Tuesday 30 October 2012

Thoroughly Modern Milly loves GP...of course!

I've just been taking a look at a few of our favourite blogs and came across a lovely piece about Golborne Place on Thoroughly Modern Milly.

"Golborne Place is a calming sanctuary away from the hubbub and chatter of the Portobello excitement."
(We couldn't agree more!)

Milly came over to our studio at the end of the summer to receive a massage from therapist Amy Moffat and take a look at our beautiful space. We're thrilled she had a great treatment and loved the space.

"I felt completely relaxed almost immediately when lying down on the massage bed and soon fell into a light doze. Amy released tension in my upper back systematically kneading the knots and balancing the body".

It was pleasure to meet Milly and we hope to see her agin soon!
Thank you!

Milly Kenny-Ryder



Monday 22 October 2012

In the news...

It's been a busy week of news articles, following on from Isabel's interview in The Dancing Times, Everybody Ballet & Golborne Place seem to be a hot topic. 

First off, in the November issue of Tatler, the lovely Trasierra was on the top list of 'Where to go, to be bang on trend'. It's great to see our first ever Gyrokinesis & Ballet Retreat is making waves!



"Aimed at complete beginners to intermediates, the daily ballet class mixes stretching with not-done-since-a-near-toddler- barrework, while the Gyrokinesis class emphasises fluid core work"


And we couldn't agree more with Tatler's description of Trasierra being 'Simply heart-stopping'.

"Surrounded by olive groves, cork forests and mountains...partly 16th century, with cobbled paths, courtyards, barns and two pools."




Our other pleasant surprise today was opening the Daily Telegraph's Art section to read the renowned journalist, Rupert Christiansen's, review of his first Everybody Ballet Class! After having tried Ballet in the past as part of a keep-fit regime, and eventually giving up, feeling hopeless, he has put his faith in the wonderful Everybody Ballet!


Karis leading the group class at The Royal Opera House


"What has drawn me back is the discovery of Everybody Ballet, run by former Royal Ballet soloist Isabel McMeekan and Karis Scarlette. Isabel and Karis hold weekly classes in Notting Hill and Chiswick, but for incurable romantics such as myself there is a special allure in their Wednesday evening seven-week beginners’ course, which starts on October 31 in the Royal Ballet’s studios at the Royal Opera House. Who knows, you might bump into Alina Cojocaru or Carlos Acosta in the corridor and end up comparing échappés"


Isabel teaching the group class in Chiswick

Of course we know how fantastic the classes are, and what inspiring and welcoming teachers Isabel and Karis have proven to be, but it's always nice to hear it from some else..

"I went to a taster session to sample Isabel’s and Karis’s methods, and found them clear in their instructions, challenging without being intimidating – and absolutely adorable to boot".

For the full article grab a copy of The Telegraph today (Monday 22nd Oct) or look online here...

Tuesday 16 October 2012

The Dancing Times...

Last week Isabel, of Everybody Ballet, had a lovely interview in The Dancing Times. Talking about how she started her fabulous Ballet classes, which are becoming ever more popular here at Golborne Place, and giving us an insight in to the structure of her classes.

Here are some snippets from the interview...

Isabel teaching the adult beginners group class 

"I started off just teaching friends, one summer,” explains McMeekan. “I retired from The Royal Ballet three years ago. Carlos Acosta let me go and stay in his place in Cuba, so I went there for a holiday, and started teaching two friends of mine who came with me. Everyone was really enthusiastic, it felt great for their bodies. So I set up a class at St Peter’s in Portobello, and it developed from there.” 

On stage with Carlos Acosta in Sleeping Beauty, 2006

Backstage at The Royal Opera House during rehearsals with Tom Whitehead for Agitator

How do her classes work? “The Everybody Ballet method is divided into three parts. We start on the floor, doing specific stretching and strengthening work. It’s a culmination of all the experience I’ve gathered from Pilates, gyrokinesis, ballet, stretching. We target specific muscle groups, to strengthen them.

The Everybody Ballet and Golborne Place first retreat this year at La Trasierra, Spain

“Then we get them onto the barre. It’s a gentle barre: plies, tendus… Last, we come into the centre for ports de bras, tendus, jumping and sometimes turning. They’re just blown away by it. They’re also surprised by how mentally taxing it is. It’s like bridge for the body!

Everybody Ballet students at the barre in La Trasierra

With a young, budding ballerina in the Golborne Place studios

What do McMeekan’s adult beginners get from ballet? “It’s a lifestyle thing,” she says. “There’s a real sense of well-being – it’s starting to know how to look after yourself, physically, mentally, nutritionally. There’s a cultural element, they start going to the theatre a lot more!


To see the full interview, click here
For information on Everybody ballet classes, click here