Anjuli_Bai

A great deal depends upon the size and policies of the company. There can be and it certainly does happen that a particular corps dancer does not do every performance of a particular run - he/she might be doing a soloist part that night. Or it may be her/his night off. She/he may have fulfilled the contractual arrangements. Principals usually have individual contracts giving them a specific number of performances and even specific roles and perhaps specific new work choreographed for them. Even the number of 'first nights' might be stipulated. As to having dancers who are soloists/principals dancing in the corps or corps members dancing soloist/principal parts - I have seen both. There was one company in which several soloists were contracted to dance a certain number of performances but due to circumstances had not fulfilled that part of the contract and so they danced corps parts for a couple of nights. And I have also seen a corps member dance Romeo - and many times seen corps members dance soloist parts. I would be loathe to agree with this statement (from above) concerning soloist/principals dancing in the corps: "the audience benefits from seeing some really good dancers in the corps" The dancers of the corps are really good dancers - they may be younger or have less stage experience - but not always. There are dancers who purposely spend their performing lives in the corps - by choice. They also act as leaders for the corps and are the institutional memory for the company. I do agree with this (from above): "I'm sure others will disagree, but I have to say that, in the big 19th Century works, it's the set-pieces for the corps that I now find most satisfying." If the corps is sloppy - or otherwise unequal to the task the entire ballet falls apart. I really do think that a company is judged by the corps de ballet. They embody the long term artistic vision of the director/s. Principals come and go - they can usually go anywhere. The corps is indeed the body of the ballet.

I think its important to remember that there are a number of dancers who prefer to dance in the corps. They work at least as hard as the principals and soloists.

I don't think foot size has anything to do with ability making it - less or more difficult - to dance. It is, however, a tad more difficult if the dancer is tall - for various reasons. If any teacher told me that she puts girls on pointe at ten to keep their feet small - I wouldn't walk away - I'd run. Both the age and the concept are wrong and it's a window into, what seems to me, a warped view of what teaching and dancing are about.

It would seem to me that most everything looks best when it is in proportion. The eye usually sees symetry and proportionality as beauty. On the other hand asymetry certainly does add interest. Some dancer's feet are so distince one can identify the dance simply by looking at a picture of the foot. I think it is much more important how the foot is used.

http://www.playbillarts.com/features/article/8685.html This aritcle apeared in today's links section - hope it's ok to put it here. A worthwhile read on the hardworking corps de ballet dancer without whom ballet as we know it wouldn't exist.

Well, the problem with performing has always been to transfer when happens in the classroom to the "everyone is watching" spotlight of the stage. For some that spotlight is a turn on and for others it is deadly. I found when I was performing that if I wrapped myself in the music I could divorce myself from the fears and tribulations of every day, and thus enter quite another zone when on stage. Apparently this was not only felt but also visible. People who knew me often said that something/someone else became me on stage. When I waited backstage for my entrance I was fluttery - until I heard the music.

I think this is true for other subjects that ballet takes up, too. When one company produces a successful storyline - others jump in. Look at the huge spate of Romeos - literally dozens of subsequent productions around the world. Even small companies taking it on as a one act. I think Dracula was another.

What an interesting topic - thanks for starting it! I am reading "Waddesdon Manor; The Heritage of a Rothschild Manor" by Mitchell Hall. It is a large book with gorgeous full color plates of the Manor and the magnificent art collections housed therein. The Manor was given by the Rothschilds to the UK National Trust. Many of the priceless objects in the many different collections (paintings, china, carpets, furniture, porcellan, fabrics, sculpture, tapestries, etc.) survived because they had been brought to the UK from Europe before the wars. The book starts off with a "Day in the Life of Waddesdon - 1891" and a Foreword by Lord David Rothschild. The vast gardens are also works of art as are the other sections of the grounds: stables, dairies, aviaries, fountains. As I understand it, Tring Park (which is often mentioned as a ballet school in Doing Dance Forum) was also a Rothschild property. There is something to be said for the capacity of the human hand and mind to produce such beauty. Heaven knows, we hear enough about the other stuff humans do.

