The idea was a left over from last year’s stew… All the dancing princesses we had: Aurora, Scheherazade, the 12 dancing princesses from Firebird… The idea of Snow White had been thrown in for consideration.  Anna liked the idea and thought it could be a ballet.  Conni thought it was the perfect fit for the dancers we have now.

Music… that was Laura H’s job… but the real moment of brilliance– The Queen’s variation as she looks into the mirror– that was Anna’s idea.  The music was handy and the Raymonda variation had been studied two years ago as the owl in the Beatrix Potter Ballet.  Reinterpreted as a vain, egotistical queen will be exciting to watch!

Scenery… well, Laura H gets a lot of the fun jobs– dreaming up visions of possibilities.  Michele did have to talk her down from spinning stages and seven little beds as practicality is an important consideration– as is budget, as is available room in the back of the van.  There is no $2 million available for THIS little ballet company– we have to be really creative, and resourceful.  Much of the scenery is reworked from other productions.  But as the vision develops, Michele (who is a professional artist– please remember) and Alan (who builds race cars for fun!) will construct– sew, weld, hammer, and paint them into existance.

 Costumes… Once again we will be grateful for the magic closets in the basement, but there will be new additions.  Moms who sew are welcome to volunteer.  We do lean on Moms to make sure costumes and other supples get to the performances safely and orderly.  We also have young performers who like to dream.  What do you think your costume should look like?  All the coaches and instructors involved LOVE to get drawings.  If you have an idea, make a sketch and pass it on!  (Just don’t expect Snow White to appear in a yellow skirt and blue shoulder puffs– we take pride in creating our own vision of things!)

 Vision… That is an important consideration.  When working as a collaboration it is easier if all parties involved agree on a general direction or bigger picture.  If we are making gumbo– you wouldn’t throw a car radiator into the mix.  Certain things are agreed upon and form the rules or guidelines for what is to follow.  That way the result looks as if it were MEANT to happen.  This is in at least one person’s humble opinion a good way of judging art.  Does it look like it was meant to happen that way?  Does it seem to make sense as a whole?  The vision for our new ballet began as a way to interpret the character of the original story.  Snow White was originally a Grimm’s Fairy Tale– a GERMAN fairy tale.  It was also part of our own AvO history.  It was the one ballet story that Anneliese herself used to use in her children’s classes and one she specifically passed on in her teacher training.  Anneliese was also very German!  That is why this ballet is set as an “homage” to some of these traditions.  All of the music chosen (with the one exception of the Queen’s variation which was Glazunov) was by German composers: Mahler, Schubert, Schumann, and Brahams.  The Dwarve’s cottage is decidedly influenced by the half timber villages in Germany.  Look for more influences throughout the ballet!     

This brings us to choreography… This is where the collaboration will be most evident.  Even when the choreographer gives every bit of stage direction they will rely on the dancer to interpret the movements.  Lots of wonderful people will be involved– Mrs. B will be doing the snow scene.  Conni will be working on the woodland creatures.  Anna will create movements for the seven dwarves.  Sara Shayeson, and Laura H are also likely to step in somewhere as there is a lot to do. 

Do you have an idea for a funny bit or an intersting movement that could be added to the ballet?  Once again the dancers are a primary source of inspiration.  Dancers will be cast where their personalities will make their parts interesting and their technical strengths can be shown off.  Do you have a favorite step?  Let us know!  Meanwhile check out the story and music page as more ideas are constantly being added.  Just yesterday some of the music changed and scenery sketches were uploaded.  But already some of the scenery designs may be modified– the pot is still simmering and new ingredients are being thrown in daily! 

E-mail your ideas to laura@avoballet.org so I can add them in to the stew!

Once upon a time as a queen sits sewing at her window, she pricks her finger on her needle and three drops of blood fall on the snow that had fallen on her ebony window frame. As she looks at the blood on the snow, she says to herself, “Oh, how I wish that I had a daughter that had skin white as snow, lips red as blood, and hair black as ebony”. Soon after that, the queen gives birth to a baby girl who has skin white as snow, lips red as blood, and hair black as ebony. They name her Princess Snow White. As soon as the child is born, the queen dies.

