Book Description

From adagio to voyage, over 800 steps, movements, poses and concepts are fully defined. A pronunciation guide, cross-references to alternate names for similar steps and positions that vary from the Russian to the French or Italian schools, are also invaluable aids.
... Read more

Reviews (12)

Excellent resource!
This book has served as an excellent resource for me in my ballet classes. I am a ballet teacher, even though it's not my strength. With this book, I was able to ensure I was instructing my girls accurately. This is a great dictionary of ballet terms. This a must-have to carry in your dance bag.

Another note, a number of my students frequently looked up terms in my book. Eventually, a few of them purchased it for their reference too. A good buy, in our opinions.

A great help for any dancer!
As a 13-year-old intermediate/advanced ballet dancer, I found this book very useful. I bought it at the first master class I ever went to about 5 years ago, because it was then I realized that there was more to ballet than just "tendu close degage plie". I wasn't familiar with some of the terms the teacher was using, and it helped immensely, especially with the body positions (croise, efface, etc) and pronounciation. Also, my dance teacher recommends this book to us constantly!

Pre Ballet to Advanced Classes
I work with the Center for Dance and Palmetto Dance Theatre. We refer to this book regularly. Oftentimes, we give our beginning students die cut figures with the French term on one side and the simple definition on the other side. We start with our Pre Ballet students and they quickly learn the terminolgy. It is an invaluable resource for teachers and students alike. All Ballet teachers could benefit from the use of this inexpensive but informative book.

Great resource
I used to have a copy of this when I was taking ballet classes as a teen and found it a great way to improve my technique when I wasn't in class. I refered to it frequently when I wondered if I was doing a step correctly or if I couldn't place a movement to a name. At the price, you really can't go wrong.

Wonderful Reference
This book is a wonderful source for the technical names of classical ballet steps. I have used it over and over for checking my spelling of movements for papers and for writing dance syllabus. It covers the variations of both steps and names for the French, Russian (Vaganova) and Ceccetti schools. A wonderful resource for teachers and students both. ... Read more

Book Description

Seven lessons follow a young dancer's development, from basic positions and postures to more advanced levels.

Reviews (3)

A great help in my dancing
Since I come from a family that moves around a lot, sometimes it's hard to find a serious quality dance studio. This book was a tremendous help in keeping me toned and in gear. It gives me the help I need to reach the height of my aptitude.

"Great explanations, truly easy to follow" ~Julia Hulia
This book is great for the young ballet dancer. I just started the Royal Academy of Dance at Grade 3, and I wanted to catch up a little, so I got this book and I understand so much more in class! It's great, easy explanations, side reminders, ("Tummy in!") and also character dance tips.

A useful quide for beganing dancers and parents
Step by Step of the Ballet Class follows the RAD training method for the child's first five years. This is a very pleasent companion guide to the dance training. Step by Step explains the major deleopments each year and how to augment the studio training. Beautiful illistrations and well written ... Read more

Book Description

Written for the adult beginner, Ballet Basics is a well-illustrated introduction to the fundamentals of ballet technique. The text also provides an overview of the history of ballet. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The Best Book for Adult Beginners...
Finally a good ballet instruction book that's encouraging and doesn't talk down to adult beginners. The more ballet classes I take, the more I realize how well this book distills the important aspects of ballet. Sketches and photos showing correct (and incorrect) body positioning are appropriately used. When I started ballet, I picked up a handful of books, and I always reached for this one when I had 10 minutes to learn a new tidbit. The brief history of ballet in the final chapter is added bonus. If you're an adult beginner, start with this book and the David Howard videos, plus a good teacher once or twice a week. You won't be auditioning for the American Ballet Theatre, but you'll become a proficient dancer pretty quickly.

Great learning aid for adult beginners
I have the 3rd edition of this book, which was required for a college Ballet I class. As a beginning, adult, male student, I found the book to be very detailed - which I like. She gives you illustrations of steps, with the French name & pronunciation, why your doing it (e.g. to stretch certain muscles), a description, etc..

Initially, working at the barre (e.g. how to stand, plie', positions of the feet) Sandra gives correct & incorrect drawings. Of course, no book or video can replace being in class nor should it. With ballet you need a teacher to correct what your doing wrong so you can learn from it. Then having good books, videos, etc. as reference material helps you learn.

The book is written for us beginner adults, not children and not the pro's, which is really nice. Since we don't have nearly the flexibility of them. It also includes some history in the back of the book. Illustrations show men as well as women. Also included is what to wear to class, what to expect in class, how you should act, etc..

