Whether you dream of dancing "Swan Lake" with the Royal Ballet or are taking ballet classes simply for fun and exercise, you'll need ballet slippers. It's important that you find the best brand and fit for your needs.
Don't confuse ballet slippers with pointe shoes. A slipper is flexible, while pointe shoes are box-toed, made of shiny satin and used by advanced ballet dancers for pointework, or dance moves that require balancing on the tips of one's toes. Pointe shoes, also called toe shoes, are normally worn only by female dancers, though male dancers will occasionally wear them.
Style
If you're new to the world of ballet, buy your slippers at a store that specializes in dance shoes and do it in person. As with any other shoe, size matters. Make sure you can wiggle your toes inside the shoe. Despite what a salesperson may advise, if the shoe makes your toes curl up, don't buy that size. While a leather slipper will stretch a bit, it won't stretch that much. If you can't allow your toes to spread when in ballet positions, your balance will be affected.
On the other hand, if you're buying ballet shoes for a child, don't buy them too large, thinking your child will grow into them. Oversize shoes make dancing difficult. Some instructors recommend shoe shopping at the same time of day as your dance class, since your feet swell during the day.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
What to Wear for Ballet Class?
Keep the following in mind when deciding what to wear for ballet class: comfort and simplicity. The clothes which you wear for ballet dance must allow you to move and stretch easily. Your clothing must be tight enough for your teacher to check your body alignment during certain movements. Most ballet teachers prefer dancers to wear a cover-up of some sort to and from the studio. This is as simple as a pair of dance pants or a dance skirt paired with a crossover sweater or a sweatshirt worn over your leotard. Also, never use your ballet shoes as street shoes. Slip on a pair of sneakers or flip-flops instead, in order to prolong the life of your ballet shoes.
A simple leotard and a pair of tights is the best thing to wear to class. Leotards are available in several colors and designs, including sleeveless, short sleeved and long sleeved. Young dancers delight in wearing small skirts and tutus over their leotards, but most teachers discourage them in older classes.
A simple leotard and a pair of tights is the best thing to wear to class. Leotards are available in several colors and designs, including sleeveless, short sleeved and long sleeved. Young dancers delight in wearing small skirts and tutus over their leotards, but most teachers discourage them in older classes.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
When should you buy new pointe shoes?
The average life of a ballet pointe shoe is only around 4 to 12 hours of dancing. Pointe shoe life varies depending on what type of shoe paste the manufacturer uses, how the shoes are treated between classes, how much the ballet dancer perspires, how strong the dancer is, the number of classes the dancer takes, how long the dancer practices, and which steps are performed, to name a few.
Pointe shoes usually need to be replaced when the platform is no longer stiff, when the box becomes too soft, or when the shank no longer offers proper support. You will notice these things by feeling pain in areas you never feel. You may also start falling off pointe when you try to balance, or fall forward out of turns. If the toe box or shank becomes mushy, soft, cracked or bent in any way form, it is definitely time for a new pair of pointes.
It is imperative that the box offers complete support. If your shoes are wearing out frequently, try not to put all of your weight on the box. Try instead to use your own muscles for the support you need.
Pointe shoes usually need to be replaced when the platform is no longer stiff, when the box becomes too soft, or when the shank no longer offers proper support. You will notice these things by feeling pain in areas you never feel. You may also start falling off pointe when you try to balance, or fall forward out of turns. If the toe box or shank becomes mushy, soft, cracked or bent in any way form, it is definitely time for a new pair of pointes.
It is imperative that the box offers complete support. If your shoes are wearing out frequently, try not to put all of your weight on the box. Try instead to use your own muscles for the support you need.
How To Break In New Pointe Shoes?
Breaking in a new pair of pointe shoes will make them more comfortable when you wear them. When a ballerina breaks in her pointe shoes, she is actually molding the pointe shoes to the shape of her feet. Remember that a perfectly molded pointe shoe begins with a pointe shoe that is precisely the correct size and type for your foot. If you are buying your first pair of pointe shoes, it is extremely important to be fitted by a professional. If you begin with the wrong size, achieving a perfect fit will be nearly impossible. Once you have the perfect shoes for your feet, here are a few things you can do to break them in.
How to break your shoes?
Soften the box: Gently massage the sides of the toe box with your hands. Some ballet dancers soften the box by standing on top of their shoes or by slamming their shoes between a door and its frame. However, great care must be taken to avoid "breaking" the toe box. Please note that softening the box is not always necessary. Some dancers prefer a stiff box.
Soften the shank: The shank is the stiff midsole that presses underneath the arch of the foot. Gently massage the demi pointe area of the shank, or the area that bends while on releve.
