Index

Ballet

Jazz

Special Boys' Classes

Double Work

Ballet-cise for Adults

Musical Stage Dance

and much, much
more!

The Harlow Ballet Association, a democratic organisation that "exists to enable the presentation of dance performances in which those appearing shall principally (though not exclusively) be students of the Harlow Ballet School".

*To contact Harlow Ballet Association, please ring 01279 639170 or write to H. B. A., 7, Home Close, Harlow Essex CM20 3PD

Harlow Ballet School, a legally constituted Partnership that teaches children and adults to dance. The Harlow Ballet School has had its home in The Playhouse, Harlow since it opened in 1971.

*To contact Harlow Ballet School, please ring 01279 639170 or write to H. B. S., c/o The Playhouse Harlow Essex CM20 1LS

The Harlow Ballet Association and Harlow Ballet School join forces from time to time to provide intensive courses culminating in special Gala performances at The Playhouse.

All of the dance teachers at the Harlow Ballet School have a huge variety of experience in peforming in dance and theatre to pass on.

The School is a partnership bewteen Michael Branwell, Henrietta Branwell and Claire Rees, who all teach Classical Ballet. In addition, Claire teaches Body-Conditioning and Pre-Ballet classes, while Michael and Henrietta jointly teach Double Work and Junior Double Work. Musical Stage Dance Classes are taught by Barbara Anne Murry and Hayley Burns teaches Contemporary Dance, Jazz and Classical Ballet. Michael Branwell also teaches an Adult Class in "Balletic Enjoyment" at Central School of Ballet

With the exception of Henrietta Branwell, all the other teachers are former pupils of Leo Kersley, who, with his wife, Janet Sinclair, founded the Harlow Ballet School in 1959 and the Harlow Ballet Club, the predecessor of the HBA, in 1961.

The Philosophy of the School

Performances by students are held at The Playhouse (through the Harlow Ballet Association) and have always formed an important part of the development of the students from beginners (of any age!) to mature, self-assured dancers, able to take their place on any stage in the world with confidence. Examinations and the pressure that they cause to young dancers play no part in the School's curriculum, but every student has the chance to appear in productions both on the Main Stage at the Harlow Playhouse and in The Studio Theatre, where they also have the chance to choreograph for their peers.

A large number of our students just dance for fun. They learn not only the steps and moves but also the self-discipline, confidence, grace and fitness that go with the enjoyment of learning an art form that is as popular today as is was when Janet and Leo Kersley first founded the School. We have now extended that enjoyment to four to six year olds. We now offer two classes a week for adults, who are delighted to have found somewhere where the emphasis is on self-expression and "Balletic Enjoyment", not just "how high can you lift your leg?" As dancers progress, they explore more styles of dance and the more that you can do, the more you enjoy it!

Dancing is Fun!
Part of the HBA Adults' Group in Cinderella 2003

(Cinderella is to be revived at Easter 2011)

Every year several students audition for places at full-time dance colleges including the Royal Ballet School, English National Ballet School, Central School of Ballet and London Studio Centre. The School has an extremely high success rate in finding places for those who wish to continue their study in a concentrated form with a view to a professional career in dance or dance-related subjects. Harlow Ballet School is accepted as a "feeder" school by many of the major vocational dance schools and, again, a number of dancers obtained places every year to start their training at professional schools. Former pupils are either studying professionally or will be starting professional training at Elmhurst (Birmingham Royal Ballet) School, Central School of Ballet and The Laine Theatre Arts College. We wish them every success and expect them to followed each year by more Harlow Ballet School students. The Harlow Ballet School encourages promising students to take part in Associate Classes at professional schools and currently has students attending Associate Classes at the Royal Ballet School and at Central School of Ballet. We wish them all well.

Former pupils of the Harlow Ballet School are currently dancing with English National Ballet, Scottish Dance Theatre, and The Royal Danish Ballet in Copenhagen, among other companies, while others have gone on to careers in Musical Stage Dance (HBS currently has an ex-pupil in "Billy Elliot" in London's West End) or as commercial dancers on TV and on cruise ships.

