Dance 396- Methods of Teaching Ballet
Sandy Allen
Fall 2011
(No video of teaching)
Revised Lesson Plan for DANCE 291R-
Ballet Technique 2
Class Age Level:
Adult Intermediate
Mentor Teacher:
Kim Paiser Mentor Signature:
________________________________
Assessment of
Class Needs:
As this class has moved forward in the semester, it has
been remarkable to see how much improvement they have achieved in their muscle
control and general ballet technique. As
their technique improves, however, the areas of musical expression and proper
use of arms and head have become more important to their dancing. For this purpose, I have developed this
lesson plan to focus on musicality and artistry.
Class Goals:
Improvement of port de bras, use of the head, general
artistry and musicality. Continuation of
strength building exercises, as well as review of steps already learned this
semester.
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(Please note that all tracks listed are taken from
Michael Robert’s “Between the Barres.”)
Enchaînements:
BARRE EXERCISES- Approx. 35 mins
Plié- Duple meter, slow and flowing, expressive CD 1, Track 24
Begins in first position, normal preparation. 1-8: Demi with arm to first, stretch with arm
to second, demi with arm fifth, stretch with arm to second, all with head, grand
with normal port de bras, head following hand. 1-8: Demi plié to élevé with arm down through
bras bas to fifth, barre arm comes up to join, arms to allongé extended with
head, lower down and change to second position.
1-48: Repeat second, fourth, and fifth. 1-16: Grand port de bras forward
and back. 1-16: Rise and balance, extend
to allongé again, and finish. Head
follows throughout exercise.
This establishes
some basic arm and head expressivity as well as practicing the allongé line in
high fifth with arms and head as preparation for center exercises. We will work specifically on not allowing the
ribs to “pop out” as they move to the allongé line. Have the students start with arms in high
fifth, and then circle the hands out to allongé position, watching their ribs in
the mirror. This will help them
visualize how it should look and feel.
Assess problems and make appropriate corrections.
Tendu- 6/8 meter, marked, strong beats CD 1, Track 6
Begins in fifth position, normal preparation with arm to
fifth. 1-8: Tendu front with working
leg, arm in fifth, tendu back with inside leg, arm in arabesque, tendu second
with working leg, arm goes to second, close to fifth behind and demi plié with
arm coming to first and back out to second. 1-8: Reverse.
1-8: Four tendus to second, close back, beginning with the working leg
and alternating legs with head following front foot. 1-8: Petit pas de cheval to a sous-sus in
relevé with arm in fifth, pick up front foot into passé on count 3 as arm comes
to first, balance, lower to fifth derrière.
1-32: Repeat reverse.
This exercise
requires the students to change their weight quickly from one leg to the other
with the weight well forward. Revisit
the idea of “butterflies” under the heels of the feet—don’t squash them! Also, we are continuing to emphasize the arm
and head movements as they work with the rest of the body for expression and
musicality. Assess problems and make
appropriate corrections.
Dégagé (or Battement Glissé)- Duple meter, light
and quick , sharp CD 1, Track 23
Begins in fifth position, normal preparation with arm
coming to fifth. 1-4: Two dégagés front,
supporting leg fondu with dégagé front and petit rond de jambe to second, close
front, arm follows. 5-8: Repeat second,
closing back. 1-4: Repeat back, closing
front. 5-8: Piqué front, side, back,
close. 1-16: Repeat reverse. 1-16: Balance in sur le cou-de-pied with wrapped
foot with arms in first, extending to third arabesque before closing.
This requires the
students to be well on their supporting leg and to feel the accents of both the
dégagés and the piqués. Remind students
of their “butterflies,” and emphasize the sharpness by having a student hit my
hand with their toes, allowing the other students to watch. This also establishes the third arabesque
position with arms and head. Assess
problems and make appropriate corrections.
Fondu- Duple meter, strong and deliberate, a tango CD 1,
Track 12
Begins in fifth position, normal preparation. 1-4: Battement fondu, extend front with arm
coming down to bras bas and out to second, fondu standing leg with petit
attitude front, arm coming to first and to second, two quick petit battements
to coupé front, back. 5-8: Repeat derrière
with petit battements to coupé back, front.
1-4: Repeat side without the petit battements with a hold. 5-8: Three rond de jambe en l’air starting
low and raising to 90 degrees on last, close back. 1-16: Repeat reverse. 1-16: Balance in passé front with arms in
first, lift to high fifth before close.
