REFLECTIVE WRITING- Ballet
What have you learned about yourself from participating in this dance class?
I have learned that I care much more about dance than I had previously believed. At first this was just a class I was required to take, but I ended up loving it! I started getting really excited to go to class and learn new moves. I am motivated by a good challenge and memorizing and perfecting the movements gave me just that. Musicality is what I learned I am best at when it comes to ballet.
What did you learn about the communicative potential (feeling or meaning) of dance by viewing a live performance?
Being in the theatre is so different than viewing a performance on a screen. Being there has a certain atmosphere and the surround sound of the music draws you in. The dramatic and exaggerated movements help the audience to feel the emotion from the dance. Props and lighting also influence the general mood.
What have you learned about yourself from participating in this dance class?
I have learned that I care much more about dance than I had previously believed. At first this was just a class I was required to take, but I ended up loving it! I started getting really excited to go to class and learn new moves. I am motivated by a good challenge and memorizing and perfecting the movements gave me just that. Musicality is what I learned I am best at when it comes to ballet.
What did you learn about the communicative potential (feeling or meaning) of dance by viewing a live performance?
Being in the theatre is so different than viewing a performance on a screen. Being there has a certain atmosphere and the surround sound of the music draws you in. The dramatic and exaggerated movements help the audience to feel the emotion from the dance. Props and lighting also influence the general mood.
The Phantom of the Opera
Andrew Lloyd Webber
On November 5th 2012 I went to New York City and saw The Phantom of the Opera at the Majestic Theatre on Broadway. Ever since I was a young girl it has been my dream to see this play and I was thrilled to get the chance to fulfill it! There are only a few scenes of straight ballet, but there were techniques I recognized from class in every dance number.
The first ballet scene showed the opera’s rehearsal. The dancers rushed on stage and the dance was very fast paced. The music had slow background with string instruments that matched the singing of the actors, while the brass instruments played a fast tempo to compliment the dancers’ choreography. Throughout the dance, the ballerinas were evenly spaced and their por de bras was stiffer than I’m used to. They ended the rehearsal doing an incredible amount of pirouettes. The choreography was very dramatic and their perfect syncopation drew the audience in.
I really enjoyed watching the ballerina’s warm up and practice. It was interesting to see the professionals doing the same things we do in class! They were at the barre doing tendus, plies, releve, and other things we do to get ready for class. They started rehearsing their dance and it was an elegant swan-like dance where they tiptoed in a circle moving their arms gracefully as they went around. The fluidity of their steps made it seem as if they were floating instead of stepping.
When The Phantom made the lead lady’s voice sound like a frog, they brought out the ballet early to distract the audience. They used props such as flowers and swings to set the stage as a garden in spring time. The music was light and sweet with a quick tempo. The costumes were light green with flowers. It was interesting because the dresses looked very heavy. They had many layers and were puffy, but it didn’t seem to restrict their movement too much. The combination of the music, pirouettes, costumes, and props gives the feeling of excitement for the new season. It was ironic that right in the middle of this happy performance The Phantom hung and killed a man. The movements were more abrupt and included more battement, especially grand battement, than the other dances.
In conclusion, this was the greatest play I have ever had the pleasure of viewing. The ballerina’s were flawless and their performance really contributed to the story. This class has given me a greater appreciation of ballet. I never knew how difficult it actually is, especially memorizing the choreography. I have really enjoyed learning more about the art of ballet, and hope to see more performances in years to come.
Andrew Lloyd Webber
On November 5th 2012 I went to New York City and saw The Phantom of the Opera at the Majestic Theatre on Broadway. Ever since I was a young girl it has been my dream to see this play and I was thrilled to get the chance to fulfill it! There are only a few scenes of straight ballet, but there were techniques I recognized from class in every dance number.
The first ballet scene showed the opera’s rehearsal. The dancers rushed on stage and the dance was very fast paced. The music had slow background with string instruments that matched the singing of the actors, while the brass instruments played a fast tempo to compliment the dancers’ choreography. Throughout the dance, the ballerinas were evenly spaced and their por de bras was stiffer than I’m used to. They ended the rehearsal doing an incredible amount of pirouettes. The choreography was very dramatic and their perfect syncopation drew the audience in.
I really enjoyed watching the ballerina’s warm up and practice. It was interesting to see the professionals doing the same things we do in class! They were at the barre doing tendus, plies, releve, and other things we do to get ready for class. They started rehearsing their dance and it was an elegant swan-like dance where they tiptoed in a circle moving their arms gracefully as they went around. The fluidity of their steps made it seem as if they were floating instead of stepping.
When The Phantom made the lead lady’s voice sound like a frog, they brought out the ballet early to distract the audience. They used props such as flowers and swings to set the stage as a garden in spring time. The music was light and sweet with a quick tempo. The costumes were light green with flowers. It was interesting because the dresses looked very heavy. They had many layers and were puffy, but it didn’t seem to restrict their movement too much. The combination of the music, pirouettes, costumes, and props gives the feeling of excitement for the new season. It was ironic that right in the middle of this happy performance The Phantom hung and killed a man. The movements were more abrupt and included more battement, especially grand battement, than the other dances.
In conclusion, this was the greatest play I have ever had the pleasure of viewing. The ballerina’s were flawless and their performance really contributed to the story. This class has given me a greater appreciation of ballet. I never knew how difficult it actually is, especially memorizing the choreography. I have really enjoyed learning more about the art of ballet, and hope to see more performances in years to come.