Walk on demi pointe: One of the best ways to break in pointe shoes is to simply put on the shoes and walk around in them. Try rising onto demi pointe and walking, forcing the shoes to conform to your own arches.
Do roll-throughs: Starting in first position, bend your right knee and press your right foot up to full pointe, pressing through the top of the toe box. Repeat on the left side.
Work at the barre: Performing exercises at the barre is enough for some dancers to break in their pointe shoes. Try lots of plies, concentrating on rolling through demi pointe, all the way up to full pointe, then down flat again.
Ballet Tips:
1. If you are breaking in your first pair of pointe shoes, ask the advice of your dance instructor.
2. Never bend your shoes in half or pound them with a hammer, as doing so may break them.
How to break your shoes?
Soften the box: Gently massage the sides of the toe box with your hands. Some ballet dancers soften the box by standing on top of their shoes or by slamming their shoes between a door and its frame. However, great care must be taken to avoid "breaking" the toe box. Please note that softening the box is not always necessary. Some dancers prefer a stiff box.
Soften the shank: The shank is the stiff midsole that presses underneath the arch of the foot. Gently massage the demi pointe area of the shank, or the area that bends while on releve.
Walk on demi pointe: One of the best ways to break in pointe shoes is to simply put on the shoes and walk around in them. Try rising onto demi pointe and walking, forcing the shoes to conform to your own arches.
Do roll-throughs: Starting in first position, bend your right knee and press your right foot up to full pointe, pressing through the top of the toe box. Repeat on the left side.
Work at the barre: Performing exercises at the barre is enough for some dancers to break in their pointe shoes. Try lots of plies, concentrating on rolling through demi pointe, all the way up to full pointe, then down flat again.
Ballet Tips:
1. If you are breaking in your first pair of pointe shoes, ask the advice of your dance instructor.
2. Never bend your shoes in half or pound them with a hammer, as doing so may break them.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
The ideal body for a ballet dancer
Although Ballet dancers vary in body type, there are some physical characteristics that make it easier to become successful. Keep in mind, however, it can take years to develop the correct suppleness, shape and strength in their bones and muscles. Still, only a few lucky dancers will ever meet the strict requirements needed to become a professional ballet dancer.
Profile of the Ideal Ballet Body:
* Long, elegant limbs
* Strong, supple back
* Straight legs - not bowed or knock-kneed
* Arched feet
* Good turnout from the hips
* Loose hamstrings
* Firm muscle tone
* Slender frame
* Neat, fairly small head
Even if you don't have an ideal body for Ballet, however, ballet dancing can be an extremely rewarding experience.
Profile of the Ideal Ballet Body:
* Long, elegant limbs
* Strong, supple back
* Straight legs - not bowed or knock-kneed
* Arched feet
* Good turnout from the hips
* Loose hamstrings
* Firm muscle tone
* Slender frame
* Neat, fairly small head
Even if you don't have an ideal body for Ballet, however, ballet dancing can be an extremely rewarding experience.
Is Barre Work Really Necessary?
Ballet instructor makes us spend most of our class at the barre. The barre exercises seem to be so repetitive, and a little boring.Barre exercises should make up a significant portion of a ballet class, for beginners as well as advanced dancers. Even though exercises performed at the barre may seem monotonous, they are meant to help Ballet dancers build strength and learn correct body placement.
Exercises at the barre are very important for the following reasons:
* They help warm up the muscles.
* They increase speed and precision of footwork.
* They help the body prepare for jumps and turns.
* They increase flexibility and strength in the spine.
* They improve balance.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Three year kid at her Ballet Class
Check this video to view how a 3 year kid behaves at her ballet class.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Ballet Dance
Ballet is a formalized kind of performance dance, which originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France, England, and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with most of the audience seated on tiers or galleries on three sides of the dancing floor. It has since become a highly technical form of dance with its own vocabulary. It is primarily performed with the accompaniment of classical music. It has been influential as a form of dance globally and is taught in ballet schools around the world, which use their own cultures and societies to inform the art.Ballet dance works are choreographed and performed by trained artists, include mime and acting, and are set to music. It is a poised style of dance that incorporates the foundational techniques for many other dance forms.
This type of dancing is very hard to achieve and takes much practice to master. It is best known in the form of Late Romantic Ballet or Ballet Blanc, which preoccupies itself with the female dancer to the exclusion of almost all else, focusing on pointe work, flowing, precise acrobatic movements, and often presenting the dancers in the conventional short white French tutu. Later developments include expressionist ballet, Neoclassical ballet and elements of Modern dance.
