Learning Ballet Research Paper

Hence, by looking back to the beginning of ballet, it is safe to say that ballet has come a long way from being a foreign art to a dance embraced and loved by Americans. It began with only a few companies in New York, but today there are more than “65 professional, million-dollar-budget ballet companies” in the United States (Legro). Many American girls as young as three years old are taking ballet lessons and dreaming of one day becoming a ballerina in the nation’s top ballet companies. As to why these little girls are deciding to learn this art, a 14 year from California replies, “ I just think it is fun and my mom and my sister also danced ballet when she was younger, so I guess it is just part our family ” (C. Chen, personal communication,

I started ballet when I was 5 years old. At first I did not want to join ballet. But my mom forced me to join. When I tried out, I was really enjoying the class. But I did not want to show that I did enjoy it.

The first experience of watching a ballet, for me or any little girl, can be fascinating and exhilarating. Wondering how a dancer can be so steady on her toes as she spins in circles and leaps through the air. Watching a ballet, there is a feeling of wanting to be graceful, as well as the warm sensation felt by a little girl as she slips into dream land. My mom had taken me to my first ballet when I was 11 years old. When we returned home home, she signed me up for classes at the local dance center. The expectations to become a prima ballerina would involve much hard work and concentration. I knew when I started it would take years of steady practice and commitment. Learning the history of ballet and the famous

Ballet is one of the most beautiful, graceful dances known to the dancing world. From the tutu to the pointe shoes the need to see the expression of the steps given. Being able to see how the illusion of a flying princess is one of the most mysteries that come with a ballet show. The history of Ballet has evolved into one of the most well-known type of dances in the world this is from only the men having roles in the ballet to women being able to express emotion.

Growing up was never easy for me, but I did not let that stop me from pursuing my ballet career. I didn’t grow up doing ballet, and taking my first ballet class at the Boys and Girls Club at age 13 gave me a setback compared to others who may have been dancing since they were 3. My teacher put me into many positions,

To prove everyone wrong, an interest was sparked in supporting ballet to show the world that American artists are just as competence as its foreign competitors. Unlike the Russians who have already established their mark in the ballet world, Americans were not commonly associated as talented ballet dancers. Thus, in 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower set aside $2,250,00 to fund dance, theatre, music, and sports tours to showcase American talents around the world. One of the funded dance tours was a ballet tour by New York City Ballet’s in Western Europe and the Soviet Union in 1962 (Croft, p. 425). New York City Ballet was a company founded by Balanchine and Kristen so their ballet performances reflected the innovation style of American ballet while maintaining its classical grace. Before their tour in the Soviet Union, the dancers were prepared for criticism and even booing during the performance due to the tensions between the two countries. However, all political differences were pushed aside, as “three thousand Soviet ballet fans rose to their feet to celebrate

Ballet requires a lot of fitness. Dancers also have good endurance and have to do conditioning just like other sports. Some of the boys in our dance studio use ballet for agility to help them with other sports

Everyone knows ballet has been around for many years, but not everyone knows that people rebelled against ballets structure. Ballet is a very strict type of dance unlike modern which is more free. The strictness of ballet is very different from modern because ballet watches your every move like a hawk. It needs to be straight and precise, but in modern, there is no strictness to it. The moves come naturally to you as well as they can be whatever you want them to be. Most of them are just made up off the top of your head. There are many differences, but there are also similarities. They involve emotion and costumes, but they still relate. Modern is a very free type of dance, so is ballet, but the two have many things that are not the same.

Dancing has a unique connection to the world and the people around you. It can push you to your physical limits or it can bring you peace of mind. I am classically trained dancer, and I love all dance as a whole. Dancing whether its ballet, modern, or dancing for fun can be a spiritual experience. When I

Whenever I walk into the dance studio at my high school, there is always a certain smell. There is always a slight smell of sweat, passion and a hint of baby powder. Sweat for working hard, passion for loving what they are doing and baby powder to help with turning.

Throughout my life I have never really been interested in the dance until last year where I started to accept it. why? Why do we put ourselves through the physical stress to call ourselves dancers? Why do we love it so? I simply found those answers when I started dancing as I saw the potential it gave, showed the importance of teamwork, and the courage it taught.

This ballet class felt like one of the best classes I have ever had and done. I did notices that a few of my old habits were slowly returning such as over using my muscles especially when combinations got tough. The combinations that I noticed that I tensed up on or used more muscles then I need to I practiced that combination outside of class at a slower tempo. Once I was able to accomplish the combination without over using my muscles and tensing up I slowly started to speed it up to the tempo that it was taught at. I have also noticed that working on the combination outside of class allows me to work on my own timing and areas of my

Everyone has their own hobby or activity, an interest of sorts, that makes them unique. Dance has always been mine. From the moment I could walk I was already dancing everywhere I went. I had to practice most days of the week, have my own practices at home, and attend recitals on the weekends. So many of my hours were given up to dancing that people would often ask, do you truly enjoy it? Aren't you tired of it? My answer has always been and will always be no. To me dance has never been a burden, but rather a passion that has shaped me into the person I am today. I love to dance because it's not only a physical activity, but a mental one as well. Through dance I'm able to clear my head and truly think about things without letting anything else take over.

For over a decade, I stood at the same barre in front of the same mirror, and I watched myself change. Without my knowledge, ballet began to shape me as a person. Because of the grueling hours spent refining my technique, I developed discipline. Despite the hard days of practice, I never gave up. My body learned as well, and my muscles still contain the leanness of a dancer. Whenever someone compliments me on my ability to tie my hair into a bun on the top of my head, I always smile conspiratorially.

When I first enrolled in this course I thought it would be a good chance for me to meet new people with an interest in ballet, but I never thought that it would have a larger impact on myself. For instance, I did not believe that I would relate the world of ballet to my economics and statistic class that I am currently enrolled in as well, but that is exactly what I began to do. During these past 15 weeks I have learn much about myself, life, and ballet. The class is not what I ever imagined; however I would not change a thing about the class overall. Ballet like everything else has a rich history that although it does not seem important, or appear interesting is key to having an understanding of where it