iPad2 Winner Announced

Written by Sundial Clinics Thursday, 1 September 2011 09:50

Everyone who Liked us on Facebook was entered into a draw for a gorgeous iPad2. The draw was on Wednesday 31st August. If you are interested in knowing who won it watch this video.

Amanda’s ballet class update

Written by Sundial Clinics Monday, 22 August 2011 04:35

24 June
I arrived ready for my class this week, proudly wearing one of the dance school’s official T-shirts. Of course it didn’t stop my bottom lip pouting when I asked for one of the hooded tops only to be told that they were only available in children’s sizes, but I expect that is one of the many things that I will encounter along the way with my rather late arrival into the pursuit.

However I did, once again forget shorts. And it was only when I was on my way to drop the dog off at my Mother’s that this fact dawned on me so I didn’t even have my trusty running tights in my bag. Undeterred I had to beg, steal and borrow and turned up at the class this time not in Ronhill leggings but in rather less flattering cycle shorts belonging to my Mother, who is a little bigger than I am and considerably taller. You can imagine the image. Still, as far as I was concerned it had to be better than revealing your underwear in dance tights – sadly I am all too aware that it would probably frighten the life out of my peers if I didn’t cover a greater degree of my modesty now that I am no longer in possession of a lithe, young figure.

The class followed the same structure as last time with barre work to music followed by floor work at the end and I have found that I actually love the former very much. Never having been one for being graceful it obviously is not my forte but nevertheless I love the challenge of trying to coordinate the footwork and arm poise whilst at least having the security of being able to hold onto something stable to ensure that you don’t end up on your face. Frustratingly I did find that the exercises and movements that I found I could master last week caused me to struggle this week, and the others that caused me to look like a donkey on roller skates I managed to glide through – even being complimented.

I am finding that I am not always the one who needs the most help in classes and that I at least share that with one other lady. Of course I am convinced that she has been placed in the class undercover to ease some of my humiliation – possibly paid handsomely by my Mother.

8 July
Having missed last week’s class due to being away on a course I was anxious that I would struggle to keep up with the class today, however it was possibly the most fun that I have ever had in the name of exercise. Our teacher decided to take us all back to complete basics and covered the correct feet positions, the arm holds, the posture, the head movements and the grace that we need to aim towards. We were even given gold stars; not as a reward but because we are apparently never too old to be treated like 6 year olds and they have gold stars on the insides of their ballet shoes to show them where to position their feet. Regardless of this fact I was still given two gold stars and I was proud of that. And the fact that I have them on my shoes just shows that my feet are clearly award winning (the child in me has clearly not flown the nest after all and seems to have settled in with a big comfy blanket of denial).

Because it was a back to basics class I was also able to ask how to physically contort my hands to make them even closely resemble to beautiful hand shapes that other dancers have and how to hold my arms without needing to drop them through exhaustion (this takes time apparently and is one of the many reasons why ballet dancers have such wonderfully strong physiques…and why us mere mortals often do not).

Of course there is a negative side to breaking ballet down into the basics – the pain. I soon learned that when moving through a plie my knees should smoothly travel outwards not to the front and that, despite my practicing between classes, my feet are still not flexing as they should when I point. My teacher tried to force them to help my body catch up with the programme but it retaliated with muscle spasm that sent pain coursing through my feet and legs and made me bite back the tears. All I could hear in my head were words from my Mother as she brushed my hair as a child and wrestled with tangles saying “You have to suffer to be beautiful!”

My posture still often insists that Swan Lake should be more like Duck Pond and I soon found myself becoming frustrated as I tried to concentrate on feet movements, arm positions, lumbar spine relaxation, lower abdominal activation, pelvic height equality, foot flexion, hip joint opening and fluidity, chest opening and head position all at once, whilst still trying to appear as if I was not concentrating on anything at all.

This is definitely a psychological art as well as a physical one. I am so used to exercise being escapism where there is no need to think and it allows you to simply be. For so many years I have pulled on my running shoes and hit the beach or the park and pounded away the day’s stresses and puffed away the resounding replay of the latest monologue in my head from a colleague or loved one. Ballet is not such a pursuit and yet the very nature of it is so compelling that by the focus it demands from anyone who enters into it all other traffic within the space of the mind is forced out. The result is that you leave the classes feeling refreshed and strangely calm and at peace. Perfect for the start of the weekend ahead.

