Fun Friday Peek-A-Boo

Fun Friday Peek-A-Boo

A small problem that can cause bigger problems is playing peek-a-boo with the arms. In other words, creating movements with the port de bras that hide the face instead of presenting it.

One frequent place this occurs is in a cambré back. The arms need to precede the head – as if the arms are a “pillow” for the head. This way the dancer’s face and expressions are framed and clearly seen, allowing a beautiful line.

Peek-a-boo happens in big jumps too. Often because of the force of the jump, the arms fly too high and end up in front of the dancer’s face.

Beware of playing peek-a-boo and always make sure the audience can see your radiant expressions!

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Secret #6hhh:

“ Avoid playing peek-a-boo with your arms.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iappqIblCcI

Quote of the Day:

“Almost nothing need be said when you have eyes.”
― Tarjei Vesaas, The Boat in the Evening

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Throwback Thursday and James Starbuck

Throwback Thursday and James Starbuck

James Starbuck grew up in Oakland California and went on to become the first American man to dance with the Ballet Russes de Monte Carlo. Prior to this he performed with the San Francisco Opera Ballet.

He went on to dance in several Broadway productions including “Song of Norway” and “Sleepy Hollow” and then choreographed shows such as “Fanny”. But the best was yet to come. He began to work in what was then a new medium: television. Soon he was called the “Dean of Choreography”. He worked on classic shows like Sid Caesar’s “Show of Shows where he performed satires of classical ballets, often appearing as Imogene Coca’s partner. These satirical pieces opened ballet to new audiences (see the Link of the Day).

He earned two Emmy Awards for "Arthur Murray's Dance Party" and "The Andy Williams Show." His work was also seen in many other television shows like the Bob Hope specials and the Bell Telephone Hour.

James Starbuck died of pancreatic cancer in August 1997. He was 85.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Dance History Secret #200:

“James Starbuck was an American dancer and choreographer known for his satirical ballets on early American television.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jt9QpogdMAU

Quote of the Day:

“Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope.”
― Dr. Seuss

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https://www.amazon.com/Frames-Borders-Backgrounds-Color-Rogers/dp/0980191955/

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Wacky Wednesday Stick

Wacky Wednesday Stick

Yesterday I talked about the term brisé télémaque. Today I’m presenting a hint to help with brisés.

The position of the upper body is important! There is a specific posture associated with brisés (see above photo), and it involves the upper body leaning slightly forward (created by a contraction in the abdominals) so in the air the dancer appears bent (“broken” see previous blogs). The arms are also critical.

There is a tendency for the arms to “help” the beats by moving back and forth and losing the correct positioning that has an angle from the back arm (up) and the curved (in front of the ribs).

Imagine a stick (any sturdy kind will do), connecting the back hand to the front hand. This will help prevent any excess, unnecessary movements that will negatively affect the brisés.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Secret #15vvv:

“Imagine a stick connecting the two arms in brisé.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKPBGpA5u7Q

Quote of the Day:

“She made broken look beautiful
and strong look invincible.
She walked with the Universe
on her shoulders and made it
look like a pair of wings.”
― Ariana Dancu

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Terminology Tuesday Télémaque

Terminology Tuesday Télémaque

Sometimes balletic-sounding terms refer not only to a dance step but to music appropriate – and sometimes composed – specifically for that particular step(s). Today’s term is a case in point.

Brisé télémaque (bree ZAY tay lay MAK) comes from the French school, and it is music for small jumps. It may have been composed by a dancer named Télémaque. It was originally written in ¾ time, but there was soon another in 4/4 time. Today, many versions of brisé télémaque exist.

It can also be a step. According to https://dancers.invisionzone.com/topic/3677-brises/?page=2:

“ Brisé télémaque is a compound step of the old French school. It is also a part of old-time Bournonville vocabulary.” Also from the same site: “The brises Telemaque are execued that way in the French School:  “Brise, royale, entrechat 4 Vole, means finished in coupe back, brise back, royale and again entrechat 4 vole, it is usually executed on diagonale.

Reference:Grammaire de la danse classique by Germaine Prudhommeau and Genevieve Guillot, edition Hachette (out of print) ;)”

Again from the same site, there is some debate about the story of the dancer/composer naming the step/music. Hmmm.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Secret #30o:

“Brisé télémaque can refer to music or a ballet step.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojUlcaFoeDM

Quote of the Day:

“Doubts are good. Confusion is excellent. Questions are awesome.
All these are attempts to expand the wisdom of mind.”
― Manoj Arora, Dream On

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https://www.amazon.com/Family-Tree-Coloring-Debra-Rogers/dp/0980191947/

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Mad Monday Micro

Mad Monday Micro

Dancers are a highly motivated lot. They usually don’t need to be beaten down mentally in order to work at maximum potential. Unfortunately, this is often exactly what happens. This comes from a long tradition of teachers and directors holding the belief that saying something –anything - nice leads to a lazy dancer. I have never known this to be the case, and fortunately things are beginning to change in the dance world.