This is one of the reasons that it takes so long - and needs so many lessons per week - and constant daily class - for that dancer to look effortless. However, this is also true of other activities; such as a concert pianist. All ten fingers blazing across the keyboard in a Chopin concerto - plus the feet on the pedal - and paying attention to the conductor and the rest of the orchestra. They, too, take years of study - which never ends until the career is over. Muscle memory helps. When things are practiced again and again the muscles develop a "mind" of their own. There have been times when in the midst of a performance, my mind just went blank. I had no idea for a moment or two what came next. However, when I looked at the tape - there it was....my body performing the steps. It didn't realy need my mind. I have also had the experience of performing with a fever - and no, I would NEVER allow a student to do that. Ah hem! However, I did it and I have to say my mind was completely out of it - and my body did some of the best technical work I'd ever hope in my wildest dreams to do. There I was doing a triple attitude turn sur la pointe - perfect. My body knew how to do it - but it was my mind that usually interfered. But the mind now occupied with a fever.....the body performed. It was quite a revelation to me!! How many times does our mind interfere with our success?

Working through the foot - takting each part separately is certainly one of the major lessons a dancer needs to understand and learn until it becomes second nature. But, that working of the foot is not only in moving out to tendu - but also in moving in from tendu to the "home" position - be first, fifth, etc. A good way to visualize where the dome of the arch lifts is where, most generaly, the elastics in slipers - or ribbons in pointe shoes - cross over the foot. Another visualization is that the foot is not simply pointing - it is pointing at something. If it is pointing at something that will help to transfer to muscle memory that pointing is not curling. The mechanics of how to pointe the foot are first taught in slippers where it is easier for the teacher and student to see and feel where and how it happens. That is one of the modalities that must be mastered before full pointe work begins. This body/mind knowledge is then transferred to pointe work. The dancer by then has also learned how the rest of the body is held through the upper torso, the muscles of the spine and the four quadrants of the abdomen and on into the pullup through the back of the heel. All of this supports the foot so that it doesn't sink into the shoes and thus curling the toes. If each part of the body supports itself - it will in turn support each other part of the body. A body that supports itself is lighter than one in which muscles are not engaged. A sleeping child seems much heavier to carry than one who is awake and to some degree supporing itself. All of this goes into learning how the toes to do not curl - with or without any weight on them.

Each family makes their own choices.

How flexible the foot is also impacts where the balance occurs to compensate for that arch of the ankle. A more tightly constructed ankle tends to send the weight back whilst a more flexible ankel will send the balance more forward. Then the entire body compensates to keep itself in balance. The "ideal" arch of the ankle occurs higher up on the foot placing the weight in the center of the shoe box when it is seen in profile. A highly mobile arch will send that weight to the front of the box - when seen in profile - and a less mobile arch will send that line through the box further back - when seen in profile. In a tightly constructed foot the student tries to compensate for an inadequate arch by curling the toes - which of course is not acceptable. In a less but still tightly constructed foot the arch appears just where the toes join the foot - also not acceptable. The greatest amount of weight is borne on the first three large toes but this does not exempt the littlest toe from doing it's duty. It must maintain contact with the floor. A well placed dancer on pointe will be able to stand with straight knees with the entire platform of the shoe box in contact with the floor, with the center of balance going through the center of the box of the shoe - when seen in profile. The entire body if correctly held will be in balance above it - the line going clean up through the center of the dancer's head. When the body is in correct balance the strain on any one part is lessened and it all feels "right" and "light" - almost weightless.

In my experience - not very many. In fact I knew of only one girl who absolutely could not because her feet literally had no arch at all. On the other end I knew of another who's feet were so soft no amount of support could keep her feet from splling over. Everyone else falls somewhere in between. In both those cases, it was indeed sad. Both of those girls were very dedicated. The problems were obvious long before they were of an age to go on pointe. In both cases, however, when it came time I allowed them to get pointe shows because they simply had to try it to become convinced that it was not possible. It was a heartbreaker.

