http://knoxvilleballetschool.com/alittleteaorsomething Fri, 13 Aug 2010 17:01:23 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en It is July 16th in the middle of the afternoon, and I am standing on a concrete island in a sea of asphalt outside the Delta terminal at La Guardia.  The breeze is doing exactly nothing to avert the blistering heat, and I am wondering where the heck my hired car has gone; with envy I watch ... http://knoxvilleballetschool.com/alittleteaorsomething/?p=338 Knoxville Ballet School has had a mainly quiet summer, but much has transpired behind the scenes.  For starters, the school has acquired a circa-1950 Gulbransen piano serendipitously.  It once belonged to my grandparents, but my late Uncle Stan (a lifelong professional musician, for many years at the Light Opera of Manhattan) implored me to take it shortly ... http://knoxvilleballetschool.com/alittleteaorsomething/?p=328 http://knoxvilleballetschool.com/alittleteaorsomething/?p=327 Primary Level A numbers, socks, and flowers for hair, at the ready Primary Level A candidates pose for pictures before class   Primary Level B candidates ready for class  Level 2-B candidates, cheerful in spite of nerves http://knoxvilleballetschool.com/alittleteaorsomething/?p=322 Less than five days until Franco De Vita (Principal, American Ballet Theatre's Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School) arrives at Knoxville Ballet School to adjudicate examinations classes.  Hair thingummies and candidate numbers: Hair thingummy up close: Merde to all my young students! http://knoxvilleballetschool.com/alittleteaorsomething/?p=318 And here is why.  Watch starting at 12 seconds, the beautiful Emanuel Amuchastegui, gold medalist at the 2010 Prix de Lausanne. Technique, technique, technique.  Visit the Prix de Lausanne.  And go here for more about Emanuel. http://knoxvilleballetschool.com/alittleteaorsomething/?p=306 These last weeks as I have begun working with American Ballet Theatre's National Training Curriculum in my own ballet classroom I find myself bumping up against a small dilemma:  improvisation is to be explored in the lower levels of the curriculum. Er, okay.  See, the thing is, I suck at improvisation.  ... http://knoxvilleballetschool.com/alittleteaorsomething/?p=293 Documentary filmmaker Frederick Wiseman brings us a new movie that takes us behind the scenes at the Paris Opera Ballet.  La Danse has its premiere today before its nationwide theatrical release.  Will it come to Knoxville?  Fingers crossed.  Take a peek: http://knoxvilleballetschool.com/alittleteaorsomething/?p=294 Dear Diary, In an earlier post I told you that my tenure in New York City was punctuated several times by visits with some dear friends, so now I would like to share those happy moments.  (This, by the way, is the building at 890 Broadway, where ABT has its offices ... http://knoxvilleballetschool.com/alittleteaorsomething/?p=290 Dear Diary, I went to New York to learn, plain and simple. I was not sure where I would fall along the continuum of teachers attending the National Training Curriculum intensives at ABT, although I feared it would be dangerously close to zero.  In fact, I think I barely squeaked past the admissions committee because of my training credentials, ... http://knoxvilleballetschool.com/alittleteaorsomething/?p=283