Ballet studies resources for older kids... any ideas?

[helena]

My girls love to study ballet, read them watch them, discuss them... dress up for them. :)

They don't take classes and have no interest in that.

 

I've been looking around, reading old threads, thinking, thinking. 

So far I'm most interested in The Ballet Book: Workbook Series (books III-V). 

Any great ideas, websites, books, videos to suggest? My kids will be 13 and 15 yrs old. 

 

Last year and this year I squeezed in all the "too young" resources because I knew the door of willingness was closing and I have quite a few beautiful vintage resources. They actually enjoyed reading the easier vintage books, then watching  full length/snippets of  adult productions. Next year that won't fly. So, nothing too simple, nothing too intense. We're doing this because they love it. I don't want to squash the love with over academic writing or baby books. 

 

 

[In The Great White North]

http://www.amazon.com/New-York-City-Ballet-Complete/dp/B000HRMAR2

[helena]

http://www.amazon.com/New-York-City-Ballet-Complete/dp/B000HRMAR2

THIS is why I LOVE the WTM so, so ,so much!

Thank you!!

 

I'm watching it on YouTube right now... it's going to be a great year next year. I'm so excited! I believe this dvd will be a perfect fit for us. 

I just ordered one of the ballet workbooks I mentioned in the OP... 

[redsquirrel]

There is a great book called "Apollo's Angels: a History of Ballet". It might be too academic, but it might not be for your older girl. I know another 'ballet mom' who is a homeschooler taught a class (maybe in our co-op) on the history of ballet and she used that book with the kids. But I don't know if she taught from it or had them read or what. I read it myself and really liked it, but it was years ago.

 

There are tons of ballet autobiographies, but you should read those yourself first. They are not written with young eyes in mind. But I bet there are biographies of the the great ballerinas they can read.

 

I saw a BBC documentary called "Darcey's ballerina Heroines" and it was great. However, I had tunnelbear at the time and it might not be available to US audiences. Still, might be worth looking for. It might show up on BBC america or something.

 

The ballet fans I know, all seem to know a lot about the careers of the great ballerinas, past and present. And of course they know the stories of all the classic ballets.

 

This is a website by an amazing ballet teacher. It might be too actual ballet class for them though. I have bought a couple of his DVDs for my sons and he is remarkable.

 

http://www.finisjhung.com/catalog/index.php

 

I want the "Ballet barre stretch and strength" for myself, lol.

 

ETA: I am assuming they have watched Bunheads, or know it exists? And "First Position"? It is streaming on Netflix, but I imagine you have seen it 1000 times. I know I have. I think I can recite it.

 

Would a book like "Steps to Success in Ballet" appeal, or is to much for the dancer crowd? See, my boys are dancers so everything I know is from that perspective.

 

[helena]

There is a great book called "Apollo's Angels: a History of Ballet". It might be too academic, but it might not be for your older girl. I know another 'ballet mom' who is a homeschooler taught a class (maybe in our co-op) on the history of ballet and she used that book with the kids. But I don't know if she taught from it or had them read or what. I read it myself and really liked it, but it was years ago.

 

There are tons of ballet autobiographies, but you should read those yourself first. They are not written with young eyes in mind. But I bet there are biographies of the the great ballerinas they can read.

 

I saw a BBC documentary called "Darcey's ballerina Heroines" and it was great. However, I had tunnelbear at the time and it might not be available to US audiences. Still, might be worth looking for. It might show up on BBC america or something.

 

The ballet fans I know, all seem to know a lot about the careers of the great ballerinas, past and present. And of course they know the stories of all the classic ballets.

 

This is a website by an amazing ballet teacher. It might be too actual ballet class for them though. I have bought a couple of his DVDs for my sons and he is remarkable.

 

http://www.finisjhung.com/catalog/index.php

 

I want the "Ballet barre stretch and strength" for myself, lol.

 

ETA: I am assuming they have watched Bunheads, or know it exists? And "First Position"? It is streaming on Netflix, but I imagine you have seen it 1000 times. I know I have. I think I can recite it.

 

Would a book like "Steps to Success in Ballet" appeal, or is to much for the dancer crowd? See, my boys are dancers so everything I know is from that perspective.

Thanks! I'm going through everything you mentioned.

I just put Apollo's Angels on hold at the library. I found it on audio, which would be nice to listen to while we do cooking or art projects. I think I looked at it a few years ago and decided it was too old for the kids... At this point I'm making a list of resources to get us through the high school years. So, if not next year, maybe the next? It gets great reviews on Amazon. 

 

I didn't have any luck finding the documentary, though there's a page on BBC for it. I bookmarked it, so I'll check on it once in awhile to see if something comes up. We watched a few very good documentaries on ballet this year. I think I'll sprinkle a few in next year. I liked the trailer for First Position. I might have watched it a year or two ago. It's in my queue. :)

[EndOfOrdinary]

First Position is a great documentary on YouTube.  The boy profiled in the movie made me want to drop everything and place my child in ballet.  I came to my senses and realized it was a completely selfish thought.....kinda.

