Ballet Weekend: The Photographs

A more artistic look at what happened at the London Amateur Ballet Spring Intensive.

Rehearsing the Ribbon Dance (I'm hiding back left in the black leotard and long legwarmers).

In class (led by Ricardo Cervera).

Being given corrections on my port de bras.

Double pirouette!

Matching leotards - post-performance silliness in the studio!

I really did wear a tutu!

Too much make up for a muddy field

This weekend A wanted to test out his new photography lights. So I spent an hour or so on my make up; donned tights, shorts and thermals under my coat; and followed him across a muddy field to sit in a tree.

He does take a good photo...

Red carpet glamour

I've had the most exciting week ever!

Dress up to the nines CHECK

Stroll down the red carpet in Leicester Square, surrounded by celebrities, TV crews and journalists CHECK

Listen to speeches (including a family name check from Mr Benedict Cumberbatch himself - check out his speech here) CHECK

Watch The Imitation Game CHECK

See my mother, aunts and uncle's names in film credits CHECK

Get whisked off to the after party CHECK

Free champagne in VIP area CHECK

Meet Benedict and Kiera Knightley CHECK

Spend a marvellous evening introducing self to actors (Charles Dance, Mark Strong and Matthew Beard to name a few) and other interesting people (the film's director, producers and many film-industry types) CHECK

Be overwhelmed with how excited everyone is at bringing Alan Turing's name and genius to a wider audience CHECK

Finally make it to bed much later than you should on a weeknight, but very very happy CHECK

The Imitation Game is a new movie based on the life of my great uncle, Alan Turing (played by Benedict Cumberbatch). Wednesday night was the  European Premiere and the opening gala of the BFI London Film Festival. Huge thank you to the team at Studio Canal (the film's UK distributors) for inviting the family to attend this historic event.

The film is on general release in the UK in mid-November, and across the world around the same time. It isn't completely historically accurate, but it is a great film and well worth a watch!

Edit: This post is now featured on IMDb, which is ironic as one of the people I met was Col Needham (founder and CEO of IMDb)! http://m.imdb.com/name/nm1212722/board/thread/235536253

Edit 2: Photographs taken by the husband, my sister and my brother-in-law.

Relaxed

For the first time in weeks I'm feeling relaxed :) Had a whole evening of just cooking a nice dinner, enjoying a glass of Pinot Grigio, washing up and generally chilling. Lovely.

And here's an amazing photo that A took at the weekend during the Henley Summer Fireworks:

A day in pictures

Wonderful food

Do you take pictures of your food?

I don't know if it's the improvement in technology (my mobile phone is automatically a pretty decent camera), or a change in my way of thinking now that I'm blogging and attached to other social networks, but I seem to be doing it all the time...

post-cycling beef wellington this weekend

Pretty flashes and bangs

I was lucky enough to get to stand back and watch one of the two shows I worked on last weekend. I still thoroughly enjoy watching fireworks shows, especially those that I've been involved in setting up.

Talking of which...

The crew arriving bright and early.

The shells

The shells from the other side of the lake.

Some of the other fireworks.

Survived!

full week at work last week - firework show Saturday - firework show Sunday - start a new full week at work

Taken sometime on Sunday. I was wearing about 8 layers of clothing at this point and the new toolbox was doing stirling work.