Ballet, Unplugged

The Big Ballet Studio of the Finnish National Ballet.
Photo credit: mine.

A few weeks back, I had another opportunity to watch company class at the Finnish National Ballet, always a fascinating experience. This time there was a huge bonus treat: after class we got to observe the principals' rehearsal for Kenneth Greve's new ballet Snow Queen, with choreography still in the making! It's one of those fly-on-the-wall moments you dream of.. Seriously, I would be more than happy to hang around the Opera building for the entire day. I could do laundry, fill water bottles, collect stray hairpins, write more blogs, whatever.

We were met at the personnel's entrance half past ten by one of FNB's coordinators, and duly escorted to the big ballet studio. I would have known my way around already, but you gotta follow protocol and stick with your group. We got to class just as the dancers were moving to the center. There was a guest teacher; the charming, energetic and suitably strict Mr. Sandor Nemethy. There were, however, fewer dancers, as Saturday is a voluntary training day (unless there's rehearsal afterwards). Those dancers who are performing later in the day have of course their own warm-up class in addition. But, I was happy to sight familiar (and favorite) principals and soloists and up-and-coming corps dancers, all amazing artists with distinctive qualities of their own. I don't know how happy they were to have an improptu audience, but at least I couldn't sense any discord. On the contrary, some seemed to enjoy the extra attention, giving us a full-out performance! To anyone of you dancers (Mira, Tiina, Salla, Wilfried..) reading this: thanks for making my day!

You know what I like so much about watching company class, aside from the mad skills and gorgeous ballet-bodies? You get to see the dancers work on their craft, in plain view, without all the glamorous accroutements of a staged performance. It's ballet's equivalent of MTV Unplugged. The other reason I like to observe pros in class is kinda obvious: I try to watch every move they make, and soak it all up. The refined épaulement, the port de bras, the linking steps and all that happens in between. Seriously, you learn a lot from watching other (professional) dancers. You also learn that they are not perfect either, make mistakes, take risks, fail at pirouettes - and they get corrections just like us. Another thing I observed is that when the pianist is playing, the dancers are dancing! If the exercise ends mid-diagonale, you either run out of the way or stand still and trust your fellow dancers not to knock you over! The energy is just awesome, and every time I get to observe I want to join in so badly.. Not that I could ever keep up. It took me about four diagonals to pick up the brisé-exercise which they all got after verbal instructions alone.

After class, six dancers remained and it was time for rehearsal. When the choreographer (and Artistic Director) Kenneth Greve explained that there were still minutes of choreography missing, I was way more pleased than if it had been a rehearsal of ready-made steps! How cool to see the creative process in progress..

Good Morning Class!

I'm not a morning person. But I do love ballet, and the prospect of starting my day with dance is enough to turn me into a morning-class person! Which is where I was headed this past Thursday. Sadly, not to dance myself - but when you get to watch the pros instead, I sure am not complaining! Yup, I had gotten another pass to observe The Finnish National Ballet's company class. Last time I saw most of the women in pointe-action, this time I was looking forward to a regular mixed class. Actually, the prospect of seeing hunky danseurs leap through the air is enough to turn any girl into a morning person.. ;)

As I crossed the short distance from the tram-stop to the Opera building, I noticed a few dancers walking ahead of me. I couldn't help but check my posture, even exaggerate my almost-not-there duck-walk. It didn't matter that no one was looking, I enjoyed getting into the part. A little make-believe early in the morning.. Of course, I couldn't fool anyone in the know - my hips don't lie (Shakira!). The thing is I've got a little too much in that department, at least where pro ballet is considered. But I do have the poise and the bounce (and a bit of technique)! Anyway, I was going to observe class, not audition for the company. So I picked up my name-tag (cool) from the reception, and Jussi from the Press Office came to escort me to the class.

