twinklingdance1990 Posted August 5, 2008 Report Share Posted August 5, 2008 I'm new to this forum! I'm a 18 year old dancer and I have just moved to New York City. I am Chinese and have been doing Chinese Dance and Modern Dance in a professional dance academy for 10 years. I did ballet too, but we do not do it on a professional basis. I am starting college as a dance major in NYC this fall and I realised how important ballet is in the states! I am very worried about not being able to catch up! How do I go about improving my ballet techniques in the shortest time possible? What kind of exercises should I focus on? Thank you!! Link to comment
Mel Johnson Posted August 5, 2008 Report Share Posted August 5, 2008 Ni hao, td1990, if I may call you that, to Ballet Talk for Dancers! You are indeed fortunate to have such a background in National and Modern Dance, as the learning environments in these forms have a lot in common with classical ballet. You will pick up ballet technique much more quickly than the absolute newcomer to dance who tries to start from the very beginning. Your realization that ballet is important is very perceptive, and your previous avocational study of it will be a distinct advantage. That said, there is no shortcut to ballet, no Ballet Fairy who pops in through your window at night to sprinkle Balanchine Dust and make you a ballet dancer overnight. It's going to take some time, but you at least have a head start, as I said before. Pay close attention in your classes and listen to all the corrections, even those not directed to you, and see how they apply. Work hard, and follow the class and course material you're given. Practice outside of class may not be advisable at this point, as you may reinforce errors that a teacher could correct. If your college schedule allows, you may want to take additional classes at one of the many fine schools in NYC that offer open classes. Be very careful to avoid overwork, though, as that always leads to injury. Speak frequently with your faculty advisor at school in order to get advice from someone who can actually see you work. And I can see that you are a thinking person, so that's a very big plus for you. Ballet is not for the lazy or weak of brain! And keep talking to us; we want to help you. It's going to seem like slow going for a while, but with your background and good attitude, you just might do something special with the art! Link to comment
twinklingdance1990 Posted August 5, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2008 Thank you so much for the reply!! I'm so excited to be in New York City and I will explore the city and all the opportunities to study dance and watch all the performances! May I also ask which are the better studios to study ballet in? I don't go on pointe so will that be a major hindrance?? Link to comment
Mel Johnson Posted August 5, 2008 Report Share Posted August 5, 2008 I think that if you choose an adult open class such as the ones at the Joffrey school, or at STEPS on Broadway, you could probably find good supplementary instruction to add to your existing class load. Pointe will not make the slightest difference in those. Link to comment
twinklingdance1990 Posted August 5, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2008 ok thank you Link to comment
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