En pointe

The Joburg Ballet Company was established with the mission to give and provide young dancers, skilled in both classical ballet and contemporary dance with the opportunity to train and grow, along with the help of private teachers. Since then the company has produced multiple sets of work such as Romeo and Juliet where their dancers were showcased performing in front of a huge crowd at the Joburg theatre and other stages carrying out that mission. And this year that mission came in a form of the…

The word “Ballet” itself is French in origin, ballet is a classical dance form with flowing patterns to create expression through movement. It’s a form of art just like how artists express themselves through paintings, ballet dancers show passion through dancing. Over the years ballet has changed in every way. In the early 1400’s an Italian man named Domenico described theatrical dances called Balletto. Luxurious pageants of music and dance would be done, women and men both would attend these…

the requirements to be able to go on pointe is to be at the age of ten and a half or older, have at least two years of ballet training, and consistent in attending ballet classes for at least four and half hours a week. This is the stage when dancers use a special shoe to be able to stand on their toes. Even though watching a ballerina dance on their toes may look divine, this is very painful for them. Some of the most common injuries caused by going on pointe are blisters, ingrowned and dead…

heels. As ballet evolved, many different new looks stayed around and others forgotten. For example, the classy white, round skirts that reached only at the calf for women. Dance variations in ballet also came and went, famous one was dancing on toe (pointe) that was meant only for women as well. Ballet gained popularities mostly because the Ballet Russes, they toured Europe and America, exposing the different ballet variations and finally, one of them (George Balanchine) settled in America and…

The performances In the Middle Somewhat Elevated and Spartacus resemble and differ from each other in several ways. The execution in Spartacus in which Phrygia is taken away is similar to that of In the Middle Somewhat Elevated; both employ similar moves as they are both ballets. The two performances seem seem to imply some sort of romance going on with the duo dancing in each. Both dances imploy music that fits the style they’re going for Spartacus with an orchestra and In the Middle Somewhat…

Ballet is beautiful, challenging, and full of joy. But did you know it can keep you fit and reduce injuries? At The Ridgefield School of Dance in Ridgefield, CT, they offer ballet, jazz, lyrical, and tap dancing lessons for those ages five and over. Taught by experienced professional dancers, their state-of-the-art dance classes spread ability, grace, and strength to their students. It’s no secret that ballet is a skill that requires discipline. Most who learn, though, find the skill brings…

two-minute, pink to black costume change countdown had ended and left me with two choices: leave my colleagues to improvise a previously well-choreographed finale or get creative quick. I chose the latter, pulled on my black tights, and ditched my black pointe shoes. From the prima ballerinas to the corps de ballet to the extras decorating the periphery of the stage, everyone listed in the program fulfills an integral role and must be present for the performance to unfold as intended. The same…

Cunningham’s choreography from the 1950s exemplified the way in which he studied ballet to form a modern technique. Septet, choreographed in 1953, featured six dancers in traditional ballet practice clothes, though instead of ballet shoes they were barefoot. In the film of a 1964 performance in Helsinki, Finland, the balletic influences are clearly visible from the beginning of the work. In the first of the seven sections, the lights rise on three statuesque dancers in a diagonal line across the…

Ballet is very focused on precision, control of the body, and flowing motions. One of the key principals of ballet is the turnout, which is the outward rotation of the legs coming from the hips. Another common technique is pointe work, in which dancers support all of their weight on the tips of the feet. Both Dun Huang and ballet are commonly used to tell stories through dance rather than with words. The grace and fluidity found in both of these dance forms is incredible…

I pulled up my pretty pink tights, slipped into my ballet slippers and straightened my favorite black leotard. I fastened my hair up in the tightest bun I could handle, and layered on the most elaborate stage make up. It suddenly hit me that this was the last time I would be doing this ritual. For I was primping and prepping for my last performance as a member of the dance company. I had devoted my entire childhood to dance and finally the curtain was about to close. I was ending something that…