The Wind in the Willows & My First Ballet: Swan Lake

Yesterday I drove across the river to Greenwich to watch Open Book Theatre Company perform 'The Wind in the Willows'. Open Book Theatre Company stages adaptations of classic novels in libraries; they are a not-for-profit organisation born from a sheer love of literature and drama. Their vision is to make theatre more accessible and less exclusive, to get people visiting libraries and inspire young people to read.

The hour long production had the audience completely captivated, the library became part of the staging and we were taken on a hilariously witty journey with Toad, Mole, Badger and Ratty, bursting with songs, dances and costume changes. The best thing, it is entirely FREE!

Nearest libraries to Essex,

Saturday 21st February, 11am, Plaistow Library.

Sunday 22nd February, 11am, Stratford Library. 

http://www.openbooktheatrecompany.com/

After the success of Sleeping Beauty and Coppelia The English national Ballet and English National Ballet School have created Swan Lake another in the series of My First Ballet. The performances are aimed at young children from the age of 3 and include a narrator to communicate the story, with tickets costing as little as £10.00 and a family ticket (2 adults and 2 children) costing £65.00 this is a wonderful way to introduce young children to Classical Ballet.

 2nd April- 23rd May 2015.

http://www.ballet.org.uk/whats-on/myfirstballet-swanlake/

Fantasia

I have been busy all week preparing the half term ballet and craft workshop. In the midst of all the ribbons and glue I rediscovered Disney's Fantasia and what a spellbindingly beautiful film it is!

I could not think of a better way to introduce young children to classical music than the 2000 animated anthology. Fantasia consists of several different animated short films set to pieces of classical music. I will be using ‘Carnival of the Animals, Finale’ by Camille Saint-Saens for the workshop and have spent the last hour shall we say choreographing in preparation for Tuesday. 

And so in the words of the newspaper, Made in Essex who have just written a feature on Dance Space Essex ‘prepare to have fun’, not only do we teach the fundamental steps of classic ballet but we teach the art of FUN!

Tuesday 17th February, 10-12.30pm, 4-8 years, £10.00, The Brentwood Baptist Church, Kings Road, CM14 4DR, email nicole@dancespaceessex.com to book a place.