According to some at the time, Mozart was not a success. Certainly not a financial success by any means. How much less beautiful the world would be without his music. One doesn't have to be a member of a major ballet company to be a success in the field. There are many doors in the hall of dance. Even if one leaves dance entirely that kind of education in one's background is never lost: the discipline, dedication, attention to details, self-knowledge, sharing space, and the knowledge of possibilities is a lifetime asset. As parents we don't get materially paid back for the years of changing diapers, amount of food, money and time invested. We do get paid back by watching a new life take flight - away from us - on its own. I always say the child reserves the right to say "no more." If one has to persuade the child to go to class week after week - the child is saying "no." There is no material payback - we don't parent for a profit. I know someone who was giving her daughter a huge "coming of age" party. She waned to keep expenses down to equal the probable return in gifts. Oh dear! Is that what we've come to? Give a party to make a profit - or break even? Children are expensive - always have been. We bring them into the world and the debt is ours - we owe them care, food, education, and as much well being and love as we each can give. If we are fortunate the child will repay - but not because we are owed.

I always darned my shoes and used to have get-togethers with my students to show them how - it was a lot of fun and gave us some out of the classroom time together. We used elastics as needed. Always used lamb's wool as it was a natural product and could be shaped by each dancer according to need. The teacher shoudl guide you as to where to sew on the ribbons as this depends on each individual dancer's foot. Then sew the ribbons VERY securely - its quite nasty when a ribbon suddenly let's loose. And don't sew into the draw string casing as that will keep the draw string from pulling up. Never did the burning trick on the ribbons - I just cut them on the slant and that worked for me.

Sometimes I do wonder about using the phrase "pulling up." Unfortunately that often seeps into the shoulders. I had a teacher who taught us to see the body as different - separate parts. The stomach's four quadrants were equally used, the upper torso/chest is riding above that and the shoulders are kept down but moveable - which allows the arms to flow and keeps the neck and head mobile. The power and steering center is the four quadrants of the stomach. Perhaps "keep engaged" might be better. To a young student "pulling up" or "tighten your derriérre" or "pull in your stomach" - means to lock everything down which makes it difficult to move and use the different parts. I like the word "engaged" better. It means "in use" - not locked up. As for using one's breath - as I noted above - it begins with the first exercise at the barre - plié's. Then tendus - learn it with the slow stuff and gradually add it to successive exercises as they get quicker and more complex. Constantly check to see that the breath is coming through the nose - as much as possible. This makes the most efficient use of the breath. The use of the breath is part of listening to the music - really hearing it. The pulse of the music is the pulse of the breath. That's one of the reasons I think it is fundamental for the teacher to provide interesting ever changing music. Music that the student must - well, more than that - wants to - pay attention to. If the music is repetitive from class to class the student ceases to hear it. And, thus, a chief reason for dancing no longer exists. I know there is so much to pay attention to and this is one more thing, but somehow - as we all know -- it does comes together.

Though I have gone on several cruises - I am a poor sailor - choosing to skip lifeboat drill rather than fact a rolling sea. And, then, there is a fairly large continent betwixt me and the Atlantic. However, cometh thou hence - I can promise the best Mexican food this side of the border. Olé!

First it is important to understand that pointe class never takes the place of regular slipper class - it is in addition to slipper class. When first starting on pointe - as a general statement - pointe work is usually done at the end of regular class for about 15 minutes. This insures that the body is well warmed up. Pointe is done at the barre. Any center work that is done is not on pointe but in pointe shoes. This introduces the student to what it feels like to be in a pointe shoe, without a barre, just moving on a fully flat foot in the center. The balance is entirely different. This 15 minutes of pointe work at the end of regular class may occur perhaps twice a week. Slowly the length and frequency of pointe work increases as does the amount of time in the center. Work goes from two feet on pointe to eventually one foot on pointe and from stepping up onto pointe (piqué) to rolling up (relevé) to springing up to pointe. Those are the three basic ways of attaining pointe. Eventually this all moves out to the center. And, finally the entire class is done on pointe - which has the advantage of warming up the body and the shoe together. But, even then, pointe work is in addition to regular class - even if regular class is taken in pointe shoes.

