Arms Out Like Wings
by Glenda Taylor
Arms Out Like Wings is an anecdotal memoir about my seven years spent in a ballet boarding school from 1969 to 1976 aged nine to seventeen. A ‘Pygmalion-esque’ story that takes me from my crowded, loving council house home of siblings, cockney, lorry driver Dad and Italian seamstress Mother, to a Rolls Royce gliding through London, tinkling piano music in corridors and marquees on the lawn. This book will give you an insight into a young ballet dancers life. The initial spark, training, literal blood sweat and tears, close friendships, pranks, pain, disappointment, injury, romance and sacrifices.
Episodes
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The Spark - episode one
The very beginning of my story. Visit our family home and the warm chaos within. Meet my Mum, Dad, brother and sisters. A glimpse into life in the 1960's.
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Toe in the Water - episode two
My first ballet classes as a six year old. How my mother saved the day.
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Stage School - episode three
Things start to scale up when I go to Corona Stage School. I find a dance mentor and Dad becomes a grumpy hero.
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The Audition - episode four
My Dad organises my secret audition for a professional Ballet School in East Grinstead. I then meet another influential lady in my life whilst I Polka in the biggest studio I have ever seen.
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Uniform - episode five
My Italian family think I have been kidnapped, my Dad tells them where to go whilst I get turned down for a grant.
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Arriving - episode six
A rather tense car ride to my new Ballet School. My little sister playing 'rag doll' with me, my brother giving me a whole Ten Shilling note and my mother sobbing and smoking like she would use every cigarette in Surrey. Meeting 'Nursey' and finding out that trendy, short skirts were useless for...
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The Contents of my Trunk - episode seven
How I yearned for winceyette pyjamas and boring old fashioned slippers.
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The First Night - episode eight
Crisp and formal bedding, lights out and growing home sickness with an unusual approach to bed time.
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Initiation - episode 9
Girls behaving 'sort of badly' at night. Strange rituals involving absent Nursey and Glito . . . . .
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Rising Bell - episode 10
My first morning with a ridiculously early start, cold linoleum and myriad shoes.
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Breakfast - episode 11
The one where my Dad delivers coffee and Marmite in catering size jars!
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Evenings - episode 12
Evenings at a girls Ballet School for borders. Midnight games, kissing practise 'girl on girl', crushes, making cheese from yoghurts and eventually sleep. . . .
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Vitae Honestas, Weekends & Dancing in the Lunch Queue - episode 13
Strange latin phrases, weekend visits to my family and cuddling my sister. Dancing on the staircase.
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Aprons and National Skirts - episode 14
Being at a Ballet School involves many rituals. You also have to know your place in the hierarchy. This is where Aprons came in. Your apron and National Skirts were part of you. Life evolved around the seamstress who inhabited a cramped and warm space at the top of the school, a sort of haven for...
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Ballet Classes - episode 15
It seems young ballet dancers need to learn about washing tights with fabric softener and how to put clothes on in a hurry.
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School Work, Elocution and My Tuck Box - episode 16
My 'Pygmalion' moment when I learn to 'speak posh', learn how to read & write at last and secret moments with my parents and baby sister Gaynor in the Tuck Box room.
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Fire Drills & Blue Peter recording at the School - episode 17
We loved Fire Drills which were always so exciting and after lights out. Nothing however prepared us for performing tap dance routines with John Noakes and Roy Castle on our own theatre.
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The Lady of the Blue Pond & Levitation - episode 18
This is the one about the incredibly ethereal lady who inhabited our Blue Pond and school corridors at night. Also the strange powers of levitation at our fingertips.
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The Pull of Home - episode 19
My first year at Ballet School was tough and my homesickness was extreme.
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Pointe Shoes - episode 20
I discover the agony and ecstasy of dancing in pointe shoes. These were of course so much more than shoes. Every pair of every girls pointe shoes was individual to them.
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Major Exams - episode 21
Exams are a constant in life when training to be a Ballet Dancer. Major Exams are something else though and were treated with reverence. They involved more expemditure by my parents and a trip to London!
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Best Friends - episode 22
Friendships formed in boarding school can last for ever, such is the bond you have after growing up together.
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Miss Marsh - episode 23
Miss Marsh was the 'Queen' of the Ballet School. A total character with make-up, hair and clothes creating a terrifying vision that we worshipped and curtseyed every time she passed by.
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The Rolls Royce & Harrods - episode 24
Feeling like royalty in a lovely car, going to the top floor of Harrods for High Tea.
