Dance Gifts
CD Review: Music for Ballet Class III
Mediaphorie has added another excellent ballet class music CD to their lineup with their latest – “Music for Ballet Class III” (Musique pour le Cours de Danse Classique).
It’s lovely to have original music to use, and this collection fits the bill. The tracks are expertly played by pianist and composer Ellina Akimova, who plays in France for the Ballet School of the Paris National Opéra, as well as the CNSMDP, at the CND, and at the Danse school of the conservatoire of the XVIIe district of Paris.
There is nothing quite like taking class with an accomplished pianist providing accompaniment, and if you can’t have live music, this is the next best thing. The phrasing is perfect, and the musical choices suit the exercises in a way that only someone who knows ballet well could choose, with perky music for tendus and a pretty selection for plies. Everything is well-matched.
The complexity of some of the tracks here make me lean toward recommending this CD to teachers with more advanced students. Some of the slower pieces may be a bit difficult for brand new students in terms of using the phrasing properly for movement. Advanced students will appreciate the opportunity to get into the spirit of things and practice their musicality. Akimova’s Russian roots shine through in her music, making the selections all the more beautiful.
This album features repeated tracks for easy instruction at the barre. There is a complete class here–barre and centre, with music for pointe and for tracks geared toward men.
This is what happens when you have an expert pianist at the helm–I can recommend this CD easily for ballet class. It would make a great addition to any teacher’s collection. The cost is $30, and you can find it, as well as other ballet music on Mediaphorie’s site.
Dance Bag – Hand Silkscreened By 4dancers
Get your hand-silkscreened canvas ballet bag now–before supplies run out! I have made 7 of these unique tote bags and will be selling them for only $8 each! Get one for yourself, or as a gift for someone you know–they make a great bag to cart your dance shoes and miscellaneous gear back and forth to the studio, or even to show your love for dance and “go green” at the grocery store.
I got into silkscreening a while back and have been working on developing dance designs for the past couple of years. It’s a long process from photograph to finished product, but I now have several screens and I’ll be sharing the designs with the dance community over the summer months. The nice part about these bags is that you will never see them anywhere else–these are all my own designs.
Soon I’ll add t-shirts to the mix as well, so keep checking back. I’d love to hear what people think about the design–and I’d love for you to help me spread the word!
Here are the specs:
Canvas (cotton woven)
Navy Blue
10.5 x 12.5 inches
$8.00 (plus $2 shipping and handling – continental US prices – inquire about overseas…)
If you’d like to purchase one of these bags, drop me an e-mail at info(at)catherineltully(dot)com and we’ll work out the details.
Thanks!
10 Questions With…. Jennifer Carlynn Kronenberg
Today on 4dancers we have 10 Questions With Jennifer Carlynn Kronenberg…
Jennifer Carlynn Kronenberg, courtesy of The George Balanchine Trust, photo by Bob Mooney
1. How did you get started in ballet and what are you doing now?
I always loved to dance, since a was a little girl, and I was always entranced by ballet in particular. I used to watch PBS “Dance in America” specials on TV and try to copy what I saw. My parents finally took me for lessons when I turned 8 years old. I knew I wanted to dance professionally, and I was fortunate enough to be contracted as an apprentice with the Miami City Ballet at the age of 17. I am still dancing with MCB now, and have been a principal dancer since 2001. I also teach annually for the CB School Summer Intensive and I have been a guest artist and teacher with several other schools around the country.
2. You have written a book – “So, You Want To Be A Ballet Dancer”. Can you tell readers what this is about?
My book is essentially a “how to” guide for young aspiring dancers who are considering a professional career. It is also, in part, a memoir in which I share stories of my own pre-professional struggles and mishaps. It is meant to be informational and inspirational at the same time.
I found that on my own way to becoming a professional, as I find now in students of my own, that there are so many essentials that go untaught; such as: the in’s and out’s of the stage and backstage, studio etiquette, auditioning skills, injury prevention, healthy diet and nutrition, stage makeup and hair, pointe shoe preparation and maintenance, handling criticism and stress, etc.
My goal is to provide some insight into these areas so that young dancers are ready to cope with these challenges before they are contracted into a company. All of the information I provide will prove useful in their continued years of study as well.
3. Who can benefit from reading this book—and why?
There is something in my book for pre-professional dancers and students of all levels and age groups. I provide standard information that every young dancer will find that they need to know later on, as well as advice and tips that they can use during their student years. I think it is so important to be well prepared to enter a company, and that being well prepared will ensure a start “on the right foot”. A career in ballet, as wonderful as it is, is full of challenge, dedication, frustration, and sacrifice. My goal is to ease young dancers’ transition from student to professional – even if it is just a little bit.
4. Can you share a piece of advice for young dancers?
0Dance Book: Codename: Dancer
Amanda Brice, Author
Thanks so much for having me here today! I’m very excited to speak with dancers about my new YA book, Codename: Dancer.