Get her other book once you get beyond the basics.

Excellent basic technique manual
This book provides a good solid basic technique overview. It has been used as a textbook at some colleges, and was highly reccomended by my former headmistress. I found the text interesting and helpful, and the illustrations sufficient. Of course, no book can replace a talented instructor, but as a supplement to a dance program, this book is superior. ... Read more

Book Description

With this brilliantly imagined and beautifully achieved work, Gretchen Warren has created the fisrt comprehensive, photgraphicaly illustrated reference and teaching guie on classical ballet technique. In more than 2,600 photographs, Johan Renvall, Cynthia Harvey, Susan Jaffe, and an array o other dancers from such companies as the American Ballet Theatre and the Joffrey Ballet demonstrate in sequence every movement in the classical repertoire, from the most basic to the most advanced.

The book's design matches each photograph with captions that details appropriate teaching techniques and describe the proper teaching techniques and describe the proper execution of each step. A glossary defines common dance terms, and a pronunciation guide provides phonetic transcriptions of French ballet terms. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

The Ultimate Ballet book
This wonderful book is a must have for any person who claims an interest in ballet. Whether you are a serious student , a beginner, or just a passionate observer, this book provides excellent instruction and beautiful photographs that walk you through every step of a movement. Provides helpful hints on classroom ettiquite, dress, etc., and is arranged to show the typical ballet class order. I have worn my copy to a very dog-eared state from constant use both at home and in class. Wonderful for teachers and students alike.

Best Reference Book
This book by Gretchen Ward has been the most useful and used book that I have as a reference for teaching ballet. The pictures are wonderful. They actually show photos and not poorly drawn pictures. It shows so many movements used in classical ballet, with pictures and descriptions. It also has a wonderful section for teachers, which give you tips and a teaching guide that gives you insight on the order of what you should teach at specific levels. This book is so organized and covers so much material. I love this book and highly recomend it to every teacher who teaches ballet!

Good Book
I think that this book is a very good book. It shows a lot of pictures so that we can follow to become a good ballerina. It also show pictures of common errors so that we can avoid making the common errors. I myself do not dance ballet, but I am very fond of this dancing. I have friends which dance ballet and they also found this book very useful.

A must for any dancer
This is the best and most complete book on ballet that I have ever seen. I like that this book uses pictures of professional dancers to demonstrate steps. This book is worth purchasing for the beautiful pictures alone. It covers the most basic movements to advanced combinations.
I want to stress that no book or video can substitute for lessons with a qualified teacher. The only way to master proper form is corrections from an experienced instructor. This book is an excellent supplement to lessons. It is a perfect way for students to review what they have been learning in class.

Good book, could use a lesson plan!
This is a wonderful book to reference proper ballet technique. I've returned to dancing on my own, for fitness, after 15 or so years away from proper lessons. With this book as a reference, I'm regaining confidence in how I move. If I were taking actual lessons, I would think it would be truly invaluable.

I'm a little disappointed that they didn't provide any sort of sample lesson plan. I had to find that in a different book. ... Read more

Book Description

Discusses all basic principles of ballet, grouping movement by fundamental types. Diagrams show clearly the exact foot, leg, arm and body positions for the proper execution of many steps and movements. Offers dancers, teachers and ballet lovers information often difficult to locate in other books.
... Read more

Reviews (6)

Beautiful Book
As a student dancer I usually like to brush up on things that I wish I could at school or on the bus. It's a great book emphising on Russian Technique and basic steps. For eight bucks it was one of the most cheapest ballet books I have boughten. It goes straight into the positions of the feet. It tells you of what are the correct ways and what are the incorrect ways. It gives little drawings of a ballet practicing the step. If you can remember those little diagrams of the silloutte of feet for ballroom dancing, most of the diagrams are like that. In the drawings when a leg is suppose to switch or the body, little lines are drawn and it is almost impossible not to understand what the steps are drawn out to be. The only thing I wish was more of introduction to pointe. There are only a chapter dedicated to pointe work, clear and understandable on how to develop strength with echapes and releves. Even in the diagrams they give you Russian and French and Italian for some to show you the possible difference. This is a very detailed book, the only problem you would have if you didn't live in the ballet world at all. If your looking for an introduction I suggest the Royal Academy Ballet Book, but if you know your ballet terminology and learning how this manual will save you steps, get it. It helped me understand really what I was suppose to do. Visually you don't learn everything but it breaks it down perfectly to really know what your doing physically than visually.

