Ballet Class

 Grettel Mendez

 Mr. Richard

 3/5/12

In the Ybor City Dance Studio, Ballet class time on February 27^th, 2012, we had a chance to watch a video of our everyday routine in Ballet class. Our professor Mr. Richard asked to look at ourselves individually and the class in general. Moreover, I evaluated myself in every aspect possible.

By looking at the video, I saw that when I did Cambre my weight shift went a little bit forward, for that I need to try to a line my body and keep it firm in order to maintain the position while doing Cambre. In some fast combinations I need to maintain a strong core alone with arms and legs. I need to breathe in between exercises because it helps go easily through the class. When I looked at my arms and then my hands, I saw that I am getting this new habit of having my thumb out of place instead of being almost in touch with the middle finger. Also, I need to try to avoid over rotating in first when doing Plies because I could damage my knees.

As a class I observed that there was lack of unison, we did not look much like an assemble class and I think is because we all need to really listen and feel the music, the pauses, the changes, the sharpness, etc. We as a class need to work on dancing with arms, and using our heads to look graceful because that is the key of being a Ballet dancer. Technique is essential, but not all we need to become amazing dancers, we also have to feel the music and show our passion through the movements of our bodies. I saw that the arms on first in some of my classmates were opened instead of almost touching fingers which I understand because they are more modern dancers. I can relay myself to that example because sometimes I dance too ballerina style when modern dancing but I am working on loosing it up more without forgetting about my modern technique. As a class we need to work more from the inside of the leg to make it easier for us to lift our legs higher and make them lighter to sustain them for longer periods of time. Piques need to be sharper and Ron de jambes need to have the ascent front when working andeor and back when working andedan. We also need to work on turn out from the thighs and really point our toes. I saw a lot of sickling of the foot in passé and it is because there is no thought of brushing through the leg with the heels instead of the toes.

Overall, I found this video very helpful because I have never seen myself or the class in general taking a ballet class before and it does help to see clearly the areas that I and the class in general need to work on.