Scene: the outside of the castle walls, looking through the doors as the good queen sits and sews.  The Queen steps through the doors and walks in the snow as the snowflakes dance.

Snow Fall Mother & Child… Mother pantomimes “Beautiful child… lips, cheeks, hair, face…”

1 snow scene (click here for music)

Scene 2: Spring: Snow White Dances

Scene: the outside of the castle walls.

As a princess Snow White picks flowers and cleans the castle floors. 

2 Snow white dances (click here for music)

2 Snow White dances in spring (This one is better!) (music!)

Scene 3: Entrance of evil queen

Soon after, the king takes a new wife, who is beautiful but also very vain. The Queen possesses a magical mirror, an animate object that answers any question, to whom she often asks: “Mirror, mirror on the wall / Who is the most beautiful of all?” (”Spieglein, Spieglein, an der Wand / Wer ist die Schönste im ganzen Land?”) to which the mirror always replies “You, my queen, are fairest of all.” But when Snow White reaches the age of seven, she becomes as beautiful as the day, and when the queen asks her mirror, it responds: “Queen, you are full fair, ’tis true, but Snow White is fairer than you.” Though in another version, the mirror simply replies: “Snow White is the fairest of them all.”

Queen walks past Snow and is very angry.  Snow White leaves.  Queen admires herself in mirror.

Scene: as the evil queen walks past Snow White, the castle doors open and the outer castle walls turn to reveal the queen’s chamber.  A large mirror hangs between two curtains. 

3 Evil Queen makes an entrance and looks into her mirror (music!)

4 Evil Raymonda variation (music!)

The queen becomes jealous, and orders a huntsman to take Snow White into the woods to be killed. She demands that the huntsman, as proof of killing Snow White, return with her lungs and her liver.

Scene: as the huntsman leaves the walls turn to become trees in the forest.  As snow white and the huntsman travel the trees move slightly as if they would run into them.

Scene 4: In the Forrest

5 THe queen commands the Huntsman to kill Snow White and she is led by him into the forest (music!)

The Huntsman leads Snow White into the forest.  Snow White picks flowers.  Huntsman prepares to stab her in the back but drops the knife.  Huntsman begs Snow to run away and never return.     

6 The Huntsman is unable to kill Snow White and bids her run and hide in the forest Snow is frightened as she runs and collapses (music!)

Snow White is very frightened and runs until she lays down and sleeps.

Scene 5: Little Cottage in the Woods

Little woodland creatures dance and watch over Snow White.   She wakes up and follows them to the Little Cottage. 

7 the woodland creatures find and comfort snow white (music!)

Snow White goes inside and comes out with a broom as the Woodland creatures help her clean dishes, do laundry, cook, and set the table for seven little places.   Snow White goes inside and falls asleep.  (Two little bats dancing with the other woodland creatures would probably be very sleepy and not be of much help since bats are nocturnal!) 

8 little birdie leads Snow white to the little cottage and everyone helps tidy up (music!)

Scene 6: Little Dwarves

We still see the outside of the dwarves’ house.  The seven little dwarves are coming home. 

9 The dwarves make their entrance dance (music!)

They soon realize things have changed and become very frightened.  Mustering their courage and volunteering each other they investigate as the outside of the house becomes the inside of the house and they discover Snow White asleep across the seven little beds.  

10 the dwarves look for the ghost and discover snow white they are afraid to wake her (music!)

Snow White wakes up and they are introduced.

11 snow white wakes up and tells the dwarves how she ot there

She makes them wash for dinner.  She makes them use proper table manners and teaches them to use a spoon to eat their stew.   After she makes them wash their little dishes.

12 the dwarves wash for dinner learn table manners and clean up the table as snow white takes care of them

The dwarves decide to entertain Snow White.  Then they invite her to dance with them, even making themselves taller so she can dance.  Music fades as the inside of the house becomes the outside of the house.

