Reviews
Review: Bunheads by Sophie Flack
There is almost nothing I enjoy more than pointing out that the qualities that make a great ballet dancer can be harnessed for other things—and this book is a perfect example. Sophie Flack was a dancer with New York City Ballet from 2000 to 2009, and after leaving the company she is now studying English at Columbia University. She is also the author of Bunheads – a thoughtfully crafted novel about life in the world of ballet.
Written with an authenticity that can only be garnered by experience, Ms. Flack creates an inviting cast of characters that draws the reader in right away. The main character, Hannah Ward, is a corps de ballet dancer with the Manhattan Ballet, and the story is told through her eyes. We follow her through the ups and downs of her career as she competes for roles, pushes to improve her dancing and sacrifices much of what a “normal” life would otherwise be for her first love—ballet.
As the story evolves, conflict arises within Hannah when she meets a handsome musician named Jacob. The connection between the two of them is strong, but having a relationship with someone outside of the ballet world proves to be incredibly difficult—a fact she struggles with. Hannah begins to compare her life in dance to the idea of living life without the demands of being with the company, and knows she must eventually choose which path she will take.
Ms. Flack is a skilled writer and it’s easy to disappear into the pages of this book because she has built a solid story that rings of truth and passion. By having been an insider in this typically closed world, she is able to show both the beauty of it–and the strain. Those who have experienced life in a ballet class or company are sure to find themselves nodding in recognition with the trials and triumphs Hannah faces along the way. That said, I think that Bunheads would also appeal to those outside the ballet arena. The book provides a rare peek behind the scenes into the day-to-day life of a dancer, but not in a way that would leave other readers behind.
Human Kinetics Book
My absolute favorite part of this book is the way Ms. Flack crafted the circle of friends that Hannah hangs around with in the company. The dancers that she spends every day with are at the same time her closest pals—and her toughest rivals. It makes for an unusual situation, that in ballet is actually very common. Somehow you have to learn to walk the fine line between being a competitor and a confidant. It certainly isn’t easy, and here it is captured so very well.
This is undoubtedly the best fiction book on the life of a ballet dancer that I have read in a long time and I highly recommend it. Younger dancers will find a great story that they can relate to and older dancers will be transported back in time for a bit of reminiscing. This would make a perfect gift for someone who loves dance.
Hats off to Sophie Flack for taking the creativity, determination and attention to detail it takes to be a ballet dancer and writing her first novel. I look forward to the next one.
Read more about the author on the 4dancers feature – 10 Questions With…Sophie Flack
Purchase Bunheads Here
Review: Ballet Etudes By Robert Long
This was my first exposure to a Robert Long CD and I really enjoyed it. Many fellow teachers have expressed the fact that they enjoy his music for ballet class, and I have to agree–it’s very good!
I always “test” CDs out on my adult ballet class. They are an eclectic group of students, and I received some nice comments on the music. The tracks were arranged well, and best of all, labeled well. As an instructor, I found the way he used the liner notes to be very helpful. They were broken down into categories that made sense for the way I teach: at the barre, centre practice, pirouettes, adage, petit allegro, batterie and grand allegro. It made it very easy to arrange my class, and it was a detail that was much appreciated.
The music itself is passionate and pretty, and there are plenty of tracks to choose from since the CD offers many selections. Since I have a fairly large class, some of the tracks in the centre were a bit short for my purposes, but I doubt that would be true for all teachers. There are 48 original selections in all for barre and centre practice. I listened to everything here and found each track to be well-suited to ballet class exercises.
It is obvious that Mr. Long has been involved with the dance community for a long time–his intuitive sense of planning the CD and its selections showcases this fact quite well. I’m looking forward to hearing more from him and using his music for class well into the future.
It’s worth noting that Mr. Long offers music on iTunes and Amazon as well, for those who prefer that format.
Visit Robert Long’s site for more information about him and his music.
Read more about this artist in the 4dancers “10 Questions With…” interview.
Review: Learn To Speak Dance
I just finished reading Learn to Speak Dance and I was pleasantly surprised at how well this book was put together, as well as how interesting it was. It is very current in that it speaks to kids as they are today–with contemporary language and a warm, engaging tone. Geared for children between the ages of 9-13, this 96 page dance book covers a lot of ground.
The author, Ann-Marie Williams speaks with serious authority. She is the director of the Movement Lab, a dance school for kids, and she is also a certified RAD (Royal Academy of Dance) instructor–and she has also written for The Dance Current. Williams has a knack for simplifying the information she shares about dance while still being interesting–a tough combination that she pulls off with considerable skill.
Some of the topics covered in this book include: what dance is, how to make dances, performing, promoting a show, making costumes and dance videos and information about several styles of dance, including ballet, contemporary dance and flamenco. Peppered throughout are a bunch of quotes from professionals in a variety of fields, which is a cool way to add interest to the book for kids of this age. It’s educational–but it’s fun too.
