Reaching For Dreams - A Ballet
explanatory Essay
669 words
In watching a professional ballet one doesn’t realize how much work is put into making the production come to life. Both the dancers and the choreographers put every ounce of energy and emotion into telling their story. It takes years for a ballerina to train for the labor that goes into becoming professional, however just weeks to learn a full-length ballet. Dancers can sometimes be put through months of sore muscles in order to train. Often ballet dancers are told to loose weight in order to look their part, or are only given a few minutes for break after hours of vigorous training. In the end it is all worth it though. When I checked out Reaching for Dreams: A Ballet from Rehearsal to Opening Night, by Susan Kuklin out of the library I expected to read another boring drawn out diary. Amazingly this book was difficult for me to put down because I became so enthralled by the process of putting on a ballet.
At the beginning of this book the author describes the dancers coming in on a rainy Monday morning to begin warm-ups and rehearsal. This of course is the beginning of their voyage to opening night. The dancers taking part in this production were from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. The ballet that they plan to perform in seven weeks is called “Speeds.” The choreographer of “Speeds” is a world-renowned woman by the name of Jennifer Mullers. This production contains a cast of eleven dancers and five alternates. “Speeds” is a modern ballet that explains how one moment in time is like no other, and how often things in the world change.
Throughout this book, Kuklin observes the life of a dancer. The typical day of a professional ballerina at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre consists of waking up around seven to be at rehearsal in plenty of time to warm-up. In dance warming up your muscles is the most important device to do before beginning, as it helps you stay clear of any possible injuries. After warming up Jennifer, the choreographer, teaches them the dance and makes sure that every move “flows” with the body of the person dancing it. She claims that “the dancers must be comfortable with the shapes that they dance.” After hours of strenuous practice the dancers receive a five-minute break to cool off and grab a bite to eat.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that the book reaching for dreams: a ballet from rehearsal to opening night, by susan kuklin, was difficult for them to put down.
- Describes the dancers coming in on a rainy monday morning to begin warm-ups and rehearsal. the ballet that they plan to perform in seven weeks is called "speeds."
- Describes how kuklin observes the life of a professional ballerina at the alvin ailey american dance theatre.
- Narrates how jennifer whispers good luck to the group as they begin to perform. the last night of the show comes very quickly and the dancers come out on stage for their last bow.
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- Ballet Dancer Essayexplanatory essayA ballet dancer’s general intention when performing any piece is to convey a message to the audience. A message is relayed through the dancer’s strategic facial expressions and body movements. Each movement has a purpose in articulating the dancer’s energy, and confidence within themselves to express the emotions and inspire the audience (Lucas). A dancer’s energy and
In this essay, the author
- Explains the eloquent expressions of the art of dance pertain to ballet, in which individuals fuse to perform choreography depicting emotions and the stories of others.
- Explains that ballet dancers convey a message to the audience through their strategic facial expressions and body movements. their energy and technique bring the performance together out of all the elements.
- Explains that ballet dancers attend company class, where all members of a dance company rehearse, and then attend dance rehearsals that constitute their agenda for that day.
- Explains the importance of communication between ballet dancers and their coach, as the relationship and way of learning are purely through communication.
- Explains that ballet originated in the italian renaissance, later migrating as an italian noblewoman, wife of king henry ii of france.
- Explains that ballet dancers usually begin the art form in early childhood to adolescents, participating in weekly dance classes and rehearsals. experience in ballet is key.
- Explains that ballet dancers unite together from early adolescence into adulthood through physical and psychological difficulties. communication during times of pessimism and triumph enable them to meet the common goals each other shares.
- Explains al-mosa, osama. "ballet dancing and coaching an egotistical." pittsburgh ballet theatre, http://www.pbt.org/learn-and-engage/resources-audience-members/ballet-positions
- Describes the pittsburgh ballet theatre's brief history of ballet. casey, ryan, and micheal cooper.
- Cites goldberg, alan, lucas, angeline, and schiesl, matt, for their article, "difficult dance moves."
1332 wordsRead More - Ballet is Everythingexplanatory essayIn addition to being used as an artistic demonstration, ballet can also be used as a sport. There is a saying among ballerinas, “Ballet. Like sport, only harder.” Why harder? you might think. It is undertaken mostly by girly girls. It is demanding because...
In this essay, the author
- Explains ballet is a type of dance that involves the movement of the body. it originated in the italian renaissance and later developed in russia and france.
- Explains that ballet is a category of art where dancers use their bodies to charmingly tell stories. it unites aspects of painting, poetry, dancing, and music.
- Explains that ballet can be used as an artistic demonstration, as well as a sport. it is demanding because the techniques involved are sophisticated and require much training and discipline.
- Explains that ballet can be used as a spiritual channel, as it expresses the word and spirit of god, and leads the congregation into supplication.