Dancers learn to accept constructive criticism on a daily basis, and that’s good and  helps them improve. But often this constant dosing of “what needs to be fixed” leads to self micro-managing. And this often leads to depression – still a sad secret in the dance world.

Here is an article that addresses this issue: https://www.dancemagazine.com/why-are-we-still-so-bad-at-addressing-dancers-mental-health-2466177083.html?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1

One quote from this article is this: “Feeling like you want to quit is a common symptom of depression, according to Dr. Goonan. It does not necessarily mean that you will, or should stop dancing.”

I’m sure there are many dancers that need (or needed) to hear this.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Secret #21zz:

“Avoid micro-managing yourself.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJnZhdf_gZs

Quote of the Day:

“Perfectionism is self-abuse of the highest order.”

-         Anne Wilson Schaef

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Sunday Four A’s

Sunday Four A’s

On this Thanksgiving weekend, here are the four A’s of gratitude. They are fully explained in the Link of the Day below.

1. Appreciation

2. Approval

3. Admiration

4. Attention

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Motivational Secret #253:

“Think about all the things you are grateful for.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLMbaNG3G3Q

Quote of the Day:

“When one has a grateful heart, life is so beautiful.”
― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

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Superstitious Saturday Shoes

Superstitious Saturday Shoes

Here’s a superstition I never encountered. Perhaps it does not apply to dancers?

Apparently, putting shoes on a dressing room table will bring bad luck. Hmmm. Almost every dancer I know lines up their pointe shoes on their dressing table, often in order of use. It never caused any bad luck that I know of…

Then again, in the world of the theater, actors probably have bigger shoes, or boots or something similar that would make the top of the table crowded, to say the least, so maybe that has something to do with it.

This superstition may go back to the belief in the UK that putting new shoes on a table symbolises death of a family member. Or, here’s another reason from https://relo.wordpress.com/2007/07/11/superstition-and-shoes/:

“Shoes placed on a table are thought to be a bad omen and either a quarrel in the house, or a storm of thunder and lightening will come.”

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Superstition #147:

“Shoes on a dressing-room table will bring bad luck.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkZiAbRQ3wU

Quote of the Day:

“It doesn't matter how great your shoes are if you don't accomplish anything in them.”
― Martina Boone, Compulsion

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https://www.amazon.com/Family-Tree-Coloring-Debra-Rogers/dp/0980191947/

https://www.amazon.com/Frames-Borders-Backgrounds-Color-Rogers/dp/0980191955/

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Fun Friday Underneath

Fun Friday Underneath

Earlier this week I talked about concentrating on your supporting side in développés. Now that you’ve mastered that, let’s talk about another element.

In trying to achieve higher extensions, dancers often focus on lifting the working leg, and this engages the muscles on top of the leg (think quads). This is ineffective. Instead, imagine the underneath muscles. Now imagine these muscles lengthening outward and upward.

Think lengthen, not lift, and feel it from underneath.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Secret #11q:

“To improve your développés, work from underneath the leg.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=We7KAkWJow8

Quote of the Day:

“ …for every bottom underneath us, there’s always endless opportunity above us.” 

― Craig D. Lounsbrough

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https://www.amazon.com/Frames-Borders-Backgrounds-Color-Rogers/dp/0980191955/

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Thursday Thanksgiving

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psch9N4PmO4

Quote of the Day:

“Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”
― Marcel Proust

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My latest books are coloring books! They are available on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Family-Tree-Coloring-Debra-Rogers/dp/0980191947/

https://www.amazon.com/Frames-Borders-Backgrounds-Color-Rogers/dp/0980191955/

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Wacky Wednesday Opposite

Wacky Wednesday Opposite

Often dancers concentrate so hard on exactly what they are trying to do, they get tangled up. Focus is great, but sometimes it helps to make sure the focus isn’t in the wrong place. Instead, imagine the opposite.

For instance, in pirouettes, instead of trying hard to create more turns, focus on bringing the opposite side of your body around, since the tendency is usually to work on the leading side (often by throwing the leading arm around). Scary.

In balancing, if you are falling to the right, make yourself fall to the left. Simple. Sometimes that alone with achieve the balance desired.

In attempting a higher developpé, focus on the standing leg and the standing side – not the working leg. This provides a solid base for the extension.

You may have realized by now that this is yet another example of equal and opposite energy. Sneaky, huh?

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Secret #21yy:

“Imagine the opposite.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_GdBwSWC-k

Quote of the Day:

“You always had it in you to create miracles, but you forgot that it required you to do the opposite of what you are doing now.”
― Shannon L. Alder

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My latest books are coloring books! They are available on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Family-Tree-Coloring-Debra-Rogers/dp/0980191947/

https://www.amazon.com/Frames-Borders-Backgrounds-Color-Rogers/dp/0980191955/

Want to know more about me? Read my interview at Ballet Connections:

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