I’ve been dancing pretty much my entire life. My mom enrolled me in a ballet/tap combo class at age 3 because she noticed I would jump around and spin whenever the Coke commercial came on. From that point on, I was hooked!
As a preteen and teen, I was in my dance studio’s company, and was dancing around 30 hours per week. Then in college, in addition to double majoring in Political Science and French, I studied flamenco, ballet, and ballroom. My junior year I auditioned for the ballroom dance team, and spent the next two years competing against other schools up and down the East Coast. It was a lot of fun!
I decided to write Codename: Dancer because it was the type of book I would have loved growing up. There were tons of fiction books about dancers for little girls, but not much for teens. There still isn’t, really, except for books about the ballets and choreographers. In other words, non-fiction.
So I decided to do something about that. I’ve always loved mystery novels, so why not write a mystery series about a group of dance students at a performing arts boarding school? And thus, Codename: Dancer was born.
Of course, I’ve never solved a mystery, nor did I go to a boarding school, so I still had a lot to learn. But I’d started reading Nancy Drew books in elementary school, and always used to win at Clue, so how hard could it be?
It actually ended up being a lot more difficult than I expected, but readers tell me they don’t figure out whodunit until right at the end, so hopefully I met my mark!
I hope you’ll enjoy my book. Here’s a little bit about it:
“Aspiring ballerina Dani Spevak is thrilled when hit TV show Teen Celebrity Dance Off comes to the campus of her performing arts boarding school. She trades the barre for the ballroom and gets set to cha-cha-cha to stardom with Hollywood wonderboy Nick Galliano.
At first their partnership is awkward, because Dani is in awe of her longtime teen idol crush. But soon their chemistry is heating up the dance floor and the attraction moves into real life.
Her excitement is short-lived, because someone wants her off the show. Bombs, poisoning, arson… Will Dani’s 15 minutes of fame be over before she reaches age 15? Dani and her friends are suddenly at the center of some serious sabotage. And if she doesn’t find out who is behind it, her next pirouette could be her last.
It’s like Nancy Drew in toe shoes in this light-hearted tween mystery, a finalist for Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart® Award for Best Young Adult Romance.”
You can learn more at www.amandabrice.net.
Would you like to win a copy of the e-book? If so, just leave me a comment and tell me what your favorite dance book or dance movie is. I can’t wait to hear from you!
0New Exhibition From Sculptor Andrew DeVries
Faerie Dance by Andrew DeVries
Some of you may remember an interview I had on 4dancers some time ago about the talented sculptor Andrew DeVries.
I thought I would share with readers the fact that he has created a new exhibition of original bronze sculptures and drawings that feature depictions of contemporary dance and movement, accompanied by photographs and commentary on works ranging from ancient Greece to the days of Degas to today.
His 2011 collection and exhibition officially opened on May 13 in Lenox, Mass., in the heart of the Berkshires, an epicenter of arts and culture.
A number of events surround the exhibition, as well; For instance, Andrew will unveil his latest works such as Apollo, a half-life-size depiction of a male dancer, on June 5 at a reception that will include performances by Boston Symphony musicians. Dancer-model Ruslan Sprague modeled for this sculpture, which was inspired in part by Jennifer Homans’ NY Times bestseller Apollo’s Angels: A History of Ballet.
DeVries Fine Art International gallery is located at 62 Church Street, Lenox, so if you get the chance to go–by all means drop by.
In addition, DeVries will unveil Apollo at Ventfort Hall, The Museum of the Gilded Age in Lenox on June 5. The gallery is open in the spring on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. On June 27, the gallery will expand its hours to span six days a week, including weekend evenings. For more information, visit his website.
Andrew will also host open studio sessions on August 13 and 14, which will feature a live bronze pour.
0Dance Book Giveaway!
Pass the word! Daphne Kalotay has generously offered to give away a copy of her book, Russian Winter to a lucky 4dancers reader!
To enter the drawing for this giveaway, simply comment below and I will pick a name out of a hat (yes, literally!) for the copy. Take a minute and enter–it costs you nothing…
This book would make the perfect summer reading for the beach, a trip, or simply to accompany you out in the yard as you unwind after a long day…or, if you aren’t a big reader, give it away to a dancer you know who is!
9Product Review: TwinkleTies
TwinkleTies
TwinkleTies are designed to add a little sparkle to tap shoes, while being practical. The product is hand-made, and can also be used for gym shoes or even as a ponytail holder.
I thought these would be especially fun for a young dance student. The ties really are cute, and my 7-year-old niece was most definitely eyeballing them when I took them out of the package. You can choose from blue, green, pink and crystal.
I think these make a great alternative to the typical ties used for tap shoes, which often come undone at all the wrong times. A really super-cute idea, and easy to use!
