Training: Royal Ballet School, lower and upper schools.

Professionally: After graduating from the Royal Ballet School, Daniel danced with the Royal New Zealand Ballet Company for 7 years. During this time with RNZB he performed in many of the company’s productions including ‘Dracula’, ‘Carmen’, Jorma Elmo’s ‘Plan to A’ and dancing the Nutcracker Prince in Gary Harris’s ‘Nutcracker’. Daniel also worked with choreographers such as David Dawson, Christopher Hampson, Didy Veldman and Javier De Frutos whilst at Royal New Zealand Ballet Company. This is Daniel’s first season with Ballet Cymru.

Yn hanu o: Gaerwrangon.

Hyfforddiant:  Royal Ballet School, yr ysgolion is ac uwch.

Yn broffesiynol: Wedi graddio o’r Royal Ballet School, dawnsiodd Daniel gyda’r Royal New Zealand Ballet Company am saith mlynedd. Yn ystod ei gyfnod gyda RNZB perfformiodd mewn llawer o gynyrchiadau’r cwmni gan gynnwys ‘Dracula’, ‘Carmen’, ‘Plan to A’ Jorma Elmo a dawnsio’r Nutcracker Prince yn ‘Nutcracker’ Gary Harris . Gweithiodd Daniel hefyd gyda choreograffwyr megis David Dawson, Christopher Hampson, Didy Veldman a Javier De Frutos tra oedd yn Royal New Zealand Ballet Company. Dyma dymor cyntaf Daniel gyda Ballet Cymru.

Training: L’Ecole de Danse de l’Opera de Paris and Academie Americaine de Danse de Paris. He was a finalist at the New York Final of the YAGP competition in 2007 and in 2011 Europe semi-final won 3rd place for Ensemble of the YAPG. He has attended summer programmes in the USA with Boston Ballet School, School of American Ballet, and the Choreographic Intensives of the Boston Ballet.

Professionally: This is Nicolas’ first season with Ballet Cymru.

Yn hanu o: Paris, Ffrainc.

Hyfforddiant:  L’École de Danse de l’Opéra de Paris ac Academie Americaine de Danse de Paris. Roedd yn derfynwr yn Rownd Derfynol yn Efrog Newydd cystadleuaeth YAGP yn 2007 ac yn rownd gynderfynol Ewrop 2011 cipiodd y 3ydd lle am Ensemble y YAPG. Bu mewn rhaglenni haf yn yr Unol Daleithiau gyda Boston Ballet School, School of American Ballet, a Chyrsiau Trylwyr coreograffig y Boston Ballet.

Yn broffesiynol: Dyma dymor cyntaf Nicolas gyda Ballet Cymru.

Training: Laine Theatre Arts under the tuition of June Mitchell.

Professionally: Jemma has been an apprentice with National Dance Company Wales and has recently returned from working with Susanna Beltrami in Milan. This is Jemmas’ first season with Ballet Cymru.

Additional information: Jemma is fluent in Spanish, Italian and French.

Yn hanu o: Borthcawl, De Cymru.

Hyfforddiant:  Laine Theatre Arts dan hyfforddiant June Mitchell.

Yn broffesiynol: Bu Jemma yn brentis gyda Chwmni Dawns Cenedlaethol Cymru ac mae newydd ddod yn ei hôl o weithio gyda Susanna Beltrami yn Milan. Dyma dymor cyntaf Jemma gyda Ballet Cymru.

Gwybodaeth ychwanegol: Mae Jemma yn rhugl yn y Sbaeneg, yr Eidaleg a’r Ffrangeg.

From: Clitheroe, Lancashire.

Training: The Angela Westwell School of Dance, the Senior Associate programme with The Royal Ballet School and Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, graduating in 2011 with a 1st Class BA (Hons) Degree.

Professionally: Aimee joined Ballet Cymru for tour of Italy in December 2011, performing in ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and ‘Giselle’.

Additional information: After attending the Ballet Cymru summer school in 2011, Aimee was awarded a BBC Performing Arts Fund Fellowship, which enabled her to become an apprentice with the company.

Dawnsiwr prentis a Chymrawd Cronfa Celfyddydau Perfformio’r BBC

Yn hanu o: Clitheroe,

Swydd Gaerhirfryn.

Hyfforddiant:  The Angela Westwell School of Dance, y rhaglen Cysyllteion Uwch gyda The Royal Ballet School a Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, gyda graddio yn 2011 â Gradd BA (Anrh) Dosbarth 1af.

