Lately I’ve been dragging my sorry bones across to the ballet barre, something I haven’t done with any regularity since after I graduated, minus the exception of a few months in Zürich with Shonach Mirk Robles at Tanzhaus Wasserwerk, and it is a long, painful struggle to find the technique lost in my cells.

Melbourne is blessed with some extraordinary ballet teachers, and two of them, Adrian Fryer and Mary Renouf I have been fortunate to have had train me since I arrived here. Both of them went to the Australian Ballet School and danced in the Australian Ballet before dancing in Europe in Bayerische Staatsoper Munich, Vienna Staatsoper among others. Together they’ve been running City Dance Centre in Armadale and for those of us whose life has no meaning outside of dance, and for whom the summer break is an agonising six week intrusion into and forced holiday from dancing, CDC has classes for all but about two weeks.

Classes are running on the usual timetable till the end of this week, and then resume on January 15th. There are also a couple of extra classes next week, and for the week starting Monday 8th January there will be a ballet class every morning. Call them (03 9822 8130 or 0414 260 236) or email them for more information.