Hmmm....I had a cousin who reached puberty/periods at 10 yrs. old. I'm not sure the onset of puberty is the criteria I would use.

What do I like to do for fun? I like to laugh - that's a lot of fun! And in addition I like to...... I like to answer questions such as "when should my daughter go on pointe?" or "What's wrong with my pirouettes?" but when not doing that.....I love to read - history and bio/autobio in the form of history. Did I say I love to read history? I also enjoy writing (have written and published a range of articles and one book). Breaking out my paints and painting (in oils) anything which captures my fancy - some of which are on display as a long term loan, others have been entered in juried shows - but that's not why I do it. Going to the mall and sketching people - I have several pen and ink sketches of people at Starbucks. I am very active in my Temple - and set up and maintain the library - which gives me more of an excuse to read. I love going to lunch with friends. After many years of interesting travel, we no longer feel the desire to travel. I love my garden and the creatures which inhabit it. There is a lake near my house which holds many memories for me and I love to go there though the gov't has decided it is now illegal to feed the huge population of waterfowl - migratory and permanant. So, when these feathered friends come up to me - we chat sans crumbs. And while doing much of this I am usually listening to classical music. And, now, for my daily walk - which is a poor replacement for the 6-8 hrs I spent daily dancing and teaching.

When a girl goes on pointe is a combination of several factors - some of them a matter of individual readiness such as technical capability but every bit as important is the readiness and maturity of the skeleton. One should never argue with the skeleton. There are several places in the skeleton which takes many years to harden from cartilege to bone - and the toes are one of those places. There is a classic book: "Anatomy and Ballet" by Celia Sparger in which this is discussed in detail. There are pictures of x-rays of the bones of the feet at the ages of 4, 11, and 19. In the x-ray of the 4 yr old one can see actual open space between the joints of the toes - filled with in soft invisible cartilege. By age 11, the space is much reduced but still there is some space. By age 19, finally, the space is now bone. I have always recommended - and firmly believe - that no child should go on pointe before the age of 12. There is nothing to be gained - there are no roles for children on pointe in the ballet. Going on pointe early may not injure a particular child - but how is one to know this beforehand? Is it worth taking the chance? Going on pointe early means that many more years of stressing the foot which was not meant to be used in this way. The injury and damage may not show up for years. Such damage as: bunions, hairline fractures, tendonitis, hammer toes, arthritis, etc. Is it worth any of this just to go on pointe a year or two early? In addition to the readiness of the bone structure the child should be have acquired the degree of technical proficiency to support pointe work. Not only physically - but mentally - able to use the technical knowledge intelligently - thoughtfully - and that takes a degree of maturity, too. All too often parents and teachers would like to please the pleading (starry eyed) child. However, though a child may have had many years of dance classes and exhibit every asset necessary - one can't - and shouldn't - argue with the growth rate of the skeleton. As a teacher - or as a parent - I would never be a party to the possibility of damaging a child - the damage of which may not be seen for years. I would want my child or student to be able to walk long after her dancing days are over.

Thank you, Taxi, I would relish that but unfortunately, I have never been to the UK - though I am surely an Anglophile - as you can probably tell. If I didn't live here, I would choose to live there. British literature, British history and the people have always held my interest. Could reading Ivanhoe at the age of 8 had something to do with it? I haven't flown since 1987 after a series of in-air mishaps and now I am comfortably retired and content to stay home. But - back to the topic at hand......

Sometimes when one holds the keys to an envied castle it fosters a rarified atmosphere of unquestionable correctitude. This is reinforced by the numbers knocking eagerly on the door for entrance.