The etymology of the word "ballet" is related to the art form's history. The word ballet comes from the French and was borrowed into English around the 17th century. The French word in turn has its origins in Italian balletto, a diminutive of ballo (dance). Ballet ultimately traces back to Latin ballare, meaning to dance.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Top Ballet Training Methods
Several different ballet training methods exist for learning the art of ballet. Each training method is unique in style and appearance, yet produces brilliant ballet dancers. In your ballet training, it is likely that you may encounter a ballet instructor who combines the training methods of two schools. Some very respectable teachers use one method as a base and add style elements of another to create a unique approach.
The major methods of ballet training include Vaganova, Cecchetti, Royal Academy of Dance, the French School, Balanchine and Bournonville.
Vaganova
The Vaganova method is one of the main training techniques of classical ballet. The Vaganova method was derived from the teaching methods of instructors of the Imperial Ballet School of Soviet Russia.
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Cecchetti
The Cecchetti method is one of the main training techniques of classical ballet. The Cecchetti method is a strict program that enforces planned exercise routines for each day of the week. The program ensures that each part of the body is worked evenly by combining different types of steps into planned routines.
Royal Academy of Dance
The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) is the leading international dance examination board specializing in classical ballet. RAD was established in London, England in 1920. Initially formed to improve the standard of classical ballet training in the UK, RAD has become one of the world's leading dance education and training organizations, boasting over 13,000 members and operating in 79 countries.
The French School
The French School of ballet, or "Ecole Française," developed in court ceremonies of French monarchs many years ago. The French School is considered to be the basis of all ballet training.
Balanchine
The Balanchine Method is a ballet training technique developed by choreographer George Balanchine. The Balanchine Method is the method of teaching dancers at the School of American Ballet and focuses on very quick movements coupled with a more open use of the upper body.
Bournonville
Bournonville is one of the main methods of ballet instruction. The Bournonville training system was devised by Danish ballet master August Bournonville. The Bournonville method appears fluid and effortless, even though it is technically challenging.
The major methods of ballet training include Vaganova, Cecchetti, Royal Academy of Dance, the French School, Balanchine and Bournonville.
Vaganova
The Vaganova method is one of the main training techniques of classical ballet. The Vaganova method was derived from the teaching methods of instructors of the Imperial Ballet School of Soviet Russia.
Sponsored Links
Cecchetti
The Cecchetti method is one of the main training techniques of classical ballet. The Cecchetti method is a strict program that enforces planned exercise routines for each day of the week. The program ensures that each part of the body is worked evenly by combining different types of steps into planned routines.
Royal Academy of Dance
The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) is the leading international dance examination board specializing in classical ballet. RAD was established in London, England in 1920. Initially formed to improve the standard of classical ballet training in the UK, RAD has become one of the world's leading dance education and training organizations, boasting over 13,000 members and operating in 79 countries.
The French School
The French School of ballet, or "Ecole Française," developed in court ceremonies of French monarchs many years ago. The French School is considered to be the basis of all ballet training.
Balanchine
The Balanchine Method is a ballet training technique developed by choreographer George Balanchine. The Balanchine Method is the method of teaching dancers at the School of American Ballet and focuses on very quick movements coupled with a more open use of the upper body.
Bournonville
Bournonville is one of the main methods of ballet instruction. The Bournonville training system was devised by Danish ballet master August Bournonville. The Bournonville method appears fluid and effortless, even though it is technically challenging.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Ballet for Beginners
As a beginner in ballet dance, you might wonder what all needed to become a ballet dancer. Whether your goal is to dance ballet or just to learn it, you have to gather detailed information about one of the most beautiful and graceful of all the dance styles. If you get a chance to see a live ballet on stage, you can find that a ballerina should have an amazing ability to transport an entire audience into another world. Ballet dancers must be highly trained and their hard work and dedication is evident in their ability to glide effortlessly across a stage.
Ballet stretching classes for children
Everyday stretching is a little painful for these kids, but they work hard to become real ballet stars of famous Russian ballet school.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Padding For Pointe Shoes
Lots of girls might not know how much padding they should use, and what to use for ballet dance. This little video would definitely clear your doubts.!
Anaheim Ballet: Pointe Shoe Tying & Tips
A couple different ways to tie your pointe shoes as well as some tips and tricks.
Ballet: Spin Cycle
Check this video to find the ballet spin cycle movement performed by various dancers.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Anaheim Ballet Dancer Profile: Alyssa Springer
A video profile of Anaheim Ballet apprentice, Alyssa Springer.
Anaheim Ballet Dancer Profile: Elan Alekzander
A ballet video profile of Anaheim Ballet apprentice, Elan Alekzander.
Ballet: Tiny Dancer
Anaheim Ballet student, Austin shares her ballet dance moves and ballet thoughts.