The language is right–hip and cool without trying too hard, and I think it addresses a lot of the questions that children this age may have about dance–especially if they don’t have a lot of prior experience or aren’t sure how to get started. The book helps to make dance accessible rather than mysterious, which I loved. It really was written in an encouraging tone.
The illustrations by Jeff Kulak were a nice touch as well. Visuals definitely help bring concepts to life, and the imagery worked very well here.
All in all I think this is a great book with mass appeal for the age group it was intended to serve. There’s a lot of information packed into the pages, and I think it is quite readable. A great resource for the dance community–and for parents.
Learn more about the book or purchase it for your child.
If you’ve read it–I’d love to hear what you think!
2Review: Music For Movement And Imaginations by Richard Maddock
This CD was such a lovely surprise!
Richard Maddock has created an original album of dance music for children ages 3 and up, and it would be a great addition to any ballet teacher’s collection. Right away from the first track I knew this was going to be a collection of music that I loved. It’s just so pretty!
Music for Movement and Imaginations lives up to its name. The tracks here range from dreamy to daring, and there are 43 of them to choose from, giving dance teachers plenty of raw material to work with when it comes to dance making. Maddock has labeled these well too–including some hints for usage in the titles, such as “run and freeze”, “skips”, “gallops” and “run like the wind”. Ballet terminology is present here too, and some tracks are labeled with “port de bras” or “jumps and allegro” accordingly. Very helpful.
I was actually taken aback at how beautiful this CD is. Maddock has a talent that shines through, and it is kind of nice to have a collection of dance music for children that doesn’t include all the “typical” fare. Rather than go the traditional route with kids dance music, Maddock has chosen to push the envelope and create tracks specifically with them in mind. I love it!
That said, I do think that this CD could be used for other ballet classes as well, and quite frankly, the music is so pretty that I have put it on in the background when I want something on that is soothing. While not every track is quiet or low-key, the overall album is very nice to listen to.
To learn more about Richard Maddock, or to purchase one of his CDs, please visit his website.
0Review: Ballet Studio Inspirations: Volume Three
Ballet Studio Inspirations is a comprehensive CD of piano music for ballet class by Richard Maddock. There are 43 original compositions on the album – 20 for the barre and the rest for centre work. Putting the word “inspirations” in the title is appropriate–as the music really does inspire.
Maddock is truly an artist–his work is just beautiful, and I am looking forward to using it in my adult ballet class. Although it was developed for a pre-professional class, this CD would work well for most levels, and it is a refreshing departure from the standard ballet class music. There is more of a gentle, yearning feel to Maddock’s slower tracks that should coax out feeling from your dancers–even at the barre.
The more upbeat tunes are lively and well-played too, but I believe Maddock is at his best when the more lyrical music is running through his fingers. All-in-all this album of tracks created for ballet class is something that would round out any dance teacher’s collection nicely. When you are in the mood for something that will motivate your dancers to experiment with phrasing and emotion, this is the CD you will reach for. The port de bras music is especially lovely.
I found Maddock’s CD to be an unexpected and wonderful addition to my collection of ballet class music. It’s really nice to have some original compositions to include–especially when they are arranged and played as well as they are here. It can be challenging to find great CDs for ballet class. This is one of them.
Maddock has sample tracks on his website and you can also purchase CDs there. In addition, his work can be found on Amazon and iTunes if you are looking for digital downloads.
0Review: The Magic Wand by Lisa Harris
When I began building my ballet music collection, Lisa Harris was one of the first dance class CDs that I bought. I still have it (and others by her) today.
Although I don’t teach little ones any more, if I did, The Magic Wand would be something I would enjoy using. With 30 tracks to choose from, there is plenty of variety, no matter what type of creative movement exercises you have planned. There are slow tracks, perfect for “princess” type dance, medium tempo tracks that are good for marching, and high-energy tracks that lend themselves to big movements or group dance.
You’ll hear favorites such as “When You Wish Upon A Star”,”Skip to My Lou”, “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” and “Spoonful of Sugar” here, making it easy to plan dances without having to first familiarize yourself with the music. Harris, as always, plays beautifully and clearly, ideal for dancers.
Take advantage of tracks like “The Hokey Pokey” and “I’m A Little Teapot” to teach more well-known movements, and use the rest of the tracks to inspire your imagination. This album is really geared for pre-ballet classes, and it provides just the right kind of music for the little dancers. Any ballet teacher who has tots would love this CD for their collection.
Harris offers a wide range of music, so even if you aren’t interested in pre-ballet music, you can take a look at what she has for grown ups too. Her website has a full range of offerings, including some digital downloads and a boxed set of CDs for teachers.
Learn more about Lisa Harris or purchase a ballet class CD on her website.
0Review: Modern Ballet Studio Melodies, Volume 3
Yet another ballet class music CD by Christopher Hobson, and it does not disappoint. Modern Ballet Studio Melodies, Volume 3 has more of the excellent quality music that I have come to expect from his albums. Again, this CD is filled with unique arrangements of familiar music, such as “The Way We Were”, “Rehab”, “Misty” and more.