Yn broffesiynol: Ymunodd Aimee â Ballet Cymru ar gyfer taith yn yr Eidal ym mis Rhagfyr 2011, yn perfformio yn ‘Beauty and the Beast’ a ‘Giselle’.

Gwybodaeth ychwanegol: Ar ôl mynd i ysgol haf Ballet Cymru yn 2011, dyfarnwyd i Aimee Gymrodoriaeth Cronfa Celfyddydau Perfformio’r BBC, a roddodd le iddi ddod yn brentis gyda’r cwmni.

Training: Elmhurst School for Dance. Whilst at Elmhurst, Lydia performed with Birmingham Royal Ballet in their  Twentieth Anniversary Gala, and at the Birmingham NIA and MEN arena performing the Dying Swan Solo.

Professionally: This is Lydia’s first season with Ballet Cymru.

Yn hanu o: Burton on Trent.

Hyfforddiant:  Elmhurst School for Dance. Tra oedd yn Elmhurst, perfformiodd Lydia gyda Birmingham Royal Ballet yn eu Gŵyl Ugeinmlwyddiant ac yn NIA Birmingham ac arena MEN yn perfformio Unawd yr Alarch ar Farw.

Yn broffesiynol: Dyma dymor cyntaf Lydia gyda Ballet Cymru.

This week I attended a catch-up meeting for my BBC fellowship, for us all to share what we have been up to. We also were trained on giving workshops and carrying out community projects. For most of the other Fellows, this is what they specialised in, whereas I have never done anything like it. I was overwhelmed with how far dance can reach, and that the people I was in the room with brought dance to children who suffered from learning disabilities or domestic abuse. The workshops I will be taking part in with Ballet Cymru will be for children who can and want to dance, whereas it would be a completely different challenge to encourage people who do not see dance as an outlet for themselves. When you are in a company it is easy to create a bubble around yourself and forget about everything else that is going on, so I definitely learnt a lot about the wider world of dance from this meeting. I certainly felt out of my comfort zone, but overall it was a very worthwhile experience, and I am astounded by how far dance can reach. One of the fellows also invited us all to watch him perform at The Place as part of the Spring Loaded performance, which I found very inspiring.

The past two Thursdays afternoons we have had a guest choreographer called Tanya come in and work with us. She is involving us in a project called Adain Avion, which will take place in July for the Cultural Olympiad. It will be centred around an aeroplane, and she has used the steel making process as inspiration for the choreography. The two rehearsals have been intense, and brilliant! They have been focused on creative work- sharing ideas and experimenting with them. Tanya would give us tasks based on the steel making process and we would create movement wither individually or in groups. It has been refreshing to work and move differently in these sessions. She has filmed our material to help with her creative process. She gave us lots of inspiration for ideas so I hope we produced plenty of scope for her to work with.

Sometimes it is difficult to know if you are improving. When it comes to class each morning and time to focus on technique, I have good days and bad days, and there’s no predicting what each day is going to be like. For some reason, no matter how hard you will it to, your body just won’t do what you want it to! But Darius and Amy are very patient with their corrections, which I have never experienced before. Stay focused and single-minded on corrections, and even when you feel its not working, still keep it in mind and it will, slowly but surely, get into your muscle memory. No matter how hard you try, things won‘t always work, but I feel if you embrace and remember the good days when everything comes into place, and just push through and try not to think too much during the bad days, then you will (hopefully while still enjoying it) improve.

I am really looking forward to the opening night of Little Red Riding Hood. I know there is still lots to do and plenty to improve on so really I should be worried, but I can’t help but be excited!

dydd Sul 22^ain Ebrill

Yr wythnos yma es i gyfarfod hysbỳs fy nghymrodoriaeth BBC, i ni i gyd gael rhannu beth fuon ni wrthi’n ei wneud. Cawsom hyfforddiant hefyd ar sut i gynnal gweithdai a gwneud cyweithiau cymuned. Dyma beth oedd arbenigedd y rhan fwyaf o’r Cymrodorion, ond dwi erioed wedi gwneud dim byd o’r fath. Cefais fy llorio o weld pa mor bell mae dawns yn gallu cyrraedd, a bod y bobol oedd yn y stafell gyda mi yn dod â dawns at blant a chanddyn nhw anableddau dysgu neu sy’n cael eu cam-drin yn y cartref. I blant sy’n gallu dawnsio ac arnyn nhw eisiau dawnsio y bydd y gweithdai y byddaf yn rhan ohonyn nhw gyda Ballet Cymru, ond byddai’n her hollol wahanol symbylu pobol sydd heb fod yn gweld dawns yn rhywbeth iddyn nhw. Pan fyddwch chi mewn cwmni mae’n hawdd creu swigen o’ch cwmpas eich hun ac anghofio am bopeth arall sydd ar fynd, felly does dim dwywaith na ddysgais lawer am fyd ehangach dawns o’r cyfarfod yma. Roeddwn yn teimlo allan o ’nghynefin bid siwr ond at ei gilydd roedd yn brofiad gwerth chweil ac rwy’n synnu at ba mor bell y gall dawns gyrraedd. Ddaru un o’r cymrodorion hefyd ein gwahodd ni i’w wylio’n perfformio yn The Place yn rhan o berfformiad Spring Loaded, a gefais yn ysbrydoledig iawn.