Not the best book for reviewing the basics!
I would recomend ballet basics. This is better illistrated!
Ballet teacher in Tx

Excellent for teachers and dancers!
It dose a wonderful job showing how each movement is suppose to be done step by step and showing all the names of each movement. Even if you do not know how to read you can look at the pictures, which show how, do every movement. The one thing I was disappointed the translator did not explain about the expression of each movement such as effacee expression is proud. The expression of each movement is something unique to the Vaganova Syllabus.

recommended for musicans too
It would be extremely difficult to add anything to the comment of Pamela Moberg below, exept that I would also like to recommend this book for musicians who are involved with ballet. As a (former) accompanist, I can tell you that the more you know about ballet the better you will do in classes. The book obviously is a great one or it would not have stood the test of time, but let's face it, I really bought it because it has a sample lesson at the end of the book that has music written out for each exercise! I did not end up using that music, but it really gave me a better understanding of what was going to take place in the class since I had never accompanied before. Musicians, do yourself a favor and buy the book.

For the student and the teacher!
I first received a copy of this book when I was 9 years old...it was recommended by one of my first ballet teachers. I loved looking at the illustrations, and discovering the spelling of terms that I was learning in class. I loved looking at the more advanced steps and their complexity. I still have that copy 20 years later. Now, I use it as a wonderful reference for teaching, and recommend it to my students. A valueable book that every dancer should have! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

101 Lssons in Classical Ballet
It is helpful to someone who is learning the Voganova system so you can see what you will learn and review what you have already been thaught. In this book it will show you what you will learn an example is a portde bra.

Great book
This book is very good about giving ideas on what to teach from the beginning ballet technique up to advanced levels. From the ideas one can formulate a class and know that it follows a syllabus and will develop the student appropriately. It is a good book to use as a guide and I recommend it for that.

100 lessons in classical ballet
This collection of lesson plans has helped me tremendeousely in my school. I am able to use this and of course make it fit my own classes. Each lesson plans is working on progression gives you something to follow and does not allow you to get into a rutt.
I am also able to give it to other teachers and ask them to follow it. And then I know what the student has been taught.
I personally was taught the chachette method. But can be adapted very easily .
Kathy
New Creation Performing Arts

Marvelous Teaching Tool
"100 Lessons" will give any ballet teacher, new or seasoned, incredible insight into building technically secure dancers. The book details eight years of lesson plans each building on one another and could either be used to develop one's own syllabus or as a wealth of ideas from which to create lesson plans. I highly recommend this invaluable source to all teachers and studio owners. ... Read more

Book Description

This guide provides a thorough examination of the pointe technique and pointe shoes. Dancers tired of their pointe shoes wearing out too quickly benefit from research that illuminates the shoemaking process and tips that show how to best fit, care for, and custom order their shoes. Interviews with ballet stars Martine van Hamel and Darci Kistler reveal their highly evolved but proven methods of caring for pointe shoes. The basics of the pointe technique, different pointe methods, and the history of pointe are discussed. A handy reference on pointe-related injuries and their remedies is included. This new edition offers the latest information on contemporary designs, materials, products, and suppliers. A sampling of pointe technique schools around the country offers an authoritative syllabus for teachers and students alike. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

this is really helpful
since i have just started pointe this book has really helped me break in my shoes and give me really good excercises to stregthen my ankles. one of the people in this book is my ballet teacher so that is even better. if u have just started pointe or have been on it for a while or even if u dont do pointe this book is really interesting and helpful.

This is the most thorough and informative book on pointe!
When I first learned pointe, I studied at two different dance schools. My instructor at each school gave a short lecture on the foot and pointe dancing in general, and the majority of their presentations came from "The Pointe Book". I quickly went out and bought it and now as a teacher myself, I require my students to get and read "The Pointe Book". I have not found any other work to be as thorough and informative -- who knew that so much was involved in a pair of shoes?! If a student only reads part of the book, I would recommend the chapters on proper pointe shoe fitting and pointe-related injuries. The chapter laying out a sample pointe class has come in handy for some of my beginning work with students and also provides them with exercises to do on their own. My favorite chapter, though, would have to be Conversations on Pointe, which has pointe stories from many well-known dancers. It was great knowing that some of my opinions and experiences are also shared by some of the greats! Janice Barringer and Sarah Schlesinger have done all of us dancers a great favor with "The Pointe Book". ... Read more