There are two classes each morning, and I chose the one in the main ballet studio, which I know well already. When we arrived, there were a few dancers stretching and limbering up, and I was happy to see a familiar face greeting me with a smile. It is odd, usually I write my blogs from the POW of an insider and not looking in from the outside. Here I was in a ballet studio, which is home away from home, and instead of joining the other dancers on the floor, I sat down on one of the chairs (in front of the mirror, close to the grand piano). Talk about conspicuous behavior! Seriously, I would have been less nervous at the barre! Just as class was about to begin, Jussi introduced as the ballet blogger who's come to observe. Turns out my blog's link was already posted on their announcement-board! Dancers, if you are indeed reading this, thanks again for putting up with me! Especially since I had permission to take pictures, and had to take quite a few.. Taking photos of moving dancers is not easy, you want to do everyone justice.

Guest teacher Piotr Nardelli and artists of the Finnish National Ballet.
Photo: Johanna / PTYD.

"Vamos chicos and chiquitas!" I couldn't help but smile when guest teacher Piotr Nardelli gave out excercises and corrections. At the beginning of class he seemed to have all the energy the dancers were still gathering. Of course, morning class is for warm-up and getting ready for another long and strenuous day. Really, I don't know how the pros manage it day after day. It takes heaps of self-discipline, for sure! And Mr. Nardelli's class was not one for sleepy (bun-)heads.. In center, he chose dancers to demonstrate some of the exercises, making them literally think on their feet. You better be awake and know your ballet-French!

I love to watch dancers in center. You get to see how much work all those seemingly effortless steps, turns and jumps actually take. And you get to see dancers take risks, throw themselves into the music, without restraint. You also get to see them fail, just like us regular recreational dancers. But they always stick to it, until they get it right. I really should remember this, in every class I take. I also wish one could pick up awesome pirouettes from watching alone! The very young and lovely First Soloist Maria Baranova pulled off perfect quadruples like it was no big deal at all. Well, at her level it probably isn't. Maybe she was going for sixtuplets? Jealous much? Baranova wasn't the only one of the ladies who impressed me. Etoile Petia Ilieva has an exquisite quality to her jump (among other), and Ophélie Rodighiero was another fearless turner. But as I had already seen the ballerinas before, I was focusing mostly on the boys/men.

Wow. The men were totally exuberant in their dancing, even boisterous! You can really tell they love to dance, and don't mind showing off their technique! And why should they? The pirouettes were awesome, the multiple tours en l'air seriously cool. I have to say that the over all level of "our" men at the Finnish National Ballet is impressive, even internationally speaking. I strongly suspect that the leadership of Kenneth Greve has been the decisive factor in this fortunate development. Of course there have always been good and wonderful danseurs, but perhaps not as many as presently.. There was one dancer in particular,  he seemed to glide in the air, without any apparent effort. Like walking, only flying. I was excited to make this new discovery - until I found out he is leaving Finland after the summer. Readers in the UK, take note: Nicol Edmonds was offered a contract with the Royal Ballet! Though I'm sad to miss out on his dancing, I know it's a dream come true. Huge congrats to Nicol!

When the class got to grand allegro, I had long since forgotten about being an outsider - I just enjoyed being in the audience! I didn't even notice when the Artistic Director of the company walked in and sat into the chair next to me. When I did, he said something which was probably a greeting, but I was caught off guard, and the words were drowned in the piano music. So I gestured towards my ear, and he repeated (probably wondering whether I was a bit dense): "Hi, I'm Kenneth Greve!" Me, rather star-struck: "Yes, I know.. I'm Johanna". KG: "Yes, I have seen you around." Me: blushing. Then he said something about having read my blog and that he liked it. Me: speechless. The only explanation I can give is this: it was class, and I do not talk in class. Okay, I might on occasion whisper something to a friend, but if a teacher corrects me, I do as I'm told. If there's praise, I nod, maybe smile and then get back to work. You can take the student out of her class, but you can't take the ballet-school out of the student. Should there be a next time, I better write something smart on a post-it and stick it to my forehead. ;)

Company Class: Pointe

There I was, at the Finnish National Ballet, sitting on a cushioned chair, tucked between the grand piano on my right and the wall-facing barre on the left. The first dancer was so close I had to glue myself to the piano to avoid getting grand-battemented. But it was a great spot, as I could watch every dancer in that huge studio. And guys, before they even started I had to check out all the dance-wear! Old sweats, loose and baggy, sleeker wool-acrylic warm-up rompers, leg warmers, down-vests, down warm-up booties, wool socks, crocheted scarfs around the hips, skirts, lots of yumikos in all colour combinations, black leggings, a few cut-off pink tights, some in other colours too. My favorite of all has to be the "I Love Nutella" t-shirt. It's really not your average work-wear - unless you're a dancer of course.