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Christmas & Bullying - episode 25
Christmas was a magical time at the school. One Christmas remains in my memory for all sorts of reasons . . .
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End of Term (Trunks & Apple Pie Beds) - episode 26
We sooo looked forward to the end of term. It meant Trunks & Apple Pie Beds and then home sweet home
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Going Up - Chapter 2 - episode 27
Time to move up to a new Dorm. Lifetime friendships begin to take shape. No more Nursey in charge but now we had to deal with Matron herself. . .
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Out of Bounds & Wash House - Chapter 2 - Episodes 28 & 29
Becoming independent, escaping out of the school grounds undercover of bushes. Home clothes and doing our own laundry.
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Bras, Boobs & Periods - Chapter 2 - Episode 30
Not so patiently waiting for breasts to appear. Bra-tastic. Periods at last.
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Contemporary Dance, Top of the Pops & Cinzano - Chapter 2 - Episodes 31 to 33
Cool Girls do contemporary. Watching Top of the Pops in the library. Drunk in class.
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Teachers - Chapter 2 - Episode 34
An eclectic array of teachers covering subjects from English language to stage make-up.
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The Language of Ballet, Music in the Corridors & Flu Epidemic - Chapter 2 - Episodes 35 to 38
Becoming fluent in the language of ballet. Learning Benesh notation. Music in the corridors. Flu epidemic gets us all sent home.
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Top Floor - Chapter 3 - Episode 39
Feeling really grown up and rearing little bird. Heart throbs on the wall. No room to swing a cat. Bottom shaping games!
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Break a Leg, The Ward & Day by Day - Chapter 3 - Episodes 40 to 42
Knocked over by a car and breaking a leg causing a pause in career & training. What seems like endless time in hospital. Family sacrifices.
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Physiotherapy, Day of Reckoning & the Dreaded Calliper - Chapter 3 - Episodes 43-45
Physiotherapy proves to be a lovely distraction in the guise of two Swedish physiotherapists. Time in hospital coming to an end and the dreaded calliper.
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Learning to walk again - Chapter 3 - Episode 46
Discovering that learning to walk again is very difficult after three months in bed.
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Home at last & Back to School - Chapter 3 - Episode 47 to 48
Home after three months in hospital and not feeling as happy as I thought I would. Back to school at last to resume ballet life.
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Ballyhoo & Anorexia - Chapter 3 - Episodes 49 to 50
Best new dorm ever. Being treated like adults. visits by local boys via windows. Anorexia too close for comfort.
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From Ugly Duckling to Swan - Chapter 3 - Episode 51
Feeling more attractive after years of braces, unibrow and feeling invisible to boys.
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Student Life & Madame Bonitto - Chapter 4 - Episodes 52 to 53
Staying on for a year as a student is full of incident. Then we have the arrival of vivacious Madame Bonitto who shakes up the school.
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The Red Barn - Chapter 4 - Episode 54
Going out till late. Not too old to get into trouble. Feeling let down.
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The Big Audition - Chapter 4 - Episode 55
Royal Ballet audition
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Tellyballyhoo - Chapter 4 - Episode 56
My last end of term show. rehearsals take over.
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Boys, Boys, Boys - Chapter 4 - Episode 57
Our school gets invaded by boys. no complaints, quite the distraction.
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London & The Solo - Chapter 4 - Episodes 58 to 59
I go to London for a photo shoot. A solo is choreographed on me.
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Tommy Tring & Hot Dancing - Chapter 4 - Episodes 60 to 61
I meet the most amazing choreographer and dance my heart out.
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Theatre Bar Conversations - Chapter 4 - Episode 62
Late night conversations with the powers that be make me feel less certain of my future.
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The Final Curtain & a Performance to Remember - Chapter 4 - Episodes 63 to 64
My final performance at the school.
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Final Curtain Revisited - Chapter 4 - Episode 65
It's a wrap.
About this show
Arms Out Like Wings is an anecdotal memoir about my seven years spent in a ballet boarding school from 1969 to 1976 aged nine to seventeen. A ‘Pygmalion-esque’ story that takes me from my crowded, loving council house home of siblings, cockney, lorry driver Dad and Italian seamstress Mother, to a Rolls Royce gliding through London, tinkling piano music in corridors and marquees on the lawn. This book will give you an insight into a young ballet dancers life. The initial spark, training, literal blood sweat and tears, close friendships, pranks, pain, disappointment, injury, romance and sacrifices.
Hosted by
Glenda Taylor
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