Labor Day long weekend schedule

Los Angeles and Pasadena friends and dancers!

My classes will be held as usual this weekend, including Monday, Labor Day. If you have some time off from laboring, come take class:

Friday, August 29, Le Studio:
6:30-8PM Intermediate Ballet

Saturday, August 30, Le Studio:
9-10AM Beginner Ballet
10-11:30AM Intermediate Ballet
11:30AM-12:30PM Pointe 1

Monday, September 1, Le Studio:
6-6:30PM Basic Pointe
6:30-7:45PM Intermediate Ballet
7:45-9PM Beginner Ballet

Hope to see you but if not, I hope you enjoy the long weekend! Happy dancing~

Leigh's vacation - August 8-13 - class schedule

Beautiful dancers in Los Angeles and Pasadena! Please note my upcoming vacation information!

 

I will be out of town from August 8-13. The following classes will be canceled:

 

At Le Studio:

Fri 8/8 6:30PM Intermediate

Sat 8/9 All classes

Mon 8/11 6PM Pointe

 

At Dance Arts Academy:

Tues 8/10 Both classes

Wed 8/11 11AM Intermediate

 

**Susie Fioretti will be subbing for me on Mon 8/11 & Wed 8/13, both my 6:30PM and 7:45PM classes.

**My last class before vacation will be at Dance Arts Academy, Thurs 8/7 6:30PM Beginner/Intermediate.

**My first class back will at Dance Arts Academy, Thurs 8/14 6:30PM Beginner/Intermediate.

 

If you have any questions, just ask! Happy dancing~

Class title changes at Le Studio

Hello dancer friends from LA and Pasadena!

As of this week, I am making the following changes to the names of my classes in Pasadena at Le Studio:

My Beg/Int Ballet is now called Intermediate.

My Basic Ballet is now called Beginner.

Will this affect the content of the classes? No.

Will this affect the student makeup of the classes? Probably not.

Will it open up the class to more students and to more vocabulary being taught? Absolutely.


The truth about drop-in classes is that the students change. In the case of the Beg/Int class, that was a designation I had inherited years ago when I started teaching at the studio. But it slowly evolved into being Intermediate. I want my students who take that class to know they can go to an Intermediate level class elsewhere and be perfectly fine in it.

As far as the Basic class, which is now Beginner, I want the flexibility of doing different things with that group. I have a core group which is consistent and has advanced and I want to respect them by calling this what it is, Beginner. It doesn't mean Basic students can't take the class but it gives me more of a range to accommodate them as well as my more experienced students.

For my current students, these designation changes mean nothing really, but for new students, I want them to be clear about what they are taking so they are not disappointed.

If you have any questions, shoot me an email. Otherwise, happy dancing~

Weekend Schedule Changes

1. Friday October 25 - No Stretch class

2. Sunday October 27 - I will be subbing for Reid Olson, 10-11:30AM at Dance Arts Academy. This is an Intermediate/Advanced ballet class, similar to my Wednesday morning class. It will be in Studio A, the largest studio at DAA, with a terrific accompanist!

Stretch class returns to schedule

To my Pasadena and LA area dancers~

My Stretch and Strengthen class is back on the schedule, Fridays from 5:30-6:30 at Le Studio in Pasadena.  Bring a mat or borrow one of the studio's. As I have mentioned before, we spend much of the time on the floor, doing floor barre and yoga-ish and Pilates-type exercises. Cool music, nothing classical. You don't need to be a dancer but it can feel like dancing. It's a great way to wind down your Friday.

What: Stretch and Strengthen
When: Fridays, 5:30-6:30
Where: Le Studio, Pasadena

Happy dancing~

Stretch class addendum for my Pasadena students

Due to one student's determination, the Stretch class is back on the Le Studio (and my) schedule, Fridays, 5:30-6:30PM. This class combines floor barre exercises, traditional running stretches, modified yoga positions, and Pilates-ish core strengthening (very gently!), all while listening to some awesome music like Dionne Warwick, Greg Greenway, The Carpenters, the Mamas and the Papas, etc.

