My class definition: Beginner Ballet

As we shift into fall and a new season of dance, I wanted to give people some more information about my classes, especially since I moved things a bit over the summer. It's important for all students to realize that class levels have different names for different teachers so what is "beginner" for one is "basic" for another, etc. These are my level distinctions and apply only to my classes.

(P.S. I am not italicizing all the French terminology because it would take too long and because there are also variances in terminology among the schools. That's an entirely different - and lengthy! - post for another day.)

Today I want to describe my Beginner Ballet.

Who is it for: anyone! If you had a semester of ballet in college, great! If you had years of it as a kid, that's great too. And if you've never stepped foot in a studio, welcome.

What will you learn:
At the barre, you will get the basics -
1. Demi-plies and grand plies in First, Second, Fourth and Fifth positions. (This combination does not change.)
2. Slow tendus from first position.(This combination does not change.)
3. Moderate tendus from fifth position.(This combination does not change.)
4. Degages from fifth position in a simple pattern.
5. Faster degages from first position facing the barre, also in a simple pattern but designed to change your weight frequently.
6. Ronds de jambes, typically slow and moderate tempo; low, easy developpes in a simple pattern.
7. Grands battements in a simple pattern in all directions.
You will also work on balances en releve in first and second position, balance in sousous, holding retire, port de bras and pique.

In the center, you will get these basics -
1. A port de bras combination which will include arms in first, second, third, fourth and fifth positions, perhaps with chassee and temps lie, or even pas de bourree. Arabesques in 4 positions may also be included.
2. A simple tendu combination from fifth position that will introduce the positions of the body in the room, arm and leg coordination, weight shifts, and head movement.
3. Waltz steps, balances de cote, chassees, tombe pas de bourree, contretemps, pique arabesque, pique passe.
4. Breaking down soutenu turns, pique turns, and chainee turns. Everyone works at their own pace. Some dancers may take longer than others to perform turns.
5. Simple jumps in first, second and fifth positions.
6. Petit jetes, assembles and glissades - in combination or individually. These may also be approached at the barre. Note: all dancers have the option of working on jumps at the barre rather than in the center if they are not yet comfortable doing that.
7. A big jump across the floor which could include saute arabesque, saute battement en avant, grand jete, or saute passe.

Bonus:
This class is a great option if you are a more advanced dancer and want to work en pointe or if you are recovering from an injury and want a slower, more deliberate approach to technique.

Additional notes for new students:
Recognize that it's a difficult thing to start studying ballet but everyone in the class has been in your shoes at some point. As you gain more experience and move up in levels, you will be the newbie again - and again - and again. That's one of the great things about ballet: there is always something to learn!

Another wonderful thing about the discipline is that there is measurable progress: if you couldn't do a turn and then one day you can, you've progressed! But the measure may not be the same for you as it is for others. There are as many reasons for a student to start class as there are students! You might measure your progress outside of the studio, how it affects your stamina or overall health, while another student is using ballet to help them with a sport or the theater, etc.

Getting into the studio is a big deal. As an adult you have a lot of responsibilities and people you might care for or work for and it's not easy to simply say, "Gotta go to ballet!" Ballet is part of your personal self-care, however, and it's great for your physical and mental health, creative expression and community.

When you become a student in my beginner classes, you will find yourself surrounded by people who are like you in the most important way: they want to study ballet. You will discover that passion can lead to wonderful friendships.

Class level definitions

Wherever you go, dance instructors and studios have different definitions of what a "beginning" or "intermediate" class is. Even within a single studio, teachers may disagree on what should be included in each level and whether that definition should apply to kids or adults.

At Le Studio where I teach, all three of the ballet instructors (Susie, Melissa and me) are in continual discussions about what each of us includes in our classes and what we expect to see from students who graduate from one level to the next. It's important that we agree on what material and vocabulary are in each level so students have a program to follow.

Some programs of study such as RAD have graded levels and students must pass intense examinations in order to progress. However, for most of the classes you find in the United States, where a combination of French and Russian styles are taught, where a little Balanchine may be introduced to older students or adults, the level distinctions are a little more vague.

Among my classes for adults, I expect beginners to know all their positions, all head and arm movements, basic steps like pas de bourree, pas de chat, and balance. They should be able to do a single pirouette en dehors and en dedans. Across the floor they should do pique turns, chainees, chassee, saute arabesque, and they should know the difference between saut de chat and grand jete. In the center, I expect changement, assemble, glissade, echappe in 4th and 2nd, sobresaut, temps leve and jete.

