Samantha Milano

Ballet II Intermediate
Reflection:

I have found that thus-far this semester's class, a lot of the moves have become much easier for me. I feel much stronger and in control of my body movements. I also find it easier to catch onto combinations and be able to apply technique. Before, it was much more difficult for me to fully apply to technique because I would be confused on the combination. This semester I feel more confident in my presence within class. I am definitely far from being perfect and there is a lot that I need to work on, however I am happy with the progress that I have made. Hopefully, with constructive criticism, I will continue to improve and to see more progress. 

Ballet II Intermediate Vocabulary

Samantha Milano

Definitions: 

Croise: One of the directions of epaulement. The crossing of the legs with the body placed at an oblique angle to the audience. The disengaged leg may be crossed in front or in the back.

Efface: One of the directions of epaulement, in which the dancer stands at an oblique angle to the audience so that a part of the body is taken back and almost hidden from view. This direction is termed “ouvert” in the French method. Efface is also used to qualify a pose in which the legs are open (not crossed). This pose may be taken devant or derriere, either a` terre or l’air.

Ecarte devant: The dancer faces either one of the two front corners of the room with the leg that is closer to the audience pointed in the second position a terre or raised to the second position en l’air. When this position is taken with the R leg extended, the dancer stands at an oblique angle to the audience, facing corner 8 with the R leg in the second position pointe tendue a terre or raised to the second position en l’air pointing toward corner 2. The arms are held with the R arm curved over the head in the line of vision and the L arm held in demi-seconde position. The body leans to the left with the head turned to the right and the eyes looking leans to the left with the head turned to the right and the eyes looking up at the R hand.

Derriere: The dancer faces either one of the two front corners of the room with the leg that is closer to the audience pointed in the second position a terre or raised to the second position en l’air. When this position is taken with the L leg extended, the dancer stands at an oblique angle to the audience, facing corner 8 with the R leg in the second position pointe tendue a terre or raised to the second position en l’air pointing toward corner 6. The arms are held with the L arm curved over the head in the line of vision and the R arm held in demi-seconde position. The body leans to the right with the head turned to the right and the eyes looking down at the extended R arm.

À la quatrième devant: is with the working leg stretched out to the front; à la quatrième derrière is with the working leg stretched to the back.
devant:  Directed in front of the body.

Five Classes of Jumps

1 Saut (é): Jump. A jump off both feet, landing with feet in in the same position.

   Temps Levé: This is a hop from one foot with the other raised in any position. The instep is fully arched when leaving the ground and the spring must come from the pointing of the toe and the extension of the leg after the demi-plié. 

3 Jeté: Throwing step. A jump from one foot to the other in which the working leg is brushed into the air and appears to have been thrown. 

4 Assemble: Assembled or joined together. A step in which the working foot slides well along the ground before being swept into the air. As the foot goes into the air the dancer pushes off the floor with the supporting leg, extending the toes. Both legs come to the ground simultaneously in the fifth position. If an assemblé is porté it requires a preparatory step such as a glissade to precede it. If an assemblé is en tournant it must be preceded by a preparatory step. 

5 Sissonne: It is a jump from both feet onto one foot with the exception of sissonne fermée, sissonne tombée and sissonne fondue, which finish on two feet. Sissonne may be performed petite or grande. The petites sissonnes are sissonne simple, sissonne fermée, sissonne ouverte at 45 degrees and sissonne tombée at 45 degrees. The grandes sissonnes are sissonne ouverte at 90 degrees, sissonne renversée and sissonne soubresaut. 

"The Dream"

The Royal Ballet premiered Ashton's work in April 1964 as part of a program of three ballets created to honor the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's birth. The ballet was set to the music of Felix Mendelssohn. The ballet is an interpretation of William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream." 

I thought the ballet was very well done. I found that through the ballet with help from the music, I was able to interpret the play through the language of ballet just as well…if not maybe better than the Old English. I thought that Puck did an amazing job and looked like he had springs on his feet. Oberon was also very light on his feet and did a lovely job. Furthermore, Titania was very graceful and exquisite. All of the ballet dancers made it look so easy! Overall I really enjoyed the ballet and I thought it was very nicely done. 