Soothing tunes, low lights, soft mats. Sometimes we giggle about random cultural tidbits or why an exercise reminds us of Jane Fonda videos from the 80s and oh-my-gosh do you remember the leotards from back then and the hair and the twisty headbands and---...you get the idea. It's fun and it feels like dancing even though we're on the floor for the majority of the hour.

But it's also been quite small, which is why there is now a 5 person minimum requirement for the class to take place. So if you want to take the class, simply contact me via email (LeighBalletLA at gmail dot com) by Thursday afternoon and if you think you *might* take it, let me know that too. Things come up and all our intentions get tossed but if I have an idea you could be there, I'll take that into account.

Thank you all and happy dancing/stretching~

Schedule changes at Le Studio for my classes

Hello beautiful dancers in Pasadena and LA!

Beginning this week, there are a few changes upcoming for the classes I teach at Le Studio. In brief:

1 - Monday 5-6PM Teen Ballet is now an Intermediate Teen Ballet for 12-14 year olds.

2 - Wednesday 5:30-6:30PM Pointe 2 will be taught by Mackenzie Anderson.

3 - Friday 4:30-5:30PM Teen Ballet is canceled until further notice.

4 - Friday 5:30-6:30PM Stretch & Strengthen is canceled until further notice.

ALL other classes remain the same. If you have any questions, please send me an email: LeighBalletLA (at) gmail (dot) com.  My revised calendar is below. Happy dancing~

Easter weekend class schedule

For my students in Los Angeles and Pasadena, please know that ALL of my classes will be happening as usual at Le Studio in Pasadena over this holiday weekend.

Also, on Sunday, I will be teaching the Intermediate/Advanced Ballet class for Caltech Ballet Club, from 11AM-12:30PM.  More information about that class and its location and cost can be found at their website.

Happy Easter to all who celebrate!

Pirouette Workshop on 3/23

On March 23rd at Le Studio, I will conduct my third pirouette workshop.  A full hour of turns (en dehors only): the approach, the alignment, tips and advice, and practical guidance!  The workshop is limited to only 12 students.  As of this writing, I still have 4 spots left so if anyone reading this would like to attend, send me an email to confirm your spot.

What: Pirouette Workshop
When: Saturday, March 23rd, 1:30-2:30PM
Where: Le Studio, 57 Palmetto, Pasadena CA 91105
Cost: $15, to me by 3/16

Happy dancing~

Class 4 of Elementary Ballet Workshop

Our last class!  I was so happy to watch my students "graduate" today. I feel confident that they can attend one of my Basic Ballet classes (or another Basic Ballet class with someone else) and be absolutely fine.  Sure, the next step will be a challenge but they are armed with all they need to get started and feel good.

Here is what we worked on today:

At the barre, with music:
--Plie combinations in 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th, including grand plies and port de bras
--Tendu combinations in 1st and 5th, with port de bras and demi-plie
--Degage combination in 5th with port de bras and plie (assemble)
--Rond de jambe combination with a balance and rond en l'air
--Grand battements with plie (assemble)
--Sousous
--Changements and sautes in 1st

In the center, with music:
--Tendu and degage combinations
--Pirouette prep from 4th position

On the diagonal, with music:
--Chassees efface and croise
--Sautes en arabesque and retire

Reverence to finish the class

I'm so excited for them to move on, wherever it may be.  I think I might do another workshop, perhaps an Elementary Ballet II.  We'll see!  Stay tuned!

Upcoming schedule changes!

Students at both studios where I teach, please note my Thursday schedule is changing.

As of March 14th, I will no longer be teaching my Pointe 2 and Intermediate Ballet classes at Le Studio.

Instead, I will offer a Beg/Pre-Intermediate Ballet class at Dance Arts Academy from 6:30-8PM.  It is a companion class to my Tuesday evening class at the same time and location.

I'm very thankful for all of my students at both studios and I hope the Le Studio students will be able to fit one of my other classes into their schedules. I'm very excited to offer a second class to the Dance Arts students!

Update! I will move the Pointe class at Le Studio to Wednesdays, either 5:30 or 6 before my 6:30PM technique class.  I ask that my students who want to take this class please contact me for more info.  Thank you and happy dancing!

Class 3 of Elementary Ballet Workshop

Our third week saw even more strides made by my students! The terms for the body positions (croise, efface, en face) gave them pause but otherwise, they retained all of the material we learned the week before. Yay!

