Building Ballet Technique

Dance teachers, both experienced and aspiring, will find this book to be an in-depth source of original choreographed center floor combinations for a ballet class. Each chapter presents detailed explanations arranged by “difficulty level” (beginner through advanced) as well as categorized by various areas of center floor work, including: Center Floor Barre, Adagios, Warm-up Jumps, Petit Allegro, En Diagonale (across-the-floor), Grand Allegro, Port de Bras, and so on. These teaching enchaînements can be adapted to, or used to supplement, any style (syllabus) of classical training. The book also includes a collection of sample lessons for each difficulty level that can be used to create a full program of classes. As the combinations progress they build the technical expertise of students and give teachers “tools” to use to keep their students interested and challenged. Written by a former professional ballet dancer with an extensive national and international performing and teaching background, and an M.F.A. in Dance completed after her lengthy dancing career, this is the third volume in a series, following Vol. 1, “Building Ballet Technique, A Practical Guide for Teaching All Levels” and Vol. 2, “Building Ballet Technique, A Self-Improvement Guide for Dancers.” It belongs on every dance teacher’s bookshelf.