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Joaquín de Luz Speaks About His Position as CND’s New Director
As I mentioned in an earlier story, former New York City Ballet principal dancer Joaquín de Luz will be the new Director of Compañia Nacional de Danza in Spain. The Spanish Government’s Ministry of Culture and Sports released some of de Luz’s first words about his upcoming role in the ballet world. Below is the…
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Royal Ballet School: Healthy Dancer Programme
After four years of development after review in 2015, Royal Ballet School has released a film introducing their “world-class healthcare programme”. The Healthy Dancer Programme was founded on the belief that to best prepare students for the life of a professional classical ballet dancer, attention must be paid to their overall physical, mental, and emotional…
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How Pointe Shoes Are Made
The next time you wonder, “Why are pointe shoes so darn expensive?!” re-watch this video. It shows a behind-the-scenes look at the artistic process behind the pretty, shiny pointe shoes that ballet dancers often take for granted. From the initial sketches to the final touches, there is so much attention to detail and manual precision…
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The Firebird Reimagined
This weekend at Symphony Hall in Phoenix, Ballet Arizona will perform the world premiere of Ib Anderson’s The Firebird accompanied by The Phoenix Symphony. Based on viewing the video below, this is to be a production of The Firebird unlike anything we’ve ever seen before. The costumes are couture and the set designs panoramic; it seems…
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Ballet Fan Practice
There are many props used in ballet, but one of the most iconic is the ballet fan used by Kitri in her third act variation in Don Quixote. Learning this variation is somewhat a rite of passage for budding ballerinas. During my years as a teacher, I have worked on Kitri’s famous solo numerous times,…
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The White Crow: The Rudolf Nureyev Story
Even those who are not so verse in ballet are familiar with the name Rudolf Nureyev. In The White Crow, Ralph Fiennes (who is also plays his teacher Pushkin in the movie) directs dancer Oleg Ivenko as the title character, taking the audience on a journey of the life of the famed ballet star. Nureyev’s…
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Discover Ballet in Cuba
Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines has an online video series called The Local that focuses on the cultural offerings of their port destinations. This particular episode shares the story of Gabriel and her life as a student at the Cuban National Ballet School; she is dedicated to one day becoming a dancer with National Ballet of…
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Voices from the ABT Studio Company
As the new year begins, many young dancers are already thinking about where they will continue their training this summer as auditions for 2019 Ballet Summer Intensives are right around the corner. Many have dreams of becoming professional ballet dancers and know that giving up long holidays at the beach is often part of the…
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Yuli: The Revealing Biographical Movie About Carlos Acosta
Yuli, the biopic about Carlos Acosta – one of the greatest ballet dancers of all times – has been nominated for 5 Goya awards (the Goya awards are the Spanish equivalent of the Oscars). Directed by Iciar Bollain, the film tells of Acosta’s childhood in his native Cuba and follows his growth to stardom. Based…
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Dance of the Four Swans from Swan Lake
Call it what you like – Dance of the Four Swans, Dance of the Cygnets, The Four Little Swans – but this pas de quatre from Swan Lake is one of the most iconic dances in one of the most iconic classical ballets of all time. It is a coveted role for a ballerina, one…