Sarah Jessica Parker Takes Us Behind The Scenes of New York City Ballet Part 2 [Videos]

by Romy Macias, Senior Editor | Mar 19, 2014 | Ballet Companies, Editor's Choice

This second episode “Apprentices” follows several apprentices of the New York City Ballet during a year. Who will get a contract to dance with the famed company and who will not? You’ll also journey with Sarah Jessica Parker takes you through all the company ranks: Corps de ballet, soloists and principals. Sarah Jessica Parker Takes Us Behind The Scenes of New York City Ballet Part 2 Apprentices Every NYC Ballet dancer must pass through the ranks to reach the top. Silas and Claire are two apprentices standing at the gateway to a potential career with the NYC Ballet. After graduating from the School of American Ballet (SAB), some dancers are chosen to be apprentices. After a year, traditionally, on the last day of Summer season in Saratoga Springs, the apprentices find out if they will be invited to join the corps de ballet of the New York City Ballet. – Sarah Jessica Parker They all started when they were babies, three, four, five years old. They came to New York to study at SAB for the sole purpose of entering the New York City Ballet. And when you become an apprentice that’s already hope. -Peter Martins, Ballet Master in Chief AOL Originals on YouTube. Corps de ballet If and when you are offered a corps de ballet contract, “the hard work begins.” Corps members do the most dancing, and get the least amount of time off. Video courtesy of AOL Originals. Soloists Some dancers feel that the soloist rank is the hardest level of their career. Waiting for the seniority to claim certain roles means much less dancing than...

Sarah Jessica Parker Takes Us Behind The Scenes of New York City Ballet [Videos]

by Romy Macias, Senior Editor | Mar 19, 2014 | Ballet Companies

AOL Orignals came up with a wonderful series that features dancers from the New York City Ballet and all the behind-the-scenes going ons. Hosted by the lovely Sarah Jessica Parker, she takes the viewer to the studio with Ballet Master Peter Martins and the dancers of the New York City Ballet. Sarah Jessica Parker Takes Us Behind The Scenes of New York City Ballet New York City Ballet is one of the foremost dance companies in the world. Thousands of dancers pursue the goal, but only a handful will join the company each year. Ballet by its very nature is a very competitive art form. There are a lot of factors that play into a successful dancer’s career and some of those things are beyond their control. You have to be diligent, you have to be hungry, you have to be musical, you have to be committed, you have to work hard, you have to hopefully not get injured. Nobody sits still here, in the company. Complacency does not exist at the New York City Ballet. And if it does, it’s… (as Peter Martins, the artistic director waves goodbye). – Peter Martins New York City Ballet was co-founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein, who envisioned a uniquely American aesthetic. – Sara Jessica Parker Sarah Jessica Parker Takes Us Behind The Scenes of New York City Ballet Intro & Ranks is the subject of the first episode of this series. Welcome to the New York City Ballet. Ballet Master in Chief, Peter Martins, and NYCB’s company members discuss what it takes to climb through the company...

42nd Prix de Lausanne Week 2014 Recap [Videos]

by Romy Macias, Senior Editor | Feb 2, 2014 | Ballet Companies

It’s been an exciting  and emotional week at Lausanne with the Prix starting on Sunday, January 26. candidates and hopefuls arrived to begin  classes, rehearsals and coaching, and culminating with the finals and prize ceremony on Saturday, February 1st. 42nd Prix de Lausanne Week 2014 Recap Among the jurors was prima ballerina assoluta and Prix de Lausanne 1980 winner, Alessandra Ferri and Julio Bocca. 42nd Prix de Lausanne Week 2014 Recap Here’s one of the many videos from Day 5 where the jurors announced the finalists. Enjoy! Video source: YouTube, Prix de Lausanne channel. Here’s the Prize Giving Ceremony of the 2014 Prix de Lausanne: Video source: Prix de Lausanne channel on YouTube. 42nd Prix de Lausanne Week 2014 Recap Pass this post along to all your ballet friends and family so they too can enjoy these talented dancers in action....