Y ddau brynhawn Iau diwethaf cawsom goreograffydd gwadd o’r enw Tanya yn dod i weithio gyda ni. Mae’n ein cynnwys mewn cywaith o’r enw Adain Avion, a fydd ar fynd ym mis Gorffennaf at yr Olympiad Diwylliannol. Ei graidd fydd awyren a defnyddiodd y gwaith gwneud dur yn ysbrydoliaeth y coreograffi. Bu’r ddau ymarfer yn drylwyr, ac yn gampus! Gwaith creadigol oedd eu canolbwynt – rhannu syniadau ac arbrofi â nhw. Rhoddai Tanya dasgau i ni wedi’u seilio ar y gwaith gwneud dur a byddem ninnau’n creu symudiadau naill ai’n unigol neu mewn grwpiau. Hyfryd o beth oedd gweithio a symud yn wahanol yn y sesiynau yma. Mae wedi ffilmio ein deunydd yn gymorth gyda’i phroses greadigol. Rhoddodd lond gwlad o ysbrydoliaeth i ni o ran syniadau, felly gobeithio ein bod ni wedi cynhyrchu digonedd o bosibiliadau iddi hi weithio â nhw.

Weithiau mae’n anodd gwybod a ydych chi’n gwella ai peidio. Pan ddaw hi’n fater o’r dosbarth bob bore ac yn bryd i ganolbwyntio ar dechneg, mae gen i ddiwrnodiau da a diwrnodiau drwg, a does dim dichon rhagweld rotsiwn beth fydd unrhyw ddiwrnod. Am ryw reswm, waeth pa mor daer y byddwch yn ei ewyllysio i’w wneud, mae eich corff yn cau’n lân â gwneud be rydych chi am iddo’i wneud! Ond mae Darius ac Amy yn amyneddgar iawn eu cywiriadau, rhywbeth na ddaeth erioed i’m rhan i o’r blaen. Canolbwyntio ar y cywiriadau piau hi a bod yn benderfynol yn eu cylch, a hyd yn oed pan fyddwch yn teimlo nad ydi’n mynd yn dda, daliwch hynny mewn cof ac, o dipyn i beth, fe ddaw i’ch cof cyhyrau. Ni waeth mor galed yr ewch chi ati, wnaiff pethau dim gweithio bob amser, ond rwy’n teimlo, os coleddwch chi’r diwrnodiau da pan fydd popeth yn mynd i’w le, a bwrw iddi a gwneud eich gorau i beidio â meddwl gormod yn ystod y diwrnodiau drwg, yn y pen draw (dan ddal i gael blas arno, gobeithio) fe wellwch chi.

Rwy’n edrych ymlaen go iawn at noson agoriadol Little Red Riding Hood. Mae digonedd i’w wneud eto, mi wn, a llond gwlad o bethau i’w gwella felly dylwn fod yn poeni a dweud y gwir ond fedra i ddim peidio â bod yn llawn cyffro!

We will still keep our Ballet Cymru Facebook Group but will use the Page for regular updates of pictures, news and comments. I hope you enjoy using the Ballet Cymru Facebook Page!

This week we started creative work for Little Red Riding Hood. Choreography and creative work are not my strongest areas so I was a bit uneasy before we started, but I found Darius very encouraging. I felt at ease, as if he didn’t like the material, he wouldn’t use it. This made me feel more open to trying new things. Knowing that not all my ideas would work, I found myself coming up with more and more ideas about ways of moving. For example, our task was to create a motif of movement for the opening scene, where we are in a forest. Amy and Darius were clear about what they wanted which helped a lot. The hardest part when creating something is knowing where to begin; so it’s a lot easier with clear instructions.

