George Balanchine’s “Who Cares?” – A brief history of this fun, jazzy ballet
Written by Robyn Jutsum Who Cares? Is a Balanchine ballet featuring the music of George Gershwin, orchestrated by Hershy Kay. It premiered in February of
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George Balanchine’s “Western Symphony” – A brief history.
Written by Robyn Jutsum American folk tunes arranged by Hershy Kay, cowboy hats, and Balanchine-inspired choreography – You can get all of that and more
“Le Spectre de La Rose” – A brief history on this important ballet
Written by Robyn Jutsum Though perhaps only well known among balletomanes, Le Spectre de la Rose is a particular kind of gem for 20th-Century ballet.
Paquita – A brief history of this classical ballet.
Happy March everybody! With Spring maybe, possibly, hopefully, just around the corner, we have turned our attention to this month’s Cardio Ballet theme, Paquita. A
West Side Story – Many interpretations of the timeless story
Written by Robyn Jutsum This month’s Cardio Ballet theme is West Side Story (1961) with choreography by Jerome Robbins! Jamie Bernstein describes this musical phenomenon
George Balanchine’s “Concerto Barocco” – A brief history of the ballet.
Dancers of Birmingham Royal Ballet Sara Mearns and Teresa Reichlen NYCB photo by Paul Kolnik Written by Robyn JutsumSeptember’s Cardio Ballet combos are inspired by George Balanchine’s 1941 ballet, Concerto Barocco, danced to Bach’s Concerto in D Minor for 2 Violins. The ballet was first designed as an exercise for the students of the School of American Ballet (SAB), the training school […]
Les Sylphides – A brief history of the ballet
First Performance in London 1911 Digital Scan from Ballet Panorama- An Illustrated Chronicle of Three Centuries Photo by Theo Kossenas Media 4 Artists of Washington Ballet in Les Sylphides Written by Robyn JutsumLes Sylphides, not to be confused with La Sylphide (a Romantic two-act ballet choreographed by August Bournonville in 1836) is considered the first plotless, or abstract, ballet. It was ch […]
Move of the Week – Swan Arms for Beautiful Port de Bras
Check out the video below to learn the secret to those gorgeous swan arms and lean back and arms of ballerinas! This exercise is taught by The Ballet Spot’s founder and owner, and professional dancer, Eliza S. Tollett.The iconic swan arms from the ballet Swan Lake aren’t just for ballerinas – anyone can practice swan arms to strengthen your back and arm muscles! Bonus – this exercise will improve posture and core strength as well. And you don’t need any prior dance experience to give t […]
Move of the Week – Strengthen your abdominals for dancing!
Did you know that abs are for more than just looks? It’s important to have SUPER strong abdominals to support your movement no matter what your exercise of choice! And crunches are SO 2015…. The most effective exercises for abs include movements that engage multiple muscle groups and lengthen and strengthen at the same time.Here are some easy but powerful exercises for strong abs and core taught by our instructor and pro dancer Colby!Join Colby for Total Body Barre Express on Fridays at Noon E […]
Move of the Week – Exercise to Improve Turnout
Properly held turnout is important for ballet not just because it looks good – it’s so important to learn to use the correct muscles so your hips, knees, and ankles stay healthy and strong!This is an easy and effective exercise taught by Ballet Spot Instructor and Marketing Manager, Robyn, that you can do at home to improve the mobility and strength of your hip rotation. Practice this exercise standing up as well as on the mat. Make sure to lift your abdominals to engage your core and hold your […]
