information book 2016 Ballet Programs

information book 2016 Ballet Programs

About Bermingham Ballet is the sister school of the revered Australian Conservatoire of Ballet (ACB), delivering an inspring and nurturing training program developed for young Australian ballet students by Christine Walsh AM. Perfect for the dancer who loves all things tutus and pointe shoes, our training is designed to foster in the aspiring ballerina precise technique that is complemented by an individual sense of artistry, in addition to a disciplined work ethic and underlying sense of optimism and confidence. page1

Our programs Under the counsel of Christine Walsh AM, Bermingham Ballet s specially selected staff are providing ideal training for a small elite group of future professional dancers. A holistic approach to the students training is taken and together with the high standards achieved through the excellence in technical training, the students emerge as competent and thoughtful artists. Junior ballet Now enrolling ages 4-9 Classes for Kinder students through to Preparatory Level 1 (ages 4 7) offer younger students an exciting and nurturing introduction to ballet. Places are strictly limited to ensure maximum individual attention. If your child is excited to pirouette and leap on the stage, then this program will give them all the preparation needed to graduate to the Specialised Coaching program. Specialised Coaching Now auditioning ages 8-14 Young talented students in classical ballet need specialised coaching, care and nurturing, in order to develop their technique and artistry. With her wealth of experience as an international Principal Artist, and her highly respected reputation as a teacher and dance educator, Christine Walsh has been in a unique position to create one of the most intensive training programs yet developed for talented young Australian ballet students. Advanced coaching Now auditioning ages 13-18 This level of training requires the discipline and commitment of a dancer considering professional aspirations to dance or teach. Intermediate and advanced levels of classical ballet training are designed to prepare students for full-time training and a professional career beyond in classical ballet, whilst allowing students to continue their full academic education. Students are prepared for auditions for full-time training at the ACB or comparable institution. page2

Syllabus After many years experience as a professional dancer and dance lecturer both in Australia and overseas, former ballerina with the Australian Ballet, Christine Walsh AM has completed her own classical ballet training and examination program, The Australian Conservatoire of Ballet. Her syllabus is recognised and studied in almost 200 schools in Australia and internationally. The Australian Conseratoire of Ballet is baced on the Russian (Vaganova) Method of Classical Ballet. Currently, Director of our affiliate ballet school, The Australian Conservatoire of Ballet, Christine has developed this program adapting the existing 8 year method to become a 12 year training and examination program. This enables ballet students to study this program from 5 years of age as part-time students. In Russia the Vaganova method trains students from 9 years of age and these students are trained full-time on a daily basis until they graduate at 17 years old. This of course is difficult to achieve in most Western and Asian countries, so the Australian Conservatoire of Ballet 12 year rgram is designed to suit the needs of all classical ballet students who are unable to take full-time dance training from an early age or who wish to pursue a full academic education alongside a disciplined ballet program. The Australian Conservatoire of Ballet training and examination program emphasises correct placement, dynamics and performing quality which are all qualities inherent in the Vaganova method. In addition to this, the program aims to develop in the student a professional attitude which will assist them in the pursuit of a career either as a professional dancer or teacher. Students who have studied under Christine Walsh and her training and examination program have been accepted in several international ballet schools including the Royal Ballet School in London, and others have danced in many of The Australian Ballet s productions. Recent graduates of The Australian Conservatoire of Ballet trained under this system have been accepted into Asian, Australian, European and American ballet companies. page3

Applicatons Junior Ballet We are currently taking enrolments for our Junior Ballet Program. Please click below to request an enrolment form. Specialised & Advanced Coaching Entry to the Specialised and Advanced Coaching programs (from Level 1 onwards) requires an audition class to check the student s suitability and ensure the student is placed in a level that is fitting their experience and which will provide the right degree of challenge to develop the student s technique, artistry and love of ballet. The fee for the private audition lesson is $70 and this will be held with the director or founder of the program. Click below to request an audition form and we ll be in touch shortly. page4

Program director Merinda Bermingham B. Dance B. Education B. Arts (Hons) PhD Candidate - Education Merinda is a full-time classical dancer turned teacher and PhD candidate in education. She is trained to deliver instruction in accordance with the ACB program devised by Christine Walsh AM. After training under Christa Cameron until she completed Advanced 2 with the RAD, Merinda went on to gain her Bachelor of Dance from the Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne University. During this time she studied intensely under prominent classical ballet and contemporary dance choreographers including Robert Ray, Nina Veretinokova, Philip Adams, Sandra Parker, Matthew Ryan and Carlee Mellow. Herein she gained extensive performance experience and exposure to the vibrant and fluctuating nature of the dance industry. dedicated, resilient, hard-working and optimistic. She believes ballet develops a sense of striving that helps foster high-achieving and motivated students in ballet, but also beyond ballet so that our training helps benefit the academic and social lives of students as well. It is with great pride that she directs a program that fosters high achieving ballet students with professional aspirations, whilst they continue their full education. Merinda has since gained more than fifteen years of teaching and examining experience and gone on to complete further education at Monash University. She has established herself as a highly respected VCE teacher of English and Philosophy. She is a recipient of an Exemplary Teaching Award (2014) and has served on the Education Faculty Board at Monash University (2012-3). Her ensuing PhD studies allow her to bring a depth of educational knowledge to complement her ballet background and contribute to the education of young dancers at the ACB and Bermingham Ballet. Merinda s love of ballet drives her passion to develop technically strong and artistic dancers who are page5

