Monday, June 25, 2007

Kids At School

It's Princess Margaret Day at Francis Holland Girls' School!!! One of the big big granduer event of the academic year at the school....
Shortlisted talented dance students from the various levels are selected to display some dances (in groups and some solos) and they will be judged and awarded by prestigious ballet/dance figures of the century. The Guest of Honour for this year's event is Lady MacMillan!!!!! Personally, I was extremely excited, nervous... absolutely butterflies in my tummy... can you imagine? The wife of one of the greatest choreographer/dancemaker ever, Sir Kenneth MacMillan.... AAAHHHHH.....
Right, back to the event, dance students from vocational schools such as Royal Ballet and English National Ballet would also perform solos and pas de deux. Then shortly after the judges will give out the prizes to the young students....
As this is my first and last Princess Margaret Day at FHS, some of the girls (my students), who were aware that it will be soon that I am gone.. to tropical singapore for good... they got me some flowers and cards, and i was utterly touched... and holding back my tears....
These girls are great fun to have..... gonna miss them terribly much.... *sob sob*
Daisy, Hiba and Iona!
Daisy & I
The girls waiting for the result...

Girls looking at the camera, in the backrow from bottom: Chance, Daphne, and Zelie, followed by Hiba and Olivia
Constanza looking terribly pleased and excited, bless her, the smallest of the lot, only 5 years old....
After the long long day, and bagging 2 bouquets (I had 4, but I had to give 2 away, even before I brought them with me), I had to give the big bouquet, from Hiba and frens to Nat. I do not have any vase big enough in my flat to store these beautiful flowers.... These are the two bouquets I brought home, one from Hiba and friends and the smaller one which saffie is holding is from Chance. Hahahaha... Saffie demonstrating how strong she is, managing both bouquets all by herself... Awwwww

Thursday, June 14, 2007

DARCEY BUSSELL FAREWELL

Attended Darcey Bussell's Farewell performance both at Sadlers Wells and The Royal Opera House...
At Sadlers Wells, I only managed the curtain call of Winter Dreams...she danced the role of Misha, which was created on her by the late genius, Sir Kenneth MacMillan. Dancing alongside her were, Tamara Rojo, Nicola Tanah, Jonathan Cope, Roberto Bolle, Edward Watson, Belinda Hatley, Michael Nunn, Wiliam Trevitt, etc... Her final Farewell pas de deux with Roberto Bolle was the highlight of the evening... its a feeling responded from their fiery and emotional performance that I can't find the exact words to describe...
At the Royal Opera House, there was also Belinda Hatley's farewell... here she is performing in Symphonic Variation. Only managed curtain call shots though...

And last but definitely not the least... Darcey's touching farewell appearance as she performed Song of the Earth... The atmosphere was unbelievable... the entire opera house was giving standing ovation, some sobbing some cheering and some applauding... and a few snapping pictures... its an experience i will never forget...she truly deserved what she has.... she will be deeply missed... by her nation and the world...






CATCHIN'UP: SAFFIE'S RETURN!!!!!

Visited the lil' angel when she returned from Singapore.. Oh... how much she has grown...
still cheekie as ever.... Here are some pictures when we were fooling around on her 2nd day in London... please do take her jetlag into consideration...
and here she was attempting to create a clown... initially her clown was not so smiley, it was just one wooden block on the mouth.. I asked her why is the clown not smiling, and if she was going to make the clown's mouth bigger to hopefully become a huge smile.. she took the tiny red wooden dots and suggested that they are TEARS.... the clown is crying....

CATCHIN'UP:HydePark

Tsumugi & I decided to take a walk in the park after a lavish spread of lunch... she insisted of trying out singaporean food... we lashed out on Hainanese chicken rice, laksa, carrot cake, ice kachang, teh tarik, etc...
whilst in the park.. i took countless pictures of swans, birds, and dogs... and of course flowers... but nearer the end of the adventure.. we decided to hunt for the statue of Peter Pan...
Can someone kindly make out what this sign represent???
Here are some feathery friends...








FOUND IT!!!!!

CATCHIN'UP: Royal Ballet Lauren Cuthbertson & Rupert Pennefather Swan Lake Double Debut



The title says it all.... Lauren's debut as Odile/Odette, was like one who have been dancing this role forever...

CATCHIN'UP: Bicester Village Road Trip

Maddie (my ex flatmate) dropped by london for a visit in mid may, and off we went to Bicester Village Outlet shopping... rented a car and off we went on our road trip round and about....
still around london... and came across this... and had to snap it for my bro:
off we went... less city more country...
before we started our shopping, we had to fill our tums tums... with delicious Carluccios pasta funghi and lasagne...
on our way back to london...a huge statue of a jack russell...
and towards the busy city before the sun set...