Season’s Greetings From San Francisco Ballet [Video Card]

by Romy Macias, Senior Editor | Dec 18, 2013 | Ballet Companies

A video greeting card may just be the best season’s greetings to give and to receive this year. The San Francisco Ballet came up with lovely videos cards inspired by The Nutcracker and designed by Hidetoshi Oneda, acclaimed filmmaker. Season’s Greetings From San Francisco Ballet This is the Tutu Greetings video and there are two more: The Pointe Shoes Greetings and The Nutcracker Greetings. Season’s Greetings From San Francisco Ballet I would love to see a Snowflakes video and a Party video next year. What do you think? Please Like below and share this lovely video card with your ballet friends and family. Happy holidays to you all! Season’s Greetings From San Francisco Ballet See more at San Francisco Ballet’s official...

Tamara Rojo Gives Best Advice To Aspiring Dancers [Video]

by Romy Macias, Senior Editor | Dec 5, 2013 | Ballet Companies

Highly intelligent and with a keen sense of self as a dancer, Tamara Rojo has paved her career through careful analysis and strategy. She has built it step-by-step with clarity of vision and in this rare interview she passes along her wisdom to participants (and their parents) of the 41st Prix de Lausanne. Tamara Rojo Gives Best Advice To Aspiring Dancers Never before have I heard a dancer speak with such precision about her reasons for each career choice. With each decision taken, Tamara deliberately climbed up the hierarchy of each company she danced with until arriving where she is today. This is THE best advice I’ve EVER  heard from a single dancer/director to upcoming dancers. So pay close attention to every word of this amazing interview. When you choose a company or a school, you cannot choose with your heart, you have to choose with your head. -Tamara Rojo, at 41st Prix de Lausanne, 2013 Tamara Rojo Gives Best Advice To Aspiring Dancers 41st Prix de Lausanne, 2013 Daily Dance Dialogue interviews principal dancer and artistic director for English National Ballet Tamara Rojo. Be pragmatic, be clever, be strategic. – Tamara Rojo Rojo tackles career decisions, ballet company identity, funding styles and government support; not to be missed. Thanks to Prix de Lausanne Channel on YouTube for uploading this video! Tamara Rojo Gives Best Advice To Aspiring Dancers As a parent of a ballet student or as a dancer, you will surely benefit from Ms. Rojo’s sound advice.  I highly recommend you watch it several times and share with other dancers by passing along this post. For more information...

The Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet Documentary [Video]

by Romy Macias, Senior Editor | Nov 7, 2013 | Ballet Companies

The Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet Documentary Considered one of the top ballet schools in the world… … the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet in St. Petersburg , for the last 270 years, ballet dancers have perfected their art here. To these children dancing is their life. They train for several hours a day on top of their regular school work. Fifty years ago, the famous dancer and teacher, Agrippina Vaganova created a system still used today. It helps them achieve total command of their bodies with perfect harmony. Classic ballet is still taught in single sex classes. This is because male and female roles differ greatly. Most of the teachers here, have been famous dancers themselves, and like their pupils, from the age of ten, she lived and studied in this old and beautiful academy building. More than 30 foreign students study at the Academy. An American student, Allan Alberto is from Miami and has been at the Ballet Academy for four months. This behind-the-scenes documentary follows Allan and other foreign students as they go through their grueling daily training and rehearsals for the upcoming performance of The Nutcracker at the Mariinsky Theatre. The Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet Documentary Thanks to TheLapinDoux channel for uploading to YouTube. The Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet Documentary I hope you enjoyed this short yet insightful documentary for Thursday at The Theater here at Classical Ballet News. Please share this great video by liking and sharing below. If you enjoyed this video, here are a few links with further information on The Vaganova Academy and its founder, Agrippina. http://vaganovaacademy.com/ http://vaganovaacademy.com/A/History http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrippina_Vaganova...