There are 17 tracks for the barre and 36 for the centre. Frankly, I think that owning all three of these CDs would be a great idea for any ballet teacher or studio owner. They add a bit of spice and verve to the class environment without being silly. It’s nice to change things up a bit here and there.
If you can’t have a live pianist, it pays to invest in good music that you will be able to use again and again. This CD of ballet class music qualifies–and it is available in the UK (as well as other places…see link below) – something that I get requests for all the time.
It’s obvious that Hobson plays for dancers. Not every pianist can arrange music so that it is paced correctly without taking the life out of it. He is able to maintain passion and energy while keeping proper time for the exercises. Well done indeed.
Keep an eye on what’s up with Christopher Hobson and his music by joining him on Facebook
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If you like, purchase Modern Ballet Studio Melodies, Volume 3 here.
0Review: Modern Ballet Studio Melodies, Volume 2
I reviewed Volume 1 of Modern Ballet Studio Melodies recently on the site and gave it a big “thumbs up”. This CD, Modern Ballet Studio Melodies 2 is another good choice if you are hoping for ballet class music that is different from the typical fare.
Again breaking out of the traditional box, Christopher Hobson puts out renditions of familiar songs such as “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’”, “The Swan, from Carnival of the Animals”, “I Got Plenty O’ Nuttin”" and even the “Mexican Hat Dance”! Treat yourself to lovely arrangements of these favorites and spice up your ballet class a bit without taking things over the top.
Hobson is obviously a top-tier player, and he also has experience arranging and playing classical piano music for the ballet class. This is an important factor, and the tunes here work well for both barre and centre exercises. The barre has 18 tracks to choose from, including staples such as plie, tendu, round de jambe and grand battement, and the centre offers a lovely adage, as well as pirouettes, jumps and several allegros to choose from.
All in all this is really a successful CD, and it is available in the UK, which, from what I’ve heard has a dearth of good ballet class music out on the market. I really enjoyed both this CD and the previous one. There’s one more coming up–so stay tuned (argh!) to hear what that one has to offer in the coming weeks.
If you like, you can buy Modern Ballet Studio Melodies Volume 2 here.
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Review: Modern Ballet Studio Melodies, Volume 1
This CD, Modern Ballet Studio Melodies, Volume 1, came highly recommended by a fellow dance professional, and it’s easy to see why. The piano music is excellent–and different. You will hear renditions of favorites such as “Summertime”, “Hernando’s Hideaway”, “Some Day My Prince Will Come” and “Somewhere Out There” – but they avoid the “cheesy” factor that is so often a part of this type of translation for ballet class music.
Instead, the tracks are easy and fun–as well as expertly played. Christopher Hobson is at the helm here, and he began training at age 4. He has experience working with dance schools, which is obvious by the arrangements here, which are metered, without being dull. His background includes working for Northern Ballet Theatre, Birmingham Royal Ballet and the Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts.
The intent of the CD is to add variety to the ballet class repertoire, which it does quite successfully. I am located in the US, but have had many UK dance teachers ask me for recommendations in their area in terms of ballet class music. I would pass this CD along without hesitation as something that would be fun to use for a welcome change of pace. There is both barre and centre music, and the quality of the recording is very good–another rarity in this type of CD–although I will admit it has been improving overall as a genre.
If you are searching for something fun to add to your collection as a dance teacher or dance studio, this is a good pick. Here are the particulars:
If you are interested, you can purchase Christopher Hobson’s Modern Ballet Studio Melodies, Volume 1 here.
0Review: Carla And Leo’s World Of Dance
Quite frankly, this is an amazing book. Created by a former fashion model and dancer and designed for children ages 8 to 12, “Carla and Leo’s World of Dance” is well written and beautifully illustrated.
The book tells the story of best friends, Leo and Carla, who take classes at a dance studio. They sample everything from swing to foxtrot to tango. Throughout their journey, the reader learns about the history and background of each dance style as their teacher, Miss Paulina teaches them.
The book is visually engaging from the moment you see it. The cover features a darling picture of Carla and Leo dancing together, and he has sparkles on his tie while she has them dotted throughout her skirt–a detail you can’t see from the photo.
Thierry Perez is the illustrator, and he is nothing short of amazing. Every picture is imaginative and skillfully drawn–the book is really a feast for the eyes. It’s the kind of thing that as a child I would have cherished, and looked at again and again.
Author, Agatha Relota has done a wonderful job of capturing her love of dance here–it’s contagious. She strikes a nice balance between educating the reader and sharing the excitement of discovering dance for the first time. I also appreciated the fact that she chose something other than ballet to highlight, as so many dance books limit themselves to that as subject matter. This one exposes kids to a wide range of styles and teaches them what countries they hail from as well. You can tell a great deal of thought went into the format. Also, Relota’s friend, Jessica Alba penned a forward for her–something that was a bit unexpected, yet interesting.
If you are looking for a terrific dance book, “Carla and Leo’s World of Dance” is as good as they come. I wish I had something this cool when I was a 10-year-old girl.
It’s stunning.
You can purchase this book on Amazon.com.
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