News and Events

We year 7’s were looking forward to the “time of Nutcracker” and were all excited at the prospect of auditioning for a part; the Year Eights at White Lodge had talked about it “non-stop”. When I first found out I was going to be both gingerbread and a mouse I didn’t really know what to expect, I only knew that it was going to be fun. Rehearsals for gingerbreads started quite soon after. Once we had watched the previous gingerbreads we were then quickly taught the routine in the space of half an hour. I remember feeling even more baffled when it came to learning the mice: we were just plunged into the deep end with slightly odd phrases like: “from the odd three”, “glitter”, and learning it at the same time with no idea where we were supposed to be - fun nevertheless! Most evenings these rehearsals ended with a huge scrum to dinner as the whole of years seven, eight and nine finished rehearsals together.

The first time we went up to the Royal Opera House was incredibly exciting with a warm-up class there and then being led around the enormous building full of our “heroes” (and heroines!!!) We were brought into a studio where Mr. Carr (the ballet master) was sitting along with a lot of other important people (one day even the TV was there).

Gingerbreads went first, only four of us on stage with Drosselmeyer and Clara. We are meant to be scared of the mice trying to eat us so we jump around until Miss Gertrude comes to rescue us. We then after “much flapping” take refuge in a huge dolls house where we stay for the rest of the battle scene – observing the battle unfold. It’s all very exciting and a lot of fun especially when the house gets wheeled off-stage at the end. We then swapped casts so that meant I was a mouse. As I was the smallest of the mice I got the part where I had to jump onto the back of the Nutcracker during the battle, onto the back of a Royal Ballet Soloist - that was really scary! But we soon learned that everyone is incredibly friendly and that we are all in this together.

Later, when we tried on the costumes dancing was so much harder, not only wearing a mask which is difficult to see out of- but we also have to act twice as much than before to make it look good for the audience. Eventually, many, many studio rehearsals later it was time to try it out on the stage of the Royal Opera House – the biggest stage I have ever set foot on. Here we were given specific marks on the ground where to position ourselves otherwise it would be wrong and we would get a correction and would have to go through it all again.

Nutcracker is full of fun and nerves, when you’re about to go on for the first time the mind is just full of the possibilities that could go wrong - but of course they never happen... mostly (and if they do I am sure the audience never really notices)...

Written by Mirabelle Seymour aged 11.

On Sunday 18th November, 27 dancers from Turning Pointe took part in a nationwide 'Tapathon' event in aid of Children in Need. This event was trying to break the World Record for the largest number of people dancing the same Tap dance at the same time, and numerous dance schools across the country took part. The students from Turning Pointe ranged in age from 7 to 50, and everyone had a brilliant time learning the upbeat routine to 'Dance with me tonight'. On the day it was great to see everyone pulling together and dancing their best, and thank you to all of the parents who came and watched and made cakes for the cake sale afterwards. Despite not breaking the World Record, the event still managed to raise over £11,000 for Children in Need, and Turning Pointe raised over £320. A fantastic achievement, and likely to become an annual event in the Turning Pointe calendar!

See the article below which appeared in the Mid Sussex Times
http://www.midsussextimes.co.uk/news/local/tap-tap-tapping-for-pudsey-and-a-world-record-1-4476926

This summer I took part in one of the biggest shows our nation has ever produced. Starting with an audition in London to be an aerialist in one of the ceremonies, with hundreds of applicants and some of the best aerialists in the country, I was not expecting to get in! However, in April I received the call offering me a job performing as one of the 32 Mary Poppins in the opening ceremony. Rehearsals began at the end of May and by Mid June we were full time: starting off at the outside space in Dagenham and at 3 Mill studios, London until the stadium was ready.

Watching the show come together piece by piece was so exciting – the giant props, hundreds of volunteers moving in amazing unison. Our rehearsals began with height training, starting at 10m then eventually going up to the roof at over 40metres! Finally performance week was here; every show, we started on the roof and had an incredible view of the green and pleasant land and industrial revolution. Then the time came for us to be floated into the air, watching as the nurses moved below forming shapes with the bed, then as Voldermort raised up into the air we started our flight over the roof and over the audience. When we finally came into the lights and the music hit its cue, we opened our bags and brollies to reveal who we were. After being unclipped and dancing across the stage, we were careful not to hit the cameramen with our brollies and bags!

From beginning to end it was a magical experience: Working with amazing choreographers, dedicated volunteers, performing to 60,000 then 80,000 people and the world watching on TV! It was a huge honour and I feel privileged, to have been a part of the opening ceremony doing what I love most.

