im new to ballet and i need some help

[Guest red27]

hey im new to ballet and i know absolutely nothing about it. everyone on this site seems to know everything from shoes to those wierd names. i've been in dances before like hip hop and now a days dances like "hill toe" and i know how to "c walk" and "chiken head" and i can pop a lil bit, you know all those dances on music videos. well now im getting into ballet and i really need some help with all the fancy words and brand names i dont know about. it would be real cool if you could help me out a lil bit. give me some of your ideas and tips on how to become better. thanks a million

-B

[Victoria Leigh]

Hello red27, welcome to Ballet Talk for Dancers!

 

We really can't give you tips until you have studied enough to learn a bit of technique and then have a specific question about something. What we can do is recommend the books and discuss your course of study in terms of how many classes, how long, etc.

 

There is a small, inexpensive book in most major bookstores and also through the link above to Amazon.com. It is called Technical Manual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet, by Gail Grant. An even better book, but a lot more expensive, also available in the same places, is called Classical Ballet Technique and is written by Gretchen Ward Warren.

 

In terms of learning ballet for the first time, you need to find the very best school in your area. Hopefully you will be able to start with AT LEAST two classes a week, and after you have been there a while, move on to more classes per week. The classes are often only an hour on the beginning level, but it would be great if they were longer.

 

Another major aid to learning and understanding would be to watch as many ballets as you can, both on video and at a theatre near you if possible. Also go to the library and check out everything they have on ballet!

 

Good luck, and let us know how you are doing. When you have had enough classes to know the questions to ask, we will try to help.

[Guest red27]

thank you for your help. i'll make sure i find the books at barnes. i really aprreciated. but i have some more questions even though i dont know anything yet. is it true that when yuo start doing ballet your feet get all bloody and you can never get your toes looking pretty again. i saw that on a movie and i was just wondering if it was really that bad.

thanks a million

B

[Victoria Leigh]

No, that is not true at all. You will not be in pointe shoes for a very long time. You need several years of technique classes in ballet shoes first. You do not get bloody toes from ballet shoes, and not that often from pointe shoes either. Once in a while a blister will bleed, but it's no big deal. You get used to that. But that will not happen to you for a long time. And, if you are well trained, and very ready for pointe work when that time comes, and also get the shoes fitted properly, it should not happen at all!