Still following along at home?  Here are the new steps we learned in the third class:

--Grand plies in 4th position
--Coupe devant and coupe derriere
--Balancing with the leg in retire, facing the barre en releve
--Rond de jambe en dehors and rond de jambe en dedans
--Changements facing the barre
--Saute arabesque and saute passe, traveling on the diagonal
--Chassees in croise and efface, traveling on the diagonal
--Changements and sautes in 1st position in the center

We also added port de bras to our combinations at the barre.  The only step I left out was sousous at the barre, which will do next week. For our final class, we will do short plie, tendu, degage, rond de jambe, and grands battements combinations at the barre, as well as a short tendu and degage combination in the center.  We will finish with alternating sautes and chassees on the diagonal and a reverence.

Class 2 of Elementary Ballet Workshop

In the second week of the workshop - my "crash course" in ballet designed to give you the ultra basics in steps as well as class progression and typical etiquette - I teasingly pop-quizzed my students from the previous week about the steps they'd learned and then added more. (They passed with flying colors!)

For them, and for you, in case you are interested in any future workshops I may do, the following is the additional material we learned:

--Grand plies in 1st and 2nd positions
--Tendus from 5th position
--Degages from 5th position
--Grand battements from 5th position
--Retire facing the barre, balancing
--Sautes in 1st position facing the barre
--Cambre with arm facing the barre
--Tendus and degages from the 5th in center
--Chassees in efface on the diagonal with arms in first

Next week we will tackle changements at the barre, sautes in the center and on the diagonal, rond de jambes a terre, and a reverence. And then the final week will see us putting together short combinations, like a typical class would. Whoo-hoo!

Class 1 of Elementary Ballet Workshop

The first class of my Elementary Ballet Workshop was fantastic! If you missed it, you can still join us next Saturday, Feb 23rd.  Please send me an email to let me know you'd like to come next weekend.

Here is what we covered:

--Basic positions of the body
--How to stand at the barre, basics of classroom etiquette
--Demi-plie in 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th positions
--Tendus in 1st position
--Degages in 1st position
--Releve and eleve in 1st

We also learned a stretch at the barre and practiced tendus and degages in the center of the room to test our balance and weight-shifting.  Finally, we skipped across the floor to practice working on diagonals.

We will go over all of this next Saturday as well and build on it with more work at the barre and center. There are 3 more classes left in the workshop - so much to learn!

Please note: if you would like to review some of these steps, please see my videos on my YouTube channel link in the sidebar.

Getting down to the Ultra Basics

This weekend I start a 4-week workshop that I call a "crash course" in ballet. It's designed for the student who has absolutely no knowledge of ballet or even dance.  I often get students like this in my Basic Ballet classes and while most can follow along and learn by watching and asking good questions, others find it more difficult.  They get frustrated and don't return.  I don't like it when anyone gets frustrated in my classes, no matter what level they are.

Unfortunately, when you have a drop-in class for adults, you can't stop everything for a super newbie and tell them what a tendu is or how to hold their arms in first position.  If the class is large, I put the newbie in a spot where she can watch and I gently correct when I can. If the class is small, I might stop and give corrections to the group at large and point them at the newbie. But otherwise, I have no choice but to keep the class going for my students who attend regularly and expect a certain level of exercise.

So I decided to offer this Elementary Ballet course.  Just 4 hours, 1 hour a week (more than that at a time and people don't retain much). But now I am trying to decide exactly what I think is crucial for a newbie to know in order to jump into my Basic class with more confidence.  That's hard!  I start with demi-plie and then I think, "Well, they should know grand as well."  And I add a retire and then I think, "Hmm, coupe is pretty important too."  At what point do I introduce releve or sousous? Aughhhh! The class needs to be 8 weeks! lol...

I've got the first week nailed down, I believe.  Working in first position mostly, and doing tendu and degage.  But no rond yet and no combinations, just steps and alignment. Although most of the hour will be spent at the barre, I will go to the center.  Those of you who know me know I put everyone in the center, regardless of the class.  Why?  Because dance is movement.  Barre work is for technique but center work is for performance and creative expression.  I don't care if people simply stand or walk or skip across the floor, we have to step away from the barre in every class.

