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Dance Blog Spotlight: Tendus Under A Palm Tree

September 9, 2011 by 4dancers

Welcome to the latest 4dancers feature–Dance Blog Spotlight! Each month we will be highlighting a blog on the web that we want to share with readers, and this month it is Tendus Under A Palm Tree. Read on to learn more about the author and what kind of content you can expect to see on this wonderful site!

Rebecca King

 

Can you tell readers a bit about your background in dance? I am a Corps de Ballet dancer with Miami City Ballet and have been with the company for five years.

When did you begin your blog- and why did you start it? I began my blog, Tendus Under A Palm Tree, in June of 2010.  I have always enjoyed writing and the idea of starting a blog had come up before, but I was not convinced that people would be interested in what I had to say.  One morning, in the middle of the company’s summer layoff, I was sitting in my apartment and came across a friend’s blog, http://rhymeswithdarling.blogspot.com.  I realized that there was indeed an online demand for the writings of a professional ballet dancer. On a whim, Tendus Under A Palm Tree was conceived.  Since then I have become very dedicated to this venture; I take it very seriously and consider it to be a part of my job.

The career of a ballet dancer is fleeting and can often be cut short without warning.  As a result, dancers find it necessary to prepare themselves with a career back-up plan.  These days, social media is a rapidly growing field that is becoming infinitely more important to businesses.  In the future I can see myself pursing work in this area as a career transition, and Tendus Under A Palm Tree is a perfect way to gain experience.

What does your blog cover?  [Read more…]

Filed Under: Dance Blog Spotlight Tagged With: balanchine, Ballet, best dance blogs, dance blogs, Miami City Ballet, rebecca king, tendus under a palm tree

Dance Channel TV Presents: An Interview With Patricia Neary

March 14, 2011 by 4dancers

Today we have something special for 4dancers readers–an interview with Balanchine ballerina Patricia Neary. This comes to us courtesy of Dance Channel TV – a wonderful resource for those who love dance.

Dance Channel TV interviewed her with the help of Lewis Segal. Ms. Neary is the dancer for whom Balanchine created “Rubies”. In part one of a two part series, Pat recalls her experience working with Mr. B in the 1960s:

Dance Channel TV is an online network devoted entirely to dance. We produce original video programming, covering numerous styles of dance through news casts, human interest stories, unique series and entertainment features.  Our mission is to establish a worldwide TV station that will inspire, educate, engage and connect viewers through the universal language of dance.  We are here to build a community for dancers, companies and supporters of dance and, by doing so, give back to the world of dance and ensure that the art of dance continues to thrive now and for generations to come.

Filed Under: 4dancers, 4teachers, Online Dance Resources Tagged With: balanchine, balanchine ballerina, ballerina, dance channel tv, mr. b, patricia neary, rubies

10 Questions With…Rebecca King

October 5, 2010 by 4dancers

Today we have Rebecca King on “10 Questions With…”

Rebecca is a dancer and a dance blogger. See her writing at Tendus Under a Palm Tree.

1. How did you become involved with dance?

From the time I could walk, as my mother will tell the story, I was constantly dancing around the house.  One day while enjoying some ice cream near the local community center, a group of little girls in tutus and tights came walking past me.  I was mesmerized.  My mother asked where they took ballet class and as soon as I turned three, I was enrolled.  Around Christmas time, I would watch Baryshnikov’s Nutcracker on video and dance around the living room to the music.  (I bet my parents were sick of Nutcracker music at that point, little did they know, there would be years and years of Nutcrackers to come.)   

 

Warming up before a show at the Vail International Dance Festival 2009

2. What are you currently doing in the field?

Currently I am a Corps De Ballet dancer with Miami City Ballet.  Two weeks ago, Miami City Ballet wrapped up filming for our first PBS special: “Great Performances: Dance in America.”  We spent two weeks filming three ballets: Balanchine’s Western Symphony and Square Dance, and Twyla Tharp’s Golden Section.  I will appear in Western Symphony’s Fourth Movement.

3. Would you share a special moment or two from your career?

Last season I got the opportunity to dance “Rum and Coke” in Paul Taylor’s “Company B.”  Company B is a World War II ballet set to the music of the Andrew Sisters.  In Rum and Coke, there is one girl who dances a solo, with 7 boys rolling around on the floor admiring her.  I had the best time: I had great boys to play off of, and I got lost in the fun music and cute choreography.

4. What is the best advice you have ever received regarding dance?

I actually just got the best advice ever this past summer from my former teacher at Miami City Ballet School, Geta Constantinescu.  She was telling me that it is so easy to focus on drama; to let our egos get the best of us and worry about who got what part, who got promoted, or who is doing well. But dancers need to remember what brings us to the studio every day. It is the love of dance. I think this is great advice for professional dancers and students alike. It goes to show that it doesn’t matter where you are in your career, there is always so much to learn.