Maria Tallchief 1925-2013

Maria Tallchief, died April 11, 2013 at the age of eighty-eight. She was the first grand ballerina produced by this country. Maria Tallchief, a daughter of an Oklahoma oil family who grew up on an Indian reservation. She had her first ballet lessons in Colorado Springs, where the family had a summer home. She also studied piano and, blessed with perfect pitch, contemplated becoming a concert pianist.

However, dance occupied her attention after the family moved to Los Angeles when she was 8.  In 1942, at the age of seventeen, she joined the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo which was the most celebrated ballet company. Balanchine paid increasing attention to Tallchief, and she became increasingly fond of him. They soon married on August 16, 1946. Ms. Tallchief had become a prominent soloist at the Monte Carlo Company. But Balanchine wanted a company of his own.

In 1946, he and the arts patron Lincoln Kirstein established Ballet Society, which presented a series of subscription performances. Tallchief’s mastery and glamour were absolutely crucial in the establishment of New York City Ballet. After she and Balanchine were divorced in 1950, she remained with City Ballet until 1965. However she also took time off to dance with other companies.

In the sixties, Balanchine ignored her. Despite this, she performed with some other companies, and did well in them. It is said that when she danced for the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, in the late fifties, she was the highest-paid ballet dancer in the world. In 1965, after she left N.Y.C.B., Tallchief tried to beef up ballet in Chicago, the Lyric Opera there in the mid-1970s and was the artistic director of the Chicago City Ballet, which presented its first season in 1981. More successful as a teacher than as a director, she resigned from the post in 1987.

Among her honors, Tallchief was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame and received a Kennedy Center Honor in 1996. Tallchief was a person whom ballet fans and critics looked up to. That was not just because of her superiority as a Balanchine ballerina. She was smart, sophisticated, and witty. Tallchief achieved prominence with Balanchine’s New York City Ballet, dazzling audiences with her speed, energy and fire. 

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2013/04/postscript-maria-tallchief-1925-2013.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/13/arts/dance/maria-tallchief-brilliant-ballerina-dies-at-88.html?pagewanted=2&_r=0

Spring Dance Concert Critique

Spring Dance Concert 2013 Critique

            The first piece, “Scherzo Czerny, Opus 75.5” by choreographed by Richard Allan Ploch. I thought that it was good, however there were times it didn’t look as effortless as it could have been. An example of this is when Eden fell out of her point. Other then a few mistakes, I still really liked the simplicity of the piece and still thought it was beautiful.

            The second piece was “Eve’s Burden”, choreographed by Ya-Ju Lin. I thought the piece was very original. It made me feel the anguish that the dancers were portraying. This is important because dance is all about making the audience feel what the dancers are trying to express.

            The third piece was “Tortured Soul”, choreographed by Jillian Michaels. I felt a little disconnected from this piece. Honestly, I felt that it was a little boring and dry. I wasn’t able to feel what the dancers were trying to express.

            The fourth piece was “Escape from Freedom”, choreographed by Edward Owens. I really liked this piece. I thought there was a lot of symbolism and emotion. The dancer, Patrick Justin did a great job at connecting with the audience. Overall the piece was very engaging and deep.

            The fifth piece was “The Secret Life of Muses”, choreographed by Bill Philin- Plopis. Honestly, I have a hard time remembering this piece. This is not a bad thing, however it is also not a good thing. It is not bad because this means that the piece wasn’t horrible, or it would have stuck out. But then again, it is also bad that it didn’t stick to my memory.

            The sixth piece was “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See”, choreographed by Phyllis Gaines and Marcus Borders. I liked this piece because it was a change of pace and because of this, it was more engaging to the audience. I personally do not think that it was flawless, and I think that it could have been organized better, however, it was still very good.

