2 3 Ballet Webb: May 2020

Monday, May 18, 2020

Mad Monday Change



Mad Monday Change

After writing this blog daily for several years, I’ve decided it is time to take a step back (no pun intended). Without my students around - whose inspiration is critical for this blog - I am finding it difficult to post new things.

I’m not going away completely, and the blog will stay online. It is searchable so if you have something you want to learn, see if I’ve already done a blog on it. If you have any other questions you can always email me directly. I ‘d be happy to help!

When I have a new idea I will write a new post. Also, anyone who would like to do a guest blog is encouraged to do so. Just send it to me and I’ll post it.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Ballet Secret #5000:
“Change is a part of life.”

Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“Incredible change happens in your life when you decide to take control of what you do have power over instead of craving control over what you don't.”
― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free

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Sunday, May 17, 2020

Sunday What It Is




Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“It's been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will.”
― Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

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Saturday, May 16, 2020

Superstitious Saturday Elephant



Superstitious Saturday Elephant

Many dancers have lucky objects that they’d never be without – especially during performance season. Have you ever known someone who has a lucky elephant charm or stuffed animal?

Elephants are considered lucky, especially in India and Southeast Asia where they are often depicted in religious ceremonies. It was during the 20th century that Americans adopted the elephant as a symbol of good luck. The belief that an elephant object is lucky only if its truck is lifted up is something that is believed to have originated in American and not in Asia.

But it is also said that any elephant talisman is only lucky if it is pointed toward the door. Dancers should remember that before placing one on a dressing table. But what if there is more than one door? Hmmm….

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Superstitious Secret #207:
“A lucky elephant charm must be pointed toward the door.”

Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“Elephants love reunions. They recognize one another after years and years of separation and greet each other with wild, boisterous joy. There's bellowing and trumpeting, ear flapping and rubbing. Trunks entwine.”
― Jennifer Richard Jacobson, Small as an Elephant

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Friday, May 15, 2020

Fun Friday Equal Resistance



Fun Friday Equal Resistance

There are many times when the familiar concept of equal-and-opposite energy is used in partnering. In fact, it is critical for the success of any pas de deux.

Take a promenade for example. The male dancer exerts an upward pressure with his hand which is matched by a downward pressure from the ballerina. Without this equal resistance the promenade is doomed. This matched energy exists in many, many other areas of pas de deux work.

There is also this more ephemeral aspect as stated in this article  https://www.dancemagazine.com/partnering-tips-for-women-2490611351.html in Pointe magazine: “Hands touching are a unique mechanism sending for messages about balance between bodies.”

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Partnering Secret #27i:
“There is an equal and opposite energy between partners.”

Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“Better to go alone than to be badly accompanied. - Madame Dariaux”
― Kathleen Tessaro, Elegance

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Thursday, May 14, 2020

Throwback Thursday and Olga Spessivtseva



Throwback Thursday and Olga Spessivtseva

Olga Alexandrovna Spessivtseva was born on July 18, 1895 in Russia. She was said to be one of the best ballerinas of the twentieth century, with technique beyond the level of the day.

Spessivtseva was born into a well-to-do family but her father died when she was a child and she was sent to an orphanage. At age ten she enrolled at the Imperial Ballet School in St. Petersburg and there she dedicated herself to ballet. She graduated in 1913 and was a soloist by 1916.

After touring with Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes she returned to Russia and was promoted to Prima Ballerina. Here she performed the role she is probably best known for: Giselle. She is said to have been the greatest Giselle, even better than Pavlova according to some sources. George Balanchine said she was “a beautiful diamond, cool, distant, and perfect.” 

In 1919 she contracted tuberculosis, the same disease that killed her father. But she survived it and by 1921 she rejoined the Ballet Russes. From there she danced again in Russia, and then with the Paris Opera. When Diaghilev invited her to dance Odette at Covent Garden and promised to revive Giselle for her, she returned to The Ballet Russes. When Diaghilev died, she was devastated.

In 1932 she did dance Giselle again in England for the Camargo Soviet production at the Savoy Theatre. However, Spessivtseva’s perfectionism caused problems in many places. Sometimes her contracts were cancelled. She gave her last performance in Buenos Aires in 1937.

