Hans

I can definitely see how "You'll end up in jail" could sound like "You'll land up in jail."

That sounds like a mishmash of two expressions: "landed in trouble" and "ended up in trouble."

There is a book-- and I know this is unhelpful, but I cannot for the life of me remember either the title or author--about a dancer with severe stage fright. Actually, it's more like an autobiography, and if I recall correctly, the author/main character did not have very nice things to say about the ballet world.

As honorable as SAB's efforts to educate its students in music are, they unfortunately do not have anywhere near enough training to be able to analyze a Stravinsky score (or any other score). It's mostly very basic music theory and piano technique. I don't blame the school or their excellent music teacher; there just aren't enough hours in the day for that combined with the dance schedule.

One hears a lot of talk about "good feet" in ballet, but what does that actually mean? What makes the shape of one foot "better" than another? What about those whose feet aren't particularly beautiful in themselves but who use them well? Following is a short, general guide for those without classroom experience regarding what goes into creating a beautiful foot and using it well. It is not intended to be exhaustive. The Well-shaped Foot Several physical factors are involved in the architecture of a beautifully pointed stationary foot in ballet, including: 1. A high arch 2. A high instep (the top of the foot) 3. A flexible ankle joint These attributes are usually all found together, although it is possible to have a high instep without much of an arch and vice versa. It is easiest to see when the foot is pointed in profile, for example in battement tendu à la seconde seen from the front. If there is a pronounced curve in the under-side of the foot, the dancer has a high arch. If the curve on top of the foot protrudes, the dancer has a high instep (for a good example of a high instep, see photographs of Alla Sizova on Ballerina Gallery). A flexible ankle determines how well the dancer will be able to stand en pointe (if female). If the dancer's knee, the middle of the ankle joint, and the toes run in a straight line when the foot is pointed, the ankle has sufficient flexibility. Too much flexibility in the ankle is not usually a problem as there are pointe shoes made to assist dancers with this issue. The Beautiful Foot in Motion Of course, simply having beautiful feet is only one part of the equation. If a dancer has at least adequate feet, the most important thing then becomes how s/he uses them. Each teaching method has its own way of producing dancers who use their feet well, and each style of ballet has particular requirements for how the feet are used in order to fit its aesthetic. Nonetheless, nearly all methods and styles have certain basic similarities. To use the foot in a truly refined manner, one must be aware of, and use, the ankle, arch, and toes coordinated with each other. This coordination is developed in the classroom starting with the barre exercises and continuing through allegro. When pointing the foot for a battement tendu, a relevé, or a jump, the foot presses against the floor as the ankle and arch extend. The toes provide a final push against the floor as they extend without curling under to finish the line. This may be done at various speeds (depending upon the tempo and character of the music and the style of the choreography) and different methods and styles prefer different accents. Some prefer the foot to point slowly so the dancer may be fully aware of the movement. Others use a strong, sharp motion. Both have their merits and in this era when ballet companies perform Petipa classics alongside Balanchine and crossover works, it is best for dancers to learn as many different ways of using the foot as possible. The way one points the foot is important, but not more important than the way one relaxes, or un-points the foot. When closing from a battement, coming down from a relevé, or landing from a jump, it is the toes that press into the floor first, immediately followed by the ball of the foot. Then the arch relaxes as the ankle gently allows the heel to lower. The entire foot and leg must act as a series of springs so there is a sense of pressure, of the foot not wanting to relax immediately as it comes in contact with the floor. This allows for both a silent landing from jumps and a buildup of potential energy for the next movement. Placement of the foot on the floor and coordination of the foot with the legs and back are beyond the scope of this post, but I hope to write about them in the future.

Can't believe I didn't think of this sooner; I believe it counts as an eggcorn although presumably the tv show with this phrase as its title considered it a pun: "To the manor born" (it's "to the manner born"). Rampant.

Klavier (great screen name, by the way!) I have never seen or heard of a dancer using a musical score to learn a role. They just work on it in rehearsal with the pianist (or a recording if it's the one to which they'll be dancing). Some can read music and others cannot--it depends on whether the school where they were trained offered music lessons or if they studied music elsewhere. As far as learning complicated music goes, the answer is "Rehearsal!" They (usually) rehearse over and over and over until they know the music and the movements that go with it backward and forward--basically, it's learning by rote. Once that is accomplished it is possible to start "feeling" the music more and being more expressive. Whether dancers take a greater interest in classical music than most, I couldn't say; I'm not sure it's been studied. There are certainly dancers who are also musicians, but it has not been my experience that they know much more about classical music than anyone else. Many dancers are interested in other types of music (in addition to or instead of classical) for personal listening.

Or better yet, s/he "affects" or "has an effect on" us. (The over-use of "impact" is one of my pet peeves!) One enjoyable ballet-related eggcorn I heard was from a teacher over-pronouncing a French word: "grand batiment" (large building) instead of "grand battement."