            The seventh piece was “Primal Fear”, choreographed by Susannah LeMarquand. I really liked this piece. I thought that it was complex however it still was clean. I liked how creative it was as well. It really looked awesome with the use of the drapes. Again, Patrick Justin did a really great job, as did Lindsey Goldaper.

            The eight piece was “Confessions of a Mean Girl”, choreographed by Lauren Gilbert. Personally, this was not my favorite piece. I felt it was very disorganized and didn’t really have a meaning to me. I felt that it could have had a lot of potential, however it did not really connect with me.

            The ninth piece was “Wild, Calling Collect”, choreographed by Susan Taylor Lennon. I really liked this one because it was different and abstract. However, I did not like that not everyone was in unison and it made it look a little sloppy. Other then the small things, it was overall very good.

            The tenth piece was “Continuum”, choreographed by Beth Labaren-Root. I liked this piece, however I felt that it was a little dry, and didn’t really stand out to me. Also, not everyone was in unison so at times it looked a little sloppy.

The last piece was “Lovely Way to Burn”, choreographed by Linda Lopez. I really liked this one because it captured the audience’s attention. I liked the music choice and I thought it was a fun way to end the show.

Overall it was a very good show. Some pieces were better than others. However it is apparent that these dancers have worked very hard, and it was still a great show. 

Ballet Vocabulary 2

Five Classes of Jumps

1.     Saut (é): Jump. A jump off both feet, landing with feet in in the same position.

2.     Temps Levé: This is a hop from one foot with the other raised in any position. The instep is fully arched when leaving the ground and the spring must come from the pointing of the toe and the extension of the leg after the demi-plié. 

3.     Jeté: Throwing step. A jump from one foot to the other in which the working leg is brushed into the air and appears to have been thrown. 

4.     Assemble: Assembled or joined together. A step in which the working foot slides well along the ground before being swept into the air. As the foot goes into the air the dancer pushes off the floor with the supporting leg, extending the toes. Both legs come to the ground simultaneously in the fifth position. If an assemblé is porté it requires a preparatory step such as a glissade to precede it. If an assemblé is en tournant it must be preceded by a preparatory step. 

5.     Sissonne: It is a jump from both feet onto one foot with the exception of sissonne fermée, sissonne tombée and sissonne fondue, which finish on two feet. Sissonne may be performed petite or grande. The petites sissonnes are sissonne simple, sissonne fermée, sissonne ouverte at 45 degrees and sissonne tombée at 45 degrees. The grandes sissonnes are sissonne ouverte at 90 degrees, sissonne renversée and sissonne soubresaut. 

Ballet Vocabulary 1

Samantha Milano
Blog 1

Plie- Demi/Grand: A bending of the knee or knees. This is an exercise to render the joints and muscles soft and pliable and the tendons flexible and elastic, and to develop a sense of balance. The gran plié or full bending of the knees (the knees should be bent until the thighs are horizontal) and demi plié is the half-bending of the knees. Plies are done at the bar and in the centre in all five positions of their feet. When the gran plié is executed, in either the first, third or fourth position croise (feet in the fifth position but separated by the space of one foot) or the fifth position, the heels always rise off the ground and are lowered again as the knees straighten. The bending movement should be gradual and free from jerks, and the knees should be at least half-bent before the heels are allowed to rise. The body should rise at the same speed at which it descended, pressing the heels into the floor. In the gran plié in the second position or the fourth position ouverte the heels do not rise off the ground. All demi-plies are done without lifting the heels from the ground. In all plies the legs must be well turned out form the hips, the knees open and well over the toes, and the weight of the body evenly distributed on both feet, with the whole foot grasping the floor.

Battement tendu: The commencing portion and ending portion of a gran battement and is an exercise to force the insteps well outward. The working foot slides from the first of fifth position to the second or the fourth position without lifting the toe from the ground. Both knees must be kept straight. When the foot reaches the position pointe tendue, it then returns to the first or fifth position. These can also be done with a demi-plie in the first or fifth position. They should be practice in croix.