13 the dwarves entertain snow white who joins in the dance as night falls and we see the outside of the cottage once more

Scene 7: Next Morning

The dwarves are leaving for work.

Snow White stands outside door and helps them with their hats and pick axes and lanterns with good bye kisses for each.  The little dwarf keeps running through house and gets three kisses before Snow White catches on.  The dwarves all turn and warn Snow White not to let anyone in and keep the door locked.  Snow White waves good bye from the window.   

14 next morning snow white bids the dwarves good bye as they warn her to stay away from strangers

Scene 8: Wicked Queen poisons apple

As the dwarves are marching across front the outside becomes the inside and we see the inside of the castle and the wicked Queen.  Queen is looking into the mirror. Meanwhile, the Queen asks her mirror once again “Who’s the fairest of them all?”,

15 scene changes to the queens chamber who is looking in her mirror once more

We see image of Snow White dancing with a silver veil having been called for the from the mirror as the queen joins in in mirror image.  Snow White vanishes back into the mirror. 

16 the mirror conjurs an image of snow white dancing mirrored by the queen

Queen becomes very angry and with help of small page consults her book of spells.  The Queen dances with an apple checking her book and adding things to her cauldron…  Two little bats who had been with the woodland creatures assist the queen.  These “spies” later lead the transformed queen to the Dwarves’ cottage to where Snow White is staying.  She puts on a cloak and takes the basket of apples and exits somewhat transformed.

17 furious the queen poisons an apple and transforms herself into an old ugly hag

Scene 9: Snow White is poisoned

Trees cover the scene and the stage is once more transformed to the outside of the dwarves’ house. 

The wicked queen’s double is approaching the dwarves’ house with the poisoned apple.  The witch is trying to tempt Snow White with pretty laces stays and a poisoned comb but Snow White heeds the dwarves’ warnings.  The woodland creatures know it is the wicked witch and try to pull the witch away.  The clever Queen feigns illness and clutches her heart.  Snow White immediately comes out of the cottage to assist her.  The cunning old hag gives the poisoned apple to Snow White as thanks. 

18 the scene changes to the old hag approaching the cottage and tempting snow white with the apple

Snow White steps out of the door, takes a bite and immediately falls into a deep stupor.  The wicked Queen gloats. 

19 snow white comes out of the cottage takes a bite contorts from the poison and falls the hag gloats with glee

The woodland creatures return pulling the dwarves with them.  The dwarves chase the wicked witch away.  Trees hide the princess and move in on the Witch as the witch tries to escape but falls down to a bolt of lightening & thunder sound effects.

20 led by the woodland creatures the dwarves run to snow whites aid and chase the queen who dies from a bolt of lightening

Scene 10: The Prince arrives

Hidden by the trees the witch exits as the trees open to reveal Snow White on the little coffin with the dwarves around her.  Sad music plays as the dwarves place flowers on Snow White. 

21 the trees part and we see snow white in a coffin mourned by the dwarves

We hear hunting horns as a prince enters, guided by the woodland creatures.  He asks the dwarves who the beautiful princess is.  The dwarves tell the prince that the princess has fallen prey to a wicked witch’s curse.  Saddened the prince removes his hat and bows to Snow White.  The movement causes the piece of poisoned apple to dislodge from Snow White’s throat, awakening her. The prince then declares his love for her and soon a wedding is planned.

22 led by woodland creatures a prince finds his way to the coffin and asks who she is he kneels at the side and accidently jostles the coffin

We watch the hand move and fall.  Then rubbing her eyes Snow White awakens.

23 awakened Snow White gets up and dances an adagio with the prince

Scene 11 Finale

We have a traditional grand pas de deux:  Prince dances/ allegro/ jumps

24 the princes variation

Princess dances

25 snow whites variation

Prince and princess together with leaps,  Dwarves join in and form tableau

Conni: why don’t we use the coffin as a small “stage ” for some of the tiny woodland creatures to dance for joy after she awakens, and the prince and SW are dancing?