But let's steer away from class-fashion (which really deserves a post of its own), and get back to the actual dancing! Barbora Kohoutková demonstrated the exercises, but to my surprise she didn't stop there. Instead of doing the rounds, observing and correcting the dancers, she joined in and did the same barre with them! Which makes perfect sense, however, when you know that Kohoutková is still a dancer herself, and on the stage as Gamzatti this coming Saturday. And like every other professional dancer, she needs morning class to check in with her body, to limber up, to maintain technique and get ready for the day's rehearsals and performances. For us adult recreational dancers, class is usually all we get - but for the pros it's just the start of the day. Amazing and seriously hard work, really.

And that hard work started with a 30-minute long barre, which is about 10-15 minutes shorter to what I'm used to. But again, it makes sense since their morning class lasts only 75 minutes (followed by rehearsals) - and you would want to spend most of that in center anyway. It was a good barre too, lots of variety in the phrasing of the exercises. I tried to write some down into my notebook (the paper version), but there is no pause-button on a live class! Suffice to say, it was a speedy barre. And to my delight, one that I could have managed myself! Of course, you have to keep in mind that company class is first and foremost warm-up and keep-up. Pros don't need to learn new technique at the barre like us students do. The really challenging stuff comes in center, and with repertoire and new choreography. But I gotta tell you - it's an awesome sight to see thirty+ ballerinas extending their legs in developpé ecarté up to their ears! Wow.

After barre on came the pointe shoes - and here's where I would have scurried into a corner and out of the way.. Far too difficult for my skill-level! Which of course made it all the more fascinating to watch. Again, Kohoutková demonstrated full out and on pointe herself - but this time she remained in front of the class and gave corrections and advice. I was suprised that they repeated the same exercise as often as four-six times, that is if I counted right. As one group finished, the next one was already taking first steps.. and the pianist kept playing, changing tunes to keep them motivated and entertained!

There were only pro dancers in the room, except for yours truly, but even the pros don't nail every balance nor land every pirouette all the time. That's kind of comforting to know, you know? :) But when they do stay up, up, up or go for the quadruple, it's such a thrill! I saw one of FNB's étoiles, Salla Eerola, finish her enchaînement with a quintuple pirouette. Just like that, as if it were as simple as walking down the street. Yikes.

I wish I could have recorded that class on video. How often do you get to watch the étoiles, principals, soloists and corps do their morning class on pointe? What I loved was the talent and the skill, the sheer beauty of it all, but also the variety. On stage the corps de ballet has to dance as one, but here you could see individuals, along with the soloists, of course. They all have the prerequisite look and technique, but still there was variety in the quality of their movement. Something distinctive in their épaulement, someone with more bouncy ballon, another with fearless pirouettes, one dancing with intense purpose, another with relaxed calm. Some with the softest of pliés, one with the most elongated of extensions. Different colours and nuances, all beautiful.

I still feel inspired after that class. And even more in awe of the talent, hard work, determination and drive it takes to be a professional ballerina. As an adult recreational ballet student, I can only day-dream of working days in the ballet-studio and on the stage.. but I do share the same passion and love for ballet. And I know you do too.

Until next time, dance and pointe until you happily drop!

Salla Eerola's feet and shoes after pointe class. Photo: ©PTYD.