Book Description

Tchaikovsky's Ballets combines a detailed and thorough analysis of the music of Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and Nutcracker with descriptions of the first productions of these works in Imperial Russia.A background chapter on the ballet audience, the collaboration of composer and balletmaster, and Moscow of the 1860's leads into an account of the first production of Swan Lake in 1877.A discussion of theater reforms initiated by the Director of the Imperial Theaters prepares the reader for a study of the still-famous 1890 St. Petersburg production of Sleeping Beauty.Wiley then explains how the Nutcracker, produced just two years after Sleeping Beauty,was seen in a much less favorable light than it is now. Separate chapters are devoted to the music of each ballet and translations of published libretti, choreographer's instructions to the composer, and the balletmaster's plans for Sleeping Beauty and the Nutcracker are reproduced in appendices. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A Useful Reference Book
This very complete volume is a lovely gift book as well as a useful reference book. The only weakness is the lack of emphasis on arm positions when doing the steps although they are illustrated in the photographs. I believe dancers who have experienced the following will find it useful too: When I was a student of ballet, I was frustrated by the subtle differences in the standards of different teachers. Sometimes I wondered, "So how EXACTLY am I supposed to do this?" I did not enjoy being corrected for what a prior instructor had taught me and pronounced well-executed. This book would have clarified things for me at the time. Now that I practice alone, I find this book invaluable. Also, I support Christine's review dated May 4, 2001.

Great little reference book
"Basic Ballet" by Joyce MaaKie is a great (no-nonsense) reference book for the ballet enthusiast, regardless of age. It explains the positions throughly and with lots of photos. The only thing that would make it better would be to increase the size of the pictures and make it a wire-bound book so it stays open when performing the techniques.

A very nice book; I would want to know more about it.
This book, which has 66 black and white photographs as illustrations, usually two, three or four on a page and a different number of them, occasionally including one only, on the opposite page, facing, should be helpful to all those who are interested in the ballet, whether children, young people, or adults, whether because they might like to study it, are studying it, or are just interested in learning more about it to increase their own knowledge and enjoyment of it as interested parties at live performances, etc. , for example. It is a nice place to start, and the photographs are very helpful. Basic Ballet would also make a very nice present for a young person who is interested.

Basic Ballet defines 120 pages of ballet steps beautifully.
For ballet students, instructors, and performers: Basic Ballet by Joyce Mackie is a must for the studio. The ballet steps are carfully defined and easy to follow through the step by step illistrations. Many of the defined steps are basic, but a good number of them are intermediate to advanced in ballet training. If you're serious about ballet, you want this book

Outstanding Beginner's Book
Give it a 10 for its target audience of beginners. But it needs a few more intermediate level techniques to rate an unequivical 10 ... Read more

Reviews (3)

One of the best ballet books ever written!
Ballet is being taught incorrectly all over the world today except for in a few great institutions such as the Royal Ballet School. Valerie Grieg has brought to light the lies that fill so many ballet classrooms today. She explains the technique of ballet simply and clearly and why and how it works. As a student of ballet, I have been incredibly fortunate to have had a teacher who cares about the technique immensely, and it is comforting to know that people such as Grieg still care about the art's technique! If you are either a teacher or student of ballet, this book is a must read! You will benefit greatly from what Grieg has to say.

The best ballet book out there.
I am a young dancer and both my teacher and I have benfited from this book. Not only does it have certain tips, but it teaches dancers about their main asset.... their bodies. The portion about the pelvis not only helped my placement, but everything else benefited from that. My turns were better and so were my balances.

A good quide to understanding your body in dance
A well written guide for danceing correctly. The only problem with it is that it is not written for convience or quick reference. Inside Ballet Technique is what every dancer and teacher should know. Buy it, read it and share it ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A pretty helpful book
This was a very helpful book. The only problem I had was I wished it had more pictures. (It does have some, though). I would definatly recomend it, especially to people who know a few baisic things about ballet, but don't know much.

For the Serious Ballet Student; This is #1 on my List!!!
The Language of Ballet is an extraordinary dictionary of terms and definitions for the serious ballet student. I have been dancing Ballet for 10 years and I still didn't know the correct actual deffinitions and spelling of the terms my teacher used but this book shows you everything from pictures to written definitions. I would give this book 6 stars out of 5 if I could. I highly recommend you order this wonderful dictionary of ballet.

Adv Dancers
This is a great book of adv dancers. Not for someone just starting out. Lots of step/words listed here are never taught/used in normal studio programs and may be over some dancers' heads. But it's very informational if you know what the steps are calls.

