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Secret Delite—Dare to be You!

After a coffee break, the next teacher, the very intriguing Miss Fortune appeared, dressed in black thigh high PVC stiletto boots and micro PVC low cut dress, enshrined by the inevitable robe and hood. (What was that hood attached to?)  What was to befall them now?  Two sheets were produced, and the girls had to derive some sort of answers to cryptic historical questions and very taxing mathematical ones, an example of the former being ‘Why did King Harold go to the top of Coates Hill before the Battle of Hastings?’. Much fun ensued with very inventive potential answers being shouted out.

 

All the girls had thoroughly enjoyed their morning at school, for some it had brought back happy memories (but girls, was your school ever like that?) and for others a novel first positive experience, seemingly even therapeutic.

St Trinians Autumn Term Class

From front—Fiona, Karen               2nd row— Jean, Charlotte

3rd row—Miss Fortune, Pauline, Carrie & Johanna

Back row—Daisy & Katrina

Saturday School by Madame

           It was with some trepidation that I adjusted the hood over my gown (designed for males to secure to their shirts, and I wasn’t wearing one of those!) and my assistant gave the girls lined up outside the classroom the signal to file in.  Had I got enough desks? Just - given that two, not even in uniform decided to join in at the last moment.  Introducing myself as Dr. Scarlett (I left it up to ‘them’ to ascertain whether the name reflected the colour of my peep-toe stilettos or their faces should they displease me), I held a uniform check.  Lining up, one by one each girl knelt on the floor whilst I and my assistant measured the length, or rather shortness, of each skirt, stating no more than 6’’ above the knee was acceptable.  The hem of the shortest pelmet didn’t quite make my 12’’ ruler!  Those in disgrace were required to stand at the front of the class and look in the full-length mirror to acknowledge their misdemeanour.  The rest looked on smugly, with several dressed in 1950’s style rather becoming gymslip and sash – one (Karen’s?) even had an indecipherable badge on it which apparently meant, transcribed from the Latin, ‘Learning through Pain’! As a psychologist, I know that really isn’t the best way, but went on pretending nevertheless. 

Ho, ha, on with the show – a botany lesson.  That is, after naughty and disruptive Fiona1 had been expelled! Girls, working in pairs, were required to go outside and collect leaves from at least 10 types of trees, then return to the classroom, identify both their English and Latin names and produce an appealing poster.  How absorbed they were and how well they behaved!  My cane was put away unused – unusual for me! What they achieved in that hour was to their credit, although from the impressive displays on the wall, both I and my assistant judged the poster by Charlotte and Johanna as the winner.  Well done girls!

Miss Fortune chastises

an errant Daisy!!

At the Barre by Madame

What an entrance and transformation!  In walked four very pretty girls, beautifully turned out,  in their exaggerated tutus, complete with shiny new ballet shoes.  To the music of Swan Lake, they limbered up performing some warm-up exercises and then, with a little trial and error, learnt most of  the  five arm and foot positions.  What totally absorbed learners!  After a little work at the barre to the strains of Giselle, performing inter alia some beautiful demi-pliés, the students were taught a series of steps to complete a degagè to transfer their weight from one leg to another.  A few more steps and earnest practice and they were ready to give their performance to the audience to the very appropriate Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite. And how graceful they were, swirling around and combining steps and positions with confidence, with the renamed Sugar Pink Fairy undoubtedly the favourite.  Their happiness and enjoyment was both beguiling and contagious, and I was skipping and pirouetting around with them, totally caught up in the moment.  What beaming smiles afterwards, and as expressed by Daisy ‘I’ve worn a tutu several times before, but never did I  imagine that I could actually learn ballet, and so much in such a short time’.   Good luck to you all, may it be the start of yet another positive identity!

 

Wish You Were Here?

Whatever your interests, we hope that we have whetted your appetite to fantasise about something new, contact us at Secret Delite and we will do our utmost to make it your reality!

Gallery-17-19 October 2008

St Trinian’s School and Ballet