10 of our young students auditioned and were offered places at the new Pre-vocational training programme at Legat, St Bedes, for talented dancers who aspire to a career in the dance profession.

Huge congratulations to: Josie Barton, Holly Bellack, Beatrice Casey,
Alexandra Clark, Daisy Fretten, Katy Mills, Caitlin O'Neill, Nessa Saar-Zook,
Jane Simmons and Olivia Warner-Welsh, we are very proud of you.

Elaine Holland, director of dance at Legat, thanked us for sending -"Lovely girls, who were so poised and well prepared for the audition; they are a real credit to your training. Our staff are looking forward to working with them."

We're delighted to say that Grace Barker has won a place to study Musical Theatre at The Brit School, starting this September.

Grace, who has been with Turning Pointe since she was six years old, will be following in the footsteps of world-class performers such as Adele and Jessie J at the school in Croydon.
Starting by studying ballet at Turning Pointe, Grace has recently enjoyed being a member of Lianne Carter's tap and street dance classes. We look forward to hearing how she's getting on!

Matthew Keller and Mirabelle Seymour (both at White Lodge, The Royal Ballet School), have been chosen to dance with the Royal Ballet, in this seasons production of The Nutcracker at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

Matthew will play the part of a soldier in the battle scene - this is his 5th season, having already taken part in Cinderella, The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker with the Royal Ballet. This is Mirabelle's 1st time onstage at the Royal Opera House, Mirabelle was chosen as 1 of 4 Gingerbread Men and a Mouse in the battle scene and will be taking part in every performance.

Tickets are selling out fast, but if you manage to get hold of some, I can't think of a more beautiful Christmas treat. GOOD LUCK MATTHEW and MIRABELLE!

(20/06/12) Two more pupils have won places to prestigious London Dance schools. Daisy Fretten, 11, will join Libby at Central School of Ballet and Hana Masani, 17, will be attending Laban Conservatoire on the CATs scheme along with Molly Walker. Daisy has been a pupil at Turning Pointe from the age of 4 and became one of the youngest associates at Legat, St Bedes under Mary Goodhew, before winning a place at the Central School of Ballet in London on the Associate scheme. Hana came late to Ballet, only joining classes 2 years ago, but has worked her way up to Grade 8 and is keen to pursue a career in Contemporary dance.

In September we will have 2 pupils at White Lodge, The Royal Ballet School (Matthew Keller and Mirabelle Seymour), 2 pupils at Central School of Ballet (Libby Mills and Daisy Fretten), 3 at The Place, London Contemporary (Megan Edwards, Lottie Chivers and Phoebe Head), 2 at Laban Conservatoire (Molly Walker and Hana Masani) Grace Barker at the Brits School, Martha Gardner performing in 'Billy Elliot', Louisa Dalton studying Dance at Roehampton and 2 studying Dance at Chichester (Luke Norris and Ozora Curtis) - Huge congratulations to all of you!

(20/06/12) Liberty Mills, 14, a Grade 8 pupil, has been offered a place to study at Central School of Ballet in London on their Saturday Associate course. Libby has been a pupil at Turning Pointe for 10 years and is a very talented classical dancer. CONGRATULATIONS Libby!

(11/06/12) On Saturday 9th June Turning Pointe staff, parents and pupils threw Miss Canneaux a huge surprise party to celebrate 25 years as Principal of the school. So much plotting, planning and rehearsing had gone on behind the scenes, but Julia had no incling of what was planned. Staff, current and past pupils put on a performance created specially for the occasion. Speeches were made, champagne was drunk and pupils presented the principal with a beautiful 'Alison Evans' necklace, 'Chez Fleur' flowers and cards signed by all the pupils before we all tucked into a feast made by the parents and a wonderful 'Turning Pointe' cake.

Enormous thanks to all invloved - "it is a day I will always remember".

Pictured: Laura Windsor, Eden Downing, Laura Allsobrook, Amber Downing, Lianne Carter, Martha Gardner, Chloe Goodyear, Grace Hicks, Isobel Moors, Jessica Brierley, Holly Mason, Sophie Palmer, Abigail Lambert, Roslyn Money.

(01/06/12) Written by Laura
In August I applied to be a part of the Olympics Ceremonies and in November attended a round of auditions in East London which involved a mixture of singing, acting and dancing. I was asked back to a role specific recall audition for dance. Then in January I was offered the part as a dance character role in the Closing Ceremony. The first rehearsal was in East London again and was a way of getting to know the other performers and to start teaching us the dance for the performance. So far the rehearsals have been lots of fun! I can't wait for the actual performance on 12th August and to be a part of this amazing once in a lifetime experience!