Much as I enjoy Ringer's Aurora, I'm curious to see what she would do with the bluebird pas de deux.

"The Lesson"

There is a video of Gabriela Komleva and Yuri Soloviev performing "Grand Pas Classique;" I will see if it's still available on Amazon. EDIT: The link is here but it appears that the tape is not currently available.

Thank you--makes sense now. :blush:

Geniuses? Probably none. Now, hacks on the other hand.... :rolleyes:

dmollov, I might be wrong (and I will go home and look at those two videos to make sure) but don't both the videos you cite use the same music for that variation? I'm pretty sure it's just the choreography that's different.

Who is Lewis Segal and what does he have to do with ballet? Regardless of the answers to those questions, what is the point of that article?

I would have to put the Kirov's reconstructed Sleeping Beauty at the top of my list--breathtaking. It's difficult for me to choose any others because they seem to vary so much from one production to the next. Is there a standard ending tableau for, say, Don Quixote?

It is a lovely article (I agree, too short!) but I can't help thinking about the academies in the US that produce dancers beautifully trained in that "old world" manner, particularly the Harid Conservatory and the Kirov Academy. Why not hire from there?

Do the choreographers Acosta mentioned want to create brand-new (that is, not a reworking of something already in the repertoire) full-length ballets?

Haha, these are great... I wonder if they could clear out all the orchestra seats and have "Dance Along Night." People could wear costumes!

Here is my new scheme for attracting people to ballet (I admit I was inspired--if that's the word--by NYCB's new scheduling policy). Instead of creating programs of similar ballets, create programs of similar audience members: Singles Night at NYCB, for example. So much more civilized than those trashy bars, and if you meet someone you don't like, the bell signaling the end of intermission gives you an escape! It's perfect! What other "Theme Nights" could ballet companies have?

Doug, if you're reading this thread, could you please clarify the following paragraph of the article FauxPas linked: I assume when you mention the "Kirov's version" in this paragraph you are referring to the Sergeyev production? If so, I see a few differences between what you describe and what I've always seen the Kirov do, the most noticeable ones being that the Kirov's Lilac (as far as I've seen) has no jetés in her variation and she begins in the upstage right corner, not upstage left. Also, the combination you describe as being notated for Marie Petipa I have trouble visualizing starting in the upstage right corner, but it makes sense when starting upstage left. Thank you for all the work I know you've put into this, and thanks to Marc Haegeman for making it available online.

I have started a new thread here: Inclusion.

Starting a new topic as requested by 2dds. How can we help include more minorities in ballet? I ask that when responding to this thread our members keep the following in mind: When posting, please be considerate of others and as inoffensive as possible. Do not post hastily, and read what you have written before hitting the "Add Reply" button. The "Preview Post" button is a helpful feature in this regard. When reading what others have posted, please assume they have the best intentions and are not writing in order to offend you. If you disagree with someone or feel s/he has used an impolite term, please say so in the most polite language possible. "Perhaps I misunderstood what you meant when you wrote X," and "Please help me to better understand what you mean," are helpful phrases. Above all, keep in mind the Victorian tea party rule--our very best refined Ballet Talk behavior, please!

We've all seen how atrociously various choreographers, ballet masters, and artistic directors attempt to update the classics by changing the steps, cutting mime, &c. Well, I have a new way of "mixing things up" (think of it as a sort of balletic Rubik's Cube) without altering anything but the libretto. Here's what you do: Take your favorite Act I, from any ballet. Add an Act II (preferably a "ballet blanc") again, from any ballet (including Balanchine!) Finish with a divertissement-filled Act III, and make up a story to connect them. An example: "Giselle, the Little Humpbacked Italian Sylphide" It is James and Effie's wedding day, but James is distracted by a mysterious sylphide that only he can see. As everyone bustles about making preparations, the sylphide steals the wedding ring and James follows her into the dark forest... ...where he is pursued by Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis! The sylphide (whose name, we find out, is Giselle) tries to protect James, but the wilis force him to dance until he is exhausted, and then they throw him into the lake... ...where he meets various fantastic underwater creatures who dance, including a pas de trois between the ocean (don't ask me how they got into the ocean) and two pearls. After rescuing a beautiful maiden from the clutches of a sea monster, they surface just in time for... ...a pas de six and tarantella in Napoli! (See how I brought that back to Bournonville?) Can't wait to see what everyone else comes up with!

From a small girl during a performance of Septime Webre's "Where the Wild Things Are," very quietly to her mother: "This is a long movie." During the first intermission of the Kirov's "Le Corsaire": "I didn't like the one in the frou-frou skirt." (Presumably referring to Gulnare, the only dancer wearing a tutu in Act I.) Most recently, at the Kirov's "Giselle" at the Kennedy Center last month, I was quite startled during the curtain calls to hear a boy's voice behind me shout, "HANS SUCKS!!! BOO!!!" when Hilarion came out to bow. On the Metro afterward, I was reading my program when I realized the Kirov's name for Hilarion is Hans!