12 July
I was invited along to my 3 year old niece’s ballet class today as they had an open day for parents and family, and I was genuinely captivated. Initially I was astounded at how the teacher managed to control a room full of infants when all I could see most of the time were swirls of pink lycra and netting twirling around the studio. And then it began to dawn on me that the class was not too different from many things that we do in our classes. Obviously they have nursery rhymes to dance to and don’t do barre work as they are largely unable to reach that high; and of course we do not have cuddly toys to dance with (and our classes may be all the more lacking for that in my opinion) but the structure was very similar in many aspects. And if you looked carefully amongst the warming up routines with the teddy bears and the games there were all the ballet movements which we practiced every week, almost as if they had been smuggled in so as not to cause alarm or raise suspicion that these little girls – and boys- were actually learning great dance skills.

Of course I did feel awkward when I realised that 3 years olds had the feet positions better mastered than I have and that they knew the French terms for each movement that was requested, but then every individual in that studio looked very professional and quite the part, leaving me with a clear case of ‘pink tutu envy’ for which I believe that there is no cure other than to completely embrace it through eBay.

17 July
The last class before the summer break. I am actually very sad as I love the classes and would love to do even more if possible every week.

We did the usual, wonderful barre work first of all – giving me the usual cramp and creating all sorts of concerning crunching in my hips and knees that we have all come to know and embrace…and expect if I am honest!

We did more floor work this week – perhaps our teacher felt a little daring with it being the last class before the summer break and believed that we could cope with an advancement; or else knew that if we broke anything we had time to let it heal before she next saw us.

We did more pirouette work (at which I am still dreadful) and I learned how to courtesy in ballet properly which was an elating feeling – albeit it that I am all too aware that I will have forgotten it by tomorrow let alone by the next class.

But at the end of the class we were taught a travelling pattern of dance steps which was apparently simple to master in terms of the steps, but once the arms were added it became a different matter. I have decided that I can just about embrace a new pattern of moves as long as either my arms or my feet stay still. If the two are doing different actions then things very quickly turn ugly. This occasion was no different. But I managed to stomp across the room enough times to convince myself that I had the basic understanding of what was required and simply just needed to practice enough to make it look less awkward and humiliating. And practice I did the next night…on the dance floor at a friend’s wedding…in 6 inch heels…after too many glasses of champagne and wine. And I think that I pulled it off rather well. Observers may disagree but of course I couldn’t possibly comment on that…

19 August
With another couple of weeks to go until the return of my ballet classes I finally bit the bullet and ordered some ballet DVD’s to continue my training outside of classes in a continued effort to try and become more flexible. They are two DVD’s from the New York Ballet Company comprising of workouts to increase strength and poise for ballet. My aim is that I will learn how to warm up for classes and that I will become stronger and so be able to benefit more from each class.

I tried the first DVD this morning with the dog watching me totally captivated by this latest insane activity that I have taken to. At one point I did consider that he may be better at it than I am but I persevered and actually enjoyed the DVD immensely. The obvious drawback is that I do not have anyone to correct my alignment or to point out if my hips are uneven or not fully extended correctly etc. But at least I am doing something to keep my mind ‘ballet focused’ each week between classes now. And who knows; I may even train my mind so that I will be able to remember routines and movements longer than an hour after leaving class.

New reduced parking charges NCP North Rd

Written by Sundial Clinics Friday, 12 August 2011 10:55

NCP have finally relented and reduced their parking charges in the car park on North Road, Brighton for Sundial Queens Road. Now the first hour is £1 instead of the ludicrous £1 per 15 minutes. We hope this will be welcome news for you if you drive to us.

Metered on street parking is also available on nearby roads and the station car park offers the best long term fees at £11 for a full day.

18 Dec 2011 Update

NCP have increased their charges to back to a whopping £4 per hour. The best value parking is now at the mainline railway station at £1 per hour. You can pay by text or at the kiosk. It is easy to walk through the station and down Queens Road to the clinic in about 5 minutes. Find it here:-