Behind the Scenes at FNB: Company Class

It was early, and I was getting somewhat nervous.. I had told the receptionist of my appointment with the Press Manager and that she would come and pick me up. There was still time to sit on the nice couch in the elegantly restrained foyer of the National Opera building and watch personnel coming in, mostly dancers. It was already a quarter before 10 A.M., morning class time. You cannot mistake ballet dancers for any other professions, not on the street, not among a big crowd. But here it was far too easy and I didn't want to stare. I was trying to be cool, you know (to cover up a sudden onset of shyness). Even when the famous, popular and stylish Minna Tervamäki, soon to be retired étoile, walked in. I'm lucky I'll get to see her farewell performance on the 31th of March - she is dancing the role of the bayadére Nikiya. Should have asked for her autograph! Next time, enough with the being-cool cover-up. ;)

Costumes for the upcoming La Bayadère.

Ten minutes before ten Heidi Almi, the very friendly Press Manager of the Finnish National Opera and Ballet, walked in and gave me a warm welcome. She then escorted me trough a security-gate, down a long marble-paved corridor, small stairs up, where we took the elevator down into the basement. The Opera building has four dance studios, but the ballet may also use the smaller stage of Alminsali and two rehearsal spaces of the opera. The big basement studio has only been in use for about a year. It used to be a storage space for the stage sets, hence the the two-story-high ceiling. You could easily build a cheering-pyramid in that studio!

Alas, no cheerleaders but a room filled with about thirty ballerinas, clad in as many different warm-up clothes, some still drinking their morning coffee. No men, as this was pointe class. I took a furtive look around, and noticed a few curious glances into my direction. I felt oddly out of place in my jeans, as I have never been in class where I did not dance myself! I really wanted to be in sweats instead, and join everyone on the floor to do some stretches! It was weird, to say the least. But at the same time fascinating.

Ms. Almi asked me if I had met the teacher before, and since I did not, she introduced me to Barbora Kohoutková (click here for her bio) - guest principal dancer and pointe-teacher for the day. I'm a big fan of Kohoutková, she is one of those rare dancers who makes brilliant technique look both effortless, elegant and soulful. So you can imagine that I was a little star-struck.. Thankfully, I managed to utter something about how happy I was that I got to observe her class. Ms. Almi then introduced me to the dancers, saying how she had given notice of my visit earlier and that I was the one who writes several ballet-blogs. I just said hi and gave a big wave. Sudden onset of the shy, again! But, class was about to start anyway. The dancers limbering up for the first exercise, and the the charming pianist, Dmitri Pavlov, ready to play some inspirational music. And me sitting in the corner, all eyes and ears, notebook in hand!

To be continued..


This "Behind the Scenes at Finnish National Ballet" -serial would not have been possible without the interest and help of quite a few awesome people! Thanks go to the lovely Mira Ollila (soloist at FNB), the friendly Press Office, the Artistic Director Kenneth Greve (for giving permission to observe company class), and finally to all the dancers who were happy enough to answer my many questions!

It Never Gets Easier, You Just Get Better

As we work our dancer's asses off and advance technically, class gets more difficult in proportion. Basically, you never get a break! As soon as you get comfortable, new steps and choreography mess with your head and feet. And once you get that right, you realise that even your basics are not without flaws.. It's a constant roller-coaster ride, and not the first time I've used that metaphor.

But you do get better. How do you know? Look back to when you started at point zero. Did you know about pliés and degagés and pirouettes and pas de chats? Nope, didn't think so. If that's not enough to convince you, take a class that is one level below your current comfort zone. Steps that you deemed too difficult back then are most likely now part of your regular repertoire! Assuming of course that you have been paying attention and working your butt off.. ;) Even if you are the most self-critical dancer you should be able to see some progress. Allow yourself to revel in this fact, at least once in a while. Then get back to work!

Before you do, go check out 4dancers great website. This month the focus is on the adult ballet student, and yours truly is featured as well. You can find my interview here: Adult Ballet Student. Be sure to read the other interviews too, they are all inspirational adult dancers!

But before you do that, I have to share some awesome news with you. I'm going to the Finnish National Ballet's company class tomorrow morning! Barbora Kohoutková is teaching pointe class, and I get to observe, take notes and write all about it! It's going to be my first installment of a new serial "Behind the Scenes", featuring dancers (and pointe shoes) of the 90 years old Finnish National Ballet. Be sure to check out the video below, it's a fun and multilingual birthday greeting from a very international company!