mentioned earlier, there will be a video at some point but it may be subject to copyright and I need to check that out.
Do you know, from what I can gather from our teacher and from the school director, we didn't do one misstep!!!! What a coup!
I do know that I counted a lifetime of seconds as we waited at the end for the lights to cut so we could exit the stage. My legs were like jelly and today I'm tired. But on a high, so the Terrier will get a pretty good walk I think as together, we try to bring me down to earth.
Sorry to have missed the part about the video. I'll keep my fingers crossed that you'll have the option to share. Glad you're feeling the high of your achievement today. Well-deserved!
Prue!!!! This is incredible - what amazing words and pictures to illustrate such a wonderful experience. You - all of you - are phenomenal women and passionate artistes - and golly me, you must feel on SUCH a high right now!
Coming down off the high, Rebecca and am completely knackered. I just went for a beach walk and the water is clear and quite mild so a swim might recharge my batteries.
I fell asleep in the bath last night and when I eventually crawled to bed, slept the sleep of the dead.
And we only danced for 2' 30" ish. Real dancers must be sooooo fit.
I love the idea of a swim to recharge your batteries - what a brilliant idea!
You ARE a real dancer! And a fit one, at that! But I don't think it's those 2' 30" that's made you so exhausted - it's all that creative effort, and the build-up, and the practice. I think you're absolutely wonderful. 💃
A huge sense of achievement for us all. Over three years, we've danced to music from Swan Lake, the Dance of the Knights from Romeo and Juliet and last year it was to the music from Amelie. It's funny to think that as senior cits, we're getting a bit of a repertoire. Thanks for your compliments.
This is so fantastically inspirational. When’s the ballet memoir launch? Gorgeous pic. The anxiety before performing is universal. I was on the porcelain before every theatre performance and but I was in good company when I heard that Meryl Streep used to vomit before every show. Funny how it all disappears once you’re on stage. ❤️
Oh CK, I'll take your word for it. Because you HAVE that theatre experience!
I countdown by the second until all over and the lights are dowsed and we can get off the stage!
My husband gives me a little schtick and says 'Here she comes, Dame Margot'. My son calls me 'Anna Pavlova!' with a glinting eye, and me? I still see myself as a little girl where my ballet teacher at the time called me The Fairy Elephant... probably why I left to become a competitive swimmer and horse rider!
Wow!!! I'm so impressed and I'm smiling with joy for you writing this now. What a thrill! Being a dancer is such a wonderful skill: movement + music combining to = emotion! I am delighted you shared the whole experience so we could 'be there' with you along the final journey to performance. And hooray for long bath soaks-my happy place too.
I do agree - dancing is the most lyrical, beautiful thing.
In my head I'm a ballerina. (Did you know I have a good imagination?)The really wonderful thing about Tuesday classes, is that for a day or two after, I am an inch or so taller, I walk with a straight back and I have no neck pain at all. (we just won't talk about the other pains which sadly ballet doesn't help.)
In the UK, there's a very strong senior ballet movement across the nation begun by the Royal Ballet, I believe. It's called the Silver Swans programme and runs in many many places. Even Queen Camilla attends a Silver Swans class. Perhaps there's oe on the Isle of Wight...
You are doing a fine job of selling it me! There is indeed a dance studio a few blocks away...maybe, just maybe I'll look into it! Thanks for the nudge xx
What a wonderful piece, Prue! So much to love here and the smiles in that group picture say everything. (Plus, you are all GORGEOUS!) Anyway, just to address the fear thing - if I have learned anything in my (ongoing) struggle with Anxiety, it's that I must accept the occasional "visit" but I don't have to invite it in for a full meal with dessert ha! It's what you say here. Acknowledgment - and then, do it anyway! Isn't it strange how it presents each time, for me at least, bringing that profound conviction that THIS time is different! The fear has never been this intense before and I may well vomit/die/faint/have to be air lifted somewhere etc.etc. But then I don't - and some of us even end up not only dancing in front of an audience (!!!) but writing beautifully about it later! I am cheering you on from Canada. Bravo, dear Prue, bravo!!!
Anxiety - such a pain. It'd be great to be calm 24/7 and in my private milieu, I am but 'public' is a whole other thing. Sue, i did laugh at the airlift thing! But the reality is that the mind is such a traitor, isn't it? Worst case scenarios and all that.
Which is why I took Ant Middleton's words very much to heart. That and core-breathing, visualisation, meditation... you name it and I'll do it!
But we did it! I did it and the next day I am always exhausted, but on such a high that it's almost as good as swimming in winter water.
Thank you, dear Sue for you comments. I appreciate them so much.
Well done Prue and ladies how marvelous you all are. You sound so like me with the content of your bag ready to go with you, especially tea bags first ;) Also going to the loo I am forever going when I;m nervous or just before something important is happening. You should all be proud Bravo !!!
I had two cups of camonile tea, Libby. Probably far better than coffee as coffee is a diurietic and the loo and I would have been even more friendly! Freezing day and I was glad to actually be in the warmth which is rare!!!
Oh my gosh, good for YOU! What amazing fun. And don't you all look wonderful in your Carmen costumes!
I only wish there was video... ❤️
There will be a video, Ramona but I believe it will be subject to copyright. I must make enquiries. Thank you for your support!
