Category: Ballet in Print

You can vote for BalletScoop for Top Dance Blogs of 2010!

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Your CBT has entered BalletScoop for DanceAdvantage.net’s Top Dance Blogs of 2010. BalletScoop is only five months old – and you all are a very stealthy and quiet group of readers! – but you if you enjoy this blog, I would love to have your vote.

To vote for BalletScoop, simply leave a comment below on this post. (Multiple comments would be like multiple votes, so they are not allowed!)  As always, I would be thrilled to hear feedback from you guys as well. And thank you for reading BalletScoop!!

Update: I should mention that the rules of this competition prevent me from responding to the comments/votes, but I sincerely appreciate them! Thank you!!

Ballet in Print: Girl in Motion (with a sneak peek!)

Miriam Wenger-Landis, former professional dancer with Miami City Ballet, published a lovely novel this year for young dancers called Girl in Motion. This book chronicles the experiences of small-town girl Anna, a very talented young dancer who has been accepted to the year-round program at the fictional School of Ballet New York after attending their summer intensive.

Miriam Wenger-Landis trained at SAB as a young dancer and is able to use those experiences to write believably and compellingly about Anna’s world. Thanks to Dance Spirit Magazine, you can read two excerpts of Girl in Motion online – Part 1 was published on their site in September, and part 2 will be available next month!

Ballet in Print: Cuban Ballet

In order to reach their full potential as artists, many Cuban ballet dancers leave their country to escape the complicated politics of Cuba. And that nation’s loss has become the world’s gain as pointed out by noted dance critic and this book’s author, Octavio Roca. Cuban Ballet explores this evolution and is gorgeously illustrated with both vibrant full-color and dramatic black and white photographs of current and former Cuban ballet dancers.

Cuban Ballet provides an exceptional portrait of Cuban ballet’s history, including stories of select Cuban ballet stars. This book also features a forward by Mikhail Baryshnikov and by Alicia Alonzo, who you might have guessed is one of the dancers featured most prominently. Released only last month, this exciting and beautiful new book is available at a significant discount through Amazon.

Ballet in Print: Belyaevsky Ballet Photography

Former principal dancer with the Kirov Stanislav Belyaevsky is an incredible photographer who understands how to capture the dynamism, drama and virtuosity of Russian ballet all in a single still image.  Most of his collections can be viewed on his site and include recent and breathtaking shots of the Vaganova Academy, the Varna Competition, the Helsinki Ballet and the Finnish National Ballet and School.

You will be inspired and in awe by these stunning ballet images. Belyaevsky currently has a few books of his work available for purchase, but you won’t find them on Amazon. These books are currently only sold on Belyaevksy’s official website.

Ballet in Print: 2011 Balanchine Wall Calendar

NYCB twelve months of the year? Who could resist? Calendars are one of the easiest ways to perk up your room, kiddos, so here’s a lovely, inspirational option for you ballerinas-in-training.

Published in June of this year, this calendar includes gorgeously crisp full-color shots, much cleaner than some of those generic ballet calendars with hazy, out-of-focus photos of students and trainees. You’ll be looking at some of the best dancers in the country performing famous Balanchine choreography. I know what’s going on my holiday list!

Ballerina in the Rough… (via Holly Haddad Photography)

Here are some lovely art photographs of a ballet student from North Carolina. Perhaps under Ethan Stiefel with NCSA?

Well well, this shoot has been some time in the making.  See, Miss Leah here is a very talented dancer.  She spends her school year in North Carolina splitting time between ballet and her studies.  Yup, cooool.  Back in January I took her head-shots and had this brain child you are going to view shortly.  It’s not everyday you can get some one as talented and care free as Leah.  Our plan was to “go with the flow” and I think creativity was flowin … Read More

via Holly Haddad Photography

Ballet in Print: In the Wings

Few photographers hold a candle to the perspective that Kyle Froman takes on ballet, and that really shows in his pictorial book, In the Wings: Behind the Scenes at New York City Ballet. This book is a dream for any aspiring student of ballet.

As an NYCB corps de ballet member for thirteen years, Kyle has had all the access to and intimacy with the company that a most photographers could only hope for. Add to this a professional dancer’s perspective on the productions that take place each night, and In the Wings becomes a wonderful peek into Balanchine’s great creation and one of the highest quality professional ballet companies in the world, New York City Ballet.

Ballet in Print: A Young Dancer’s Apprenticeship

A Young Dancer’s Apprenticeship is the fascinating story of Olympia Dowd, a very young ballerina who was selected out of a small summer program to apprentice with the Moscow City Ballet. Ms. Dowd was a true prodigy, with technique and artistry far beyond her years. Her exceptional talent comes alive in beautiful color photographs throughout this book.

The life of a student is very different from life as a professional with a touring company. If you are interested in becoming a professional ballet dancer or just enjoy reading about what that world is like, this book is the perfect choice for you.