Two of the most important things I plan to impart to the class during this workshop are class progression and class etiquette. Students, particularly adults who think about everything, need to understand there is a reason for everything in a ballet class. They need to know how a barre moves forward and how it applies to the center. As for etiquette, if nothing else, I want students to know about spacing, where to stand in the center, how to move in a group, and when to ask questions. I think fellow teachers will appreciate that lesson!

And the second week, well, I think I will have to wait and see how the first week goes!

What's new? Why, it's Elementary (ballet)!

Coming in February...

A four week course in Just the Basics - for adults only - on 4 Saturdays at Le Studio.

--Got a friend who'd love to take class with you but she's a little anxious about stepping on her toes? Or other people's toes?
--Have you been frustrated with a drop-in class that can't slow down to address the Super Basics, like "What's first position?"
--Need a crash course before you tackle a full class?

Try Elementary Ballet!  It's designed to give you the very basics you need to feel more confident in a drop-in class.  I will help you with terminology, classroom etiquette, basic barre and floor exercises, and class progression. You absolutely do not need to know anything about ballet in order to take this short course.  But you will finish with an understanding of a ballet class before you try a drop-in class.

What: Elementary Ballet
When: February 16 & 23, March 2 & 9 (4 Saturdays)
Time: 1:30-2:30PM
Cost: $75
Where: Le Studio Dance, 57 Palmetto Dr, Pasadena 91105

Happy dancing!

New Year - New Classes and Changes!

Hello beautiful dancers in the LA and Pasadena area!  I'm sending an email to everyone who takes my classes but in case I don't have your address, please see the important information below about changes to my class schedule:

At Dance Arts Academy:
--NEW! Adult Pointe, from 8-8:30PM on Tuesday evenings, directly following my Beg/Pre-Intermediate Ballet class, 6:30-8PM. Each 1/2 hr pointe class will be $10. (Please note the title change of the earlier class - this is to indicate it is more than a Beginning class but not quite a Beg/Int class).

At Le Studio:
--CHANGE! Beg/Int Ballet at 6:30PM on Monday and Wednesday evenings will now be 75 minutes long, rather than 60. More ballet for the same price, 6:30-7:45PM. The Basic Ballet class will still be 60 minutes in length and will go from 7:45-8:45 PM.
--DEAL! Stretch/Strengthen at 5:30PM on Fridays - 5 classes for $50! Special price applies to the stretch class only, not my ballet, but this is a savings of $6/class.

Happy dancing!

(Foot)notes

This tidbit in Pointe magazine caught my eye, so I thought I'd share:

Wish your pointe shoes were slightly less painful? Get more sleep! A recent study found that when people stayed in bed for at least 10 hours a night, by the fourth day they experienced a 25 percent decrease in pain sensitivity. Researchers think this happens because we have more pain receptors in our blood system when we're exhausted. How's that for an excuse to sleep in? (Pointe Magazine 12/18/12)

So get your rest and save your feet.

FYI...for all of my local dancers in Pasadena and Los Angeles...the following classes are canceled for the holidays:

--Christmas Eve classes at Le Studio
--Christmas Day classes at Dance Arts
--12/26 classes at Dance Arts (evening classes at Le Studio WILL be in session!)
--New Year's Eve classes at Le Studio (except for my 10AM $10 special class!!)
--New Year's Day classes at Dance Arts

ALL other classes ARE in session. If you have any questions, please check the calendar at the bottom of this page or send me an email.  Happy and healthy dancing to all!

Back on track and hurtling toward Nutcracker!

It's that time of year again - Nutcracker season.  You'll hear the whispers of the dancers in the hallways, "What did you get?"/"I'm in Snow and Flowers"/"Aw, man, a mouse again?" And the sounds of Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker Suite" on every CD player in every studio everywhere.

Le Studio, where I teach, is no different. We are full-on into Nutcracker rehearsals.  My Senior Company began a few weeks ago (and we are almost finished with Snowflakes!) and my Adult group will begin next week (contact me if you are interested!).  It's all on track for December 16th, our only show date.