5. Do you have any advice for those who would like to dance professionally?

I think the most important advice I can give young dancers is that hard work pays off.  I know that may sound cliche, and we have all heard that before, but really, work ethic is what sets dancers apart.  A dancer may have a perfect ballet body and be a nice dancer, but without the drive and determination, will not make it in the professional ballet world.  So work hard, improve as much as possible, and hold on to the joy that dance brings you.

6. What has been your biggest challenge in dance?

While at the Rock School in Philadelphia for my senior year of high school, I was diagnosed with an os trigonum in my right foot.  An os trigonum is an extra bone in the back of the foot that is very common in dancers.  I was told that I would have to have surgery.  I was going to be out for about four months and would not be able to attend Miami City Ballet School’s summer program nor would I be able to audition for companies as I had planned.  Despite all the worries, in the end I really got lucky.  I had a wonderful surgeon in San Francisco who is the orthopedic for SFB, had wonderful physical therapy, and was able to start back to ballet slowly at my home studio.

Paul Taylor's "Company B" "Rum and Coke", Photo by fellow MCB dancer Leigh-Ann Esty

About two months after my surgery, I wrote to Linda Villella, the Director of Miami City Ballet School, asking her if I could attend the school for the year, based solely on my audition for the summer program months before.  She accepted me into the Advanced level and allowed me to continue my rehab with the Physical Therapists hired by the company.  Six months after my surgery, I was onstage with Miami City Ballet dancing in the Nutcracker.

7. What is it that you love so much about ballet?

I love performing.  When I am on stage, I feel like nothing can touch me.  All the worries of the day melt away for those moments, where the lights are shining brightly and I am performing into a dark space in front of me.  I know that there are people out there in the audience, but I can’t see them, I can only feel their presence and their delight by the sound of applause.  It is an intimate moment that dancers share with the audience; where the dancers are completely lost in the steps, the music, the joy, and the audience is completely lost in what they are watching.

8. Do you have a special routine that you go through before a performance, or is each one different?

Each one is different; as each ballet requires different preparation depending on the type of ballet and the choreography.  For example, warming up for a contemporary ballet is much different than warming up for classical ballet.  I usually begin getting ready about an hour and a half or two hours before a show starts.  I always do my hair first; I like to have my hair slicked back and completely out of my face before starting my makeup.  I then put on my costume, cluttered by warm ups, and head to the stage with my iPod and bag of shoes.  If I am dancing in a ballet that is really difficult and will cause my calves to cramp, I will eat half a banana on the way, to get some extra potassium.  After doing a barre in my socks, I will put on my shoes, to test them and warm up my ankles.  

About 10 minutes before the show I have my costume done up in the back and start reviewing the choreography and rehearsing those pesky steps from the ballet that are a challenge for me.  After wishing the cast good luck, or “Merde”, with a kiss on the cheek, warm-ups are stripped off as everyone takes their places.  This is my favorite moment; the anticipation of the curtain rising.

9. You write a dance blog…can you tell readers a bit about how you got started and what it’s about?

I am lucky enough to have a job that allows me to do what I love everyday.  My job is so exciting and unique, that I choose to find an outlet that would allow me to share my thoughts and experiences with the public.  Not only do I want to reach out to people who already know and love ballet, but also to find and educate people who are unfamiliar with the ballet world.  

For those who are ballet lovers, I want to bring them news about Miami City Ballet and share my experiences around this exciting city. For people who don’t know quite as much about ballet, I hope that I can show the glamorous and trendy side of this art form.  I think that many people misperceive ballet as boring and outdated.  I hope to prove them wrong.

10. What is next for you?

Currently we are kicking into full gear to prepare for the opening weekend of Miami City Ballet’s 25th anniversary season.  Opening night is October 15 at Miami’s Arst Center for the Performing Arts.  We will be performing Robbin’s “Fanfare”, Balanchine’s “Bugaku”, and Balanchine’s “Theme and Variations”. Also on tap this season is Balanchine’s “Scotch Symphony”, “La Sonnambula”, and “Western Symphony.”  I am also looking forward to the company’s premier of Twyla Tharp’s “Baker’s Dozen” and Paul Taylor’s “Promethean Fire”. Last but not least, our fourth program is John Cranko full length “Romeo and Juliet” which we have already staged.  The company has a lot of exciting things happening this season, and I can’t wait to get into the theater!

BIO: I was born and raised in Northern California. I received my ballet training from former San Francisco Ballet School Director Richard Cammack and former ABT and SFB dancer Zola Dishong at Contra Costa Ballet Centre (http://www.contracostaballet.org/) in Walnut Creek, CA.  My senior year in high school I moved to Philadelphia to train at the Rock School.  After graduating in 2006, I moved to Miami to train at Miami City Ballet.  After a few months in the school I was asked to learn Snow and Flowers with the company for their upcoming Nutcracker shows.  After performing those parts as a student, I was also on stage dancing Willies in Giselle and in Balanchine’s Symphony in 3 later that season.  I was then offered a Company Apprentice contract for the 2007-2008 season.  In 2008 I was promoted to Corps De Ballet.