26 finale

Here is lovely Clara in rehearsal learning her Russian Dance solo! (Carolynn gets to dance it too!)

If you do not see this video click here to see it on our website at
www. avoballet.org !

or see it here on “You Tube”
AvO Russian

If the video does not appear go to our website at www.avoballet.org

Or click here to view on “You Tube.”

Waltz of the Flowers rehearsal October 2011

Educators and teachers the world over love to hear from their students the words: “I know…” or “I can…”!

We LIVE for this!

The PROBLEM is that there are different ways of “knowing”.  You might “know of” the cashier at the supermarket DIFFERNTLY than you “know” a family member you see every day at home.  You might “KNOW HOW” to do a sit up, but in ballet the REAL question is whether your BODY has the strength and ABILITY to do 500 sit ups non stop like an Olympic athlete.

For purposes of our discussion we are going to define Six LEVELS of “knowing” to help us chart overall progress in ballet.  These levels are based on the work of Dr. Benjamin S Bloom.  His idea was to focus the GOAL of learning on true personal growth and development.  (See this or any article on “Bloom’s Taxonomy” for more information)[1]

Level ONE: Recall or Imitate (A Coppelia Doll or marionette)

At this level you KNOW a thing only well enough to follow along if someone else is demonstrating, or you can repeat back the words just told to you (but might FORGET it tomorrow).  This is like the ballerina doll or automaton that you wind up who goes through the motions on someone else’s energy and direction.  You may think of a marionette whose arms and legs are guided by strings attached and coordinated to the arms and legs of the person pulling them.  You still need someone else’s help to wind you up or pull your strings. 

Level TWO: Manipulate or Understand (Pinocchio)

In this level you can recall a movement from memory and remember the information well enough to put in your own words.  You know a step well enough to perform it from written or verbal instruction without having to see it done.  This is like the puppet who has no more need of strings and is able to move on his own power.  

Level THREE: Precision and Comprehension (The puppet master)

At this level you know a step well enough to remember its name and demonstrate it without help.  You can explain or describe it to someone else easily.  You can now craft the step well enough to show it to someone else. In so doing you know it well enough to help pull someone else’s strings. 

Level FOUR: Articulation and Application (a conscious performer, Jiminy Cricket)

You are now able to put the step into use as a movement that comes to you quite naturally.  You are able to perform the step as part of a larger combination or composition, having a firm grasp on the series of movements that comprise that particular step. Now you have a working dance vocabulary—moving from doing steps to dancing the step in combinations.  You are now like that little cricket who understood the “bigger picture,” able to see the step as a whole and even recognize some of the potential pitfalls and mistakes when they happen.

Level FIVE: Analysis, Synthesis, and Variation (the Master Craftsman: Gepetto)

At this level you are able to take the step apart and can demonstrate the individual parts that make up the complete movement.  You are also able to perform the step varying the parts: changing the direction, speeding up the tempo, adding a turn, adding a battu, reversing the order or changing feet. Like the Master Craftsman you can take apart the pieces, interchange them, and put the steps back together again, creating your own combinations. 

Level SIX: Evaluation & Naturalization (The Olympian)

At this level not only do you know the movement VERY WELL, but you have sufficient body strength and co-ordination to perform it BEAUTIFULLY for an AUDIENCE.  You are able to do it in your sleep and therefore have sufficient focus to add artistic expression that elevates the step to an ART form. Like the Blue Fairy you make the step come alive.  It is no longer just a step but has a life of its own and tells a story everyone can understand.  With your abilities as the technical athlete you make it seem as easy as waving a magic wand.  As the thinking, emotive artist, you have the heart and passion to create PURE MAGIC!   

Now here is the REALLY IMPORTANT Part! 

Dancers are Artists and Dancers are ATHLETES.  For DANCERS, “knowing” also means being “in training.” Like any athlete if you take a break from your training the body forgets.  The muscles get stiff and weak.  You may slide back on the ladder a few rungs. 