Again, we are
emphasizing the use of the arms and the head as it follows the working
hand. The attitude positions are
explored in a fondu to allow proper placement of hips and turnout. Have the students place their hands on their
hips in the attitude devant to see if they can feel the correct position of the
hip. The rond de jambe en l’air starts
low and builds, to allow the student to feel correct placement as they seek
extension and growth during the balance in passé. Assess problems and make appropriate
corrections.
Rond de Jambe- 3/4 meter, slow and full CD
1, Track 20
Begins in fifth position, normal preparation. 1-8: Pas de cheval front on fondu with arm to
fifth, sous-sus, repeat side with arm second, pas de cheval back on fondue with
arm arabesque, straighten to tendu back, chassé (or glissé) through to tendu
front on fondu, rond to second while straightening as preparation for rond de
jambe. 1-8: Four rond de jambes en
dehors à terre with normal port de bras, brush to grand rond de jambe with arms
going from fifth, second, arabesque, close.
1-16: Reverse. 1-8: Brush working
leg front and lunge forward for cambré forward and back, push back to tendu
front, close fifth. 1-8: Relevé to
attitude back in one count, balance with arms in high fifth, extend to allongé
on count 6, tombé to coupé derriére, pas de bourrée en tournant to second side.
This exercise seeks
to develop the smooth use of port de bras in conjunction with leg and footwork,
as well as to increase foot articulation in preparation for frappés and petit
allégro. The students should emphasize
the movement of the head and eyes as they follow the hand in the full port de
bras. Also, feel the lift in each
sous-sus. Expect the students to reach
their attitude position for the balance on count one—no slow lifting! Assess problems and make appropriate
corrections.
Frappé- Duple, fast and staccato, strong accents CD 1,
Track 16
Begin in fifth position, tendu seven, wrap eight in sur
le cou-de-pied devant for preparation.
1-4: Frappé front twice slow, three times quick with arm in second and
head looking over. 5-8: Repeat side with
head straight to center. 1-4: Repeat
back with head looking under, on the last count, rond leg to side and plié on
the “and.” 5-8: Petit battements
alternating front and back with arm in first, placing in coupé derrière on
count eight. 1-16: Reverse. 1-32: Repeat
exercise on a rise, replacing petit battements with double frappés coming down
from relevé to front, side, back using full port de bras, then reverse. Finish.
(No balance, stretch out calves!!)
This is primarily a
strengthening exercise for the calf muscles in preparation for jumps and to
help facilitate ballon in center jumps.
The students will use their heads in isolation without port de bras to
more fully understand “over,” “straight,” and “under” positions. Use the same strategy as with the d
gagé exercise; have a student hit my hand with their toes. Assess problems and make appropriate
corrections.
gagé exercise; have a student hit my hand with their toes. Assess problems and make appropriate
corrections.
Adage- Either ¾ or 6/8 meter, slow and sustained,
expressive CD 1,
Track 19
Begin in fifth position, normal preparation. 1-8: Développé to front in four counts, plié
five, rond to second on six, lift seven, close fifth back on eight. 1-8: Repeat to back closing fifth front. 1-8: Développé second in four counts, promenade
to face the barre in four counts, small penché in arabesque for four counts,
return on five, six, plié on seven, pas de bourrée back to same side. 1-8: Port de bras towards barre and
forward. 1-8: Repeat to back. 1-16: Balancé side away from barre, back
towards barre, bring back foot through cou-de-pied into a piqué arabesque,
balance in first arabesque on, plié on seven, pas de bourrée to finish.
Like most adagio
exercises, the focus is primarily on strength and suspension. I would like to focus on musicality in this
adage, particularly using all of the music and suspending the movement to fill
all of the counts. If time allows, have
the students pair off and watch each other dance. Give peer evaluations, focusing on musicality
and expression. Assess problems and make
appropriate corrections.
Grand Battement- Strong duple meter, marked and dynamic CD 1, Track
31
Begin fifth position, normal preparation. 1-8: One slow battement front, two quick,
repeat side, use regular arms. 1-8:
Repeat back, tombé, pas de bourrée fourth passing through to front, pirouette
en dehors and close fifth back. 1-16:
Reverse with pas de bourrée back to fourth, pirouette en dedans and close fifth
front to finish.
This is normal
grand battement exercise, but I would like to focus on the body and head
positions in tombé pas de bourrée with the lean forward and lean back. This is also a preparation for pirouettes in
center. Watch for the travel in the
tombé—pull a student’s torso forward to emphasize the traveling, then have the
rest of the class try as well. Repeat
the reverse, allowing for more time with this more difficult tombé. Assess problems and make appropriate
corrections.
