Ciara Dance Blog

American Dance

2012-09-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

In honor of the Labor Day weekend, I wanted to post about dance in America. Specifically, I wanted to declare how much I love American dance and choreography. That's right, I said it loud and proud! It's easy to look at the classics and marvel at what Europe established in the art of ballet. And there is no denying that thanks to it's European roots, ballet and by extension all dance forms, have a rich and illustrious history chock-full of amazing music, choreography and story-telling. But American dance has its place too. And we have certainly added quite a bit to the dance community over the years. I think that as much as I love Petipa and Tchiaikovsky , I still prefer Copeland, Sousa, Gershwin, Balanchine, Gene Kelly, Martha Graham and Jerome Robbins over everything else. There is something thrilling about the music and movement that has no limits, no strict definition. It's the essence of liberty and freedom; it's American Dance!

Lets look at some of my favorite pieces, favorite dancers, and favorite moments in American dance. I think George Balanchine did it best when he established what ballet could be in this country with his founding and directing of the New York City Ballet Company.

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So much of his work perfectly captured American culture. As an immigrant from Russia, I suppose he really noticed the details of our country's culture that were uniquely American qualities. Naturally, his most patriotic ballet would have to be "Stars and Stripes." But I also loved his take on American musicals with "Who Cares?" a ballet set to the swinging songs of George Gershwin. And "Western Symphony," set to the music of classic American folk songs, is also a brilliant example of how classical ballet can seriously take on the Wild American West!

Then there is the American Movie Musical. This is the kind of dancing that I think most people think of when they imagine American movement. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers gliding across a gorgeous ballroom floor, or Cyd Charisse fully decked out in flapper gear. When it comes to dancers from American Musicals, my personal favorite is Gene Kelly. He really did help to define a new style of dance in American culture. It's blue collar, it's masculine and mostly it's fun! Here is a clip from the film Summer Stock of Kelly performing a classic tap number...

I think I could go on and on about all my favorite American ballets and dancers. I could keep searching for clips and pictures for days. But in the interest of getting this post finished and published, let me just finish on this thought. America has a lot to offer in all aspects, including the performing arts. It may be a medium that doesn't get as much exposure as it should. But it is there, it is vibrant with possibilities and it's important to acknowledge that we do have our own rich artistic history. From square dancing to swing dancing, "Appalachian Spring" to "Fancy Free." There is something special in American dancing that cannot be seen anywhere else. It's vivacious. It's strong and determined. It's free and fun. It's American!

Get to the Pointe

2012-08-29T07:00:00.001-07:00

This little video gives a bit of insight into the world of pointe shoes; ways to break them in, finding the right pair and how they get made...Take a look!

New York City Ballet "Pointe Shoes" from Galen Summer on Vimeo.

Inspiration | The Ballerina Project

2012-08-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

Dane Shitagi's photography series "the ballerina project," never ceases to capture my attention and intrigue me. His beautiful photos place modern day ballerinas in various locations in and around New York City and beyond. In the park, on a subway platform, in a taxi, on the Brooklyn Bridge, you name it! He often places his delicate and sweetly costumed subjects in dramatically contrasting, rough and harsh settings, creating a dynamic juxtaposition between the fragile, sweet ballerina and the tough city streets. Take a look and be inspired!

Ciara's New Studio Grand Opening!

2012-08-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

***UPDATE***

The Grand opening is now on September 1st and we think it's a great way to kick off the month and Labor Day Weekend! Hope to see you there!

Mark your calendars! The Grand Opening ribbon-cutting Ceremony and grand opening is set to kick off on August 25th (just a week from today!) Be sure to stop by to check out the new space and celebrate with everyone at Ciara!

It's the start of a great new year -- Hope to see you there!

Back to Dance Must-Haves!

2012-08-15T19:45:00.000-07:00

Well, it's usually a bittersweet state of affairs when dancers have to say goodbye to summer and start up a new season of dance classes and rehearsals. Whether you spent your summer toiling away at a summer intensive, or took some down time to soak up the sun, jumping back into classes can be tough on the body and the mind (what with figuring out how to manage new academic classes too!)

Here is my list of back to school must haves, minus the number 2 pencils and trapper keepers!
1. New Bag ~ Your dance bag is your life; it carries all the essentials you need when you are rushing from school to dance class to home and wherever. That's why it's crucial to have one that will help keep you prepared and organized, while also not being a huge weight to cart around. Treat yourself to a new bag that is clean and fresh and ready to take what this school year can dish out!
2. Hair Kit ~ Take the time to gather up plenty of hairpins, clips, ponytail elastics, a good smoothing boar bristle brush and your hairspray of choice into one convienent kit that you can throw into your dance bag and keep with you on the go. If one thing is for sure, you are going to need extra bobbypins throughout the year, so stock up now!
3. New Tights ~ A pair of pink, a pair of black...maybe even two or three new pairs of each if you can manage. It's good to start off the year with nice clean tights, store your old pairs with holes and runs for emergencies only!
4. Sewing Kit ~ The fine folks over at Bunheads make a great little "stitch kit" which includes two extra strong needles and waxed pink thread, perfect for sewing new pointe shoes. Throw in a pair of scissors, extra ribbon and elastic to make your own complete one-stop mending shop!
5. Foot Care Essentials ~ Tailor your own Dance First Aid Kit with Bandaids, tape, fresh toe pads, spacers and jellys (if you use those items.) Add a tiny bottle of hydrogen peroxide (to disinfect blisters and cuts) and some invigorating foot spray and you are ready for whatever your pointe shoes dish out!
6. Notepad ~ Put a notepad and pen in your bag to allow you to jot down any important steps or corrections given to you in class while their fresh in your mind. Going back and reading through your notes later will really help in comprehending difficult exercises and theories.
7. Something Special ~ Even if it's something of a frivolity, having some new leotard or stylish warm-ups to wear can help make you feel excited and confident as you begin the new school year. Treat yourself to something you think is flattering and that extra sparkle and dash of confidence will shine through in your dancing!

So start the year off right and get yourself ready! Happy Dancing!

The Joffery School Embracing the West Coast

2012-07-27T18:39:00.000-07:00

Tonight at California State University, Northridge, the young dancers from the Joffery Ballet's Southern California Summer Intensive will be showing just how much they've learned this summer. Performing an evening of new work from the likes of Mia Michaels, Mandy Moore and several other distinguished choreographers, the showcase hopes to demonstrate how today's dancers need to be well rounded in all dance disciplines if they want to succeed. They have spent the last 3 weeks training in ballet technique, pointe, partnering, jazz, hip-hop and contemporary, and this performance serves as the close to the summer program.

"'Joffrey West,' based in Los Angeles, CA, is a summer dance training intensive that incorporates all forms of dance to create the “IDEAL” dancer. Today’s working professional dancer has to master various dance disciplines. A professional dancer must be able to work for a Professional Ballet Company, Professional Modern Company, Music Videos, World Stage Show, Pop/Hip Hop Artist Live Performance, Broadway and the Hollywood film industry - a professional dancer should have the capability to do it all!!" - VPAC Website

The performance kicks off at 8pm at the Valley Performing Arts Centers Great Hall on the CSUN Campus. It could be a very interesting glimpse into current Ballet Summer Intensive training and how dance in popular culture is influencing just how we train. Click here for more information and tickets

One small step for us - a Grand jete for Ciara!

2012-07-22T20:43:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Ciara Dance Blog! A place to share ideas, learn about dance, and get inspired!
Stay tuned for all kinds of fun features as we kick off a new season here at Ciara Dance!

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