My day started with two little heads of two little girls that wanted ballet buns for World Ballet Day!  It became a tradition in our household a few years ago that my daughters always went to school with immaculate ballet hair on World Ballet Day and they were not missing out this year!

I actually started my World Ballet Day at 5 am watching the astonishingly competent Australian Ballet Company in Sydney.  Their company class was inspiring the attention to detail from Fiona Tonkin (Company Coach) was outstanding.

Next up was the Mariinsky Theatre who were exceptional.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen such perfection in dancers.  Their unity, clean lines and sublime precision in every moment is something to be in complete awe of.

The Royal Ballet in London followed taught by the wonderful Olga, who after a few years of watching we all feel we now know!  There is an excellent coaching session in the ROH’s secion taught by the inspirational Monica Mason which is definitely worth a watch.

I am always struck when watching these company classes how basic they start, often with movements that I teach myself when warming up my own students.  It is a good reminder that we are all simply students, that perfection is always something that a true dancer will spend their lives working for.

I always come away with reinvigorated motivation, inspiration and enthsiasm for my own training and joy for this beautiful art form.

Which is just as well as my afternoon was filled with private classes followed by observing my online adult students who join us for weekly classes from many different far flung locations around the world and have made enormous progress since I last checked in with them!

There is something wonderful to see the circle complete, student now teacher passing on the passion and knowledge to the next generation.

The day finished with our wonderful in-person Adult Class taught by our very own Gwen Nelson, a former student and now professional dancer.

There is something wonderful to see the circle complete, student now teacher passing on the passion and knowledge to the next generation.

Many of the company Directors and Artists  remarked on the importance and emotional significance of World Ballet Day this year after the trauma and upheaveal of the past 18 months.  Its been an exceptional and unexpectedly harrowing time especially for the performing arts, and yet as so often is the case with these resilient people you would not know, you cannot tell.   This is, in part what makes them so successful in such a demanding workplace, as without that incredible reserve they surely not survive the rigours of this profession.

If you have not yet had a chance to catch up on the live streamed classes from around the world there’s still time!  Grab a cuppa and settle down as it was a real treat this year.

What did you do on World Ballet Day?  Share your thoughts and expeirences  with us!