Short water break
CENTER EXERCISES- Approx. 35 mins
(The center exercises will be done facing the front of
the room instead of the mirrors, to encourage the students to focus on expression
and performance rather than watching themselves in the mirror.)
Stretch- Something fluid and gentle, no specific
meter needed CD 2,
Track 2
Student’s choice of stretches.
I have noticed in
previous classes that the students do not always use their stretch time to
stretch, but to get drinks, check their phones, etc. I hope that by giving them a short water
break and then turning on a specific song and reminding them not to talk but to
stretch out their muscles, their stretch time will be more advantageous to
them. Checking a cell phone will not
help their dancing, while stretching and calming their minds will.
Adage- Triple meter, very slow and sustained,
gentle CD
2, Track 3
Begin croisé in fifth with right foot front, normal
preparation. 1-4: Balancé side, side,
and sous-sus to relevé with arms in fifth, and abaissé. 5-8: Développé
écarté devant on five and six, plié seven, pas de bourrée on eight to starting
position. 1-8: Développé croisé devant,
brush to grand battement lent derrière, plié five, relevé six, tombé pas de
bourrée en tournant to change sides.
1-16: Repeat on left.
This is a
relatively short adagio to be performed very slowly, using all the music and
connecting the steps as much as possible.
We are focusing on body positions in the different développé as well as
in the balancés and tombé pas de bourrées.
Ask a student to demonstrate while I correct head and eye
directions. Have the class practice with
her, then evaluate during the exercise.
Assess problems and make appropriate corrections.
Pirouettes in Center- Triple meter, marked rhythm,
strong accents CD 2, Track 9
Begin croisé in fifth with right foot front, normal
preparation. 1-8: Pas de basque to
fourth croisé with left foot front, plié preparation, two pirouettes en dehors
landing in fourth, détourné to face croisé with right foot pointing forward,
lower to preparation. 1-8: Pirouette en
dedans in attitude landing in allongé, two quick pas de bourrées landing with
right foot front in croisé, tendu devant into pirouette prep, pirouette en
dedans landing left foot front croisé for second side.
This pirouette
exercise includes all of the pirouettes the students have been working on with
the exception of pirouette in arabesque.
Head and body directions will again be emphasized as well as musicality
and expression. Work specifically with
the détourné, ensuring that the students land in the correct placement, without
over or under crossing it. Assess
problems and make appropriate corrections.
Turns from the Corner- 2/4 meter, quick and
lively, very “dancy” CD 2, Track 26
Begins in corner, croisé with front foot in tendu devant
for preparation. 1-8: Two soutenus, one
step up turn (lame duck) to pirouette preparation in fourth, pirouette, détourné
to face croisé in the other direction with front foot in tendu devant. 1-8: Four piqué turns, chaînés five, six,
seven, student’s choice of pose on relevé on eight.
The emphasis here
is on performance. The students should
really feel the music and dance as though someone is watching. The four piqué turns will challenge their
spotting, while their pose at the end is a chance to explore their creativity. Assess problems and make appropriate
corrections.
Petit Allégro- Duple meter, quick, staccato, light
and bouncy CD 2,
Track 20
Begin en face in fifth with right foot behind. 1-8: Glissade, jeté, temps levé, temps levé,
repeat to left. 1-8: Glissade, petit pas
de chat, pas de bourrée, jeté, pas de bourrée, jeté, coupé assemblé. 1-16: Repeat entire exercise starting left.
This is an exercise
that we began working on last week. The
focus is on ballon as well as body directions and changing quickly from one direction
to another. The students should keep
their weight forward over the toes to facilitate quick, light movement. If the students have difficulty, try slowing
it down, and then speed the exercise up when they feel comfortable with
it. Assess problems and make appropriate
corrections.
Grand Allégro- Grand waltz, moving, majestic CD
2, Track 31
Begins in corner facing back, prepare with right foot
tendu derrière and arms in second arabesque, begin chassé on count eight. 1-8: Two tour jetés with a chassé between,
piqué arabesque, chassé back into assemblé en tournant. 1-8: Sissonne failli, assemblé, twice, tombé
pas de bourrée to the left, glissade, grand pas de chat. 1-8: Contretemps, pas de bourrée, glissade,
grand jeté to the right, repeat to the left.
1-8: Balancé left, right, step back, coupé relevé on three with right
leg in développé écarté on four, tombé pas de bourrée, glissade, saut de chat.
