Spandau Ballet

revered as Russian ballet, especially during the time of Hitler’s rule. Although these two countries may not seem to own the same style of dance, both countries were able to benefit from dance politically. Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany demonstrate how dance was utilized in totalitarian societies, for political reasons and for the public’s enjoyment. In Soviet Russia, beginning in the 1920s, “Soviet government policy shaped both the form of the ballet itself and its audience.” Ballet did not…

1. Who created the syllabus and why? a. The Vaganova syllabus was created by Russian dancer Agrippina Vaganova. b. She created this syllabus with her backgrounds in French, Italian, and Russian techniques, time spent at the Imperial Ballet School and years of experience. The syllabus was designed as a refined way of teaching and training. 2. Where did it begin? a. The syllabus began in Russia during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. The Vaganova Academy wasn’t always the Vaganova Academy; it…

The Chinese Acrobatic Ballet has successfully recreated a version of a classic ballet, Swan Lake. They incorporated acrobatic moves and tricks, meanwhile, still using the original music and proper ballet technique. The performance has been a major topic of discussion and debate in the ballet world, concerning its label. Should it be considered ballet? Ballet has seen many transformations and alterations since it has first been recognized as ballet, is this variation a part of the growth or the…

Of the countless artists throughout history, most pale in comparison to the great Pablo Picasso. Few have created revolutionary new styles of art, and not many have the comprehensive knowledge of their domain to freely adapt from one form to another. However, these artistic gifts did not fall freely into Picasso’s lap, rather, his life progressed through stages of grief and loss. Picasso sacrificed significant personal relationships and sanity for creativity’s sake, solidifying his own…

When comparing different ballet performances, you look at more than just the way the performers dance. You look at the location, use of the stage, force and speed behind each movement, costumes, and the props used. The performance that seemed very different from Firebird in almost all aspects was the first performance of the night, La Source. The ballets of La Source, Komoreibu, and Firebird were performed at the Koger Center on November 10 and 11, 2016. La Source is choreographed by George…

Sacre du Printemps, in English, The Rite of Spring, a ballet set on the dancers of the critically-acclaimed Russian company, Ballets Russes. Ever since its inception in French courts in the 15th century, ballet has remained a pastime reserved for those with class. When one envisions a ballet, they imagine an evening of grace—an art form that gives off an air of elegance. However, as these highly civilized theatergoers soon found out, Nijinsky’s ballet strayed quite far from the virtues of grace…

In chapter 4 of Daniel Coyle’s The Talent Code: Greatness Isn’t Born. Its Grown. Here’s How, Coyle articulates a conversation he had with a teenager, John Crawford, about the concept of deep practice. Crawford described the moment that he truly began deep practicing as “clicking in.” (87). This explanation of the feeling of deep practice resonated with me because I felt that same “clicking in” feeling around mid-term of this semester. In my last paper, one of my goals was to be more conscious in…

Have you ever been beaten, bruised, and chained to something in a dark basement? If you answered “yes” to the previous question, then congratulations! If you answered “no”, then you need to get out more. Today, I am here to discuss music for the eighty-three billionth time. So let’s get on with it. Let me introduce our two composers. First, we have Claude Debussy. And next, there is Igor Stravinsky. Now, you might be thinking, “Why did our history lesson start off with a question about chains?”…

The Music of Patterns In Proust Was a Neuroscientist, Jonah Lehrer describes how artists of the past foretold the neuroscience discoveries of the future. The composer Igor Stravinsky deconstructed classical music, introducing dissonance with his ballet The Rite of Spring. Stravinsky was a modernist before his time; and, like its creator, The Rite did not conform to the audiences’ expectations, rather it pushed the boundaries of music. He realized music had never been a creation of nature, it…

I saw the Moscow Ballet 's Great Russian Nutcracker at the Miller Auditorium in Kalamazoo, MI. The Moscow Ballet was on their 2016 National Tour. The choreographer Stanislav Vlasov, former soloist with the Bolshoi Ballet. Stanislav Vlasov reimagined the ballet and showcased his own view of the Great Russian Nutcracker. It was practically special because Western Michigan University symphony orchestra had the opportunity to play along side of the dancers. Throughout the ballet, I loved the…