Balanchine the Teacher: Fundamentals That Shaped the First Generation of New York City Ballet Dancers

Contents

Contents Acknowledgments xi Part 1. Barbara Walczak Introduction to Part 1 3 1.1. Suggestions to Teachers 7 1.2. Teachers 9 1.3. Dancing in the Early 1950s 12 1.4. Components of a Balanchine Class 15 1.5. Introduction to the Music 16 1.6. Terminology 20 Basic Port de Bras 23 Barre Exercises 24 Plié 25 Port de Bras 26 Tendu 26 Frappé 33 Rond de Jambe par Terre 35 Battement Fondue 37 Grand Battement 42 Développé 44 Adagios at the Barre 46 Rond de Jambe en l’Air 51 Petit Battement 54 1.7. How Center Exercises Are Done 57 Fondue 57 Passés 57 Arabesque 57 Piqué Arabesque 58 Pirouette 59 Glissade 59 Jumps 60 Breathing in Jumps 61 Assemblé 62 Jeté 62 Grand Royale 62 Pas de Bourrée 63 Chaîné Turns 63 Arm Positions in Basic Exercises 63 1.8. Corrections That Recur 64 1.9. Classes from the 1950s 66 Class One 66 Class Two 70 Class Three 76 Class Four 86 Class Five 92 Class Six 97 Class Seven 102 Class Eight 106 Class Nine 111 Class Ten 116 Class Eleven 120 Class Twelve 125 Class Thirteen 130 Class Fourteen 133 Class Fifteen 137 Class Sixteen 141 Class Seventeen 147 Class Eighteen 153 Class Nineteen 157 Class Twenty 161 1.10. Classes from the 1960s 165 Class One 165 Class Two 173 1.11. Classes from the 1970s 180 Class Three 180 Class Four 184 1.12. Music Suggested for Balanchine Classes 191 Barre Exercises 192 Class One 210 Class Two: Centre 212 Class Three: Centre 215 Class Four: Centre 220 Part 2. Una Kai Introduction to Part 2 227 2.1. In the Beginning 228 2.2. Balanchine’s Way 230 Turnout 230 Jumping 231 Glissade 232 Turns 234 Arms and Feet 234 Signature Steps 235 “More Is Better” 237 Choreographic Devices 238 Changes and Versions 240 Restagings 241 2.3. Basic Principles of Balanchine’s Method 244 Standing 246 Walking 246 Running 246 Tension 247 Dynamics 247 Five Positions 248 2.4. The Barre 249 Purpose and Use 249 Construction of Exercises 250 Demi-Plié 250 Grand Plié 251 Coordination of the Arm with Grand Plié 251 Coordination of the Arm with Bending Down and Back 252 2.5. Exercises with Straight Leg Sliding Away from Supporting Leg 253 Battement Tendu 253 Battement Tendu Plié 256 Battement Dégagé Jeté 256 Grand Battement Dégagé 257 Grand Battement Jeté 257 Grand Battement Rond de Jambe 257 2.6. Exercises Bending the Knee and Lifting the Foot from the Floor 259 Cou-de-Pied 259 Pas de Cheval 260 Battement Frappé 261 Battement Frappé Battue 262 Ballonné and Frappé 262 Petit Battement Sur le Cou-de-Pied 263 Petit Battement Piqué 263 Petit Battement Serré 264 Grand Développé 264 Passé la Jambe, from Full Extension to Other Positions en l’Air 265 Nuance 266 Pivoting 267 Fouetté 267 Fondue 268 2.7. Rotary Movements 269 Rond de Jambe par Terre 269 Grand Rond de Jambe Jeté 269 Rond de Jambe en l’Air 270 Grand Rond de Jambe en l’Air 271 2.8. Poses 272 Attitude 272 Arabesque 272 Épaulement 272 Basic Positions Used by Balanchine 273 Épaulement When Advancing or Retreating 274 2.9. Port de Bras 276 Basic Positions 276 Head and Eyes 278 Hands and Fingers 278 2.10. Jumping 280 Glissade 281 Glissade Précipité 282 Glissade from Fourth Position for Big Traveling Jumps 283 Assemblé 283 Assemblé Porté 283 Jeté 284 Grand Jeté 284 Sissonne 284 Posé 285 Brisé 285 Entrechat Six 286 2.11. Pointe Work 287 Relevé 287 Relevé Retiré 288 Piqué 289 Piqué Jeté 289 2.12. Turning 290 To Conclude a Pirouette 290 Arms and Head in Pirouettes 291 To Turn with the Arms en Haut (au Couronne) 292 Chaîné Turns 292 Grand Tours 293 Tour Piqué 293 2.13. Balanchine Pointe Class, 1960 295 2.14. Balanchine Company Class, October 1975 298 Summary 301 ...