Why is Ballet so Important?

Ballet is one of my favorite styles of dance because I like working at the barre. But, it is also one of my favorites for another reason- Ballet is the base of all dance styles! Think about it, how would you know how to have your shoulders down while turning? Ballet! And how would you know how to turn your legs and feet out? Ballet! I found THIS at dance.about.com:

“Ballet serves as a backbone for many other styles of dance, as many other dance genres are based on ballet. Ballet is based on techniques that have been developed over centuries. Ballet uses music and dance to tell stories. Ballet dancers have the ability to transport an audience to another world.”

Have you noticed that what you do in ballet helps with all other dance styles? If so, what is it?

What to Wear to Ballet Class

When I go to ballet class, I believe that it is important to be dressed appropriately. But not all girls are. This can be a distraction to you as a dancer, and sometimes the teacher because they might not be able to see your correct posture and technique clearly.  At dance.about.com, I found this:

“Women and girls:
A simple leotard and a pair of tights is the best thing to wear to class. Leotards are available in several colors and designs, including sleeveless, short sleeved and long sleeved. Young dancers delight in wearing small skirts and tutus over their leotards, but most teachers discourage them in older classes.”

            Is this what you usually wear to class? Do you believe that it is important to dress appropriately?  Does your ballet teacher have a strict dress code on what you should wear?

Fearlessness in Ballet

I have read an article on the famous dancer, Gillian Murphy. As I was reading the article, I came across a paragraph about her fearlessness in ballet. I found this at Dance.about.com:

“Murphy has said that her fearlessness in ballet may have evolved from playing soccer as a young child, as well as belly-flopping off the diving board. She also enjoyed other physical activities such as swimming and running.”

            I believe that it is important to participate in other activities when you are a ballet dancer. It gives you more confidence and it makes you connect with the different sports. In other words, if you are a ballet dancer, and there is a sport that you really like, you should find similarities between the two sports. This is important because it makes you think more about how all sports can be the same.

            Do you think that sports can have similarities? If you are a ballet dancer, do you participate other sports/activities? If so, do you think that your additional sport(s) help in ballet?