- Explains that ballerinas dance for artistic, sporty, and spiritual reasons, while others do it for exercise, worship, or to honor god. dance is an amazing art and great sport.
659 wordsRead More - Why Is Dance A Dance Essayexplanatory essayBallet is beautiful, touching and tells an enchanting story or expresses deep emotion. There will always be people who love dancing and dedicate their lives to it, losing their problems in the magic of performing. There will always be people to continue choreographing ballets, those with expansive creative genius. There will always be people to compose music for ballets, whose fount of ideas never runs dry. Of course, there will always be people to attend a ballet performance; the seats will be filled with ballet lovers anticipating the spellbinding charm of the dancing. Ballet is always changing its costumes, portrayal, music, and dancing, but its purpose and goal still remain the same. Ballet’s rich history and background are always expanding and adding new dancers, choreographers, and composers to
In this essay, the author
- Argues that dance is an intense sport, especially ballet, which is physically demanding, requires a commitment, involves being active, and is competitive and enjoyable.
- Explains that ballet as an art form began in the late 1400s during the renaissance. the dancing consisted of simple steps, small hops, curtsies, promenades and gentle turns.
- Explains that women began dancing en pointe, on the tips of their toes, more often. the heroine common to the ballets emerged at the time was romantic and full of goodness and purity.
- Explains that neo-classical ballets were performed in plain practice clothes in the late 19th century. they focused on the expression of emotion and passion through the movements.
- Explains that ballet of the present day is different too. performances today will vary between old, ageless classics or different, modern neo-classics.
- Explains that marie taglioni, one of the first dancers en pointe, was incredibly strong and muscular. her training enabled her to stand effortlessly in positions others found exhausting.
- Describes anna pavlova as one of the most excellent classical ballet dancers of all time, and michel fokine choreographed a unique solo for her.
- Explains that irina baronova fled the russian revolution with her parents in 1920 as a baby. she joined the new ballet russes as part of the "three baby ballerinas" and continued teaching and coaching dancers for years after her retirement.
- Narrates how melissa hayden, born mildred herman in 1923, danced in new york with the radio city music hall, and allegra kent, who was born in 1937.
- Describes mikhail baryshnikov as a male dancer of great fame. he was born in riga, latvia in 1948 and escaped the soviet union in 1974.
- Describes leonide massine as a charismatic folk and character dancer. he was the chief choreographer for serge diaghilev’s ballets russes.
- Explains that there are two main types of ballets, classical and neo-classical.
- Explains that ballet has been inspired by other forms of dance, such as polonaise, mazurka, tango of south america, contemporary, lyrical, jazz, and tap.
- Explains that ballet is useful for many other sports as well. gymnasts take ballet classes to improve their grace and dancing ability for their floor and beam routines. figure skating coaches require their students to begin work at the ballet barre.
- Explains that there are three main styles of ballet: italian, french, and russian. dazzling and robust technique characterizes italian.
- Explains that ballet is a popular form of entertainment among all types of people, including critics, adults, and children. ballet has also been translated into other entertainments.
- Opines that ballet is beautiful, touching, and tells an enchanting story or expresses deep emotion. there will always be people who love dancing and dedicate their lives to it.
1602 wordsRead More - Marcia Almeida's Article: The Sensitive Knowledge Of Danceanalytical essaySometimes dancers are underestimated. Some people argue dance is not a sport when every dancer considers it a sport because of the time and hard work it requires. In the article “The Sensitive Knowledge of Dance,” Marcia Almeida argues that dance should be valued as a producer of knowledge in the arts. In doing so, she analyzes how dancers use sensitive knowledge, their development of new body technologies, and points out the difficulties that dance faces in traditional academia.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how marcia almeida proves to the audience why it should also value the sensitive knowledge of dance.
- Explains that marcia almeida mentions the development of new body technologies of dancers, such as body acuity.
- Argues that traditional academia should value the sensitive knowledge of dance because it requires an abundance of hard work and knowledge.
- Analyzes how dancers use sensitive knowledge, their development of new body technologies, and points out the difficulties that dance faces in traditional academia.
- Opines that the context of ethos in this article appears to be a double-edged sword because it helps one part of the audience trust and make the other part doubt her sincerity.
1337 wordsRead More - Reflective Essay: The Art Of Danceopinion essayMiami Dade College’s very own dance majors, who were challenged by the artistry of guest choreographers as well as themselves, performed The Art of Dance. Watching this performance truthfully made me question if the dancers in this program were being trained properly to be professional dancers
In this essay, the author
- Narrates how miami dade college's dance majors put on a performance called the art of dance under the direction of michelle grant- murray. the evening consisted of diverse styles of african, contemporary, and world dance.
- Opines that dancers at a college level should know not to fix their costume malfunctions on stage.
