Gowiththeflo Posted September 26, 2016 Share Posted September 26, 2016 Hello! Dd has been asked to get a ballet dictionary for her Mid Associates class....... Just had a look on Amazon and there's loads to choose from..... Any that anyone would particularly recommend for a 12yo??? Thanks very much ???? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted September 26, 2016 Share Posted September 26, 2016 What is the dictionary needed for? I've just had a quick look at Amazon and they seem to cover different audiences. I would probably go for something different to your daughter! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balletbean Posted September 26, 2016 Share Posted September 26, 2016 Sorry can't offer any suggestions but whilst on the subject of books I have a question (if you don't mind me hi-jacking your post) I'm looking for a book for a young teenager about the classical ballets incl synopsis, characters and a brief history etc, nothing too detailed. Some books appeared too detailed and complicated. I've looked on Amazon and far too many too choose from which could result in a costly purchase if I don't chose correctly. Already bought one which turned out to be wrong. I've even contacted WL thinking they could recommend an age appropriate publication, another unsuccessful exercise. Any ideas gratefully received. Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pups_mum Posted September 26, 2016 Share Posted September 26, 2016 Does it have to be a book? My DD was given a DVD that was called something like "A video dictionary of classical ballet" (I'm not at home to check the exact title sorry.) She found it very useful as the terms are of course demonstrated visually rather than just verbally. Also works well in reverse when you are trying to figure out what something you have seen is actually called! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trog Posted September 26, 2016 Share Posted September 26, 2016 Gail Grant's book is a good oneTechnical Manual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet It is one of the few that has arms for different syllabuses. I actually have this version Technical Manual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet (Dover Books on Dance) by Grant, Gail 3 Rev Sub (1967) Paperback but I assume it hasn't changed. I have this one too A Dictionary of Ballet Terms (Ballet, Dance, Opera and Music) which is nearly as good. I don't know how suitable they would be for a 12yo. Pups_mum might be referring to The Visual Dictionary of Ballet for Children 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toursenlair Posted September 26, 2016 Share Posted September 26, 2016 The visual Dictionary of Ballet for Children is a different video from the Video Dictionary of Classical Ballet, which is two DVDs and covers more steps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted September 26, 2016 Share Posted September 26, 2016 Balletbean My dd had this one at around age 11 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stories-Ballet-Margaret-Greaves/dp/0711221626 It has Sleeping B, Giselle, Firebird, Ondine, SL,Petrushka, Nut and Copelia. Each has around 5xA4 pages in medium sized print. It's not the most sophisticated but allowed her to access the stories easily and it's still on the bookcase at age 14. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted September 26, 2016 Share Posted September 26, 2016 (edited) Whoops! I see Amazon says reading age 5-8 which I think is a bit young. Dd had a reading age well into the teens when she got it. You can get a 2nd hand one for £2.81 including postage. It wasn't a reading challenge but gave the plot nicely. No comments on ballet technique or history. Edited September 26, 2016 by sarahw 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gowiththeflo Posted September 26, 2016 Author Share Posted September 26, 2016 Pupsmum it does have to be a book..... I think its so they can look up how to spell certain things or their meaning etc in the class..... Thanks though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balletbean Posted September 26, 2016 Share Posted September 26, 2016 Whoops! I see Amazon says reading age 5-8 which I think is a bit young. Dd had a reading age well into the teens when she got it. You can get a 2nd hand one for £2.81 including postage. It wasn't a reading challenge but gave the plot nicely. No comments on ballet technique or history. Thank you Sarahw, That's exactly the situation I have found myself in. Delightful colourful books but for the very young, then the adult books with no or very few images. Nothing aimed at the teenage pre vocational school age. So frustrating and costly to date. Maybe I have found a gap in the market and there is a possible business enterprise for me!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted September 26, 2016 Share Posted September 26, 2016 Sorry can't offer any suggestions but whilst on the subject of books I have a question (if you don't mind me hi-jacking your post) I'm looking for a book for a young teenager about the classical ballets incl synopsis, characters and a brief history etc, nothing too detailed. Some books appeared too detailed and complicated. I've looked on Amazon and far too many too choose from which could result in a costly purchase if I don't chose correctly. Already bought one which turned out to be wrong. I've even contacted WL thinking they could recommend an age appropriate publication, another unsuccessful exercise. Any ideas gratefully received. Thank you Pocket Guide to Ballet by Deborah Bull and Luke Jennings. Brief synopses of major ballets together with their historical background and Deborah Bull's notes about which roles she enjoyed dancing (a sort of ballerina's eye view). There are also chapters on the major choreographers, Petipa, Balanchine etc. Should be fine for a young teenager, especially if they have seen some of the ballets mentioned. Got ours second-hand off ebay. