Toe padding for pointe shoes is a controversial subject. Every dancer has an opinion. Lauren has tried nearly everything and wants to help you form your own.
Confessions of a 30-year old Grade III Grad: Why Cecchetti?
December 3, 2011 By 1 Comment
Fresh from her Grade III Cecchetti teacher’s exam, Lauren Warnecke reflects on why, despite that she’s not actively teaching ballet, she continued to study the Method. Purely editorial, her musings are a peek inside the exam process and tip of the hat to the man behind the Method.
What The Ailey School’s Melanie Person Knew When She Was Twelve
December 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Co-Director of The Ailey School, Co-Chair of The Ailey/Fordham B.F.A. program, and former Dance Theatre of Harlem ballerina, Melanie Person answers ten questions: on leg extension, encouraging ballet students, what studios could do to better prepare students for college, and what she knew when she was twelve.
The Nutcracker: Unwrapped
November 23, 2011 By 1 Comment
Ever wondered what goes on behind-the-scenes of The Nutcracker in one of America’s largest ballet companies? From 7000 lbs of hand-torn snow to tangled flying cooks, take a peek, as we talk with Production Director, Tom Boyd and Wardrobe Manager, Laura Lynch.
New Piano Music for Ballet Class: A Little Patience, Please.
September 10, 2011 By 3 Comments
Patience Clements is the company pianist for Charleston Ballet Theatre and has been accompanying dance classes for over 30 years. In this post, Dance Advantage reviews 2 of her 4-disc series, New Piano Music for Ballet Class. If you’re looking for original melodies with lots of variety for your classes, try New Piano Music for the Dedicated Dancer (with Susan Jaffe) and for the Young Dancer.
I’m A Better Backpacker Thanks To Ballet
August 23, 2011 By 2 Comments
No doubt, dancers acquire some very unique traits and talents that make them very special. But dance also makes you very spatial! Guest writer, Melanie Doskocil muses on how this ability has supported her backpacking hobby in the first of a series about the sometimes surprising life lessons and skills we learn through dance. Read her amusing account of how ballet comes in handy in the wilderness and stay tuned for more from Ballet’s Un-X-pected Lesson Files.
The Successful SI: Class Placement and Coping With Problems
August 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Summers away from home can be stressful. In a second installment on surviving summer intensives, Alison offers advice for dealing with complications like dance divas and messy roommates, and how to handle yourself professionally and with grace when receiving placement in a class level.
The Successful SI: Home Away From Home
August 2, 2011 By 2 Comments
Away from home for her second summer, Alison is attending two ballet intensives, one in Connecticut, the other in New York City. As she shares some of the things she’s learned about summer intensives along the way, including how to prepare, handle fears, make friends, and practice respect, she is living the summer dance experience.
Rebecca King on Learning As a Professional
June 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment
From fueling the body, to proving yourself from the back of the room, to the independent work required of a professional, Miami City Ballet’s Rebecca King recaps the lessons she’s learned in her five years of company life.
Teacher’s Top Three: Ballet Movies
May 16, 2011 By 3 Comments
Every dancer has their favorite dance movies and documentaries. Juliette Clark, a dedicated ballet teacher and dance blogger at BalletScoop, offer her top three in the ballet genre, explaining their usefulness in the classroom as well as why they inspire her. See if you share Juliette’s enthusiasm for these titles and list your own favorites!
My First-Time YAGP Experience
April 6, 2011 By 14 Comments
Alison thought the Youth America Grand Prix ballet competition was only for dancers who were one step shy of becoming a professional, not for girls like herself who were serious about training, but with so much left to learn. Little did she know she was about to experience YAGP firsthand and share the preparation, expectations, and emotions of the event with you.
Spring Fever Giveaway 2011: BalletBand
Our giveaway today comes from Balletband. Balletband is a heavy duty latex resistive stretching band specifically designed for dancers offering a hands-free alternative to traditional stretching techniques. Looping the band around one foot and the opposite shoulder, dancers can stretch and strengthen their extension in arabesque, à la seconde, or croisé. The band’s resistance also effectively works the legs and turnout in a seated straddle position.