In the past I have experienced vague instructions about creative work, or simply been told to choreograph something…Its hard to know how to start!  I think if you’re ever in that kind of situation (in an audition, workshop etc) where you’re given little inspiration, make your own! Pick something that you like, for example a book or cartoon character you could emulate, an object you could base the movement around or an emotion or motive that could inspire you.  If you choose movement and ideas you like, it will give you confidence, creating steps will flow and you will end up with something you can be proud of.

Up until now, I never really got the knack of creative work. I still have a lot to learn and most of it is probably experience and confidence, but I have really started to enjoy thinking up ideas and playing around with them, so I think I’ve made a big step forward. Some ideas will work, but it doesn’t really matter if some don’t.

We are two weeks into rehearsal now, five weeks left till opening night…That’s scary!

dydd Gwener 30 Mawrth

Yr wythnos yma dechreusom y gwaith creadigol at Little Red Riding Hood. Nid coreograffi a gwaith creadigol mo ’nghryfderau i felly roeddwn i’n poeni braidd cyn i ni gychwyn ond cefais Darius yn galonogol iawn. Roeddwn yn teimlo’n gartrefol, achos os na fyddai’r deunydd yn ei blesio, ni ddefnyddiai mono. Roedd hyn yn fy ngwneud yn fwy chwannog i roi cynnig ar bethau newydd. O wybod na fyddai fy syniadau i gyd yn gweithio, cefais fy hun yn taro ar fwy a mwy o syniadau am symud. Er enghraifft, ein tasg oedd creu motiff symud at yr olygfa gyntaf, lle’r ydym mewn coedwig. Gwyddai Amy a Darius yn union beth roedd arnyn nhw eisiau ac roedd hynny’n gaffaeliad mawr. Y peth anoddaf pan fydd rhywun yn creu rhywbeth yw gwybod lle i ddechrau; felly mae’n haws o lawer o gael cyfarwyddiadau clir.

Yn y gorffennol rwy wedi cael cyfarwyddiadau niwlog am waith creadigol, neu rywun dim ond yn dweud wrtha i am goreograffu rhywbeth…Mae’n anodd gwybod lle i gychwyn!  Rwy’n credu, os cewch chi’ch hun fyth mewn sefyllfa o’r fath (mewn clyweliad, gweithdy etc) lle cewch chi ychydig o ysbrydoliaeth, gwnewch eich ysbrydoliaeth eich hun! Dewiswch rywbeth hoff gennych, er enghraifft cymeriad llyfr neu gartŵn y gallech ei efelychu, rhywbeth y gallech seilio’r symudiadarnoneu deimlad neu amcan allai eich ysbrydoli.  Os dewiswch chi symudiad a syniadau sy’n dda gennych, rhydd hynny hyder i chi, bydd creu camau yn llifo ac yn y diwedd gewch chi rywbeth y gallwch chi fod yn falch ohono.

Hyd yma, fagais i erioed go iawn y ddawn o weithio’n greadigol. Mae gen i lawer eto i’w ddysgu ac mae’n debyg mai profiad a hyder ydi’r rhan fwyaf ohono, ond rwy go iawn wedi dechrau cael blas ar feddwl am syniadau a chwarae â nhw, felly i ’nhyb i rwy wedi cymryd cam mawr ymlaen. Bydd rhai syniadau’n gweithio, ond does dim ots go iawn os bydd rhai’n mynd i’r wal.

Ryn ni bellach wedi dechrau ymarfer ers pythefnos, pum wythnos ar ôl tan y noson agoriadol… Mae hynny’n codi braw!

2 Lighting Technicians Wanted

Suit capable and creative individuals wanting to gain invaluable experience and work in a constructive environment.

For touring in the UK with touring

ballet company based in Newport.

Must be South Wales based or able to relocate for contract

from Monday April 30^th – Saturday 24^th June 2012 (8weeks)

and July 9^th -14^th (1 week)

 and Autumn Tour

September 17^th – December 1^st 2012 (12 weeks)

£440pw

Please send CV’s A.S.A.P to:

dariusjames@welshballet.co.uk

More info

www.welshballet.co.uk

 I’r dim i unigolion medrus a chreadigol sydd am gael profiad gwerth chweil a gweithio mewn amgylchfyd adeiladol.

Ar gyfer teithio yng ngwledydd Prydain

gyda chwmni ballet teithiol sydd â’i gartref yng Nghasnewydd.

