An innovative dance programme has been designed to give local dancers clear insight into the demands of professional ballet. Jo Caruana goes beyond the tutus to find out more.
From the outside, the world of ballet looks like a beautiful and effortless dream of whirling beauties dressed in tulle and lace.
However, we know that the reality is quite far removed for those who live it and classical ballet is easily one of the most challenging dance disciplines there is, with professionals having to put in years and years of complex training if they are to hope to secure a future in the industry.
And while the Maltese classical dance scene is still developing, it is imperative for local ballet hopefuls to realise what would be expected from them should they embark on a career as a ballerina.
As a ballet dancer herself, Sandrina Spiteri Gonzi, the founder and artistic director of The Ballet Summer Intensive, understands what is required from the international industry and she has crafted this programme to match.
“The idea for this intensive originated out of a wish to design something current and innovative with ballet: a platform that would allow dance scholars in Malta to interact with professional dancers from international well-renowned ballet companies,” she says, adding that is it her desire to make ballet a more exciting art form for dancers.
“Many young ballet dancers tire of the rigid syllabus, exam-orientated classwork and memory work, while others, having reached advanced levels, are looking to be part of something new and exciting. Thus, we wanted to offer dancers the opportunity to flavour ballet at a different level by working with inspirational and professional dancers from world-class companies.”
The Ballet Summer Intensive has invited two top dancers to Malta to launch this intensive: Laurretta Summerscales from the English National Ballet and Tierney Heap from the Royal Ballet. Both Summerscales and Heap are equally looking forward to what’s to come.
“What each student gets out of the programme will depend entirely on their individual commitment and dedication,” says Heap, who debuted the lead role of the Queen of the Lilies in Giselle at London’s Royal Opera House when she was 20 years old.
Summerscales, meanwhile, stresses how important it is to take your training seriously if you hope to, one day, make it as a professional dancer.
“Dancing cannot be treated as a hobby when you are interested in turning it into a career, so you will have to be ready to make sacrifices and work extremely hard,” she says.
Classified as intensive, the two-week course will be divided into three classes per day. In the first class, dancers will focus on improving clean, strong classical technique and place an emphasis on artistry, musicality, purity of line, co-ordination and quality of movement. In the second they will work on performance skills and develop themselves as artists, while also learning solos and repertoire from famous ballets such as Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Giselle, Romeo and Juliet, and Cinderella.
We wanted to offer dancers the opportunity to flavour ballet at a different level by working with inspirational and professional dancers from world-class companies
The final session of the day will cover the appropriate stretches and body strengthening exercises required for their bodies, with additional tutorials on auditioning techniques, healthy eating, injuries, grooming and other relevant topics.
“This programme will give dancers the chance to practise as much as they can, whenever they can,” continues Summerscales. “It will show how they can never stop learning and improving, no matter how many techniques they discover and how many styles they try to approach.
“We will teach our students that it is also important to practice on their own as well as with a teacher, and to use every audition and class as an opportunity to see how far their bodies can go and the ways that they can improve themselves.”
Through this intensive, Spiteri Gonzi hopes to bring about real change for the dance industry in Malta. “Wherever you go cultural norms and systems are tough to break into. Malta is no exception. The existing ballet community is an established community and newcomers from abroad are looked upon with caution and sometimes suspicion,” she says.
The Ballet Summer Intensive is being held between tomorrow and August 1. To join, send an e-mail to balletsummerintensive@gmail.com or call on 9958 2846.