Ballet Webb

Friday, September 14, 2018

Fun Friday Open Window

Although this image is a great way to teach pliés to children, it works for all ages.

It’s pretty self-explanatory: open the window when you plié, and close it when the legs straighten.

Emphasize that the window must be broadly open, so one could look out and see everything clearly (hence engaging a turned out position). When the window closes, the knees must be fully elongated: don’t leave the window partially open.

Have fun with it: open the window, close the window!

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Secret #2ff:

“Think of open the window, close the window to teach pliés.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hn19KL9w4tA

Quote of the Day:

“Set wide the window. Let me drink the day.”
― Edith Wharton, Artemis to Actaeon and Other Verses

Help expand the knowledge base!

Leave a comment about any instructions, ideas, or images that worked best for you!

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:

http://www.balletconnections.com/?s=debrawebbrogers

Or "Like" me on my Facebook Author Page:

https://www.facebook.com/Violet-Rightmire-256648280108/timeline/

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For interesting articles involving mental health:

https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/

Thursday, September 13, 2018

Throwback Thursday and Diane Suzuki

Nineteen-year-old Diane Suzuki was a dance student at the University of Hawaii in Manoa when she disappeared on July 6, 1985. She was last seen around 5 p.m. outside the Rosalie Woodson Dance Academy in Aiea where she worked as a dance teacher.

Her disappearance has been the focus of one of the most notorious criminal investigations in Hawaii. It also marked the first time certain advances in forensic science were used by the Honolulu Police Department. In addition, evidence at the scene led to legislation that changed Hawaii's harassment laws to include stalking.

A book entitled Honolulu Cop, written by retired Honolulu Police Department Major Gary Dias includes information about the Suzuki case.

Suzuki’s disappearance has never been solved.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Dance History Secret #248:

“The disappearance of dancer Diane Suzuki caused Hawaii to change its laws to include stalking.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVZLncam4P0

Quote of the Day:

“Life's under no obligation to give us what we expect.”
― Margaret Mitchell

Help expand the knowledge base!

Leave a comment about any instructions, ideas, or images that worked best for you!

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:

http://www.balletconnections.com/?s=debrawebbrogers

Or "Like" me on my Facebook Author Page:

https://www.facebook.com/Violet-Rightmire-256648280108/timeline/

Or visit my Pinterest page:

https://www.pinterest.com/debtutu/

For interesting articles involving mental health:

https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/

Wednesday, September 12, 2018

Wild Wednesday Carton of Eggs

When dance students begin learning the art of partnering, one critical issue is how firmly the male dancer should hold his partner. Some students are so shy they are afraid to apply enough pressure to adequately support their partner, while others hold way too tightly. Ouch!

I use the image of a carton of eggs. When carrying this carton from point A to point B you would hold it firmly enough to prevent dropping it, but not so firmly as to break the eggs.

That being said, during lifts or other more advanced areas of partnering, the pressure will be a bit more firm – a grip strong enough to prevent falls, but never a grip that causes pain.

Of course, if the worst case scenario happens, andt the female is about to be dropped, her partner must do everything he can to keep her safe.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Partnering Secret #27d:

“Imagine holding a carton of eggs for the correct amount of pressure.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUc4zjVVPh8

Quote of the Day:

“Tis hatched and shall be so”
― William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew

Help expand the knowledge base!

Leave a comment about any instructions, ideas, or images that worked best for you!

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:

http://www.balletconnections.com/?s=debrawebbrogers

Or "Like" me on my Facebook Author Page:

https://www.facebook.com/Violet-Rightmire-256648280108/timeline/

Or visit my Pinterest page:

https://www.pinterest.com/debtutu/

For interesting articles involving mental health:

https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Terminology Tuesday Tour de Reins

Tour de reins (toor duh ren) means turn of the back. Here is the description of the step from Gail Grant’s Technical Manual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet:

“This is a series of coupé-jeté en tournant done en manège. The dancer contracts his back muscles and leans toward the centre of the circle at an acute angle. The angle is obtained through the speed and continuity of the step which demands good elevation and a well-arched back. The tempo has an unusual accent and the step actually becomes jeté-coupé instead of coupé-jeté. The jeté maybe performed in attitude or arabesque.”