Opportunities In an effort to complement the disciplined and nurturing training offered at Bermingham Ballet, students have access to a wealth of opportunities to extend their performance experience and love of ballet. These include holiday courses, their own annual performances, opportunities to dance with The Australian Conservatoire of Ballet in performances and classes by invitation, examinations, private lessons, competitions by invitation and access to a pre-professional pathway connected to the Australian Conservatoire of Ballet. Contact us for more information about what we can offer your budding ballerina. investment* Junior ballet K PP Kinder ballet (4-5 years of age) $150 per term, 1 classes p/wk P Pre Primary (6-9 years of age) $150 per term, 1 classes p/wk $300 per term, 2 classes p/wk P1 Primary (6-9 years of age) $150 per term, 1 classes p/wk $300 per term, 2 classes p/wk Preparatory Level 1 (8-9 years of age) $300 per term, 2 classes p/wk $450 per term, 3+ classes p/wk Specialised Coaching L1 L2 Level 1 (9-10 years of age) $650 per term, 4 classes p/wk $800 per term (with extension class) Level 2 (10-12 years of age) $950 per term, 6 classes p/wk $1,100 per term (with extension class) L3 L4 Level 3 (10-12 years of age) $950 per term, 6 classes p/wk $1,100 per term (with extension class) Level 4 (11-14 years of age) $1,250 per term, 8 classes p/wk Advanced coaching L5 Level 5 (12-15 years of age) $1,250 per term, 8 classes p/wk $1,350 per term, 9 classes p/wk SL Senior Level (13-18 years of age) $1,400 per term, unlimited classes Private lessons are also available throughout the year ($45 p/half hour payable directly to the teacher at lessons). *Please refer to the relevant enrolment form for more options. page6

who teaches the pirouettes? Merinda Bermingham and... Valmai Roberts ACBE, ACBF Former member of the Australian Ballet, soloist of Joffrey Ballet and classical ballet lecturer of NYU School of the Arts, American Ballet Theatre, Ballet Hispanico in New York, the Victorian College of the Arts in Australia, and London Contemporary School of Dance and the Richard Alston Dance Company in UK. Examiner and Lecturer of the ACB Classical Ballet Training and Assessment Program. Certificate of Completion in International Education Association Inc. (ISANA). Completed Certificate IV Assessment and Workplace Training. Chiara Ferri Lecturer of the ACB Classical Ballet Training and Assessment Program. Former member of the English National Ballet, Stadttheater Bern, Stadttheater Luzern in Switzerland and the Pantomime Theater in Copenhagen. Ballet Mistress at the Royal New Zealand Ballet and Ballet lecturer at the Performing Arts School in Auckland, Melbourne School of Classical Dance and City Dance Centre in Melbourne. Melanie Moravski Dechnicz Graduate of Bachelor of Performing Arts, Monash and Deakin University. Studied with numerous well known Ukranian dance Choreographers and companies including Virsky, Ukraine s most prestigious dance company in Kyiv. Artistic Director of Verchovyna Ukranian Dance Ensemble since 2005. Completed Certificate IV Assessment and Workplace Training and the Ausdance skill set for Teaching Dance. Nickely Burke Artistic Director and Choreographer of Biserk Dance Company (UK). Former Artistic Director Oxford Contemporary Dance School (UK). Graduated with Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications, University of Canberra, Australia and Diploma in Dance Trinity College Laban (UK). Contemporary dance lecturer. Guest teachers are invited regularly. Bermingham Ballet reserves the right to alter teaching staff when necessary. page7

studios We train at the Australian Conservatoire of Ballet headquarters; purpose built ballet studios at 4/2 Bromham Place, Richmond, Victoria 3121. The building has two levels with three climate controlled sprung floor studios and its own production room. The entire building has an efficient intercom system for easy communications and video cameras to provide ultimate security and comfort for the students, parents and staff. The offcial opening of the new ACB studios was launched by the City of Yarra Mayor, Cr. Alison Clarke on Friday 28th October 2012. The ACB s main studio has been named after its Patron Dame Margaret Scott AC, DBE. page8

Uniform Girls All hair must be neatly styled in a ballet bun for every lesson. All dancers need white waist elastic 3 to 4 cm in width to be purchased and sewn by the student/parent. All students from Level 1 are required to have their own personal Limber mat available at sports stores. Shoes and tights are also available at Sansha and Bloch Dancewear. Junior Ballet Kinder Preparatory Level 1 Pale pink cotton lycra short sleeve leotard Pale pink circular skirt Theatrical pink tights, and Pink leather ballet shoes. Specialised Coaching Level 1-2 White wide strap cotton lycra leotard White circular skirt Theatrical pink tights Pink leather ballet shoes, and Black leather character shoes Specialised Coaching Level 3-4 Pale blue cotton lycra sleeveless leotard Theatrical pink tights Pink leather ballet shoes Demi-pointe and pointe shoes for Level 4 Black leather character shoes, and Black georgette character skirt Advanced Coaching Level 5 Senior Level Teal cotton lycra princess line camisole leotard White half-tutu for practice Theatrical pink tights Demi-pointe and pointe shoes Black leather character shoes, and Black georgette character skirt Boys All levels White short sleeved leotard Black tights White ballet shoes Black leather character shoes Where to buy Energetiks Dancewear 116 Buckley St, Essendon, VIC 3040, Tel: 9331 3322 245 East Boundary Road, Bentleigh East, VIC 3165, Tel: 9579 7877 Shop 4-5, 63 Upper Heidelberg Road, Ivanhoe, VIC 3079, Tel: 9497 2933 Shoes and tight are also available at Sansha and Bloch dancewear shops. All students in all levels are required to have their own personal Limber mat available at sports stores. page9

contact 4/2 Bromham Place Richmond VIC, 3121 0414 399 553 hello@berminghamballet.com.au www.berminghamballet.com.au Follow us on: facebook.com/becauseballet pinterest.com/becauseballet Victoria St Elizabeth St Lennox St Bromham Place Risley St Church St Highett St page10