Timetable

Monday	16.30 - 17.30	Boys' Dance Class
	17.00 - 18.00	Junior Double-Work *by special invitation only
	18.00- 19.30	Senior Double-Work *by special invitation only
Tuesday	16.30 - 17.30	Pre-Ballet
	17.30 - 18.30	Mixed Ability Ballet
	18.30 - 19.30	Adults' Ballet-cise
Wednesday	16.30 - 17.30	Junior / Intermediate Ballet
	17.30 - 18.30	Musical Stage Dance
	18.30 - 19.30	Ballet Repertoire Class
Thursday	16.30 - 17.30	Beginners' Ballet
	17.30 - 18.00	Body Conditioning
	18.00 - 19.30	Senior / Adults' Ballet
Friday	16.30 - 17.30	Junior Ballet
	17.30 - 18.30	Intermediate Ballet
	18.30 - 19.30	Contemporary Dance
Saturday

	11.30 - 13.00	Adults' Balletic Enjoyment Class
	13.00 - 14.00	Senior Ballet Part One (Barre)
	14.00 - 15.00	Jazz Dance Class
	15.00 - 16.00	Junior / Intermediate Ballet
	16.00 - 17.00	Senior Ballet Part Two (Centre)
	17.00 - 18.00	Pointe Work

The Harlow Ballet Association organises the performances in the Harlow Playhouse and other venues. Every Easter the Association performs a major production of a Classical Ballet. The first major ballet produced by the Association was The Sleeping Beauty in 2000 and this was revived very successfully in 2006. The Nutcracker was performed in 2001, 2005 and 2009, Coppélia, mounted by T helma Litster and based on Cecchetti's 1894 production was shown in 2002 and 2010. Giselle was performed in 2004 in a version close not only to the original choreography, but also to the original libretto by the Marquis de Saint Georges and Theophile Gautier, using the scenery kindly hired to HBA by the English National Ballet and used in their 2007 revival of the Mary Skeaping production. The company's first original full length production was Cinderella, to the glorious and little known music of the Waltz King, Johann Strauss, which Michael Branwell choreographed in 2003. This is to be revived at Easter, 2010The last was a full length Swan Lake in 2007, with the "white acts" closely following the original choreography of Lev Ivanov.

Taking classes from guest teachers is an important part of the learning process for both dance technique and performance. Our President, Darius James of the Independent Ballet Wales, has taught both Open Classes and Boys' Classes on his visits to Harlow and members of Independent Ballet Wales gave a special course at half term in May 2008. Other guest teachers have included Hannah Windows, of the Ballet Russe Company, who taught a masterclass in preparation for the company's visit to The Playhouse. Former student Paul Tarling, who has extensive experience of dancing in the West End, has joined the teaching staff to teach Classical Ballet Classes and Barre Classes and to assist with Double Work Classes. while Louise Hudson, Artistic Director of Chelsea Ballet, is a Vice President of the HBA and was a regular and very welcome guest teacher, before she left to join her husband, Barry, who is Head of Stage in the new Opera House in Oman..

Special dance courses are held during times when school-age pupils are on hoilday, giving young dancers the chance to spend all day, every day in a professional theatre, learning to dance in a safe and controlled environment. The next course is to be held at half-term in October 2011. These courses always culminate in performances, at which the Antony Osborne Shield for choreography is keenly contested. This gives pupils the chance to choreograph from a very young age and this opportunity has enabled more than one dancer to decide to study choreography at a higher level.