Always. 💕
Bravo 👏 👏👏 to you and the other ladies. I have never seen Swan Lake but would love to see it. I admire your dedication and commitment. 💐
Thanks Rosy.
Ballet is a beautiful thing for keeping the body and mind elastic as we age. Add to that the friendships (evidenced in the pictures), the music and the support of a wonderful ballet mistress and I think I've chosen the best thing to help me age.
Try and see a performance of Swan Lake if you can. It's a very beautiful ballet but for me, my most favourite is Don Quixote.
Yay!!!! Congratulations!!! (I hadn’t realised I can use the tag ‘sexuagenarian’!!! Well!!) I love that this is at Mt Nelson, a place I visited for around twenty years after family moved there. What a beautiful Hall, what a photogenic group of dancers, what a wonderful story!! I’m so thrilled for you dear Prue! Congratulations!! I hope you’re sleeping soundly and that you awake full of relief and happiness (and painfree!) Such a good read. I’m so thrilled for you. Sending heaps of hugs and best wishes. 🤗🤗😘😘🌼🌼
Wow, Beth. How unreal that you know exactly where we were!
I didn't know about sexuagenarian either and as a 72 year old, feel I missed out on a saucy title!
Never mind. The choreography and attitude of our dance taught me to 'smoulder' a little bit longer!
Thanks for your wishes.
Brava!! Brava!! So elegant. So brave. So inspiring! I do hope you'll share some of the professional photos and perhaps some video at some point, but I can practically picture you all moving gracefully across the stage, tulle flowing, gold glistening, smiles radiating. I think that even if there was a misstep here or there, your troupe would be a source of great joy to watch. There is wild applause coming from my part of the planet. Surely you can hear it!
Thanks so much, Elizabeth. Isn't 'brava' the most wonderful word?
As i mentioned earlier, there will be a video at some point but it may be subject to copyright and I need to check that out.
Do you know, from what I can gather from our teacher and from the school director, we didn't do one misstep!!!! What a coup!
I do know that I counted a lifetime of seconds as we waited at the end for the lights to cut so we could exit the stage. My legs were like jelly and today I'm tired. But on a high, so the Terrier will get a pretty good walk I think as together, we try to bring me down to earth.
Sorry to have missed the part about the video. I'll keep my fingers crossed that you'll have the option to share. Glad you're feeling the high of your achievement today. Well-deserved!
Prue!!!! This is incredible - what amazing words and pictures to illustrate such a wonderful experience. You - all of you - are phenomenal women and passionate artistes - and golly me, you must feel on SUCH a high right now!
AWESOME!
Coming down off the high, Rebecca and am completely knackered. I just went for a beach walk and the water is clear and quite mild so a swim might recharge my batteries.
I fell asleep in the bath last night and when I eventually crawled to bed, slept the sleep of the dead.
And we only danced for 2' 30" ish. Real dancers must be sooooo fit.
Mind you, it's all relative, isn't it?
I love the idea of a swim to recharge your batteries - what a brilliant idea!
You ARE a real dancer! And a fit one, at that! But I don't think it's those 2' 30" that's made you so exhausted - it's all that creative effort, and the build-up, and the practice. I think you're absolutely wonderful. 💃
XXXX
How wonderful Prue - you must be so thrilled. You all look fantastic.
A huge sense of achievement for us all. Over three years, we've danced to music from Swan Lake, the Dance of the Knights from Romeo and Juliet and last year it was to the music from Amelie. It's funny to think that as senior cits, we're getting a bit of a repertoire. Thanks for your compliments.
This is so fantastically inspirational. When’s the ballet memoir launch? Gorgeous pic. The anxiety before performing is universal. I was on the porcelain before every theatre performance and but I was in good company when I heard that Meryl Streep used to vomit before every show. Funny how it all disappears once you’re on stage. ❤️
Oh CK, I'll take your word for it. Because you HAVE that theatre experience!
I countdown by the second until all over and the lights are dowsed and we can get off the stage!
My husband gives me a little schtick and says 'Here she comes, Dame Margot'. My son calls me 'Anna Pavlova!' with a glinting eye, and me? I still see myself as a little girl where my ballet teacher at the time called me The Fairy Elephant... probably why I left to become a competitive swimmer and horse rider!
Thank you so much for your kind words!
❤️❤️❤️
Wow!!! I'm so impressed and I'm smiling with joy for you writing this now. What a thrill! Being a dancer is such a wonderful skill: movement + music combining to = emotion! I am delighted you shared the whole experience so we could 'be there' with you along the final journey to performance. And hooray for long bath soaks-my happy place too.
Sabrina, Thank you for your kind words.
I do agree - dancing is the most lyrical, beautiful thing.
In my head I'm a ballerina. (Did you know I have a good imagination?)The really wonderful thing about Tuesday classes, is that for a day or two after, I am an inch or so taller, I walk with a straight back and I have no neck pain at all. (we just won't talk about the other pains which sadly ballet doesn't help.)
In the UK, there's a very strong senior ballet movement across the nation begun by the Royal Ballet, I believe. It's called the Silver Swans programme and runs in many many places. Even Queen Camilla attends a Silver Swans class. Perhaps there's oe on the Isle of Wight...
You are doing a fine job of selling it me! There is indeed a dance studio a few blocks away...maybe, just maybe I'll look into it! Thanks for the nudge xx
I shall be right behind you!