Let’s look at cupped hands for modern dancing, and why we use them in this genre of dancing. “The cupped hand is a reflection of the torso,” says Blakeley White-McGuire, principal dancer with Martha Graham Dance Company. “When I’m working with the movement as a deepening of the center, that reflects in the hand.” There … Read more
The Coppelia Ballet story has changed over the years and was first performed in the Paris Opera on the 25th of May 1870. This ballet comes out of the Romantic Ballet Era. The choreography was done by Arthur St Leon (1821 – 1870). The exquisite music was composed by French composer Léo Delibes. The first Swanhilda … Read more
Jardin Aux Lilas (The Lilac Garden) is a one-act ballet that was choreographed by Anthony Tudor. The music was done by Chausson and the scenery and costumes by Hugh Stevenson. It was choreographed to a composition by Ernest Chausson entitled Poème, Op. 25 written in 1896. The Ballet Jardin Aux Lilas was first performed by Ballet Rambert at the … Read more
You are probably wondering who Antony Tudor is, and why is there an article about him on this website for dancers. He was a major creative figure who exerted decisive influence on both sides of the Atlantic when it came to his choreographic skills, but sadly, very few of his ballets are still staged today. … Read more
Five Brahms Waltzes is probably a ballet that you have never heard of. Five Brahms Waltzes in the Manner of Isadora Duncan. This piece was choreographed by Frederick Ashton and the music was by Brahms. The Waltzes used were Op. 39, Nos. 1, 2, 8, 10, 12, and 15 with the first one played as … Read more
Well there were actually two Monotones Ballets. Monotones Ballet I was a ballet done in one act. It was choreographed by Frederick Ashton and the music was Satie Trois Gnossiennes by Lanchbery. It was first performed by the Royal Ballet at Covent Garden on the 25th of April 1966. The dancers were Antoinette Sibley, Geogina … Read more
The Two Pigeons Ballet is an Allegory in two acts and it was choreographed by Sir Frederick Ashton. The music was done by Messager and the decor for the first production was designed by Jacques Dupont. History Of The Two Pigeons Ballet This ballet was first performed by the Royal Ballet Touring Section at Covent … Read more
Let’s look at a ballet called The Dream. It is a ballet done in one act adapted from A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Shakespeare. Ashton did the choreography and the music was by Mendelssohn arranged by Lanchbery. The decor was Henrey Barden and the costumes by David Walker. The Dream was first performed by the … Read more
If you are training in ballet, you most probably know that the two largest training organizations in the world are the Royal Academy of Dance and Cecchetti Ballet Technique. I have done an entire article that you can read here on the Royal Academy, as I teach this method. However, the Cecchetti ballet technique is … Read more
If you are wondering who Dusty Button Ballerina is, there has been quite a bit of bad press coverage of her lately. This bit of ballet history is very recent, unlike a lot of the other history on this website. Dusty Button the ballerina was born on the 6th of June 1989 in Myrtle Beach, … Read more