ballet class music

Review: “Dancing Keys” by Gill Civil

November 16, 2011 by 4dancers

This is one of two ballet class music CDs by Gill Civil. Keep an eye out for the other review, coming up soon.

“Dancing Keys” has 28 tracks–all original works that were played and composed by Civil. I really do love the original ballet class music CDs. I think it adds another level of artistry to the class environment to use compositions that were created with this particular dance form in mind. Adapted pieces are fine–and many people like them. I just prefer original work.

I believe this would be a perfect CD for an adult ballet class or beginner/intermediate class. The music is clear and metered, and the selection is good. The reason I wouldn’t use it for an advanced ballet class is because the barre is on the short side. Other than that, it is appropriate. Tracks are of adequate length–neither too short, nor too long.

The centre music is plentiful, with tracks that include sautes, allegro, waltz, gavotte and adage. I found the music inspiring and beautiful. I think it is such a challenge to come up with tracks that have heart in them, and Civil is able to do so. She has quite a background in the field, having played for schools and companies in New Zealand, Canada and Australia–she’s no newbie to this type of music and it shows.

If you would like to hear samples of the music on “Dancing Keys” or if you want to purchase a CD to use for teaching, visit her website.

Review: Ballet Studio Inspirations, Volume Two

November 12, 2011 by 4dancers

Yet another lovely CD by Richard Maddock. By now, it should be no surprise.

Ballet Studio Inspirations, Volume Two is a terrific CD, appropriate for more advanced classes in my opinion. The music is stunning, but a more expert ear is required to find the music here–it is perfect for honing musicality as a dancer at a higher level—something I believe is very important. While not every track is challenging this way, I do think that younger, more inexperienced dancers may find some of the music difficult to follow.

The other reason I would recommend this CD for higher level classes is the fact that there are plenty of choices for the instructor. There are 45 original compositions for barre and centre here, with some designed specifically with pointe in mind–although they can be used for other exercises as well.

There are 12 tracks for the regular barre and six more for the pointe barre. The centre features music for port de bras, petit allegro, grand allegro and more. The pointe section of the centre has an additional eight tracks.

This CD would make a fine addition to any ballet teacher/studio’s collection. Hear samples and more at Maddock’s website–and if you need digital downloads, he offers those as well.

Review: Ballet Etudes By Robert Long

October 19, 2011 by 4dancers

This was my first exposure to a Robert Long CD and I really enjoyed it. Many fellow teachers have expressed the fact that they enjoy his music for ballet class, and I have to agree–it’s very good!

I always “test” CDs out on my adult ballet class. They are an eclectic group of students, and I received some nice comments on the music. The tracks were arranged well, and best of all, labeled well. As an instructor, I found the way he used the liner notes to be very helpful. They were broken down into categories that made sense for the way I teach: at the barre, centre practice, pirouettes, adage, petit allegro, batterie and grand allegro. It made it very easy to arrange my class, and it was a detail that was much appreciated.

The music itself is passionate and pretty, and there are plenty of tracks to choose from since the CD offers many selections. Since I have a fairly large class, some of the tracks in the centre were a bit short for my purposes, but I doubt that would be true for all teachers. There are 48 original selections in all for barre and centre practice. I listened to everything here and found each track to be well-suited to ballet class exercises.

It is obvious that Mr. Long has been involved with the dance community for a long time–his intuitive sense of planning the CD and its selections showcases this fact quite well. I’m looking forward to hearing more from him and using his music for class well into the future.

It’s worth noting that Mr. Long offers music on iTunes and Amazon as well, for those who prefer that format.

Visit Robert Long’s site for more information about him and his music.

Read more about this artist in the 4dancers “10 Questions With…” interview.

Review: Ballet Studio Inspirations: Volume Three

September 28, 2011 by 4dancers

Ballet Studio Inspirations is a comprehensive CD of piano music for ballet class by Richard Maddock. There are 43 original compositions on the album – 20 for the barre and the rest for centre work. Putting the word “inspirations” in the title is appropriate–as the music really does inspire.

Maddock is truly an artist–his work is just beautiful, and I am looking forward to using it in my adult ballet class. Although it was developed for a pre-professional class, this CD would work well for most levels, and it is a refreshing departure from the standard ballet class music. There is more of a gentle, yearning feel to Maddock’s slower tracks that should coax out feeling from your dancers–even at the barre.

The more upbeat tunes are lively and well-played too, but I believe Maddock is at his best when the more lyrical music is running through his fingers. All-in-all this album of tracks created for ballet class is something that would round out any dance teacher’s collection nicely. When you are in the mood for something that will motivate your dancers to experiment with phrasing and emotion, this is the CD you will reach for. The port de bras music is especially lovely.

I found Maddock’s CD to be an unexpected and wonderful addition to my collection of ballet class music. It’s really nice to have some original compositions to include–especially when they are arranged and played as well as they are here. It can be challenging to find great CDs for ballet class. This is one of them.

Maddock has sample tracks on his website and you can also purchase CDs there. In addition, his work can be found on Amazon and iTunes if you are looking for digital downloads.

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Review: The Magic Wand by Lisa Harris

September 21, 2011 by 4dancers

When I began building my ballet music collection, Lisa Harris was one of the first dance class CDs that I bought. I still have it (and others by her) today.

Although I don’t teach little ones any more, if I did, The Magic Wand would be something I would enjoy using. With 30 tracks to choose from, there is plenty of variety, no matter what type of creative movement exercises you have planned. There are slow tracks, perfect for “princess” type dance, medium tempo tracks that are good for marching, and high-energy tracks that lend themselves to big movements or group dance.

You’ll hear favorites such as “When You Wish Upon A Star”,”Skip to My Lou”, “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” and “Spoonful of Sugar” here, making it easy to plan dances without having to first familiarize yourself with the music. Harris, as always, plays beautifully and clearly, ideal for dancers.

Take advantage of tracks like “The Hokey Pokey” and “I’m A Little Teapot” to teach more well-known movements, and use the rest of the tracks to inspire your imagination. This album is really geared for pre-ballet classes, and it provides just the right kind of music for the little dancers. Any ballet teacher who has tots would love this CD for their collection.

Harris offers a wide range of music, so even if you aren’t interested in pre-ballet music, you can take a look at what she has for grown ups too. Her website has a full range of offerings, including some digital downloads and a boxed set of CDs for teachers.

Learn more about Lisa Harris or purchase a ballet class CD on her website.

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