Performances

"Coppélia " - Easter 2010 and

"Cinderella" - Easter 2011

Reviews reproduced by kind permission of The Harlow Star

1. "Coppélia"

My husband does not like ballet, or so he says. He went reluctantly last night to see Harlow Ballet’s production of Coppelia and came out raving about it. What a splendid show it was, and so well performed! The audience were told that due to the indisposition of Paul Tarling (he had damaged his neck) the part of Franz was to be danced by Brett Shiels, to whom all thanks and praise must be given. It appeared that he and the girl dancing Swanhilda, Sophie Hull, had never danced together before that evening. Now I have once seen this happen in the professional theatre, a dancer who had been retired for four years was called in , due to illness, to dance with a company strange to him, but in a part that he had danced many times for another company. And having watched that performance, truly, you could not see the seams. I had never thought to see this in an amateur show. This only serves to point up the incredibly high standard that Harlow Ballet demand from their pupils and have achieved. Yes the young man, Brett Shiels, is a professional dancer but his partner last night , Sophie Hull, is only 14 years old, yet her performance was both assured and confidant, a delight to watch, you could have been excused for thinking that they had danced together for years.

It is good to see that four young boys have taken up the challenge of ballet, this is a field requiring extreme dedication, both mental and physical ability, and great strength, as well as a firm musical ear. Most boys and young men find football a much easier and more attractive option and I take my hat off to the lads who performed last night. Four of these boys were very young but a teenage Sam Whittome is a name to remember and I am sure that we will see more of him in the future, at least I hope so, as his dancing had great maturity and strength. Male dancers need more than technique and to any young lad who feels that this is a ‘sissy’ hobby I suggest they try lifting an eight stone girl off the floor to chest height, holding her there, standing rock steady whilst she moves around, and then putting her gently back on the ground. All this without huffing and puffing. Not easy by any means. Vide Billy Elliot. Last night we were also treated to a delicious cameo performance by Hamish Scott, as ever this young man never ceases to enchant. The performance of Sophie Hull as Swanhilda was a delightful soufflé, sweet and light but firmly held together, and her girl friends were a joy to watch. The adults in the show were most enjoyable and managed to convey that enjoyment to their audience, and the tiny children were sweet in the way of small people everywhere, large eyes, great concentration and big smiles, what fun they had. With such a large cast it seems invidious to single out any one person but special mention must be made of the captivating Natasha Jones as Dawn, and a relative newcomer to principal parts, Katie Mehew as a delightfully sincere Prayer. Also I feel that I must single out for special praise the young couple Hannah Mehew and Sam Whittome who danced the enchanting Peasant’s Wedding dance, these must be names to remember and look for in the future. Finally a special mention must be made of Michael Branwell who played the Machiavellian Doctor Coppellius. If this production can be compared to anything then it must surely be a swan, all beauty , grace and movement as it sailed accress the stage, and we, the audience were never made aware of the effort and work beforehand paddling furiously under the surface of the water, although we all knew that it must be there.

All in all a magnificent night out and I am only sorry that , by the time this review comes out, the show will be over. If you missed seeing these performances then I suggest that you make a mental note to go to the Playhouse if this company ever decides to reprise Coppelia, or indeed to see any other of their shows.

As someone whose experience of ballet extends to once wearing a tutu on an ill-advised night out, it's fair to say I wasn't exactly pirouetting with glee at the prospect of reviewing Cinderella.

After all, the sneering cynic inside me had always suspected ballet to be little more than an excuse for a bunch of grinning, over-flexible loons to show off how they could prance around on their tiptoes without pulling their calf muscles.

Imagine my bewilderment, then, as I found myself completely immersed in an irresistible, cotton-candy fairytale-land of graceful dance, sumptuous visuals, beguiling music and enchanting storytelling.

Traditional and accessible seemed to be the philosophy behind HBAs latest production. And judging by the rapturous reception of a packed auditorium on the show's opening night, it paid off handsomely.

It's a bold move for any group to stage a performance over three acts, but director and choreographer Michael Branwell’s decision to do just that gave his supremely talented young cast the freedom to showcase their breathtaking skills to Johann Strauss's bewitching score.

Worthy of special mention for their sublime solo dances were Lydia Ventre (Fairy of the Tiara), Emily Bird (Fairy of the Magic Shoes), Alex Cowley (Fairy of the Cloak) and Bethany Wilson-Chapman (Fairy of the Tutu).

Jessica Gudgeon and Sam Whittome impressed as Cinderella and her dashing Prince, while guest artist Hamish Scott almost stole the show with an elegant, fleet-footed performance as the Spirit of The Rose.

