Floor barre class with Nicola Tranah

Floor barre class with Nicola Tranah

A low-impact class that adapts traditional ballet barre exercises to the floor, making it perfect for small spaces.

£10.00

  • 1 Class
  • Suitable for 14+

This floor barre class provides students with the perfect non-weight-bearing warm-up when studio space is limited. Since it doesn’t require a ballet barre or large studio, it's an ideal option for at home or on the go.

 

Nicola has taught this class to Royal Ballet School students for many years, so it has been tried and tested in many homes, hotel rooms, and corridors outside of auditions across the world.

What you will learn

  • The importance of muscle control and core strength
  • How to correctly activate turnout
  • Develop a deeper awareness of correct placement and alignment
  • Prepare the body for the day ahead for rehearsals, class or an audition.
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Your Tutors

Nicola Tranah

Ballet Teacher

Nicola Tranah trained at The Royal Ballet School. In her final year at White Lodge, she was chosen for the Paris Opera Ballet School exchange where she studied with teachers Franchetti, Mayer and Claude Bessy. She joined the Dutch National Ballet in 1982, dancing in the ‘Young Stars’ Programme, and in 1984 she joined The Royal Ballet Company where she enjoyed a career spanning 19 years.

She danced a wide range of Principal roles including Gamzatti (La Bayadère), Princess Belle Epine (Prince of the Pagodas), Myrtha (Giselle), Lilac Fairy (The Sleeping Beauty), Fairy Godmother (Cinderella), Hostess (Les Biches), and Mistress (Manon), and creating roles in Macmillan’s Winter Dreams (Olga) and Prince of the Pagodas (Lead Cloud). She danced in works by David Bintley, Ashley Page, Wayne Eagling and Michael Corder and worked closely with renowned choreographers including Ashton, Robbins, Forsythe, Tetley, van Dantzig, Jacobson and Carlson.

Following retirement from The Royal Ballet in 2003, she guested with Sylvie Guillem, at K-Ballet, in Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake (the Queen), English National Opera’s Nixon in China and at Darcey Bussell’s farewell gala.

Nicola gained her ARAD PDTC teaching diploma in 2005. Since joining The Royal Ballet School Artistic faculty in 2008, she has taught extensively internationally including guesting at the Paris Opera Ballet School and American Ballet Theatre Studio Company.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can participate?

This class is recommended for students aged 14+ and reflects the training given to students aged 14-15 studying at The Royal Ballet School. The class is not suitable for beginner students, students with limited experience or students under 11 years old.

For this class, we recommend that:

  • Students are studying a syllabus delivered by a recognised classical dance awarding body, or if attending full-time vocational training, are studying at Intermediate vocational level or above
  • Students have a good to excellent knowledge and understanding of ballet vocabulary
  • Students can execute a secure double pirouette and maintain extensions in adage at 90 degrees and above
  • Feet and ankles are strong, secure and able to stretch well
  • Students have good flexibility
  • Allegro can be executed with a clear understanding of how to link a sequence of steps together in a choreographed exercise
  • Students undertaking pointe work should be confident in executing basic pointe exercises.

What do I need to participate?

These classes are designed so that they can be executed in a smaller space than a ballet studio. We ask that students/parents ensure that:

  • The student meets the technical standards required for the class
  • Any apparatus used for a barre is stable and safe
  • The floor is not slippery, uneven or hazardous
  • The area used for dancing is cleared of any items which could hinder the student’s ability to fully extend their arms and legs. There should be enough space for reasonable movement. If a student cannot fully execute an exercise, they should either adapt appropriately or not participate
  • The student is able to clearly hear the teacher’s verbal instruction, see the teacher’s practical delivery and hear the music
  • The student is appropriately dressed to safely execute a dance class. Soft ballet shoes should be worn for ballet, not pointe shoes. Bare feet, socks or suitable shoes should be worn for contemporary and Pilates
  • The student’s hair is suitably tied back
  • The student is fit and well in order to take part.

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