This year after a years break For Dance Institute are heading to Andalo, Trentino Alto Adige for the Royal Academy of dance’s Italian summer school.
We left Ivrea aboard the bus that for the next 6 hours would take us to Andalo in the wonderful company of two other dance schools la Fenice ballet under the directorship of Filomena and Sonia and Studio danza Ieva principal – Anna Maria leva.
How was the bus trip you might ask ? Long yes !! Hot yes!!! Exciting not so much but the frequent facts about different animals by Constant one of our students kept us engaged especially when we found out mosquitos are the most deadliest insect in existence. All 7 students this year are new to the summer school experience which makes it all the more stimulating for us as teachers. We arrived at the hotel Stella Alpina to a warm welcome and being in a great central position we were able to spot almost immediately the groups of dance schools exploring and heading to the pala congresso to receive their welcome packs. It is like the baby ducks following their mother occasionally one might stray with the pull of the sights and sounds of the area but always waddle back to safety of the group.
All of our students have their lessons in the mornings which means the afternoon is free so it was all go in the morning breakfast being 1st thing on the list and the hotel Stella Alpina did not let us down with all the good things available even some surprising extras like a detox juice and juicer bacon and scrambled egg and some wonderful assortments of cakes and brioche.
The first class I went to watch today was grade 2 no boys unfortunately but a good group of 16 students , and the first teacher of the day for the classical class was Maria Pia di Mauro and the veritable authority on all things musical the pianist Marzio Vaccarini who is great at keeping the students and teachers on their toes with changes of rhythm and every now and then a tacit (deliberate pauses ) in the musical phrase. Then it was off to studio 9 to follow a class led by Lucia Perego another legend teaching at the summer school this year, a whole group of students new to her teaching and the wonderful way she leads them in a discovery of how they move in space and a personal journey not through technique but putting the voice and wings to the move, where does it start ? The pattern it makes and understanding how to move.
and just like that we are at the 3rd class of the morning a contemporary lesson with Simone Donati I only catched the tail end of the class but already he had the attention of all 27 students and the energy and passion of a teacher that wants to divide that passion with everybody he teaches.
They took only 5 minutes break and jumped straight into repertorio with Blanca Cortez learning a fire dance it will be interesting to see the result on stage on Saturday when intermediate get to perform in front of their fellow students.
I am going to end the blog here with some pics today but will continue tomorrow with another chapter of life in Andalo.
happy dancing Leigh x
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