This is a chance
for the students to really let themselves go and perform. I want them to focus on the height in their
jumps so they can fill all of their music, as well as enjoying the in-between
steps that are so important in expression and musicality—focus on the demi
contretemps and how expressive that step can be. Talk about the Balanchine technique that asks
them to travel as much as they can. This
is the climax of the class. Assess
problems and make appropriate corrections.
Révérence- A slow 6/8 meter, flowing, calming CD
2, Track 1
Begin in fifth croisé, right foot front. 1-8: Chassé (glissé) forward, with arms in
fourth, transfer weight through plié to tendu front with change of arms, rond
de jambe to change directions on seven, close with right foot behind and curtsy
or bow, straighten and close to left foot front croisé. 1-8: Repeat to left.
I believe it is
important to always end ballet class with a révérence. It helps maintain expression and proper
ballet etiquette and helps to cool down after grand allegro. Ask the students to listen to the music and
dance whatever emotion they think is appropriate, and allow them to alter arm
and head movements to reflect that.
Research and Pedagogy:
Nell Cunningham
Dance 469- Senior Capstone
Cathy Black
December 4, 2012
Senior Capstone Report- Flamenco Research Trip
and Workshop
My
senior project for the Dance major at Brigham Young University consisted of two
main parts: I was fortunate enough to receive a Fulton Grant through the Dance
Department and so was able to attend a week-long workshop on flamenco dance in
Albuquerque, New Mexico this summer. The
second half consisted of planning and teaching a flamenco dance workshop at
Brigham Young University in October of this semester. Both were incredibly valuable to me as a
dancer and dance instructor, and helped to expand my knowledge of this
beautiful dance form. These are my final
reflections on the different aspects of the project.
International Flamenco Festival Workshop 2012
The International
Flamenco Festival is held each summer in Albuquerque, New Mexico at the
University of New Mexico campus. The
Festival is run by the National Institute of Flamenco in the United States, and
consists of classes, workshops, and performances by some of the leading
professional flamenco dancers and teachers from the U.S. and Spain. I enrolled in four different classes, held
each day for seven days over the course of the workshop. These included Brazeo (use of arms, hands,
and back,) taught by Marisol Encinias, Intermediate Flamenco Technique also taught
by Marisol Encinias, Intermediate Flamenco Repertory taught by Vanessa Coloma,
and Bata de Cola (use of the long train in female repertory) taught by Olga
Pericet.
The
classes were a comprehensive experience in flamenco technique and
choreography. My first day was entirely
overwhelming—my only previous experience in flamenco consisted of the Spanish
dance class taught here at BYU by Delynne Peay as part of the Ethnic Dance
series. Jumping in headfirst to classes
taught by professionals and attended by flamenco dancers with a wide variety of
experience levels was intimidating. The
fact that most of the classes were taught in Spanish didn’t help. I served a Spanish speaking mission in Peru
several years ago, but my skills were fairly rusty. However, after making the mental switch and
giving myself some time to adjust, I found myself feeling comfortable and
fitting right in with the other students.
There
were several highlights to my flamenco educational experience. I really enjoyed the classes taught by
Marisol Encinias. As one of the United
States’ leading flamenco professionals, it was nice to see someone with a mixed
cultural background who has achieved such success here in the United
States. Her mother is currently
president of the National Institute of Flamenco, and so she has grown up in the
flamenco world for most of her life. Her
knowledge of flamenco technique is incredible.
Vanessa Coloma
was also an incredible teacher, albeit one with an entirely different
philosophy to teaching. While Marisol
conducted her classes much like other types of dance classes in the U.S.,
Vanessa taught with a fervor and enthusiasm that I’ve never experienced
before. Her choreography was innovative
and challenging, and helped to improve my footwork immensely. Olga Pericet’s Bata de Cola class was my
favorite of all of the classes I took at the Festival. There is something so empowering about
wearing a dress with a five foot ruffled train.
I’ve never felt quite so beautiful and feminine as I did in that
class. The grace and coordination required
to dance while manipulating the skirt taught me more about control of my body
than any other class I have taken. The
movement required for this type of dance is different, even than normal
flamenco technique. The experience was
incredibly powerful and I hope to continue my study of Bata de Cola technique
in the future.
The other
aspect of the Festival that contributed to my research was the
performances. As part of the Festival, I
was able to attend six different performances by various professionals from
Spain and the United States. Each was
unique and represented different ‘flavors’ of flamenco dance; some of the older
generation presented works that reflected the traditional aspects of flamenco,
and helped make clear that the roots of flamenco are just as important as new
styles. The younger generation of
professionals provided a fascinating glimpse into the directions that flamenco
dance is headed. Much like other dance
styles right now, fusion forms and being explored and developed, and it was interesting
to see ways that things like pas de deux work and lifts are being incorporated
into performance flamenco. The
performances helped to expand my knowledge and understanding of this dance
form.
