The performing arts aim to express the performer’s emotions or ideas by the use of bodies, voices or inanimate objects. A dancer uses their body as an instrument to tell a story to an audience, but sometimes dancers get trapped in a tunnel vision, focusing more on technical perfection rather than the characterization aspect of dancing. Let’s take a look ...
Styles and Methods of Ballet
Ballet has evolved immensely over the course of the last 500 years. Starting off as court performances in Italy with basic technique, it is now performed worldwide in various styles. Here’s a little history and background on the style variations in ballet. In the 15th century, in the midst of cultural revival and transition to modernity in Europe, known as ...
Is Youtube a good place to learn ballet?
Have you ever been tempted by a Youtube ballet tutorial, or decided to learn a solo online? Unless you are a technically advanced dancer and are confident in your ability to perform the steps correctly, think again. It isn’t advisable to learn ballet technique from YouTube in the initial years of training. Just like any classical dance form, you need ...
Nirupama Gives Us The Scoop
The Student Scoop Series: We want to provide a platform to encourage our dancers to share their individual growth, experiences and insights as they bloom as dancers in our community. This is Nirupama Ganesh (Grade 3 + JDC) sharing with us her experience on attending our 2018 Summer Intensive, 'Adventures in Neverland'. "Get out of the house more often!" This was what I heard all summer. I sighed as I looked at my unfinished to-do list of summer activities. ...
Your Guide to the 2018 Summer Intensive
School’s out for the summer and there’s no better way to spend your time than dancing! Joining an intensive usually means longer hours in the studio than you’re used to, so here are a few things to consider as you transition into summer intensive mode. Summer Intensive 2017 WHAT TO EXPECT *You’ll be spending a lot more time in the ...
Why We Love The TLFCB Summer Intensives
Every year, we hold a Summer Intensive during the holidays in April and May, and every year, the final show at the end of the two weeks is a beautiful presentation of the fun we have had, and the growth of the students who have participated. We always have a wide spectrum of ages and technical levels taking part, but ...
Dancing with the Elite: Prix de Lausanne
It’s that time of the year when the ballet world is buzzing with the terms ‘Prix de Lausanne’ and ‘prize winners’. As ballet students, many of us may know that this refers to perhaps the most prestigious ballet competition in the world. Started in 1973 by dance enthusiasts, it is held in Lausanne, Switzerland, every year. The competition is open ...
Entering the World of Choreography
Choreographing your own dance piece takes a lot of creativity, patience, and hard work. Here are a few tips and pointers that will help you out as you gear up for the competition. Get inspired There is inspiration for movement everywhere. The world and your surroundings can offer so much if you just observe closely - nature, family, friends, pets, ...
The Whole Pointe: My experiences with pointe shoes
Pointe shoes have always been the most widely recognized symbol of ballet, but for young dancers, they are much more than a symbol. Getting your first pair of pointe shoes is almost like a rite of passage within the dance form, distinguishing between a mature student and a less experienced one. When I was younger, I would look at pointe ...
Dance Mom – Kumi Ota
Dance Mom Series part 1: Kumi Ota Kumi's daughter is Nana Ota is a 14 year old ballet dancer at TLFCB. Background Do you have a background in ballet? I like ballet, there were a lot of Japanese comics that had ballet in it and as a child I enjoyed reading them a lot. However I never took ballet classes ...