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Filed Under: 10 Questions With..., 4dancers, 4teachers, Editorial, Studios Tagged With: balanchine, great performances: dance in america, Miami City Ballet, nutcracker, rebecca king, twyla tharp

Pas de Trois: What was your greatest experience on stage?

October 4, 2010 by 4dancers

Today I’m posting my answer for the latest question on Pas de Trois at dancing3.com.

The question? What was your greatest experience on stage?

This is an easy question for me to answer, although it’s hard to recall exactly how old I was at the time. I’d say around 17 or 18.

I was studying at Chicago City Ballet School and the company was staging Balanchine’s 4 Temperaments. I was selected to perform in the ballet along with the company members. Not only that, but the performance was to take place at the Auditorium Theatre – one of the most impressive venues in the city.

I rehearsed with the company and will never forget that first show. The curtain opened and I knew how large the audience was out there, even though I couldn’t see them. I’d been to many ballets there as a spectator over the years. I can’t describe adequately how amazing it felt to be there, but I’ll never forget it. I know that not everyone gets this kind of opportunity. I’m very grateful for it – even now.

There were many good performances after that, but none would match up to that first big day.

What was your greatest experience on stage? We’d love to hear about it….

Filed Under: 4dancers, 4teachers, Editorial, Pas de Trois Tagged With: auditorium theatre, balanchine, chicago, chicago city ballet school, Pas de Trois

10 Questions With…Tye Love

August 18, 2010 by 4dancers

This week on “10 Questions With…” we welcome Tye Love from Oklahoma City Ballet…

1. How did you become involved with dance?

I went to a performance of The Nutcracker when I was four years old. I believe I just fell in love with the Prince and Mouse King fighting with swords, but I kept begging my Mom to let me do that! So she told me if I wanted to be in the performance I would have to take ballet, and I waited til that summer to start. She figured I would just forget about it, but when summer was about to start I asked her “Are you going to go sign me up for ballet?” I’ve been doing it ever since.

 

Tye Love

2. What are you currently doing in the field?

I currently am a Professional dancer with the Oklahoma City Ballet for the 2010-2011 season. This past season I freelanced across Texas and Missouri.

3. Can you share a moment from your career that is especially memorable?

I’ll never forget performing in Shanghai, China. I traveled to China with the University of Oklahoma dance department. We performed four shows in five days. I was dancing an opening heavy partnering pas de deux, into the full Le Corsaire Pas de Deux, into a heavy Gershwin piece, and closing as a soloist in Les Patineurs. Toughest performance of my life!

4. What’s the best advice about dancing that you have ever heard?

I really think the best advice I’ve had is from my mentor John Magnus. He has constantly told me to just relax and go for it in every step. Ballet can be so frustrating and so precise but if you don’t relax and just dance you will never get anywhere.

5. Do you have any advice specifically for men in dance?

I would think the two most important aspects for men in dance are elegance and partnering. Most men like to focus on jumps, turns and tricks, but if you cannot stand on stage with elegance and look beautiful doing absolutely nothing you aren’t a great dancer. As for partnering, it is a whole different technique in itself, and it requires so much focus and strength.

6. If you could share the stage with one dancer, who would it be and why?

I would love to partner Sarah Lane from ABT in Giselle. Her artistry is incredible and her dancing is so clean and spectacular.

7. How do you prepare for your roles on stage? Do you have a pre-performance routine?

I don’t have a whole lot of superstitions or pre-preformance routines that I repeat. I just simply need some coffee day of the performance, I also never do my hair and makeup before warm up class even if I am in the first piece. Class is time for my body to get ready to perform and I use the quick time while I am putting on my makeup to think about what role I am playing and get into character.

8. How does dance help you in your day-to-day life?

I think the focus in dance helps you in any other job you would work. The dedication and determination you put into ballet can transfer into any work field. I just feel that all dancers are more passionate people in general.

9. What is the most difficult thing about being a dancer?

The grind. Every sport has its down time its off season, but in dance we have no off season. If I take two weeks off I feel it, I feel as if I have lost something. A career in ballet is definitely a marathon, no stops.

10. What is next for you?

Next month I begin my career in a professional company with Oklahoma City Ballet. We have a great season planned with great choreography from Balanchine, Arpino and Jessica Lang. I can’t wait to get started!

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Filed Under: 10 Questions With..., 4dancers, 4teachers, Editorial, Studios Tagged With: arpino, balanchine, jessica lang, oklahoma city ballet, the nutcracker, tye love

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