This series of steps is most commonly called barrel turns, and you can see it demonstrated in today’s Link of the Day.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Secret #30g:

“Tour de reins means turn of the back.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQm_nznZ7cU

Quote of the Day:

“You have to love dancing to stick to it. It gives you nothing back, no manuscripts to store away, no paintings to show on walls and maybe hang in museums, no poems to be printed and sold, nothing but that single fleeting moment when you feel alive.”
― Merce Cunningham

Help expand the knowledge base!

Leave a comment about any instructions, ideas, or images that worked best for you!

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:

http://www.balletconnections.com/?s=debrawebbrogers

Or "Like" me on my Facebook Author Page:

https://www.facebook.com/Violet-Rightmire-256648280108/timeline/

Or visit my Pinterest page:

https://www.pinterest.com/debtutu/

For interesting articles involving mental health:

https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/

Monday, September 10, 2018

Marvelous Monday Penchée Day

Today we celebrate everything related to penchée! I have written many times about this lovely, but challenging step and you can search my blog for the details on these previous entries:

Ballet Secret #11n: Imagine the hips supported by wide ribbons tied to the ceiling during penchée.

Ballet Secret #21b: “The rule of the penchée: the body is only allowed to go down as much as the leg goes up.”

Ballet Secret #21c: “To help maintain stability in a penchée, think of sending energy outward through the working leg.”

Ballet Secret #21g: The word “penchée” means leaning or inclined.

Ballet Secret #22q: If you have a split on the floor you can have a 6 o’clock penchée.

Today I’m adding one more, and it is important. To maintain stability in a penchée, you must keep the weight over the ball of the supporting foot at all times! There is a tendency, especially when the working leg is at its full height, to rock back on the heel of the standing leg. Gasp! When this happens all is lost. Scary.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Ballet Secret #11o:

“Keep the weight over the ball of the standing foot during a penchée.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jkg7bQXAhp4

Quote of the Day:

“It is not that I'm so smart. But I stay with the questions much longer.”
― Albert Einstein

Help expand the knowledge base!

Leave a comment about any instructions, ideas, or images that worked best for you!

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:

http://www.balletconnections.com/?s=debrawebbrogers

Or "Like" me on my Facebook Author Page:

https://www.facebook.com/Violet-Rightmire-256648280108/timeline/

Or visit my Pinterest page:

https://www.pinterest.com/debtutu/

For interesting articles involving mental health:

https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/

Sunday, September 9, 2018

Sunday Happy Moments

When you think back on events in your life, probably the things you remember most and those things that have the greatest emotional impact are moments. Not a grand epic adventure but single, powerful moments. You may have had a wonderful vacation, but you don’t remember it in its entirety, but in small, precious snapshot moments.

Be alert to those small moments and try to recognize the happy moments in each day, however ordinary the day might be.

Today’s image above says it well. Happy moments everyone!

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Motivational Secret #246:

“Fill your day with happy moments.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK3HRdrwvxc

Quote of the Day:

“The most beautiful things are not associated with money; they are memories and moments. If you don't celebrate those, they can pass you by”.

- Alek Wek

Help expand the knowledge base!

Leave a comment about any instructions, ideas, or images that worked best for you!

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:

http://www.balletconnections.com/?s=debrawebbrogers

Or "Like" me on my Facebook Author Page:

https://www.facebook.com/Violet-Rightmire-256648280108/timeline/

Or visit my Pinterest page:

https://www.pinterest.com/debtutu/

For interesting articles involving mental health:

https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/

Saturday, September 8, 2018

Saturday Success Statute

As a rule, dancers tend to find success in whatever they attempt to do in life – not just in the field of dance. This is true for those who never made dance a career but instead went into another field. Simply studying dance provides a benefit.

The reason for this isn’t hard to understand. The personal discipline and goal-oriented training a dancer receives will help them find success in many areas. Here are ten reasons why dancers are successful human beings from https://www.lifehack.org/287521/10-reasons-dancers-are-more-likely-successful

They are tenacious.

They have a positive attitude

They are self-disciplined

They are committed

They are passionate

They celebrate the “little victories”

They thrive on perfectionism

They are driven

They are courageous

Think about all these things the next time you step into a dance class.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Ballet Statute #137: