Monday, February 28, 2011

Modern Dance

We normally talk about ballet, jazz, or tap on this blog - but what about modern dance? Ballet Petite does offer a few classes in Modern Fusion and Lyrical for our older students. Modern Dance has always been a hot topic in the dance community and, as it has evolved, its own definition has evolved with it.


Developed in the early 20th century, Modern Dance began with traditional dancers experimenting with modern concepts such as the effect of lighting on movement. Martha Graham, one of the leaders in the field, founded the Martha Graham Dance Company in 1926. Her choreography, once a revolt against traditional dance, is now considered to be classic modern pieces. As modern dance companies look to expand their range and embrace ever-changing technology, the question becomes: how do they stay true to their form? This article in the Wall Street Journal, "Stepping Toward a Modern Future," addresses some of these concerns.
Want to find out more? Click on the links!

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Weekend Update!

Hello Dancers!


I know we took a break for the holiday weekend, but now that we're back in full swing, I wanted to make sure everyone knows some of our important upcoming dates!


March 14th - 20th is Observation Week! In all of our classical child (and younger) classes, parents will be allowed in to observe the entire class!


March 21st - 25th - Our first week of Spring Camp! Please check out our schedule on our website (http://www.balletpetite.com/)!



March 28th - first day of Spring 2011 Session! If you haven't already done so, make sure you sign up for spring! Some of our classes are already full!


March 28th - April 1st - Our second week of Spring Camp! Don't worry, regular spring classes will run on schedule!


Happy Dancing!


Saturday, February 26, 2011

Petite Boutique - Plushies!




Hello Dancers!


As a part of getting ready for spring in our boutique, we need to make some space! We have some beautiful plushies left over from Valentines Day that we are offering at 40% off! There are elephants, porcupines (non-prickly!), and teddy bears!

My favorite stuffed animal that I always held onto before class was my stuffed giraffe. Do you have a favorite plushie?



Friday, February 25, 2011

Le Corsaire


Pirates, pashas, and sword fights? Oh my! That does not sound like a ballet, but it is! Le Corsaire will be at the Washington Ballet April 6 - 11 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts!Click on the picture to find out more!

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Petite Boutique - Ready for Spring!


Did you enjoy those warm days last week? I know I did! And in the boutique, we have already started getting ready for spring! That means - flowers everywhere! We have some beautiful hair clips and ponytail holders in the boutique. I can't wait until the real flowers start blooming outside!

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Dance Your Way to a Healthy Lifestyle

Dancing, while it may not feel the same as running on a treadmill, is an incredible workout for your body! Whether its ballet, jazz, or tap, the movement and cardio help your body burn calories and build muscle. New salsa-based dance classes, like zumba, are becoming more and more popular as an alternative work out at the gym: http://tinyurl.com/63rwkrh. Dancing is even known to help people with diseases that affect their motor skills, such as parksinsons: http://tinyurl.com/6xjdugg.

But don't forget - dancing is not going to do you any good if you keep eating cheeseburgers! Make sure to dance and eat lots of fruits and vegetables too!

Friday, February 18, 2011

Happy President's Day!

In honor of Presidents Day, we have Saturday - Monday off! Woo-hoo! But that doesn't mean you have to stop dancing just because you don't have class!
In fact, our first President, George Washington, loved to dance! At his inuagural ball, he danced to a minuet with his wife, Martha. He was also a music lover and purchased many instruments for his home in Mount Vernon, such as harpsichord from London and a Dodds fortepiano, one of the first pianos built in the United States.

Check out some more at the Colonial Music Institute. And have a happy Presidents Day!

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Story Corner: La Fille Mal Gardee

Hello Dancers! We have Spring Camps coming upon us and I wanted to introduce to you a lovely ballet that the 5 and 6 year olds will be working on during their Ballerina Camp. La Fille Mal Gardee was written over 200 years ago, and it was one of the first ballet's to feature common people as its main characters. (Before this, ballet's featured gods and goddesses as their subjects.)

La Fille Mal Gardee is the story of Lise, a girl who is desperately in love with the farmer, Colas. However, her mother, Madame Simone, wants her to marry the wealthy Alain (who would rather dance with his umbrella than dance with Lise!)

The ballet features a myriad of fun dances - the clog dance with percussive instruments, a ribbon dance, and a beautiful wedding dance at the end! If you want to see some other pictures and get more info about the dance, check out this website: http://www.theballetbag.com/2010/03/09/la-fille-mal-gardee/. And don't forget to check out our spring camps!

Happy Dancing!

Monday, February 14, 2011

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Petite Boutique: Valentine Charms!


Valentine's Day is almost here! And in our boutique, we are having a charm sale! Buy two charms and get one free! I think they'd be perfect for a Valentine's day gift!

Some of our wonderful teachers have been handing out Valentine's of their own :-)

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Mariinsky Ballet performs "Giselle" at the Kennedy Center



"Boasting an artistic legacy that spans more than 200 years, St. Petersburg's Mariinsky Ballet returns with the classic evening-length ballet Giselle, choreographed by Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot, and Marius Petipa."

Performances are at the Kennedy Center Opera House through February 13th, check it out!

Happy Dancing,

Sophie


Friday, February 11, 2011

Highlight: Spence Ramirez

If you work hard enough, you might be able to dance your way into a company too! Spencer Ramirez, a former student of our own Miss Katie, is now a part of the Mark Morris Dance Group, along with three others from the DC metro area. He was studying at Julliard when he heard of a men's audition in NYC.



The Mark Morris Dance Group makes its annual visit to George Mason University Feb. 4-5. The programs, beginning both nights at 8, consist of the following pieces:

"Petrichor," a new Morris work with an all-female cast, accompanied by Heitor Villa-Lobos's rarely heard String Quartet No. 2;

"Excursions," with music by Samuel Barber;

"Going Away Party," the only piece on the bill performed to recorded music: the sounds of heartbreak by Western swing legend Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys;

"Silhouettes," set to Richard Cumming's piano composition of the same name.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Cinderella!



Hello Dancers!





I have a special treat for you today! I have some special coloring pages from one of my favorite stories: Cinderella! As you've probably heard, both performance companies are doing Cinderella this spring - the Cinderella ballet and Disney's Cinderella Kids! The final performances won't be until May, but I just can't wait!



Just click on the picture to the right, and you'll be taken to a site with wonderful Cinderella coloring pages!

Happy Dancing!

Monday, February 7, 2011

Story Corner: Bijou, Bon Bon and Beau


Hello Dancers! Today, we are going to look at a wonderful story we use in our Classical Child I lesson - Bijou, BonBon and Beau! It is a book by Joan Sweeney which uses Degas-esque paintings for a backdrop. The story follows a mother cat and her three lovely kittens as they find a home in a dance company in Paris. On opening night, the kittens run out onstage and dance with the ballerinas! This picture above is a painting we have in our hallway. Take a good look - those dresses the girls are wearing are exactly like the ones we get to wear in our storydance! And we also get to have cute little kittens as props! It is definitely one of my favorite stories!
*Thanks for the idea for this post, Miss Lee-Ann!

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Dance for a Cause

Did you know that you can put your dancing skills to work helping others out? Currently, the University of Iowa's children's hospital is holding a dance marathon to raise money. Over 2400 dancers came out! http://tinyurl.com/5vn7ney

Want to start your own dance marathon? Check out this article: http://www.studentleader.com/trend7.htm. It tells you all about how to set one up and run it! Nothing like a little dancing to get the blood flowing - what a fun way to help those in need!

Happy Dancing!

- Molly

Friday, February 4, 2011

We Are What We Wear

Listen up Dancers! Recital information for the Spring will be coming out soon. I've been looking at all the different performances - Thumbelina, Alice in Wonderland, Sleeping Beauty - and I am so excited to see what the costumes will be! We have an amazing production team that makes all of our performance outfits! And that got me thinking... how do costumes affect the way we perform?


This article by journalist and ballerina Julie Diana, talks about performing in contemporary costumes as opposed to classical tutus. Have you ever performed without tights, and how did that feel? What is the difference you feel dancing in a big tutu as opposed to a small one? Though these may be subtle differences, they effect the visual aesthetics of a performance as well as the character the ballerina portrays.


For instance, this costume we sell:


... gives off a very different feeling than a black tutu would. Next time you're in class, think about how the tutus or costumes we put on affect our character and our story!

Happy Dancing!

- Molly

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Dance is Everywhere!

Dance is everywhere! Last night, while I was watching TV, I saw this commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXksZAKzJpc


Do you recognize who they are? It is Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor tap dancing! Just ask Miss Katie or Miss Lori all about them! And keep your eyes peeled for dance outside of the studio - you never know what you might find!