Pass the word–comment below and enter yourself into a drawing for a giveaway! I’ll send a pair of red TwinkleTies to the lucky winner!
2Dance Book: Russian Winter
Today I’d like to share an interview with Daphne Kalotay, a writer who has authored a book that has ballet as a backdrop for the story…
1. Could you tell readers a bit about who you are and what you do?
I’m a dance-lover rather than a dancer; and I’m a writer with two books of fiction published, the first one a short story collection, the second one a novel.
2. What is your latest book called and what is it about?
It’s called RUSSIAN WINTER and centers on a Bolshoi ballerina during the last years of Stalin’s rule. The book goes back and forth between modern-day Boston, where the dancer has been living in the decades since her defection, and post-World War II Moscow, where we witness her life as a young dancer rising in the ranks of the Bolshoi and her friendships with other artists striving to fulfill their dreams while living in a totalitarian state.
3. Why did you decide ballet would play a part in your book?
From the moment I pictured this elderly Russian woman in Boston, I thought of her as a ballerina, maybe because the idea of exploring that world and learning about life in a ballet company was exciting to me. Then, in my research, I began to understand just how important the ballet was to the Soviet regime, which relied on the beauty and glamour of the theatre as a counter to the bleakness of daily life. I’m fascinated by how well that government understood the need for the arts in society and tried to foster—well, manipulate—ballet, opera, music, literature, if in an ultimately stifling manner. What I most wanted to show in my novel, though, was how art is this humanizing force that really can save us.
Only later did it strike me how appropriate ballet in particular was to the book, since I was writing about life in authoritarian state, and ballet can be seen as authoritarian, with its precise rules and strict discipline. Think of the corps de ballet, the self-abnegation and conformity ballet often requires. So it was a good parallel to what I was trying to say about Soviet life.
4. How did you make sure your information about dance was accurate?
1Framed Dance Photo: Belly Dancer “On Stage”
From time to time I will be putting up artwork that I have done that will be for sale through 4dancers.
This piece was a belly dancer that I photographed during a performance. I then spent time working with the image in Photoshop to create the work. I have titled it, “On Stage”.
The print itself is on archival paper and it is matted and framed. The mat is white and the frame is a rich brown. The print is 5 x 7 and the frame is 8 x 10. I am asking $35 for it, plus $5 shipping. I only have one available at this time.
I took a close up photo so you can see the image a bit better, but bear in mind that the picture is much sharper than you see here as it was taken through the glass.
You won’t see this art piece anywhere else.
At this time I’m only set up to ship to the continental U.S. If you know someone who might like this print, please do pass the word…and thanks!
World Dance Workout – An Inside Look
Today we have Sandy & Ryan with us to talk about the CD “World Dance Workout”. They’ll give you a peek into the “behind the scenes” work that went into it, as well as let you know what you can use the CD for if you are a dance or fitness instructor…
1. How did the idea for the World Dance Workout CD come about?
Sandy: World dance workout cd was created for a fitness class based on dance moves from around the world. The needs of the original and innovative class inspired the customized music.
Ryan: Once Sandy started sharing with me her needs for her class, I jumped at the opportunity. The concept of real drummers who love dance and have real experience playing for dancers getting into a studio and recording an album is something I have always wanted to do. The tracks on the album are original in essence, but they are based on a number of African Diasporic dance music styles that I love (as do countless people the world over). I arranged these rhythms and grooves to Sandy’s tempo and song length requirements, and we went into the studio. It is worthy of note that this album was tracked and mixed at Solid Sound in Ann Arbor, MI – a true recording studio with an incredible live room. This is remarkable because studios of this quality are fewer and fewer – due to the popularity of heavily produced (and often synthesized and or electronic) music. A lot of contemporary music can be recorded in a simple home studio… but the kind of music we were after – real, raw, and made with acoustic instruments – needed a real live room built to handle that kind of acoustical presence. The popular “Behind Barres” albums are all tracked there as well.
2. Who are the musicians involved and what do they play?
Ryan: There are four musicians on this album; Ryan Edwards, Chinelo Elegua Amen-Ra, Abass Camara and Matthew Bell. All of us share a love of dance and have more or less been raised (either literally, or since we started playing) in the dance tradition. Matthew and Chinelo live in the greater Detroit area of Michigan, Abass lives in Fort Wayne, IN and I now live in Boston, though I am from Michigan originally. The list of instruments we played on the record is a pretty long one, but I will try to summarize: we played congas, bells, shekeres, balafon, drumset, djembes, dununs, surdos, snare drum, ago-go bells, cylinder shakers, pandiero, triangle, goat toe-nails (actually on a few tracks!), cajon, calabash, bass djembe, and I am sure a few more…. you can see a pretty cool video on our website, www.worlddanceworkout.net of us making the record in the studio. It is just a few excerpts from the session, which we did in one day.
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