Battement degage: Disengaged battement a term of the ceheti method. It is similar to the battement tendu but it is done four inches with a well-pointed toe, then slides back into the first or fifth position. Battements degages strengthening toes, develop an instep and improve the flexibility of the ankle joint. Same as battement tendu jete (Russian) and battlement glisse.

Ron de Jambe a`terre- endehors: Large round de jame in the air, outward. This is a large movement of the entire leg from hip, done in a semicircle from front to back. It is usually preceded by a develope a la quatieme devant, from where the leg is carried with a sweeping movement through the second position en l’air to the fourth position back en l’air. This exercise is used a the bar and centre and is useful with gaining balance and control.   

Ron de Jambe a`terre- endehans: Ronde de jame in the air inwar; raised. Fifth position R foot back. Demi-plie and spring onto the point or demi-pointe of the l foot, opening the R leg to the second position en l’air, a la hauter o a la demi-hauter. Execute a rond de jame an l’air en dedas. With a slight spring, lower both heels to the ground in demi-plie in the fifth potion R foot front. A double ron de jambe en l’air may be execsed instead of a single rond de jambe en l’air.

Fondu: A term used to describe a lowering of the body made by bending the knee of the supporting leg. Saint-Leon wrote, “Fondu is on one leg what a plié is on two.” It is used to describe the ending of a step when the working leg is placed on the ground with a soft and gradual movement.

Grand battement: Large battement. An exercise in which the working leg is raised from the hip into the air and brought down again, the accent being on the downward movement, both knees straight. This must be done with apparent ease, the rest of the body remaining quiet. The function of grands battements is to loosen the hip joints and turn out the legs from the hips. Grands battements can be taken devant, derriere and a la second. To execute a grant battement a la quantrime devant start in the fifth porition R foot front. In one sweeping movement, slide the right foot to the fourth position front, pointe tendue, raise the foot to the fourth position front en l’air, lower the foot to the fourth position pointe tendue and slide the foot back to fifth position front. Battements a la second and a la quatrieme derriere are done in the same manner. In the execution of grands battements a la seconde the working leg closes alternately in the fifth position front and back.

Croise: One of the directions of epaulement. The crossing of the legs with the body placed at an oblique angle to the audience. The disengaged leg may be crossed in front or in the back.

Efface: One of the directions of epaulement, in which the dancer stands at an oblique angle to the audience so that a part of the body is taken back and almost hidden from view. This direction is termed “ouvert” in the French method. Efface is also used to qualify a pose in which the legs are open (not crossed). This pose may be taken devant or derriere, either a` terre or l’air.

Ecarte devant: The dancer faces either one of the two front corners of the room with the leg that is closer to the audience pointed in the second position a terre or raised to the second position en l’air. When this position is taken with the R leg extended, the dancer stands at an oblique angle to the audience, facing corner 8 with the R leg in the second position pointe tendue a terre or raised to the second position en l’air pointing toward corner 2. The arms are held with the R arm curved over the head in the line of vision and the L arm held in demi-seconde position. The body leans to the left with the head turned to the right and the eyes looking leans to the left with the head turned to the right and the eyes looking up at the R hand.

Derriere: The dancer faces either one of the two front corners of the room with the leg that is closer to the audience pointed in the second position a terre or raised to the second position en l’air. When this position is taken with the L leg extended, the dancer stands at an oblique angle to the audience, facing corner 8 with the R leg in the second position pointe tendue a terre or raised to the second position en l’air pointing toward corner 6. The arms are held with the L arm curved over the head in the line of vision and the R arm held in demi-seconde position. The body leans to the right with the head turned to the right and the eyes looking down at the extended R arm.

Enface: One of the directions of épaulement in which the dancer stands at an oblique angle to the audience so that a part of the body is taken back and almost hidden from view. This direction is termed "ouvert" in the French method. Effacé is also used to qualify a pose in which the legs are open (not crossed). This pose may be taken devant or derrière, either à terre or en l'air. 

Encroix: In the shape of a cross. The required movement is done to the front, then the side, then back and then again to the side (a cross shape) closing in either first or fifth position.