In jumping such as soubresaults and changements - it is the feet which do the work - the body "sails" above it. If the upper body is tensed then the dancer is usually holding the breath - rather than continuing to breathe. So, the physio is correct, only I wouldn't say to expand the ribs, I would say continue to breathe through the nose throughout the exercise. Let the feet do the work. The plié in the landing is not the end of the jump, it is the preparation for the next jump. Visualizing it that way will give it the elasticity it should have. If the upper body is allowed to sink into the plié which initiates each jump, that knocks out the air from the lungs - as small amount as that might be. So, the division is made at the waist - the body above is quiet and breathing. The lower body is doing the work. The upper body is engaged but not tense. The concept of "letting the feet do the work" - means using the entire foot - feel the energy for the push off clear through to the ends of the toes. This engages every muscle in the leg-foot, which helps to propel the dancer into the air. It uses every asset in furtherance of the exercise/dance. When I was working on this (and when I taught it), I worked up to it slowly. First I worked on this concept in four 4 jumps (changements). Then 8, and on up to 64. Eventually, we were able to do it fairly easily. No one bent over or in distress at the end. I hope that helps.

In another thread there was a request for some thoughts on how a dancer can (and should) use his/her breath to change how a dance sequence is performed, felt and seen. Hope this helps. Life is made up of pulse beats - this includes music and your breath. When you dance it is necessary to put the two of these elements together. And, when done correctly your breath can aid your dance - the way you feel it - and the way it is perceived. It begins at the beginning in pliés. In a simple 4 count grand plié a la seconde, on the first count as your arm begins the port de bras and you begin to descend, (count one) inhale; at the bottom of the plié (count two) exhale; as you begin to rise (count three) inhale; and as you finish (count four) exhale, and the arm finishes at the same time. In a simple pirouette combination, stand in fifth position, right foot front, inhale as you tendu a la seconde, exhale as you close to 4th position back, inhale as you pirouette to the right en dehors, and exhale as you finish the pirouette, fifth position back. You will find that your breath has infused the pirouette with quite a different quality, and that it sustains you and smoothes out the entire performance of the turn. This is also true of turns in arabesque and attitude where the feeling of lightness is of paramount importance. You can dance on top of your own breathing, and it is then part of the music. All of the same fabric. In adage, time your inhalation to coincide with the extension of your leg. If you do that and at the same time visualize a hand beneath your thigh lifting your leg, and another hand picking up your instep by the ribbons on top of your foot, you will find, I believe, that the entire leg is much lighter to you. And it will gain the appearance of lightness and effortlessness that the ballet dancer wishes to impart to the audience. It is no longer "work" - but dance. The same is true of grand battement, as you strongly push off and thrust through the tips of your toes into the height of the grand battement, time the breath to it and let the force of the push off - lift you as you inhale, then lower the leg - don't drop it, as you exhale. For small jumps, it is crucial to keep the diaphragm from sagging, even a little bit, each time you land. In a simple petit allegro combination - glissade, jeté, coupe, assemblé - it is the jeté and the assemblé that must have the lightest appearance - and that is where you inhale. Of course some of this is governed by the speed of the music - but to the extent that you can adjust your breathing, do so. You might need to make it in 8 counts rather than four - if the speed of the music warrants it. Study the combination, before you do it - and pick the parts that you want to emphasize with lightness - like exclamation marks in punctuation. Breathing at the height of a jump can infuse it with lightness as well as longevity and give it that floating quality - ballon. Practice it in grand jeté and time your inhalation as you sweep up into the height of the jump. You will not only find that your jump will be lighter, but also the landing. There are three main reasons for shortness of breath: 1. The first is holding your breath - we do this to a great degree when we are stressed - so be aware of it - keep breathing. 2. Letting the diaphragm sink, even a little, every time we land a jump - will cause the breath to be expelled from the lungs. When you land nothing goes down except your foot upon the floor. 3. Breathing through your mouth. When you breathe through your mouth, a portion of the air goes into your stomach - where it does no good at all. It is very natural to do that - but you can learn to breathe deeply through your nose - where all the air goes into your lungs. Let your breath become part of your reverence at the end of class too - breathe in as you pointe to seconde, breathe out as you cross to fourth back, breathe in for a moment as you face your audience, and then finally exhale as you bow. Breath is life - and if you infuse it into your dancing - your dancing will take on new life. It will be one with the pulse beat of the music and the music will become visible.