houston ballet

Saving Grace: A Perspective on the Legacy of Maggie Black

May 25, 2015 by 4dancers

by Risa Gary Kaplowitz

Maggie Black, one of the foremost ballet teachers of a generation of dancers, died on May 11, 2015. Her death initiated a flood of Facebook posts and even a Remembering Maggie Black Facebook page, where former students can write their memories about Maggie and her infamous quotes. I was happy to relive those years, as even now, three decades after having danced in Maggie’s class, it is often that I dream of dancing in her studio–or have nightmares of not being able to find it.

I first went to Maggie’s classes in 1981 at age 20 during what became the first of many summer lay-off periods. I was just starting to get principal roles at Dayton Ballet, and Christine O’Neal, formerly of American Ballet Theatre, Broadway’s A Chorus Line, and Dayton Ballet’s reigning principal dancer at the time, had recommended that I spend the summer taking Maggie’s classes. They were held in a loft in the Flatiron district of Manhattan, which was at that time a rather decrepit part of the city filled with warehouses and, from my vantage point at the barre peering into the neighboring building, sweatshops. I found a sublet nearby in the Chelsea Hotel and took Maggie’s 2.5-hour class every day for close to a month before she must have realized that I was committed to her and so finally descended on me with my first personal correction. [Read more…]

Mercedes Smith – On Music And Ballet

December 14, 2012 by 4dancers

Living in Chicago I was excited when the Joffrey Ballet decided to do live music for their performances in the coming year. It got me thinking about what it must be like for those who play the music…

Enter Mercedes Smith – recently appointed Principal Flutist of the Utah Symphony | Utah Opera. Mercedes has also served as Principal Flutist of the Houston Grand Opera and Houston Ballet Orchestras. I reached out to her for some thoughts on ballet, playing for dancers and what live music can bring to a performance.

Here’s what she had to say…

What has your exposure been to ballet thus far in your life?

Other than a few years of ballet when I was a small child, my first real experience with ballet was in 2004 when I was appointed Principal Flutist of the Houston Ballet Orchestra. For the mixed repertory performances the orchestra often didn’t play on all three “acts” of the ballet, so I would sit in the audience and watch during those pieces. Since I was was often sitting in on multiple rehearsals and performances of the same pieces, I was able to see different dancer’s interpretations of the same works and this really helped me to appreciate the art form.

As a musician, what do you feel live music can bring to a ballet?

Live music greatly enhances the experience both the audience and dancers have during a performance. Having a live orchestra affords that the tempo of the music can be adjusted specifically for each dancer when necessary and is crucial for performance so that the dancers are able to fully express the meaning of the work as well as their own personal interpretation of that work.

If you have played ballet music before, what is your favorite piece and why? [Read more…]

Keeping Dancers Dancing: Outside Conditioning – GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS®

May 30, 2012 by 4dancers

by Jan Dunn, MS

Summer is almost here, and if you’re still a student, you’ll be out soon for summer break — and if you’re a professional dancer, you might have at least some time off over the coming months (hopefully!). In recent articles, we’ve been talking about the value of outside-of-class conditioning for dancers of all ages, to help your body stay in great shape for a long, healthy career. Summer is a good time to investigate different forms of outside conditioning that are beneficial for dancers (if you aren’t already doing some!).

The last article I posted on this topic was about Pilates –this time we’ll talk about GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® (G & G, we will call them, when talked about together), exercise forms which are not as well known / widespread as Pilates, but one which many dancers enjoy.

Juliu Horvath, the creator / founder of the system, is a Hungarian “man for all seasons” – a former professional ballet dancer, yogi, and wood sculptor, now in his 60’s. Like many people who went on to develop unique methods to address concerns about the body, Horvath suffered career-ending injuries while performing as a principal dancer with the Houston Ballet. He moved to the Virgin Islands to recover, and began an extensive study and practice of yoga. His experience and research led to developing the G & G system, He states:

“I discovered Kundalini energy through my pain and agony, and somehow that awakened me. Being awakened energetically means that you can read the movement when it is not a movement yet. You are like a little child who is totally unconscious and not prepared to make movement happen. Children move because something moves them from within.”

The G & G movement system gently works the joints and muscles of the body, using key principles which are found in many forms of movement, such as yoga, tai-chi, gymnastics, swimming – and dance. It is an undulating, rhythmic, circular movement form, which is one of the appeals to dancers.

Horvath’s aim is to take the body “beyond its current limitations”. The exercises strengthen, lengthen, and stretch muscles, stimulating the connective tissue around the joints – improving balance, flexibility, coordination, and strength.

The system has two components, mentioned earlier: [Read more…]

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