It was good to see so many of HBAs angelic younger stars-in-waiting also get a chance to appear on stage. Based on the evidence provided by their older peers, they have every chance of one day becoming exceptional dancers themselves.

As for this once-bitter, dance-shy hack, I'm off to buy some tights and a Billy Elliot DVD.

Sat 29th-Sun 30th October

To celebrate its 40-year partnership with the Playhouse,

Harlow Ballet Association presents an intriguing programme,

Reflecting some of the dances performed at the theatre in the past.

In this performance there will be a chance for real nostalgia. There will be dances from Giselle, that most beautiful of Romantic Ballets, which was the first full length ballet put on at The Playhouse, by what was then the Harlow Ballet Club, in November 1971; Sleeping Beauty will be represented by the Rose Adage - one of the most difficult and challenging pieces for any budding ballerina - it will be danced by young Alex Cowley. The Pas de Quatre is another of the wonderful survivals from the golden age of Romantic Ballet, which the HBA has produced on several occasions and there will be two wonderful “rarities” - dances from two of the almost forgotten classical ballets of the nineteenth century, La Bayadère and Pharoah’s Daughter.

But not everything will be classical. There will be seven young choreographers competing for the HBA Choreographic Shield and it is a wonderful co-incidence that in this, the performance to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the Harlow Ballet School’s moving into its promised home in The Playhouse, this should be the twenty-fifth of these competitions. The HBA has always encouraged new choreography, ever since a young man called Wayne Sleep made his first ballet for the opening performances by the Harlow Ballet in The Playhouse. Sadly that ballet is lost - but the tradition of new work is not! Add dances choreographed by Hayley Burns and Barbara Murray during the course itself, a revival of Michael Branwell’s charming No More Fairy Stories for some of the youngest dancers in the Association, two dances being specially prepared for the official Playhouse birthday and a very, very special finale and the whole programme will sparkle with all that is very best in the living tradition of the Harlow Ballet.

May it continue for another 40 years!

Membership. The Harlow Ballet Association has a thriving membership base. Members receive a regular newsletter, The Balletomane and advance booking information and they also have the opportunity to participate in social events. The Annual General Meeting of the Association is held in April or May each year, after the major production in the Harlow Playhouse. The HBA is bound by its Articles of Association (see below) and exists primarily to put on performances at The Playhouse. The next AGM of the Harlow Ballet Association will be held at Moot Hall, The Stow, Harlow on June 7th at 2.00 p.m.

Articles of Association of the HBA. The Harlow Ballet Association shall exist to enable the presentation of dance performances in which those appearing shall principally (though not exclusively) be students of the Harlow Ballet School. The Harlow Ballet Association shall be a non-profit distributing organisation, from which no teacher working at the Harlow Ballet School shall take any remuneration. This will not preclude the Association, at its discretion, from paying fees to professional Guest Artistes, Choreographers, Designers, Stage Technicians and others for services rendered. The members of the Harlow Ballet Association shall be those who pay a subscription as decided from time to time by the Management Committee. The Harlow Ballet Association shall hold an Annual General Meeting to elect a Chairman, Vice Chairman, Hon. Secretary, Hon. Treasurer, Publicity Manager and Technical Manager, who shall, in conjunction with the Partners in the Partnership running the Harlow Ballet School (if not elected to the above posts), form the Management Committee to run the Association. The Management Committee shall appoint an Artistic Director, whose appointment shall only be terminated by resignation or by a two thirds majority vote of the Management Committee. The Management Committee shall have the right to appoint a President and Vice Presidents. These Articles of Association shall only be altered by a two thirds majority of those attending and voting at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting called no sooner than one calendar month after circulation to all members of the Association.

The Harlow Ballet Association does not discriminate, directly or indirectly, on grounds of national or ethnic origins, race, religion, colour, gender, disability, or political persuasion nor, in the case of adults, sexual orientation, marital status or age, in the selection and treatment of choreographers and performers.