- Opines that the dancers of mdc's jubilation dance ensemble performed a disco-inspired piece called "you can do it..." to close out the performance.
- Analyzes maria i. garcia's choreography, which was performed in minimalist staging, and the use of flashlights and unlit backdrops. she challenged the audience to be moved artistically.
- Opines that miami dade college's very own dance majors, challenged by guest choreographers and themselves, performed the art of dance. they hope to see growth in the dance program.
654 wordsRead More - Romantic Balletargumentative essayBallet 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.
In this essay, the author
- States that garafola, lynn, the travesty dancer in nineteenth-century ballet, published by the university of illinois press on behalf of congress on research in dance.
- Explains the "ballet technique." wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 18 jan. 2010.
- Analyzes how the romantic ballet period introduced theme, costume, and new technique to the dance world and its influences are still seen in contemporary works in ballet.
- Compares the balanchine method and the cecchetti method, which emphasizes dancing with the entire body, encouraging the movement of the arm, torso, and legs to create a harmonious balance.
3140 wordsRead More - Body Image and Eating Disorders Among Young Ballerinasanalytical essayBallet 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).
In this essay, the author
- Explains that ballet is a beautiful and romantic type of performance art. it originated in the italian court systems in 15th century.
- Explains that the body is the only tool in which a dancer has to create art and express themselves. the term body image can be defined as the way people perceive themselves in the mirror everyday.
- Explains that dance is a highly competitive, high-pressure and physically demanding profession. dance companies and schools require that their students participate in frequent weigh-ins.
- Explains that george balanchine, a world renowned dancer and choreographer, set the standards for what the ideal ballerina's body should look like.
- Analyzes how media and society play large roles in how a young person views their body. the definition of beauty is often portrayed through television, advertisements and film.
- Explains that ballet dancers must wear tight fitting dance outfits that accentuate every aspect of their body.
- Explains that price and pettijohn claim that body image concerns in dancers may be partially explained by the presence and use of mirrors in the dance environment.
- Explains that mirrors have a negative impact on body image and hinder dance skill acquisition. a negative body-image, and an obsession with weight, can cause one to change their eating habits.
- Explains that anorexia nervosa is a serious psychological and physiological disorder that affects ballet dancers.
- Explains that bulimia nervosa involves recurring binge eating followed by self-induced vomiting. the prevalence rate is higher in ballet dancers than in the regular adolescent population.
- Opines that the best chance of successful treatment of eating disorders is in early recognition and intervention.
- Explains that ballet has been a popular dance form for centuries, but it can be demanding and dangerous. the prevalence of debilitating eating disorders is higher in ballet dancers than it is in the regular population.
- Cites blanchard, kathleen, and dunning, jennifer. the incidence rate of anorexia in ballet dancers.
- Analyzes the effect of ballet dance attire on body and self-perceptions of female dancers.
1808 wordsRead More - The Sport Danceexplanatory essayAs Jackie Joyner Kersee once said, “The rewards are going to come, but my happiness is just loving the sport and having fun performing” (“Sports Quotes,” 2013). Sports play a major role in entertainment all across the world. Sports can range from driving in NASCAR to playing in the NBA (Careers in Pro Sports, 1999). Sports usually involve teamwork and is fun for everyone. Although sports are supposed to be fun, there is natural competition. Being a feminine art, dance is considered to be just about anything other than a sport. Dancers are trained to the height of their ability, just like other athletes in other sports. Even though the dancer might not perform with their whole dance studio on stage at the same time, the dancers are all apart of the same team. Dancing is not an easy sport to participate in, so if you are looking for a sport that does not require practice then you might want to look into a different sport. There are hour-long practices, healthy diets, and several routines to remember. Normally, if someone is convinced that dance is not a sport, they have not fully engaged or experienced dance. In order to better understand dance, it is important to understand the history of dance, the competition of dance, and the comparison of dance to other sports.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that sports play a major role in entertainment all across the world. although sports are supposed to be fun, there is natural competition.
- Explains that dance is an easy way to burn calories while having fun with friends.
- Explains that dance classes are offered all over the world and they are taken for multiple reasons. dance studios break up the age differences in age groups.
- Explains the definition of a sport as an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of competitive nature.
- Explains that dance competitions are a way for dance studios to compete and see which team has the most techniques, agility, spirit, and best performance.
- Explains that dance can be as dangerous as any other sport in the world. the physical demands placed on the dancer's body are just as at risk as football players.
- Explains the major dance injuries that dancers have to look out for in the leg, ankle, and foot area, as well as in their lower back and around the hip area.
- Explains that dancers need to keep fluids in their body to maintain a healthy performance and prevent passing out.
- Explains that dance requires more physical, mental, and emotional training than any other sport.
