I moved to Mpls to leave ballet behind once and for all, preferring the gutsy modern work I’d been exposed to in college and Repertory Dance Theatre. By then I’d danced plenty of ballet, musical theatre, and modern and wanted to experience Continue reading
Tag: ballet
The Pros and Cons of Foot Stretching
Why Study Dance
Why study Dance?
Dance engages the mind, body and spirit and provides opportunities for the development of physical, expressive, “critical, imaginative, appreciative and perceptive abilities” (Bannon & Sanderson 2000). Students develop Continue reading
Ballet Rambert
The Grand Plie
I almost never give grand pile at the barre other than in 2nd until I’ve been working with young dancers for at least a few years Continue reading
Teaching Pirouettes
I teach a lot of pirouettes from 5th position because, as my theory goes (and you’re welcome to weigh in), a pirouette is a balance that turns. Therefore, you must find that balance over the supporting leg first. At an advanced level, Continue reading
WOW – A Comparative Mechanical Analysis of the Pointe Shoe Toe Box
Why Not Teach Contemporary Dance To Beginners?
Contemporary dance is a fusion of ballet and modern in it’s most simplistic definition. And most western dance forms acknowledge that ballet is the foundation of them all, not because it’s superior, but because it came first. So it’s difficult to teach or for that matter learn other forms Continue reading
History of Ballet
The earliest precursors to ballets were lavish entertainments given in the courts of Renaissance Italy. These elaborate spectacles, which united painting, poetry, music, and dancing, took place in large halls Continue reading
Carol Schwarzkopf 