In conclusion,
the experience of attending the workshop was incredible. I am forever indebted to the Fulton family
for their generous grant that made the research trip possible. I hope to continue my study of flamenco in
the future and find ways to increase accessibility to this remarkable dance
form to young people. It is my fervent
wish that more opportunities for flamenco become available at Brigham Young
University as part of their Ethnic dance series—it is my belief that it would
be possible, with the right teacher, to even provide several classes spanning
the ranges of technique, from beginning to advanced.
Flamenco Workshop at Brigham Young University
The
second aspect of my Senior Project consisted of my returning to BYU this fall
and teaching a flamenco dance workshop for interested students. This workshop took place on Saturday, October
20, 2012, from 9-11 am in room 278 of the Richards Building. The workshop was attended by approximately 20
students and teachers from the Dance major, the World Dance Division and other
dance classes taught at BYU. Cathy Black
was in attendance as an observer, and Colleen West, World Dance Division
Administrator also observed for part of the time. Either may be contacted for observations and
opinions on the success of the workshop.
For
me, the workshop was a resounding success.
I had harbored some fears that the attendance would be low, as many
people are unclear as to what flamenco dance actually is. I was relieved to come in on Saturday morning
and find several people had arrived early and were excited to get exposed to
this dance form. Below is a brief
overview of the curriculum for the two-hour workshop, as well as the learning
outcomes upon which the curriculum was based:
-
Welcome by Colleen West and introduction of
instructor
-
PowerPoint presentation on the history and
development of flamenco (5 min)
-
Warm up (15 min)
-
General carriage and posture (5 min)
-
Arm movements in first, second, third, fourth,
fifth, sixth, and seventh positions (10 min)
-
Hand articulations; male and female stylization
(10 min)
-
Across the floor movements incorporating all
aspects so far (15 min)
-
Vueltas (turns) including vuelta flamenco,
vuelta de planta, vuelta tacon, and vuelta quebrada (15 min)
-
Introduction to percussive footwork: glopes,
plantas, tacones, jabs (10 min)
-
Basic 3 sound, 4 sound, 6 sound, and 8 sound
patterns (10 min)
-
Culminate with learning a simple dance sequence
involving all aspects learned (25 min)
-
Cool down (15 min)
Learning Outcomes:
1) Students
will gain a basic understanding of the historical context of the art of
flamenco in Spain and its current place in Spanish culture.
2) Students
will learn and become more comfortable with Spanish dance terms and vocabulary.
3) Students
will learn basic Spanish dance carriage and posture and the correct use of
arms, hands, back, and head.
4) Students
will learn the four basic footwork sounds and how to put together simple
sequences based on 3, 4, 6, and 8-sound patterns.
5) Students
will learn a simple dance sequence that incorporates all aspects of flamenco
learned.
The students did remarkably well, and the workshop went off without a
hitch. We had so much fun together,
exploring the roots of flamenco and the things that make it so unique as a
dance form. Everyone had fun, and the
response was overwhelmingly positive. We
finished by learning a short dance sequence incorporation some of the things we
had learned and the students performed it for one another which was a great way
to end the workshop. I am so grateful
for the students and faculty who came to support me in this project and could
not ask for a more successful outcome.
Final Thoughts
My experience at
BYU has largely been shaped by my acceptance in to the Dance major and my
active participation on the International Folk Dance Team. As I have increased in understanding of all
different dance techniques taught here, I have been stretched and challenged to
become the best dancer I can be. I have
been so fortunate as to have teachers and professors who have encouraged me to
try for things I didn’t know I could achieve.
I have developed a particular love for world dance as I have performed
and toured with the Folk Dance team, and I feel especially blessed to have had
the opportunity to use my Senior Capstone Project as a chance to explore more
deeply the flamenco dance form that I love so much. The project has been incredibly rewarding for
me personally, both as a dancer and as a teacher. Helping others develop a love for this
beautiful art form has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my dance
career at BYU. I cannot wait to graduate
and go out into the world to share my love of dance.
(Special
thanks go to Delynne Peay, who encouraged me to apply for the Fulton Grant as
served as my Faculty Advisor for the duration of the project.)
Choreography:
Dance 397- Ballet Choreography
Shayla Bott
Dancers: Kelli Foster and Tyler Hatch