Great book. Really focuses on things you should know
this book has all tha awnsers. dont know what a pod-aduex is? its all in here. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Book For The Lovers And The Haters
This book is one of the best book I have obtained over the years. My brother uses it when he has to attend ballet with our family since he can never figure out what is goin on since there is no speaking. Balencine has a great understanding of the ballets and tells you the important parts and leaves out the "hoopla". I recamend it for anyone who attends the ballet as a person that apreciates the art or someone just forced to go.

Save Your Money
I purchased this book and now regret it. So many of the ballets decribed are minor pieces that are rarely performed any more, while many major classic ballets that are still performed and/or that are important in dance history are totally neglected (e.g. Le Corsaire, Raymonda, Paquita, Esmerelda). Other descriptions focus only on one part of the ballet rather than telling you the actual story. The entry on "La Bayadère," for instance, focuses almost entirely on Act IV, which is frustrating since this is a ballet with a complicated libretto that could really benefit from a complete summary. I'd recommend going to a library and photocopying the info on the ballets that interest you rather than purchasing this as a handy reference book to have at home. It's just not worth the money.

No One Can Beat George Balanchine
Balanchine had a unique ability to understand the ballet and to be able to explain it to others, even if they did not know anything about it. This book which he wrote with Francis Mason, is very handy for balletomane's to have on their shelves. It explains about different ballet's, both classical and contemporary, and describes their story line or plot and gives detailed comments about how the ballet is presented. Good for reference or for curious readers.

Extremely Helpful, But Now Dated
This book should be of interest to any ballet fan, as it contains the librettos of many famous ballets. It was written by George Balanchine, the famous choreographer of New York City Ballet, along with Francis Mason, a dance critic. In the preface, Mr. Balanchine writes, "This book contains stories of 101 ballets. Fifty are old favorites, ballets in the standard repertory that are performed regularly, plus a few ballets of major historical importance. The fifty-one others are among the many new ballets that have appeared in the past six years, since 'Balanchine's New Complete Stories of the Great Ballets' appeared in 1968. The idea behind this paperback edition is to keep up with main trends in the repertory while also providing the background of the standard repertory. (p. ix)

I learned that I needed a book such as this one, when after viewing act 1 of "Giselle," I realized that I had become completely lost in trying to understand the story line, and there was no libretto provided on the VCR tape. I suppose that one could watch a ballet just for the sake of the dancing and the music, but I like to understand the plot as well! Many of the crucial points in understanding a ballet often come down to interpreting mime gestures, or dance movements that function as a mime gesture, as there are no spoken words in a ballet. That's where this book can really help out.

Each entry begins with an overview that contains a lot of information and historical data. Here is a typical entry from "Romeo and Juliet": "Ballet in three acts. Music by Sergei Prokofiev. Choreography by Kenneth MacMillan. Scenery and costumes by Nicholas Georgiadis. Lighting by William Bundy. First presented by the Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, February 9, 1965, with Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn as Romeo and Juliet. First presented in the United States by the Royal Ballet at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York, April 21, 1965." (p. 373) In some cases, there are multiple versions of same ballet. For instance, there are five different interpretations of "Romeo and Juliet," those of Leonid Lavrosvsky, Antony Tudor, Frederick Ashton, John Cranko, and Kenneth MacMillan. Following the overview, there is a detailed analysis of every scene of each act. Even if you are familiar with a particular ballet, you may come to appreciate some finer points through the expert analysis. Sometimes at the end, Balanchine will also provide his own commentary, and there are often excerpts from critical reviews.

It's too bad that the third and last edition of this book was made in 1975, as Balanchine died in 1983. It would be nice to have something more contemporaneous, but this is the only one of its kind that I have been able to find, except for a few for children. As was stated in the quote from the preface above, half of this book is devoted to ballets that were created in the six years prior to 1975. I cannot say how well all of these ballets have held up over time, or whether they are actively being performed. But, at a minimum, the fifty ballets from the standard repertory should be helpful to today's ballet fan. This book does not include mention of any new interpretations of these standards from the last twenty-five years, but these librettos will probably get you fairly close. Despite the fact that this book is now dated, I still find it extremely helpful and valuable.

