The first full day of summer school!
After a sumptuous breakfast, we walked to the sports centre, which will be our home for the week. Kelvin put us through a very detailed vocal warm-up, and then we went over the arrangement that we started yesterday. We also had a quick look at a second song before the morning tea break.
After tea, we started floor work with Lynne. That started off with the most vicious warm-up I can ever remember doing, followed by a selection of dance moves on the floor, allowing Lynne to see what level of ability we all had.
After lunch, we started setting "Baggy Trousers". Suffice to say the dance is extremely funny... and just a little rude!
The final session of the day was back to vocals, and then we went back for a quick freshen-up before dinner. Tonight was a Greek evening, with Greek food and an exhibition of Greek dancing. A few of us were volunteered to be helpers, we joined in the dancing, and generally had a great time!
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Start Of The Summer School
Today's plan was to go for a run at Manchester, then pootle on down to Warwick for the Summer School.
Everything started well when I asked for a late checkout at the Holiday Inn Express where I was staying, and they were able to give me that. I had a lovely breakfast, then packed for an hour. I then went out for my run.
The Holiday Inn Express is beside a pair of reservoirs called the Gorton Reservoirs, and my plan was to run round them.
The plan started out okay, as I went round the "lower" Gorton Reservoir. It was when I got to the "upper" reservoir that things started to go bad. The path was overgrown, and pretty muddy.
When I eventually did mess up and put one foot into a puddle on the way round, I realised quite how deep and muddy the puddles were!
I continued on to for a while, but eventually had to give up. I turned back, and then tried to run the rest of the way round the lower Gorton Reservoir. If I ever try to run this route again, I shall be wearing long sleeves and full-length running tights. Let me make it clear that a vest and short race-day shorts do not go well with shoulder-high stinging nettles overgrowing onto the path...
So I ended up with a pretty lousy run. I did a further lap of the lower reservoir, but this time did not try to stay on the reservoir once I got back into Debdale Park - instead I ran through the park. I only managed a little over three miles; something of a shambles really.
However, by the time I had showered and packed up all my stuff, it was time to go.
I got in the car and started driving towards Warwick. On the way, I stopped off at Knutsford, at the Cranford Café, for lunch. I had a very pleasant meal in what appears to be a very pleasant town before getting back on the road and continuing on towards the University of Warwick.
As I travelled south, I came to the turn-off for the M6 Toll Road. This is a section of motorway that parallels the original M6, but is - as the name implies - a toll road.
Well, I certainly did not want to take a toll road. So I stayed on the road I was on, and did not take the turn-off.
That was a major fail. Bizarrely, the "straight on" route takes you onto the toll road! If you want to stay on the public road, you have to turn off. That's £4.80 I shall never see again - and a mistake I hope never to make again, either!
Eventually, I arrived at the Summer School. I had forgotten how many people I would recognise when I got here - it was lovely! And the accommodation is an amazing standard - every bit as good as my Holiday Inn Express.
And as for the food? Amazing. The ham served carvery style, perfectly boiled vegetables (nice and crunchy), and the dessert... just fantastic!
After dinner we went for our first rehearsal. We did some vocal warm ups and started setting one of the songs for Friday. Thence to the bar for a while before coming to bed.
This is going to be a great week!
Everything started well when I asked for a late checkout at the Holiday Inn Express where I was staying, and they were able to give me that. I had a lovely breakfast, then packed for an hour. I then went out for my run.
 |
| Muddy Path |
The plan started out okay, as I went round the "lower" Gorton Reservoir. It was when I got to the "upper" reservoir that things started to go bad. The path was overgrown, and pretty muddy.
When I eventually did mess up and put one foot into a puddle on the way round, I realised quite how deep and muddy the puddles were!
 |
| Muddy Legs |
So I ended up with a pretty lousy run. I did a further lap of the lower reservoir, but this time did not try to stay on the reservoir once I got back into Debdale Park - instead I ran through the park. I only managed a little over three miles; something of a shambles really.
However, by the time I had showered and packed up all my stuff, it was time to go.
I got in the car and started driving towards Warwick. On the way, I stopped off at Knutsford, at the Cranford Café, for lunch. I had a very pleasant meal in what appears to be a very pleasant town before getting back on the road and continuing on towards the University of Warwick.
 |
| Knutsford Town Centre |
As I travelled south, I came to the turn-off for the M6 Toll Road. This is a section of motorway that parallels the original M6, but is - as the name implies - a toll road.
Well, I certainly did not want to take a toll road. So I stayed on the road I was on, and did not take the turn-off.
That was a major fail. Bizarrely, the "straight on" route takes you onto the toll road! If you want to stay on the public road, you have to turn off. That's £4.80 I shall never see again - and a mistake I hope never to make again, either!
 |
| Accommodation 1 |
Eventually, I arrived at the Summer School. I had forgotten how many people I would recognise when I got here - it was lovely! And the accommodation is an amazing standard - every bit as good as my Holiday Inn Express.
And as for the food? Amazing. The ham served carvery style, perfectly boiled vegetables (nice and crunchy), and the dessert... just fantastic!
 |
| Accommodation 2 |
This is going to be a great week!
Friday, August 3, 2012
Let the bubble begin!
The Ham is off to Summer School for the first time since 2009, and I am really looking forward to it.
Thanks to some wonderful timing, the NODA Summer School rims concurrently with the second week of the international Gilbert and Sullivan Festival, held annually in the beautiful town of Buxton. I had arranged to meet a friend there; another G+S enthusiast and a friend of many years' standing.
The show we went to see was The Gondoliers, a professional production in the Buxton Opera House.
the Opera House is beautiful both outside and in, a lovely theatre to visit.
It had been a long time since I last saw a G+S, and I thoroughly enjoyed this production.
And then it was time to go back to my hotel in Manchester,.update the blog and grab some shut-eye before going to the Summer School - also known as The Bubble - tomorrow.
 |
| Buxton Opera House - wish I could rotate this pic! |
The show we went to see was The Gondoliers, a professional production in the Buxton Opera House.
the Opera House is beautiful both outside and in, a lovely theatre to visit.
It had been a long time since I last saw a G+S, and I thoroughly enjoyed this production.
And then it was time to go back to my hotel in Manchester,.update the blog and grab some shut-eye before going to the Summer School - also known as The Bubble - tomorrow.
 |
| Inside the Opera House |
 |
| Opera House Ceiling |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
