It is now both officially and meteorologically autumn, and so I can say with one hundred percent accuracy that the new rehearsal season has started.

Cue the head cold.

But of course.

Anyway. New rehearsal season! Most prominently, rehearsals with no less than three fabulous dancers: Florence Rapati, Thami Fisher and Pallas Sridevi, who we have cunningly lured out of retirement yet again...

Pallas was actually the one that came up with it – she teaches ballet classes at The Hungry Mind; a “home away from home”, as its website proclaims, right behind the International School in The Hague, and she pitched the idea of giving a dinner concert/performance to the organisational staff. Then she pitched the idea to Flo, and then she pitched it to Thami and myself.

Of course, we were all very enthusiastic about it (I really do blame Pallas, that woman can make a dead duck feel good about itself) and it didn’t take us very long to put a programme together.

The concert itself will be the 9th of October.

Sadly, it is not open for the general public (also because it's already sold out)... but the next one, date as yet unconfirmed, will be!

The structure of the evening is quite straightforward – a small setting with stunning dancers, lovely music and excellent food. Three courses will be served, interspersed with both music and dance – swans will be dying, nymphs will attempt seduction and existentialist angst will be interpreted!

Which means, of course, that right now I’m practising Godowski and Ondine like there’s no tomorrow. I didn’t know you could put that many accidentals in a piece without it getting silly. It makes one long for Wagner.

More news – including an insight on the mysterious 12th of October – soon to follow!