For more information please telephone Michael or Henrietta Branwell on 01279 639170 or 07941 878614 or Claire Rees on 01279 830409.

The Cecchetti Method

All pupils at the Harlow Ballet School learn the Cecchetti method of ballet that was created by the great ballet master Enrico Cecchetti. He was born in a dressing room of a theatre in Rome on 21 June, 1850 and performed with his parents from infancy, becoming a virtuoso dancer. In fact it was Cecchetti who created the roles of Bluebird and Carabosse, dancing both to great acclaim in the original Maryinsky production of Sleeping Beauty in 1890.

While performing in Russia, he was engaged as a Premier Danseur and Maitre de Ballet with the Maryinsky Ballet, teaching at the Imperial Ballet School, a post that he filled from 1887 to 1902. After a brief spell of teaching in Warsaw, he returned to St Petersburg, coaching Anna Pavlova, to whom he referred as "the divine Anna", from 1907 to 1909 and resuming his duties at the Maryinsky Theatre.
When Diaghilev wanted his company, the Ballets Russes, to tour, the dancers refused because they would miss their daily classes with Cecchetti! Diaghilev hired Cecchetti as ballet master and mime and he performed many mime roles that were created especially for him. Cecchetti's presence with the Diaghilev Ballets Russes created the link between the past and the present, contributing to the birth of modern classical ballet. Cecchetti eventually settled in London and established a school that trained a whole generation of dancers who, in turn, went on to found British ballet. Cecchetti returned to Italy in 1923, ostensibly to retire, although he taught at La Scala, thus realising a lifelong dream. He collapsed whilst teaching on November 12th, 1928 and died the following day.
Cecchetti's method of teaching was developed directly from that of the ballet master Carlo Blasis who had codified his teaching methods in the book Traite Elementaire, Technique et Practise de l'Art de la Danse, published in 1820. The Cecchetti Method was, in turn, recorded faithfully by his pupils and friends and published as The Manual. It has gone through several editions and is as much the Cecchetti trained dancer's and teacher's "bible" as An Actor Prepares is for Stanislavsky-trained actors. Cecchetti learned from the masters and assimilated and applied the theories that they taught. He established a daily system of classes that develop the body without undue strain or pressure and evolved a method based on balance and harmony. His influence can be seen in Ashton's choreography and in traditional productions of Coppélia , the only remnants of his choreography to survive.
The Harlow Ballet School is proud to continue that noble tradition, passed on from Maetro Cecchetti, through his pupil Stanislav Idzikovsky to the founder of the Harlow Ballet School, Leo Kersley. Leo Kersley's pupils, Michael Branwell and Claire Rees pass on these tried and trusted methods for safe and effective teaching. The Harlow Ballet Association performed Coppélia with Cecchetti's choreography in April 2002.

The Harlow Ballet Association rehearses and performs at The Playhouse and all the classes of the Harlow Ballet School are held in the theatre

A comprehensive site with information, reviews and news and links to ballet companies and publications

Darius James, Artistic Director, is the President of the HBA and former Harlow Ballet School pupil, Keir Briody, is the Principal Dancer

With former Harlow Ballet School pupil James MacGillivray, Rehearsal Director/Dancer

Activ Harlow is the most comprehensive guide to Harlow on the internet. Visit Community Page containing a What's On guide and information on clubs, societies, and organisations including the Harlow Ballet School and Association,

Classifile is a cataloguing program for storing and retrieving details of video, audio and film recordings and is used extensively by the Harlow Ballet.

The Artistic Director of Chelsea Ballet, Louise Hudson, is the Vice President of the HBA. The company is based at the Arts Educational School in West London. Michael and Henrietta Branwell will be teaching at the Chelsea Ballet Summer School from August 8th to 12th 2011. Follow the weblink for full details! As "Chelsea Ballet", they perform classical ballets twice a year and a number of other performanes with other amateur dance groups. As "Chelsea Ballet Two", they encourage new choreographers.

Welcome to the official Website of the

The Philosophy of the School

The Cecchetti Method