Outstanding technique, excellent flexibility and strength, as well as beautiful dedication, all of this and more embodies what I witnessed during both the rehearsal and the technique class I decided to observe. After spending time watching a classical ballet class and contemporary ballet rehearsal, It truly helped me understand the interesting similarities and differences between the two. Both are forms of expanding and practicing the art of dance as well as more than that. Although at first I believed there was not going to be much of a difference between a ballet technique class and rehearsal, they were, in fact, achieving various goals in their own respects by focusing their priorities on different aspects of their dance form.
Classical ballet, this was the dance
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At this studio, I would always see young children attempting to learn the various techniques of ballet. Walking into the dance studio, something I expected to see were mirrors and wooden bars, which I later discovered were called ballet barres, and to no surprise that was what I entered to. When it came time for the dancers to arrive, some of the female dancers hurried into a leotard and tights, but to my surprise just put on regular ballet slippers. In my mind, I believed that older dancers would be able to wear pointe shoes, they later explained to me that it had to do nothing with age, but skill. As the class unfolded itself, fairly quickly, live piano music started to play and they began with the warm ups. During these fairly fast paced warm ups, the ballet instructor snapped to the beat of the piano, while calling out French dance terms, and observing his students as well as physically correcting their positions. It was not until mid warm-up, when the dance students started doing push ups, that I realized and found interesting to see that classical ballet is strict and almost like a boot camp. The whole warm-up was extensive and it became a bit difficult to figure out when
It is reliant on proper technique, fluidity, and coordination. Ballet technique includes alignment, pointe technique, and core techniques. Alignment includes proper posture of the dancer’s head, shoulders, and hips being vertically aligned. Each dancer needs to perfect the turnout, which is the movement where the dancer’s legs are rotating outward and it emphasizes clean footwork including enabling correct body positions, angles, and lines. It is imperative that a ballet dancer masters each detail in order to express complete fluidity throughout the dance such as proper posture, keeping shoulders down and toe pointing. Russian ballet is known for dramatic high extensions and dynamic turns throughout their dance like Pavlova did in The Dying
From the reading, I was most interested in the section regarding ballet training. The text states the recommended age for ballet training is eight years old. I truly thought this was crazy because I started ballet at three years old. The text also explains that children who are preparing for ballet classes typically wear soft glove slippers on their feet to allow them to get used to the feeling of Pointe shoes. When I first began ballet class, my instructor encouraged us to purchase ballet shoes until we were ten years old. At the age of ten, we were given the option to begin using Pointe shoes. I remember I was so excited to get my first pair of Pointe shoes because I thought they were stunning and graceful, until my feet began to bleed.
This movie opened my eyes to how our two worlds, both ballet and color guard, are not so different after all. We are always willing to improve, even if we consider ourselves “professionals,” we are willing to adjust choreography without argument, as well as speak-up when
Aalten, A. (2005). In the presence of the body: Theorizing training, injuries and pain in ballet. Dance Research Journal, 37(2), 55-72. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/20444641
Even though people always tend to attribute “authentic” knowledge of a practice or product by tracing its culture, in the currently globalizing world where the cultures are overlapped and intertwine with one another, the criteria is ineffective due to the difficulty of ascribing the practice to a specific culture; hence, the notion of cultural authenticity is no longer legitimate. The cross-cultural origins and further developments of the Contemporary Ballet illustrate that to simply consider this dance form authentically American is inappropriate, whereby demonstrates the high degree of illegitimacy in the pursuit of cultural authenticity.
Ballet is a beautiful and romantic type of performance art. It originated in the Italian court systems in the 15th century (Jonas). Since its origination, ballet has undergone many changes and gained worldwide recognition. Filled with elaborate costumes, cheering audiences, lights, weightless movements and beauty; ballet is admired by many. On the magical stage ballerinas can become whoever they wan to be, and perform in a world of fantasy. For these reasons, children, especially little girls, all over the world dream of becoming ballerinas when they grow up. However, becoming a professional ballerina is an extremely difficult accomplishment, in which few will achieve (Kelso 1). The world of ballet may seem to be filled with glitz and glamor but, behind the curtain there is an entirely different story. There are extreme demands and pressures put on these young dancers to be very thin and nearly perfect. Some of which include body and weight demands, competition, and social pressures. These constant pressures can lead to a negative body-image and even debilitating eating disorders (Price and Pettijohn).
...he same themes are present in Ballet that could be found in North American or European life, but even things like the aesthetic values can be reflected. "Shown in the long line of lifted, extended bodies, in the total revealing of legs, of small heads and tiny feet for women, in slender bodies for both sexes [...] To us this is tremendously pleasing aesthetically." (Kealiinohomoku 1970) So pleasing, that after the second world war the schools that were opened in Canada and the United States did not lack students and these students certainly were not lacking talent. In fact, by the end of 1958 there was funding in place to open the first full time academic and ballet school in Canada so that students would not have to choose between their dance career and their education.