[EndOfOrdinary]

Sorry, Netflix not YouTube!

[helena]

First Position is a great documentary on YouTube.  The boy profiled in the movie made me want to drop everything and place my child in ballet.  I came to my senses and realized it was a completely selfish thought.....kinda.

 

We watched Ballets Russes and Ballerina this year and liked both of them. They're on Netflix and also worth checking out.

I've been adding movies to my queue on Amazon Prime, hopefully I'll find something good there. The Dancer looks promising. 

 

Forget the kids! I watch these movies and regret never giving it a go myself. :) 

[Murmer]

YouTube has a entire series about the NYC ballet company explaining what a dancer's life is like...its by AOL Originals.

[Miss Tick]

"Fathom Events" does simulcasts in movie theaters of all sorts of unusual productions. We enjoyed Swan Lake, by the Royal Ballet, and sadly had to miss the ballet Sleeping Beauty recently in our local theater. You might be able to find a participating theater near you. It was really well done, and included the intermission. :-)

[tammyw]

My daughter is a ballet dancer and there are a few things I'll need to get her from his thread. She absolutely loved First Position!

[amsunshine]

I'm a little confused.  The dvds for NYCB workout and Finis Jhung videos are really nice for the ballet dancer who wants to have a supplemental workout at home on days off. However,  I'm not sure they are really great for a study of ballet by those who aren't interested in dancing. 

 

I also would be cautious about using First Position for a serious study of ballet, unless you were to really use it as a critique of what the art of ballet is not.  There are some great stories in First Position, but I think that it presents a very limited and skewed viewpoint of ballet itself.  It's a movie about one competition in the ballet training circuit -- not about the lives of professional dancers.

 

I do think Ballerina is a very nice movie about the lives of some very talented Russian ballerinas.  There are a number of full length ballets you could get from Netflix to familiarize yourselves with the stories of the different classical ballets -- Flames of Paris; La Bayadere; Paquita; etc.  I guess I'm not sure what you are after, but there are also documentaries about Balanchine, for example, who was trained in the Vaganova method, but developed his own style here in the states.  A book about Vaganova, herself, might be helpful; books about the Royal Ballet; the Paris Opera ballet; the Cecchetti method; etc., and history of their development to compare/contrast, might be what you are looking for.

 

eta:  Instead of First Position, you might want to check out the Prix de Lausanne website, and their videos.  YAGP is a "pay to play" competition, while Prix de Lausanne is highly selective and pre-qualifies its competitors.  Consequently, the competition is more respected, and its competitors are top notch.  (That's not to say that YAGP doesn't have quality competitors, but very few are on the level of Prix de Lausanne, or other comparable competitions).  On the other hand, as I alluded to before, competitions in general are not truly reflective of the art and profession of ballet dancing....competitions are more of a sport.  So that's why I say, if you want to learn about the competition world in ballet, better to seek the more selective competitions...those are where you will more likely find demonstrations of true artists/artistry.) 

 

[NavyMommy]

Have you watched the Royal Ballet's productions on Amazon? We own all of them (except Giselle, I don't think DD is ready for that yet) and watch them over and over. Our favorites are Alice in Wonderland and Sleeping Beauty. She's only 5 but will sit through an entire classical ballet and not move. They're really well done and well produced. Watching those has led to research in ballet pantomime as well as reading variations of the stories presented. 

 

Also, if you have one in your area the Fathom Events are wonderful. We went to Sleeping Beauty last week and loved it. It was fun to discuss the differences in that one and the recorded version we own. The Royal Ballet also has tons of great behind the scenes type videos on you tube.

[helena]

Thanks everyone! I'm checking out all your suggestions. Once ballet is in order I'll have poetry, opera, fine art, and ballet decided. Then I get to have fun making a schedule for it all. It's funny because I was at a complete loss as to what to do next year for the arts. Within a few weeks I found the right books and resources and it's all coming together easily. I love it when that happens. :)

[helena]

I'm a little confused.  The dvds for NYCB workout and Finis Jhung videos are really nice for the ballet dancer who wants to have a supplemental workout at home on days off. However,  I'm not sure they are really great for a study of ballet by those who aren't interested in dancing. 

 

I also would be cautious about using First Position for a serious study of ballet, unless you were to really use it as a critique of what the art of ballet is not.  There are some great stories in First Position, but I think that it presents a very limited and skewed viewpoint of ballet itself.  It's a movie about one competition in the ballet training circuit -- not about the lives of professional dancers.

 

I do think Ballerina is a very nice movie about the lives of some very talented Russian ballerinas.  There are a number of full length ballets you could get from Netflix to familiarize yourselves with the stories of the different classical ballets -- Flames of Paris; La Bayadere; Paquita; etc.  I guess I'm not sure what you are after, but there are also documentaries about Balanchine, for example, who was trained in the Vaganova method, but developed his own style here in the states.  A book about Vaganova, herself, might be helpful; books about the Royal Ballet; the Paris Opera ballet; the Cecchetti method; etc., and history of their development to compare/contrast, might be what you are looking for.