That's a lot, huh? Well, I also teach a basic class that is the foundation for all of that.

In an intermediate class, I want to see beats: royalles, entrechat quatres and trois, cabriole. Multiple turns as well as turns in second, arabesque, front and back attitude, and fouette pirouettes. They should be able to reverse and invert a petit allegro combination. Across the floor I want to know they can do saut de basque, tour jete, fouette arabesque, traveling fouette turns, multiple pique turns.

In an advanced class, it's no longer a matter of vocabulary (although there are indeed some steps that only very advanced dancers and pros attempt) as much as it is about speed and weight changes. At the barre, the weight is constantly shifted from one foot to the other, combinations are reversed and inverted, and turns are added to just about every exercise. Combinations are very speedy and lengthier. In the center, I expect the same, with fewer "in between" steps. E.g. petit allegro combinations without glissade. A pirouette will land in arabesque and then fouette into an en dehors attitude turn...in other words, steps will be combined in ways that challenge both the body and brain.

Keep in mind that many classes are combinations of beginner and intermediate or intermediate and advanced. I have heard of classes defined as "slow beginner" or "advanced beginner" and so on. There are simply many, many ways to characterize a class and they vary from instructor to instructor. Once you get to know how a teacher works, you can better understand her classifications.

Never judge a class by its title.

That being said, my Friday morning class will no longer be called "Intermediate/Advanced." Instead, it will be "Intermediate" and just about any of my current students will be able to handle the material. The speed will be only slightly increased and some of the combinations will be more of a challenge but I don't want any of my students to feel intimidated. Just come and enjoy.

Happy dancing~

Pas de bourree v. Balance

A beginning student asked me recently, "What's the difference between 'pas de bourree' and 'balance'?" We had learned both steps within the space of a couple of weeks and she was confused, seeing as how both steps seemed to have 3 parts and involved shifting the weight from one foot to the other.

The question stopped me short. I knew I knew the difference and could show it to her but articulating it was another matter. First of all, let's look at the definitions:

Pas de bourree: It consists of three quick steps. It literally means 'Step of the Drunken Lady' and when done à la seconde the feet usually change positions (right left right or back, side, front). (Wikipedia)

Balance: A rocking step. A step that shifts body weight from one foot to the other, usually in 3/4 time. A balance may be performed by crossing the foot in front or in back. (About.com)

Btw, balance is often called a waltz step because it is done in 3/4 waltz time, da-dum-dum, da-dum-dum.

Now, here is the practical difference: with pas de bourree, we start with the weight on one foot and end on the other but with balance, we simply shift to one foot and then back. Try it yourself:

For pas de bourree, start with your feet in fifth position, right foot in front. Lift the left foot to coupe, step onto it, step side with the right foot and then step forward with the left. Your weight shifts from right to the left, to the right and to the left - back, side, front.

For balance, start with your feet in fifth position, right foot in front. Degage the right foot to the side, step onto it, bring the left foot to coupe behind the right and rock onto the ball of the foot and then settle back down onto the right foot. You've just done right, left, right.

And there you have it. Happy dancing!

What is B+?

Very often in class, you will hear the teacher say, "Start in B+," and immediately students will stand very straight in a croise position, with the back leg bent and the big toe on the floor, arms en bas (low 5th) and the knees and thighs touching.

B+ is a preparatory position that students take as they wait to go across the floor. Alternatively it is a pose dancers may use on stage - a very unassuming pose usually behind or around other dancers who may be performing. It's especially helpful when you're dancing on a stage which has no wings and you must stand patiently and unobtrusively as you are waiting your turn to dance!

The origins of the phrase, B+, are mixed. It's technically an "attitude a terre." Some say it comes from Labanotation which uses symbols for steps and that B+ is what the symbol for that step looks like. Others say it's from Balanchine and that the B stands for his name with the + indicating the back foot rests in a bent position while a - indicates the front foot is bent. I have never seen bent front foot as a preparation position although a straight leg tendu en efface as a preparation is often used particularly for big jumps. Many people think the RAD school (that's the Royal Academy of Dance) calls this step "classical pose."

In any case, this is what it looks like:

Photo by Rachel Villoria