Awesome Book
This is a great book. I read the story, then watch the ballet. It has helped me to understand the ballets. ... Read more

Book Description

The definitive collection of great writings on music of the nineteenth century. Forty-five years after the appearance of the first edition, Oliver Strunk's monumental anthology of writings about music has been thoroughly revised and extended by a team of scholars working under the direction of musicologist Leo Treitler. For this new edition, seven specialists in music history have replaced some selections, added others, contributed new translations, and provided additional notes and introductions. With this series, readers can now acquire a comprehensive picture of Western musical thought and ideas through the ages. ... Read more

Book Description

In 1999 the Maryinsky (formerly Kirov) Ballet and Theater in St. Petersburg re-created its 1890 production of Sleeping Beauty. The revival showed the classic work in its original sets and costumes and restored pantomime and choreography that had been eliminated over the past century. Nevertheless, the work proved unexpectedly controversial, with many Russian dance professionals and historians denouncing it. In order to understand how a historically informed performance could be ridiculed by those responsible for writing the history of Russian and Soviet ballet, Tim Scholl traces the history of Sleeping Beauty and discusses the tradition, ideology, and popular legend that have shaped its development. In the process he provides a history of Russian and Soviet ballet during the twentieth century. A fascinating slice of cultural history, the book will appeal not only to dance historians but also to those interested in the arts and cultural policies of the Soviet and post-Soviet periods. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Although the techniques of classical ballet were invented by French and Italian masters two hundred years ago, the Russian Ballet refined these techiques, thus enhancing its already superb performances.In 1738, the first professional school of dance opened in St. Petersburg.During the 18th century, the Russian Ballet became known for its tragic and its comic ballets.The Russian Ballet reached is apogee during the 19th century.The second half of the 19th century was marked by the collaboration of Petipa, the French choreographer, withe the Russian composer Tchaikovsky.In the early 20th century, Diaghilev delighted audiences in the West by presenting his Ballets Russes with suprememly talented choreographers, dancers, compers, and set deisgners.The book offers an encyclopedic overview of the entire history of the Russian Ballet, written by a team of scholars. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A little inaccessible, but very helpful
I bought this book looking for some help in making basic Classical and Romantic tutus. The book is dominated by illustrations, and the instructions could have been written a little more clearly -- but after re-reading them very carefully, I decided that all the information I wanted was actually there. It's just a little inaccessible.

The book describes how to make basic garments (tutus, leotards, etc.) without a pattern, and then has lots of illustrations to show how you might modify them for particular styles and dances. So, to get any use out of this book, you'll need to buy some cheap material, and draft your own patterns with the help of the book and perhaps a little trial and error. If you absolutely have to be provided with a proper pattern, you'll need to look elsewhere for it. Even so, the example illustrations may be helpful in adapting a basic costume to suit a particular dance, once you've obtained the basic pattern elsewhere.

The content of the book is just as old as I am -- first published in 1975 -- which is probably why Lycra (tm) isn't mentioned in the book at all! So if you're determined to use Lycra, you'll have to figure out for yourself what differences it will make to the design and construction.

Overall, this is a very good book which could really use a new revision to take account of new materials, and to make the text a little more accessible.

How to dress dancers: how do you dress dancers?
I went to the library to get this book out when I needed to make costumes for my daughters dance recital. It was an amatuer production of Swan Lake; so I needed some help making the classical tutus. Unfortunately, the book hrdly helped at all. The pictures and/or instructions were very hard to understand, and Iam no oaf so I do understand a lot. But this? I didn't understand at all. They did have some very nice ideas for costumes, I thought. ... Read more

Book Description

Beginning Ballet is an essential first book for ballet students and their parents. The newly edited and revised edition provides a guide to technique, vocabulary and practice in class as well as to the costumes required for class and stage. Joan Lawson also offers invaluable advice to parents on how to seek ballet training for their child. The book is illustrated throughout by the remarkable drawings of Kay Ambrose and the costume patterns of Peter Revitt. Teachers will find an excellent selection of steps, exercises and drawings of basic poses adapted from various well-known methods of dancing. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Exceptional Resource for Ballet Students & Parents
My daughter is in her 4th year of ballet with a superb instructor, originally from England, who teaches the Royal Academy of Dancing method. Reading this book satisfied a hunger for detailed information stemming from the plethura of questions that I have had regarding my daughter's training through the years. It covers basics on everything from detailed costume/uniform tips & instructions, to being a superb treatise on technique, vocabulary and practice in class. The book is illustrated with incredible line drawings of technique which better equip me to help my daughter fine-tune her skills (learned in class) at home. The introduction by Joan Lawson is not only educational, but inspiring. This is a MUST HAVE BOOK for any dancer and his/her parents and I am grateful to my daughter's instructor for turning us on to it. My only regret about this book is that we did not find it sooner! ... Read more