 

eta:  Instead of First Position, you might want to check out the Prix de Lausanne website, and their videos.  YAGP is a "pay to play" competition, while Prix de Lausanne is highly selective and pre-qualifies its competitors.  Consequently, the competition is more respected, and its competitors are top notch.  (That's not to say that YAGP doesn't have quality competitors, but very few are on the level of Prix de Lausanne, or other comparable competitions).  On the other hand, as I alluded to before, competitions in general are not truly reflective of the art and profession of ballet dancing....competitions are more of a sport.  So that's why I say, if you want to learn about the competition world in ballet, better to seek the more selective competitions...those are where you will more likely find demonstrations of true artists/artistry.) 

We wouldn't use them as a means for study of ballet. We would use it as a cross training workout dvd. My girls are fencers.

 

This could be just one of many ways to fold in the love and respect for ballet. If we're already looking for a workout dvd, why not use this? The music and instructions are fantastic. We can't believe how cheesy so many workout videos are. My girls were pleased to have learned about the connection of ballet to fencing. Their history is very much interwoven. Who knows, we may try it a few times and realize it's the wrong fit.

 

We'll probably avoid many movies and tv shows on the subject. I've been very selective about what I choose. I want to avoid stuff that's reality show-ish, tv-ish, main stream-ish... iykwim. I think we prefer the old, the magic of it all, more artistic kind of spirit. Sorry, it's hard for me to explain. 

 

I'll check out all of your recs for sure! 

[Jenny in Florida]

"Fathom Events" does simulcasts in movie theaters of all sorts of unusual productions. We enjoyed Swan Lake, by the Royal Ballet, and sadly had to miss the ballet Sleeping Beauty recently in our local theater. You might be able to find a participating theater near you. It was really well done, and included the intermission. :-)

 

I've taken my son to a whole bunch of these events, both ballet and opera. They are a ton of fun.

 

We watched Ballets Russes and Ballerina this year and liked both of them.

 

I really liked both of those, as well as First Position. Another documentary I really enjoyed, which is no longer streamable  on Netflix, unfortunately, is called Only When I Dance. It's about two young dancers from Brazil.

[dewdropfairy]

This is a tremendous book for teenage ballet dancers. It may not work for girls in your situation, but I recommend it to all my older ballet students and it may work for others here.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Ballet-Companion-Eliza-Gaynor-Minden/dp/074326407X/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1396027580&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=eliza+gaynor+minden

 

 

First Position is a great documentary, with great dancers. It avoids many of the cliches and bad behavior you see so often in ballet "reality" TV.

[redsquirrel]

This is a tremendous book for teenage ballet dancers. It may not work for girls in your situation, but I recommend it to all my older ballet students and it may work for others here.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Ballet-Companion-Eliza-Gaynor-Minden/dp/074326407X/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1396027580&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=eliza+gaynor+minden

 

 

First Position is a great documentary, with great dancers. It avoids many of the cliches and bad behavior you see so often in ballet "reality" TV.

 

would this book be useful for male dancers? I have two boys and they are consistently left out of books etc. I see that there is a male dancer in a couple pictures of the sample (Benjamin Millepied, Mr Portman and dancer with the best name ever!) but I can't tell if he is just there to hold up the ballerina.

[dewdropfairy]

would this book be useful for male dancers? I have two boys and they are consistently left out of books etc. I see that there is a male dancer in a couple pictures of the sample (Benjamin Millepied, Mr Portman and dancer with the best name ever!) but I can't tell if he is just there to hold up the ballerina.

 

Absolutely! It would be useful to anyone serious about ballet, male or female. The man isn't just a prop, and while some of the information pertains to ladies only, (pointe shoes, etc.) there are also sections on training specifically for male dancers. Most of the topics they cover, from basic technique to ballet history, to different schools of training, are gender neutral.

[helena]

This is a tremendous book for teenage ballet dancers. It may not work for girls in your situation, but I recommend it to all my older ballet students and it may work for others here.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Ballet-Companion-Eliza-Gaynor-Minden/dp/074326407X/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1396027580&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=eliza+gaynor+minden

 

 

First Position is a great documentary, with great dancers. It avoids many of the cliches and bad behavior you see so often in ballet "reality" TV.

My library has the book, and I'll be there today to pick up some other stuff. Yay!

[helena]

helena,

Did you create a year of ballet and opera for your girls? I remember reading about that awhile back but couldn't recall who did it. Was it you?

I did. We're on our second year I think of a year long, planned out arts study. We do lots of stuff in addition to ballet and opera though. We do it every Friday. It's evolved a bit, and we're loving it! Today for instance I have one girl working on a quilt and another making mason jars with fabric covered lids. We're listening to some jazz, getting ready for picture study and an end of the month review on limericks and a speech by Lou Gehrig. Earlier my 15yo watched a lecture on working with succulents. We'll watch Pride of the Yankees tonight and go to piano and fencing classes. A perfect day!

 

I hear spray glue spraying and someone just picked up the ukulele :)