Ballet Class

Between the Barres is a compilation of my original vinyl ballet class records. Available from Itunes, Amazon, CD Baby

Plies: Between the Barres: Original Music for the Ballet Class

John Englisch played the piano for many ballet classes like Scapino Rotterdam (and formerly Amsterdam), Nova College, H.J.S. and Dance Street. This cd was recorded half in class, half outside, but in the same studio, with thanks to Valerie Valentine, Director of DanceStreet. Also John likes to thank the Englisch kids for the photo’s, recording and artwork. 

From the double cd containing 102 beautifull played tracks, you'll find the first 25 here. If you would like to receive a full copy, you can send a mail here or leave a message.

John Englisch used to play daily the classical ballet class at Scapino Ballet Rotterdam and previously Amsterdam during 23 marvellous years, engraved in the farewell watch he’s wearing since he retired. As parttimer now he accompaigns classes at Nova College Haarlem, Henny Jurriëns and last but not least DanceStreet Amsterdam where Valerie Valentine gave him the right ambiance to create this romantic double CD taking advantage of Iqbal’s experience. Other musical activities: cantor/organist, conductor of shanty choir ZILT, translator into dutch and singer of Maurice Cocagnac’s Chansons
Bibliques and author of different studies about the opera’s I DUE FOSCARI and CARMEN. 2010 his lifework will appear “The E-Variant” a profound musictheory to recover the truth about time bound functional tonality which is NOT what most physics and EVEN LESS what arithmatics pretend it to be.

Iqbal Khawaja (age 39) was born in England and studied dance locally before moving to London to study professionally. He danced in Israel and Germany before settling in the
Netherlands in Het Nationale Ballet. He retired two years ago but occasionally guests in character roles. He has been a teacher for four years and teaches permanently at Amsterdamse Hogeschool voor de Kunsten and Rotterdamse Dans Academie as well as freelancing at Stichting Korzo, Henny Jurriens Stichting and Dansatelier Rotterdam. Photographs and some recordings were taken in DanceStreet Amsterdam where he is about to start may ‘09.


1 Schubert - Auf dem Wasser zu singen [1.56]

4 Puccini - Gianni Schicci, Oh! mio babbino Caro [1.05]

6 Verdi - Aida, Celeste Aida [2.10]

7 Beethoven - Pianosonata 27, op.90, Rondo [0.37]

9 Prokoviev - Love of the three oranges op. 33, varied LEFT [0.45]

10 Frederick Loewe - My fair lady, Ascot Gavotte (1956) [1.11]

13 Gershwin - Porgy and Bess, It ain't necessarily so [1.18]

15 George Shearing - Lullaby of Birdland (1952) [1.41]

20 Rodgers - The Sound of Music, Raindrops on Roses [0.50]

21 John Englisch - Classical ballet, improvisation 3 [0.55]

23 John Englisch - Classical ballet, improvisation 5 Polka [0.35]

25 Mozart - Pianosonatina in C, part 3, Allegro [0.41]

Ballet Class

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