Rhaid iddynt fod â’u cartrefi yn Ne Cymru neu fod yn gallu ailgartrefu am gyfnod y cytundeb

o ddydd Llun Ebrill 30^ain tan ddydd Sadwrn 24^ain Mehefin 2012 (8 wythnos)

a Gorffennaf 9^fed -14^eg (wythnos)

 a Thaith yr Hydref

Medi 17^eg – Rhagfyr 1^af 2012 (12 wythnos)

£440 yr wythnos

Anfonwch CVau cyn gynted ag y bo modd at:

dariusjames@welshballet.co.uk

Rhagor o wybodaeth

www.welshballet.co.uk

This week we started creative work for Little Red Riding Hood. Choreography and creative work are not my strongest areas so I was a bit uneasy before we started, but I found Darius very encouraging. I felt at ease, as if he didn’t like the material, he wouldn’t use it. This made me feel more open to trying new things. Knowing that not all my ideas would work, I found myself coming up with more and more ideas about ways of moving. For example, our task was to create a motif of movement for the opening scene, where we are in a forest. Amy and Darius were clear about what they wanted which helped a lot. The hardest part when creating something is knowing where to begin; so it’s a lot easier with clear instructions.

In the past I have experienced vague instructions about creative work, or simply been told to choreograph something…Its hard to know how to start!  I think if you’re ever in that kind of situation (in an audition, workshop etc) where you’re given little inspiration, make your own! Pick something that you like, for example a book or cartoon character you could emulate, an object you could base the movement around or an emotion or motive that could inspire you.  If you choose movement and ideas you like, it will give you confidence, creating steps will flow and you will end up with something you can be proud of.

Up until now, I never really got the knack of creative work. I still have a lot to learn and most of it is probably experience and confidence, but I have really started to enjoy thinking up ideas and playing around with them, so I think I’ve made a big step forward. Some ideas will work, but it doesn’t really matter if some don’t.

We are two weeks into rehearsal now, five weeks left till opening night…That’s scary!

dydd Gwener 30 Mawrth

Yr wythnos yma dechreusom y gwaith creadigol at Little Red Riding Hood. Nid coreograffi a gwaith creadigol mo ’nghryfderau i felly roeddwn i’n poeni braidd cyn i ni gychwyn ond cefais Darius yn galonogol iawn. Roeddwn yn teimlo’n gartrefol, achos os na fyddai’r deunydd yn ei blesio, ni ddefnyddiai mono. Roedd hyn yn fy ngwneud yn fwy chwannog i roi cynnig ar bethau newydd. O wybod na fyddai fy syniadau i gyd yn gweithio, cefais fy hun yn taro ar fwy a mwy o syniadau am symud. Er enghraifft, ein tasg oedd creu motiff symud at yr olygfa gyntaf, lle’r ydym mewn coedwig. Gwyddai Amy a Darius yn union beth roedd arnyn nhw eisiau ac roedd hynny’n gaffaeliad mawr. Y peth anoddaf pan fydd rhywun yn creu rhywbeth yw gwybod lle i ddechrau; felly mae’n haws o lawer o gael cyfarwyddiadau clir.

Yn y gorffennol rwy wedi cael cyfarwyddiadau niwlog am waith creadigol, neu rywun dim ond yn dweud wrtha i am goreograffu rhywbeth…Mae’n anodd gwybod lle i gychwyn!  Rwy’n credu, os cewch chi’ch hun fyth mewn sefyllfa o’r fath (mewn clyweliad, gweithdy etc) lle cewch chi ychydig o ysbrydoliaeth, gwnewch eich ysbrydoliaeth eich hun! Dewiswch rywbeth hoff gennych, er enghraifft cymeriad llyfr neu gartŵn y gallech ei efelychu, rhywbeth y gallech seilio’r symudiadarnoneu deimlad neu amcan allai eich ysbrydoli.  Os dewiswch chi symudiad a syniadau sy’n dda gennych, rhydd hynny hyder i chi, bydd creu camau yn llifo ac yn y diwedd gewch chi rywbeth y gallwch chi fod yn falch ohono.

Hyd yma, fagais i erioed go iawn y ddawn o weithio’n greadigol. Mae gen i lawer eto i’w ddysgu ac mae’n debyg mai profiad a hyder ydi’r rhan fwyaf ohono, ond rwy go iawn wedi dechrau cael blas ar feddwl am syniadau a chwarae â nhw, felly i ’nhyb i rwy wedi cymryd cam mawr ymlaen. Bydd rhai syniadau’n gweithio, ond does dim ots go iawn os bydd rhai’n mynd i’r wal.

Ryn ni bellach wedi dechrau ymarfer ers pythefnos, pum wythnos ar ôl tan y noson agoriadol… Mae hynny’n codi braw!