- Opines that dance is a fun, easy way to get the body moving or let your feelings be expressed.
- Explains five things every parent should know before choosing a dance school.
- Explains that dance in ancient egypt was a spiritual event, and the egyptian priests would tell stories of gods through dance. dance was popular in france and italy during the renaissance.
- Explains that in america, dancers are performing dances as entertainment, just like france and italy began doing in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
- Cites the federation of dance competition website: http://www.fdcdance.org/ sport quotes.
1979 wordsRead More - Pina Bausch's Role Of Modern Danceanalytical essayShe narrates her stories and tells them through a sequence of scenes, insofar the audience can separate themselves from the scene. In Bausch’s work, her dancers and actors usually use their real names and recount their own anecdotes, giving insight into their own lives in the real world. This dissolves the line between illusion and reality and forces the audience to observe an authentic reality instead of a “story,” as many dances tend to do. She also tends to use almost empty stages, instead relying on the dancers and their props and costumes to convey the narrative. Bausch’s works stem from “observations of the human condition where she is the observer and the storyteller, bringing to stage, themes and stories she discovers in the quotidian life” (Ebrahimian 61). Whereas most ballets focus on the storytelling of fables, Bausch focused on themes that her and her performers “wished to explore, or have discovered, in observing their society: Themes often include and tell of childhood memories, falling in and out of love, the coming together and separation between people, and stories of hope and despair between two people or groups of people” (Ebrahimian
In this essay, the author
- Describes pina bausch as a german dancer, performer, and choreographer of modern dance who was born july 27, 1940 in solingen, germany.
- Explains that bausch witnessed the art-world happenings, the living theatre, and cage-cunningham performances. she was awarded the international choreographic workshop in cologne for a piece she choreographed for jooss' company.
- Describes how bausch and the tanztheater wuppertal made their debut in america at the 1984 olympic games in los angeles, california.
- Explains that bausch grew up in post-world war ii germany, which is shown in her works through abrupt outbursts of fear and danger.
- Explains that bausch's movement style stemmed from body language and personal revelation, with little dance content. she incorporated mime, spoken text, bizarre vocal effects, and occasional slapstick comedy.
- Analyzes how bausch focuses heavily on social issues and uses social gestures as the center of her pieces. she narrates her stories through a sequence of scenes, insofar the audience can separate themselves from the scene.
- Analyzes how bausch articulated many of her pieces through children's games, claiming that theatre has a strict relationship to what children do.
- Analyzes how humphrey's le sacre de printemps was a sensation as it pushed the boundaries of performance stamina — the dancers repeated violent, convulsive choreography.
998 wordsRead More - The Pressures of Dancersopinion essayThe typical idea of a dancer is that they are tall, slender, full of energy, and lucky because they dance with all of the “stars”. Much of this is true, however, what many people do not think of are the many hardships that a dancer goes through in order to achieve their high status in the dance world. It takes much hard work and determination along with good direction to become a dancer. However, nothing good comes without a price. Dancers often times have many pressures put on them which can lead to physical and emotional damages. These damages occur through the pressures from the media, parents, teammates, and the stereotype that society has placed on dancers.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that teammates are supposed to be there for each other and help guide one another to becoming better and more professional dancers, but this isn't always the case.
- Explains that teachers are a source of pressure and they are related to the unhealthy habits of the dancers.
- Explains that the pressure and stress that competition puts on them is so intense that it can cause strains on their relationships.
- Opines that the stress and pressure of parents can be the most problematic for dancers.
- Quotes julie pederson's article, "psychological price of overachievement," which states that parents can cause a lot of pressure on their kids.
- Explains that overachievers become unhappy and doubt their abilities, which leads to a feeling of failure or not good enough to be out on stage.
- Cites bottamini, ste-marie, school of human kinetics, faculty of health sciences, university of ottawa: eating problems in female athletes.
- Describes mcquay, jana, dance, study, sleep and sleep in lessons the journal of the center for teaching & learning excellence.
- Cites bottamini, ste-marie, school of human kinetics, faculty of health sciences, university of ottawa: eating problems in female athletes.
- Analyzes linda hamilton's article, "becoming a dancer: gotta dance!" dance magazine, july 1, 2002.
- Describes mcquay, jana, dance, study, sleep and sleep in lessons the journal of the center for teaching & learning excellence.
- Analyzes how the pressures placed on dancers by the media can lead to eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia.
- Opines that teachers are hard on their students because they want them to achieve, but sometimes they take it to the extreme, putting too much pressure on the dancers to be perfect.
- Explains that dancers are pressured to compete in auditions and competitions, which is where the emotional factors take place. they may feel like failures if they don't make it.
- Opines that the stereotype of a dancer is often glamorized by the media but is actually put into effect by parents.
3179 wordsRead More