The war in Europe caused her to move to the U.S. where she became an advisor to the newly formed Ballet Theatre (now ABT). Sadly, in 1943 she had a mental breakdown and was committed to a mental institution, where she remained for twenty years. Apparently the staff at the hospital didn’t know who she was and since Spessivtseva’s memory had failed she was unable to tell them. Thus, her colleagues lost track of her and thought she must have died. But Anton Dolin, Dale Fern and Felia Doubrovska eventually found her and had her relocated to the Tolstoy Farm in Valley Cottage, N.Y. She lived there until her death in 1991. She was 96 years old.


From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Ballet Secret #:
”Olga Spessivtseva was a Prima Ballerina with technique beyond her time.”

Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“There is a saying in Tibetan, 'Tragedy should be utilized as a source of strength.'
No matter what sort of difficulties, how painful experience is, if we lose our hope, that's our real disaster.”
― Dalai Lama XIV

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Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Wacky Wednesday Anticipate



Wacky Wednesday Anticipate

One of the secrets to achieving good petit allegro is this: never underestimate the power of landing. That’s right, landing.

The landing of any jump is the preparation for the next jump or the next, whatever. It isn’t an ending although dancers tend to think about it that way. Any landing is never an ending, it is a continuation.

Therefore, while suspended in the air, the focus should be on anticipating the landing. Descending to the floor with good posture and especially a good, juicy plié sets the dancer up for success no matter what follows. Not to mention that the good, juicy plié helps prevent injury.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Ballet Secret #15lll:
“Anticipate the landing while in the air.”

Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“Well," said Pooh, "what I like best," and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called.”
― A. A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

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Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Terminology Tuesday Elan



Terminology Tuesday Elan

The word elan [ay-LAHN] means energy, enthusiasm and style. In dance it refers to the way a dancer attacks or executes a step. In French the term means “to dart” and is often spelled élan.

When a dancer is said to have performed with élan, it means they danced with a certain style or uniqueness. Synonyms for elan are: ArdorDashFlairPanacheStyleZeal.


From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Terminology Secret #92:
“Élan refers to the way a dancer executes a step.”

Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“You know, Minister, I disagree with Dumbledore on many counts...but you cannot deny he's got style...”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

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Monday, May 11, 2020

Mad Monday Following Shoulder



Mad Monday Following Shoulder

In piqué turns, spotting is essential. It helps prevent dizziness and keeps the dancer on the proper path, thus avoiding problems like falling into the orchestra pitJ.

Here is a new way to think about spotting piqué turns. Focus on spotting over the following shoulder. That is, if you are turning to the right, you think of spotting over the left shoulder, and vice versa.

It may seem strange at first, but I think you will find that it is very workable and effective.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Ballet Secret #14yyy:
“Spot over the following shoulder.”

Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“Daring ideas are like chessmen moved forward. They may be beaten, but they may start a winning game.”
― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

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Sunday, May 10, 2020

Happy Mother’s Day




Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“But there's a story behind everything. How a picture got on a wall. How a scar got on your face. Sometimes the stories are simple, and sometimes they are hard and heartbreaking. But behind all your stories is always your mother's story, because hers is where yours begin.”
― Mitch Albom, For One More Day

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Saturday, May 9, 2020

Superstitious Saturday Bananas



Superstitious Saturday Bananas

Most people are familiar with the idea that slipping on a banana peel isn’t a good thing. But are there other reasons why bananas are believed to be unlucky?

Apparently this idea may originate from fishing boats. Seriously. Obviously the fact that banana peels are slippery is part of the reason why fisherman aren’t supposed to bring a banana or two in their lunch pails and why they consider them to be unlucky. But it may also be because banana peels release potentially toxic gas as they decay. One banana probably wouldn’t be a problem, but add several rotting below deck…whew!

Also, decaying banana peels would likely attract unwanted bugs, and thus become a problem not only for the crew but for other cargo (fresh produce). It is also believed that sweet smell of bananas lingering on a crew member’s hands might scare the fish away. Hmmmm…

At any rate, it’s probably best to forgo bananas on a boat.


From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Superstitious Secret #206:
“Some believe bananas are bad luck.”

Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“Always take a banana to a party.”
― Steven Moffat

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