“Hey girl, what are you doing?” “Girl, I’m practicing on this dance. I been dancing and training for hours and hours, I am exhausted. “Although it is not a proven Fact, many people do not consider dancing as a sport, yet serious competitive dancers undergo the same amount of training as competitive athletes in regular sports. This paper will prove that dancing is and can be accounted as a competitive sport. Various opinions have been made due to the weather people think dancing can or cannot be accounted as a sport. In my research paper I am for and do think that dancing is considered as a competitive sport. The interesting idea about dance that I've came across is that it can be many things to many people. Is it a sport? Yes, it can be. Same as Golf can be considered a sport simply because it is a competition. Many Ballroom dancers compete, as well as dance teams in High School and Colleges across the nation. Is it an art form? Absolutely, some people paint on canvas and it last many years, and some people use space as their canvas, and their bodies are the paintbrush making their art more fragile and more fleeting than a painting could ever be. Dancing can also be used as a tool for political statements, a voice for those who move in such a way to express their joys or sorrows. Can dance be taught as a new skill? Yes, reasons being is because dance can be taught just as any other sport can be taught as a skill. Dancing and other sports are very different but similar as well. Dance is widely recognized as a holistic workout, providing for an exercise regime that satisfies the heart as well as the sole. Going much beyond the physical aspects of toning muscles as well as improving agility and cardiovascular fitness, dance offers on...
I have been dancing since the age of four. I started my intense training with Tanju and Patricia Tuzer, Debra Bale, and Linda Brown at Tuzer Ballet. I developed as a dancer, attending every summer intensive performing in every show, advancing from intermediate to apprentice to junior company and finally to senior company. The dance studio became my second home. I took classes in ballet, pointe, modern, contemporary, tap, jazz, lyrical jazz, theatrical movement, hip-hop, zumba, and African-Ballet, pointe, contemporary, and lyrical jazz being my favorites. Even w...
Ballet has been an art form since the late fifteenth century, but society did not truly see the impact of ballet until the nineteenth century. Modern day thinkers possess the idea that ballet began with tutus and pointe shoes, but it wasn’t until the nineteenth century that this opinion was observed. Ballet has come a long way. It has survived the turmoil of many wars and has changed itself by accepting new ideas and impressing the audience with its unique stylistic views.
Many young girls grow up taking ballet class, but there is a lot more to ballet than just little girls running around in tutus. Many people think that ballet is boring or isn’t their thing but there are many roles that go into putting on a ballet. A lot of work goes into doing a ballet. There are many famous ballets that without the story, the ballet wouldn’t be as interesting. There were many influential dancers and choreographers in ballet. There are many basic steps that frame the technique of ballet. Ballet is very physically and mentally demanding. Ballet is an art that many people misunderstand, but there is so much more to ballet.
Li’s passion for ballet shows on and off stage through his arabesques, flexibility, fouettés, grande jeté and pirouettes that were nothing less than perfection. I understood that becoming a dancer requires commitment, passion and having a great memory as there’s many moves, routines and ballet terms that you need to learn. When I was performing on stage, I felt free and that I could own the stage as it felt like it was my second home. I also felt complete within myself just as Li felt. To perform on stage, you need to be light and graceful along with connecting to the music using precise steps, poses and formal gestures. The film used dance, music, scenery, and costumes to portray a story characterised by Li’s dance. Classical ballet dancers require the utmost grace and I’ve found that you also need a tremendous level of concentration and memory. This portrays when his choreographer Ben Stevenson asked Li Cunxin to replace the main male role due to an injury on the day of the performance to memorise new dances and perform them in front of an enormous crowd. Many of my performances have been in a group where we all need to be in sync and work together. This film highlighted that in order to become a professional ballet dancer, you have to prepare to work extremely hard no matter how gruelling the schedule is in order to
Ballet is a popular dance form that originated in the 1500s around the time of the renaissance. It consists of many different forms that have evolved over the years. Some examples of these forms include French Ballet, Vaganova (Russian Ballet), Cecchetti (Italian Ballet), and Balanchine. Ballet forms and variations originated mainly from Italy, Russia, and France. However, today, many different forms of Ballet exist. Despite the many different variations, all Ballet has certain things in common. It is an effective form of exercise, requires special equipment, contains many set principles, and can result in specific injuries.
dedication. The many sacrifices made by Ballet dancers and the devotion of an immense amount
Choreographers define dance as “telling a story without speaking”, “the language of the body”, “explaining your heart through movement”, and “is a unique passion that ca be fulfilling to its choreographers, dancers, and audience” (Senior Mastery Choreography Survey). The responses to the Senior Mastery Choreographer Survey proves that the stimulating and creating process of the choreography in the brain is the difficult aspect of this job, but when the visions are transferred to the dancers the results can be tremendous and sometimes breathtaking. The choreography can be created by the use of shapes, kinesthetic and scenic spacing, timing, and different tactics to leave a meaning to the audience. Choreography and dance have been a part of the arts for a myriad of years and will be for numerous more. It is an emotional entertainment that leaves the audience with a message and feelings towards a