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted September 26, 2016 Share Posted September 26, 2016 I still refer to my edition of Charles and Mary Lamb's Tales from Shakespeare that I got as a 12 year old! It clearly gives the plot of all the major plays. Books aimed at youngsters don't only have to be for youngsters. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBallerina Posted September 26, 2016 Share Posted September 26, 2016 https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/ol/0500277397/ref=olp_tab_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new This one is lovely! It has all the classics in it and comes with a short libretto and some nice pictures from the 'famous' parts of each ballet. I.e. Rose adagio from The Sleeping Beauty! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gowiththeflo Posted September 26, 2016 Author Share Posted September 26, 2016 Gail Grant's book is a good oneTechnical Manual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet It is one of the few that has arms for different syllabuses. I actually have this version Technical Manual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet (Dover Books on Dance) by Grant, Gail 3 Rev Sub (1967) Paperback but I assume it hasn't changed. I have this one too A Dictionary of Ballet Terms (Ballet, Dance, Opera and Music) which is nearly as good. I don't know how suitable they would be for a 12yo. Pups_mum might be referring to The Visual Dictionary of Ballet for Children Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gowiththeflo Posted September 26, 2016 Author Share Posted September 26, 2016 Thank you trog! ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate_N Posted September 27, 2016 Share Posted September 27, 2016 I have both the books Trog mentions, and they're excellent. Lots of drawings and photographs. This is the problem with online book buying - you can't riffle through to see whether the book is the right level and so on ... There's also a good online ballet dictionary, from the ABT (American Ballet Theatre): http://www.abt.org/education/dictionary/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gowiththeflo Posted September 27, 2016 Author Share Posted September 27, 2016 Thanks for that Kate_N....... I was hoping one would have some pictures in....... I know it's a dictionary, but i didn't want one that was too 'wordy' if you get what i mean!! ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balletbean Posted September 27, 2016 Share Posted September 27, 2016 This is the problem with online book buying - you can't riffle through to see whether the book is the right level and so on ... Agreed and so does my bank account! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balletbean Posted September 28, 2016 Share Posted September 28, 2016 Pocket Guide to Ballet by Deborah Bull and Luke Jennings. Brief synopses of major ballets together with their historical background and Deborah Bull's notes about which roles she enjoyed dancing (a sort of ballerina's eye view). There are also chapters on the major choreographers, Petipa, Balanchine etc. Should be fine for a young teenager, especially if they have seen some of the ballets mentioned. Got ours second-hand off ebay. Thank you, I have that book but from a teenagers perspective it was wordy with very small print and no images to capture the essence of the ballet. We've all seen Swan Lake iconic images but some of the less familiar ballets when researched could be enhanced with photos (even for me). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucinda Posted September 28, 2016 Share Posted September 28, 2016 (edited) Gowiththeflo, I bought "Classical Ballet Technique" by Gretchen Ward Warren for my DD a few years ago (I think she was 14 at the time) and she has found it invaluable. It's large (A4 size and 395 pages) but has sequential photographs of steps and also definitions of terminology as well as stylistic variations. Very detailed and clear. As a quick reference DD uses an app on her phone, I think it's called "Ballet lite", no idea what it costs. Edited September 28, 2016 by Lucinda 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gowiththeflo Posted September 28, 2016 Author Share Posted September 28, 2016 Thanks very much everyone- I've ordered the 'Technical Manual & Dictionary of Classical Ballet' one that was mentioned, so we'll see how that goes...... Lucinda that sounds like a lovely book..... I'll look at that one too. Thank you all ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primaballerina1 Posted September 28, 2016 Share Posted September 28, 2016 DDs friends bought DD an RAD one as a little bday gift, ps DD is 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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