Ballet on New Year’s Eve

ballet on new year's eve - the nutcracker

If you thought the run for this season's Nutcrackers was over, you're wrong (so was I). There is more ballet on New Year's eve with the Boston Ballet - today!  If you're in  Boston or know someone who is, the company founded in 1963, is having their final 2011 performance at The Boston Opera House tonight at 7:30 p.m. Ballet on New Year's Eve It promises to be an amazing evening with a star studded cast, such as Lorna Feijoo as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Nelson Madrigal will perform as … [Read more...]

What Is The Future Of Classical Ballet?

What is the Future of Classical Ballet

What is the future of classical ballet? What can young dancers, and the world of dance in general, expect down the road for classical ballet? These questions are answered in this short video by Christopher Wheeldon.  Wheeldon is the choreographer, artistic director as well as the co-founder of "Morphoses" and The Wheeldon Company. In this video, he discusses the trend of young choreographers to be drawn more towards contemporary dance styles and "fears that ballet is doomed to be an … [Read more...]

Bolshoi Ballerina Resigns Russian Party

Bolshoi Ballerina  (Image: en.wikipedia.org)

As a ballerina, Anastasia Volochkova became the youngest soloist of the Mariinsky Ballet which was a first, as she was still a student there.  In 1998, she became a prima ballerina at the Bolshoi Ballet and continued to dance in numerous productions until 2003. She was let go at that time for being too tall and too heavy, then a Moscow court ruled "the Bolshoi Ballet had to reinstate Volochskova immediately and awarded her thousands of US dollars in back pay and damages." Needless to say, … [Read more...]

Barre Workout: The Basics of Ballet

Barre workout: The Basics of Ballet are taught around the world.

What comes to mind when you think of a ballerina? Graceful, poise, strong, long muscles, tutus, yes, but also painful pointe shoes and bleeding toes, right? Now there are Barre Workout: the basics of ballet based programs that give you proper alignment, femininity and strength sansyears of painful training! How did barre workout: the basics of ballet trainings begin? ...the idea originated in London 50 years ago with famous German dancer Lotte Berk. The method was refined in the United … [Read more...]

Ballet in Cuba, Birth of a School in the 20th Century

Ballet in Cuba: Birth of a School in the 20th Century

Earlier this month in Buenos Aires, Argentina, renown dance historian for the CNB, Miguel Cabrera,  launched his latest treasure: Ballet in Cuba, Birth of a School in the 20th Century, (‘El Ballet en Cuba. Nacimiento de una Escuela en el Siglo XX’), abook in which the history of the Cuban National Ballet is documented. Cabrera writes in detail from its birth spanning six decades of the Cuban ballet, beginning with the 19th century. For the first time in Latin America has a book like … [Read more...]

American Dancer Joins The Bolshoi Ballet

American dancer joins the Bolshoi Ballet David Hallberg

Last October something unheard of in the history of ballet happened: An American Joins The Bolshoi Ballet. David Hallberg, a native of South Dakota and principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre talks about his latest decision to join the Bolshoi Ballet. Hallberg has had an unusual career as a dancer. He started training in ballet at an age considered "old" in the ballet world - at 13. His first 4 years were spent making up for lost time. For his senior year he made a career move … [Read more...]

Anorexia and La Scala Ballet Dancers: The Ugly Truth is Out

300px-Milano-scalanotte_e

Once again we are seeing Anorexia and La Scala Ballet Dancers in the news as a La Scala ballerina opens up about the issue of eating disorders. In her recently published book titled: "The Truth, Please, About Ballet," Maria Francesca Garritano of La Scala in Milan finally speaks about eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia.   Anorexia and La Scala Ballet Dancers - It's A Serious Problem Breaking an unspoken rule never to discuss eating disorders among Italy's elite dance … [Read more...]

Ex-Ballet Dancer Builds Successful Online Business

New York City Ballet ex-ballet dancer, Mary Helen Bowers creates Ballet Beautiful

The strength, discipline and passion that is necessary to become a respected and loved ballerina, also happens to translate well into what is required of a savvy entrepreneur. While it may not be the first thing to pop into your head regarding professional dancers, this ex-ballet dancer builds successful online business from the ground and does it with the fineness that made her a great dancer. Necessity is truly the mother of invention, as you will see from this article in … [Read more...]

David Hallberg, American Dancer at The Bolshoi

David Hallberg, American Ballet Dancer at The Bolshoi makes ballet history. David Hallberg, the first American to become a premier dancer with Moscow's Bolshoi Ballet, was interviewed by Martha Teichner. ...Martha Teichner spent time with Hallberg in New York City as he packed for Russia and later, when he returned to perform in the American Ballet Theatre's "Nutcracker" at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. In this interview, David admits he sees himself as an ambassador and answers … [Read more...]

Ballet Stage Makeup in 10 Steps

Ballet Stage Makeup in 10 Steps

If you want to learn how to apply basic ballet stage makeup in 10 steps, here's a video tutorial by Carli Samuelson, corps de ballet with PNB (Pacific Northwest Ballet) with tips and insider secrets. Here's Carli's process to ballet stage makeup in 10 steps: Start by applying basic foundation with a clean sponge on your face and neck. Make sure to blend it in well. Use lightly powder over foundation. Take pearly white eye powder and apply over eye-lid and under eyebrow to … [Read more...]

The Best Classical Ballet News from Around the World