Such a lot of work for just one show!  But it's worth it. Rehearsals for a show push dancers in many ways.  For one, they often have to perform steps they have never done before so they increase their vocabulary. For another, they are typically working with a group of dancers who have different skills so they see what other people can do.  And yet another, they want to look their best so they work harder in classes.

Choreography also tests dancers. Some of the most talented dancers in class will frequently choke when it comes to dancing on stage.  Choreography for a class is vastly different than for stage work. There is a lot of acting involved on stage.  There are patterns to be made.  There are entrances and exits.  And yes, the pieces are far longer and more complex.  You must memorize steps and music and somehow avoid running into other people.  And look good while doing it.  It's not for everyone and sometimes you won't even know it's for you (or not) until you try it.

Some of the simplest things are hard on stage.  Walking.  Running.  Posing.  Smiling. Often you can't hear the music or you get sidelined by other dancers who are in the wrong place or there is suddenly a tree where you used to stand in the studio.  The first time you perform can be wildly different from what you expected it to be.  And that's fine!  It's all a learning experience and the next time you do it, you will have that much under your belt. 

But of all the things a show does for a dancer, perhaps the most important one is the bond that it creates between the members of a group. You are all going through the same thing, all learning the same stuff, all have the same goal in mind: entertain your friends and family and show off what you have studied.  You graduate from students to dancers.  When I put together groups for shows, I try to include dancers who will encourage each other and support each other.  Who needs drama?  The show is dramatic enough. If there is extra stuff going on, that will prevent people from learning the choreography and bog people down in personal things that are ultimately detrimental to the performance.

NB: My classes are also back on track!  Stretch/Strengthen is back on Fridays, 5:30-6:30.  Happy dancing!

Spotting and Subbing - a double post of good information!

A few days ago, while in a class I was taking for myself, a friend of mine and I began talking about spotting during turns.  We were watching a few dancers in the class and observing who spots well, how they spot, and what the results were for their turns.

As you might expect, the professional ballerinas had intensely sharp spots and their turns were clean, regardless of how many they performed. Then we looked at the "old" pros, the retired dancers.  They too had sharp head spots.

But the amateur dancers - no matter how wonderful they were otherwise - did not have that spot. Indeed, we take a class that is primarily for advanced dancers so the students have a lot of skills.  Some of them can do 3 and 4 pirouettes, but they manage to do them without that sharp spot.

What is this spot we're talking about?
--The focus does not waver or get distracted.
--The chin is lifted slightly.
--The eyes are wide open, not downcast.
--The shoulders move independently of the head.
--The neck is relaxed, not rigid.
--The head stays in one place and the body moves below it.

One of the reasons pros have this sharp spot is from performing on stage. And it is of paramount importance safety-wise! On stage, the lights can blur your gaze as you turn so if it's not fixed beyond the audience, you can get dizzy and fall or knock someone else over. Pros practice turning in studios and on stage with an audience in mind so they are always dancing "beyond themselves." This stage work is an advantage they have over non-pros.

But you can have this spot! First, it goes without saying that you need to practice - a lot! Second, follow the guidelines I noted above. And third, utilize alternate turn techniques that will get your head moving quickly.  I like to have students do very fast chainee turns across the floor, starting with their arms outstretched and then pulling them in tightly to spin faster and faster.  This forces a fast spot.  My friend, who teaches young children mostly, asks her students to bourree in a circle around themselves and spot the mirror.  You can do this at home when you are in the bathroom brushing your teeth!

The most crucial component of a fast head spot is relaxation. If you approach a turn in an anxious manner, your chin will pull back into your chest and you will turn very stiffly.  Relax, mentally and physically.

And my second bit of info for my local dancers: on Thursday, Oct 4th and Friday, Oct 5th, I will have a sub for my classes at Le Studio in Pasadena.  Due to family visiting, I am actually taking two days off to spend with them (shocking, I know!).  So on Thursday, I'm talking about my Pointe 2 class at 5:30 and Int Ballet at 6:30; on Friday, it's my Teen Ballet at 4:30, Stretch at 5:30 and Beg/Int Ballet at 6:30.  Otherwise, I am teaching ALL of my other classes this week, including Wednesday morning and evening, and will be back in the studio in Pasadena bright and early for Basic Ballet at 9AM on Saturday morning.