Professional dancers have a saying:

The point is muscle strength, limberness, stamina, and all the precise technical points that keep the dancer from developing overuse injuries, all require consistent training.  If you do take a break you need to recognize that you may have stepped BACKWARDS a few rungs.  You need to repeat the necessary exercises slowly and carefully.  You might have to RELEARN some things, but you can always progress forward again. 

Meanwhile, the numbers of 1 to 6 can be used to give a better understanding of ballet progress.  If you are honest with yourself and have a clear understanding of your strengths and weaknesses, you can always get ahead!   

Watch this to see if having fun helps people do the right thing…

http://www.avoballet.org/kinderballet-hard-at-work-for-invitation/

Pictured below Kinderballet members rehearse a restaging of Les Sylphides set by Conni Berns, Ballet Mistress. 

Below students work together independently on the Blue Bird variation as Mrs. B does a run through of the Coppelia Doll scene.  Company members are responsible to learn and record their own choreography notes. 

Soloists below are rehearsing for Sugar Plum and Firebird variations:

 Be sure to check back for performance dates and times!

February Progress Report for Saturday Ballet II/ Intermediate Class
Instructors: Conni Berns & Anna Frey

The Saturday Morning Class has worked on various class skills and ballet vocabulary all centered around important ballet “building blocks.”

We have worked on the following themes:
Week 1: Elevation
1. 5 kinds of jumps with French terms
2. sauté de basque with chassé connecting steps
3. glissade, jeté, pas coupé, assemblé back, 3 changement (and reversed)
4. Small arch, large arch
5. positions of the foot in half toe

Week 2: Poise and Grace of movement
1. Body directions
2. Head turn, tilt, raise and lower with arm positions
3. Coordination of steps with arm movements
4. arm qualities- gliding, pushing, swinging, throwing, pulling.
5. Tightrope dance

Week 3: Rhythm and Timing
1. Dancing to the beat of the music
2. Barre work to the beat of the music
3. Center steps to the beat and to the measure of the music
4. Finding the waltz beat, stepping to the rhythm of the counts, and then to the measures.
5. Waltz in a square, -balancé
6. Italian steps with the tambourine

We will continue with the themes of Ballet throughout this semester, weaving the pillars of Ballet, Intermediate steps, individual corrections, and advanced combinations into this class time to make the most progress for each student. Themes will be taken from the needs of a well-rounded dancer:

Extension, Rhythm and Timing, Expression, Musicality, Ability to turn, Improvisation, Elevation, Grace and Poise (lack of tension), Flexibility, and Strength. See the chart below…

Particles: Dance must be carefully learned in little pieces.  It is like taking a film and focusing on each individual picture frame by frame.  Each picture or “pose” must then sync up with a musical “drumbeat” in perfect punctuation.  Think of the old film clappers they use to test whether the picture and sound of a film sync together.  The moment the clapper closes you have the percussive clapping noise.  There is the picture of the closed clapper accompanied in that moment by the “beat.”  The dance then becomes a matter of sequencing those “beats,” or “connecting the dots,” but I prefer the idea of stringing together pearls to form a necklace. 

Consider the video below of Anneliese’s Schottische Fling.  Each drumbeat is a pose, a pearl…

Waves: Dance cannot be fully experienced without movements that are like large paint strokes on a canvas: bold, unafraid, and unregimented—a “whoosh” a large roller coaster loop de loop.  Think of Hollywood’s version of the flamboyant orchestra conductor.  Even as he keeps the downbeat, there is a constant motion.  Then think of the melody driving the motion as wind might sway a tree.  

Consider the video below of a portion of a modern piece Anneliese choreographed years ago to Scarlatti.  See if you agree:  if this in not a “whoosh,” I don’t know what is!  Anneliese used to describe such movements as “over the music.”  By this I believe she meant unbridled by the beats or counts but describing instead the larger melodic phrase.  

In developing a good musical sense both aspects must be experienced in every class.  Drumbeats as natural as heartbeats, as if one stuck a metronome in one ear; accompanied by a breath—a soulful wind “whooshing” in the other ear.