Your School Might Be a Dolly Dinkle If...

[chauffeur]

The hep and happening score du jour is Kelly Clarkson's "Break Away." It actually makes me miss "Wind Beneath My Wings."

[sandik]

...you don't take ballet, but you do take "toe."

My mother, whose family nationality was Czech (Austro-Hungarian Empire, that is) was a serious ballet student in the 20s in Manhattan -- serious enough to have considered going to Europe for training while still a teenager. I remember her saying that "toe dancing" in those days was a very common expression even among dancers, used to distinguish ballet danced on point from ballet -- often ethnically derived -- danced in flat shoes. "Ballet" appears to have been a rather broad term, at least in New York City long ago.

Anyone else have an insight into this?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ballet training in the US, even into the 1920's, was a much less organized affair than the gradated curriculums of the European schools. "Toe dancing" was often a specialty in musical theater, sometimes used as analog for ballet, but usually reflecting a fairly narrow technique with an emphasis on bourees and turns.

One example of this that's pretty easy to find is the "Lullaby League" number from "The Wizard of Oz," which is mostly bourees and steps on pointe -- the terre a terre dancing is minimal and awkward.

[sandik]

In the past, the curriculum at Daisy Dingle schools was primarily "toe, tap, and baton," but that seems to have moderated now, so that it's "ballet, jazz, and lyrical," with hip hop as a frequent addition/substitution to jazz. In some of the larger suburban studios, "dance team" is a popular offering -- tied to the synchronized dance drill teams that high schools support as part of their athletic entertainment.

It's seemed to me, watching over time, that jazz dance is frequently dancing to popular music, with the dance style shifiting a bit depending on the music of the period.

[Hans]

One example of this that's pretty easy to find is the "Lullaby League" number from "The Wizard of Oz," which is mostly bourees and steps on pointe -- the terre a terre dancing is minimal and awkward.

I did notice, sandik, that their pointe technique was rather awful in that section.

[Marga]

...you don't take ballet, but you do take "toe."

....."toe dancing" in those days was a very common expression even among dancers, used to distinguish ballet danced on point from ballet.....

Anyone else have an insight into this?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

bart, that comment stood out for me, too. In the late 50s and early to mid 60s when I was studying at a very reputable school it was still called "toe" -- and the shoes were toe shoes and advertised as such in Dance Magazine. It's a term that has simply evolved -- as language does -- to the present "pointe". I suppose now it is considered a Dolly Dinklish way to say it.

[Hans]

No, it's not that. It's the idea that one can dance en pointe without studying ballet.

[Marga]

No, it's not that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hans, I wouldn't dismiss what I said so readily. After seeing my share of DD studios over the last 45 years or so, usually by perusing their signs and posted literature on their storefront windows, or seeing the odd recital (pun intended) I'd say it's both.

Many are in an arrested stage of ballet development.

[Hans]

Sorry--I meant to say that in my original post, what I was expressing was the idea that one can dance en pointe without studying ballet. (I've had my share of Dolly Dinkle experiences too, and in a pretty direct manner at that. ) SAB, in fact, still listed "toe" classes on its schedule when I went there, and I think we can agree that it does not separate the idea of pointework and ballet, nor is it a Dolly Dinkle.

I love the "odd recital" pun by the way--that describes it perfectly!

[Petite_Arabesque]

A lot of Dolly Dinkle schools around here place students at a certain level due to their age ONLY... Not only irrational, but detrimental to the dancer's well-being as they miss out on important basics of ballet! I'm seeing an example of this right now. My studio is open all summer with all classes offered as during the fall and winter. So a young girl (13-14 I'm guessing) from a Dolly Dinkle school came to take classes to keep in shape. She began at the bottom because her placement is SO off and dangerous for her body and dancing! She's made great strides even over just 2 months, but she's still going to return to her old school, where she will be going into the advanced level Oy vey.

[BalletNut]

A question for those with more personal experience than I have:

If they don't do ballet in "toe" classes, what, pray tell, DO they do?

Or shouldn't I ask?

[Hans]

BalletNut, they attempt rather advanced ballet steps (pirouettes, &c)without having the training to be able to really do them.

[jeanielake]

lame duck? failli, bien sur.

[Hans]

I'm sure the irony of that is not lost on you--"failli" means, roughly, something like "failed"...and IMO, a school that teaches its students to say "lame duck" has clearly failed to teach proper terminology! :blush:

[jeanielake]

I'm sure the irony of that is not lost on you--

after months of lurking, i've been thru many of your posts, witty one. i am enjoying this thread!

may i add to your list "trampoline"--or will i be revealing my age/era

by saying that?

[Hans]

Trampoline is an interesting one that I haven't heard of. How does one hold classes in trampoline?

[jeanielake]

the same way you do baton and toe-tap!

[Hans]

I'm sure there's a tiny studio, somewhere in an underpopulated area of the US, where they teach you how to twirl a baton while toe-tapping on a trampoline.... :blush:

[Helene]

I'm sure there's a tiny studio, somewhere in an underpopulated area of the US, where they teach you how to twirl a baton while toe-tapping on a trampoline.... :blush:

I wouldn't be surprised to see this at halftime at a high school football game. Which is kind of the reason to exist for many Dolly Dinkle studios: creating majorettes and cheerleaders -- remember all of those splits? -- for school sports.

[jeanielake]

ballet, toe-tap, baton, and trampoline were de rigeur during the 50's in the POPULATED areas of the US of A!!!

how far have we come!

(or have we? has it just been replaced with the trophy-style studios?)

[carbro]

Title IX has probably nudged some girls away from baton twirling and toward soccer and baseball.

[Hans]

Now if only we could do something to nudge some boys away from football and into ballet!

[Petra]

I am sure that some of these 'disciplines' like trampoline are now being taught at "Schools for the Circus Arts". I believe (and I'm sure I read about this somewhere) that the popularity of Cirque de Soleil, etc. has created a demand for that kind of school too - among those ready, able and willing to pay for it, of course.