Guest chocolate_chuchu Posted February 13, 2005 Report Share Posted February 13, 2005 The Ballet syllabus I'm following (RAD) includes character dance - one that you wear ugly black shoes with ugly black heels, jump around and click your heels together a lot - and free movement dance, in which you run around and jump with parallel legs and feet, waving a silk scarf around madly. Frankly, I don't see the point of these two dances. They are not exactly Ballet (or are they?). I don't really enjoy them and they are worth at least 20% in the exam. I would be grateful if someone could tell me what they're for and why RAD insists that you must do them! Thanks! Link to comment
Mel Johnson Posted February 13, 2005 Report Share Posted February 13, 2005 Just get a part in Coppélia or Le Corsaire or Act III Swan Lake or "Petrouchka". The importance of character and national dancing will become readily apparent to you! Link to comment
iceydeville Posted February 14, 2005 Report Share Posted February 14, 2005 I was cast in Swan Lake's mazurka for our spring performance. Now is the time in which I wished character dance was taught more often. Besides, its good to learn different types of dance. Makes ya versatile, I think. IMO, that is. Link to comment
pureafterglow Posted March 20, 2005 Report Share Posted March 20, 2005 If nothing else doing a new set of movements will strengthen muscles that have not been worked before. A common factor in injury is that all the muscles of the body are not equaly strong. Link to comment
Guest BalletBrat Posted March 25, 2005 Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 Character, is important as it is danced in many Ballets and is usually danced by the members of the corps, where almost every dancer starts her career, rarely does a dancer start out as principal. But learning character also helps the young dancer to develop good timing and rythm. The character and folk dances you see performed in many of the classical ballets are actually quite difficult, and its the simple dotting steps, cifras and picked up runs etc. that you learn early on that will enable you to later learn the more difficult polonaises,mazurkas and so forth with more ease. Free movement, serves to help develop poise, musicality and sensitivity as well as relax the muscles. RAD also incorporates mime in the pre primary and primary grades, mime is something often neglected these days, but is sooo important for a dancer to do well, as we don't JUST dance in ballet, we also act! So you see, there is more to learning classical ballet than just doing plies, tendus and grand jetes. Link to comment
Guest kxsandra Posted April 6, 2005 Report Share Posted April 6, 2005 The Ballet syllabus I'm following (RAD) includes character dance - one that you wear ugly black shoes with ugly black heels, jump around and click your heels together a lot - and free movement dance, in which you run around and jump with parallel legs and feet, waving a silk scarf around madly. Frankly, I don't see the point of these two dances. They are not exactly Ballet (or are they?). I don't really enjoy them and they are worth at least 20% in the exam. I would be grateful if someone could tell me what they're for and why RAD insists that you must do them! Thanks! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> i always thought the exact same...not about free movement because ya can get into the whole fluidity and emotion of things with it i found.... especially free movement grade 5 that dance is gorgeous! character i cant stand though -i guess its powerful and a whole different way of dancing too- but it jus feels so unelegant and ugly to dance sometimes! Link to comment
Mel Johnson Posted April 6, 2005 Report Share Posted April 6, 2005 When you do it correctly, it's very beautiful. Link to comment
Guest kxsandra Posted April 7, 2005 Report Share Posted April 7, 2005 When you do it correctly, it's very beautiful. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> true, it does look amazing on some dancers, but i can never seem to get the quality right ! Link to comment
balletbum74 Posted December 4, 2005 Report Share Posted December 4, 2005 Knock, knock...I am a fifteen year old dancer but I was interested in this thread... Character dances help set the mood of the ballet or influence the story. The gypsy dances in Don Quixote let you know that Basilo and Kitri are in a gypsy camp. Also, the character dances in the beginning of Don Q set the Spanish mood for the ballet. The add flavor that you can't get always get from just watching ballet dancers in tutus. They also help you grow as a dancer so when you get to be Kitri, you can add that flavor to your technique with nuances to define the role. It is also (as already mentioned) a chance for the corps dancers to dance more. Principal dancers have a chance to take a breath during character dances too. Link to comment
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