JEANNE TEACHES DANCE

Ah, Nutcracker--the inevitable love/hate relationship of any classically trained dancer.  I believe every ballerina goes through periods of never wanting to hear Tchaikovsky's score played again and simultaneously getting chills from hearing it played just right.  Being seven years past my own last professional performance of The Nutcracker, I can happily say that I more often than not, fall into the latter category.  Tchaikovsky, (although it is rumored that this work was far from his favorite), has left us a wonderfully whimsical score, which highlights the entire orchestra in just that perfect combination of regality, joy, anticipation, and excitement.  The music gives the dancer so many things to draw from for inspiration from--there are always new elements of the score to discover---a new instrument you never heard before.  Because of this, I wanted to share this lovely live rehearsal of London's Royal Ballet rehearsing the Grand Pas de Deux.  This rare opportunity offer

In the age of "sock buns" and multiple dance classes, the art of the ballet bun seems to be a lost art form.  I have seen more and more students throwing their hair up as quickly and haphazardly as humanly possible--often leading to a mid-class hair reconstruction--which takes away from their learning time.  I've included two tutorial videos of how to make a bun not only neat and tidy, but also secure enough to withstand the most advanced dance steps.  These are just examples, there are of course, many variations.  There are also different types of hair pins that can be advantageous for use on different hair types. HAIR PINS  BOBBY PINS WIG PINS Bobby pins are probably the most versatile among hair types.  These tough little guys gained popularity during WWI to hold back the swinging "bobs" of girls working factory jobs.    They'll hold back fine hair, thick hair and even help with bangs. Hair pins may look frail, but they do the

Yvonne Mounsey and Francisco Moncion in the Prodigal Son Yvonne Mounsey was a shining light in this world that no one will ever be able to replace.  To audiences and critiques, she was a statuesque, glamorous presence that oozed sensuality and joy.  To her more than 40-years' worth of students, she was a ball of positive energy--quick to alert you when you weren't executing your technique just right, but even quicker to assure you that you were on the right track. I began taking lessons at Yvonne's Westside School of Ballet (Co-owned and operated with Rosemary Valaire--another irreplaceable human being) in the early 1990s. At that age, I recall being in awe of Yvonne.  She had a presence that intimidated, but drew you in--the sort of presence that only a true matriarch could exude.  She would come in and watch our rehearsals with great interest a sparkle in her eye that made even the most uncoordinated eight-year-old want to perk up and dance their absolute best.

"Do you tap?"  "No."  I can feel the regret sink to the bottom of my throat every time I'm asked.  Oh sure, I've faked it--pretty well, I might add--and on a professional stage!  It's not that I didn't like tap dance as a kid or even that I wasn't exposed to it.  Quite the opposite--my mother made sure I owned, or had at least seen every single Shirley Temple movie in existence by the time I was six years old, and I complied quite happily.  To this day, some of those song and dance numbers come back to haunt me with a classic nostalgia and I find myself looking them up on YouTube for a trip down memory lane--and sometimes just to marvel at the musical genius of songs that, for whatever reason, seem to have faded into obscurity. It's not that I wasn't exposed to any contemporary tap dancers either--the late Gregory Hines would often rehearse at my home studio when he visited L.A., and while we couldn't always see the rehearsals, my f

Music has always been one of the most influential components of my dancing.  It influenced my movement long before my mother enrolled me in my first ballet-tap combo class down the street from my house.  I consider musicality to be every bit as important as good technique and, possibly, more important than natural ability.  Due to my involvement in soccer and art classes as a kid, my initial exposure to dance was limited: I pretty much studied ballet and jazz only from the time I was seven until age eleven.  Admittedly, I loathed the occasional modern class we were assigned to take during our summers at ballet school and regarded our polynesian, tap and folk dance classes as mere diversion--I was, after all, a "serious" dance student and in my young mind had stubbornly decided that ballet was the only "serious" dance one could study. At age eleven, we began to have Russian character dance classes, which I quickly learned were a "must" for anyone conside

Knowing when your shoes have expired is just as important as having them fitted correctly and using proper dance technique.  Lacking in any one of these areas can make a dancer more prone to injury, which is the last thing a new pointe student wants.  Shoes are not made to last forever, so be sure to keep a close watch on the structure of your shoe and if your teacher advises you that the shoe is starting to break down, make plans to take a trip to get a new pair.

This past weekend we brought some tango dancing friends up into Mill Valley for the annual Kinderfest put on by the Nature Friends Tourist Club of San Francisco .  My mother's side of the family has German roots and so my first exposure to dance was actually to my Great-Grandfather's polka music, back in Nekoosa, Wiscosin.  We traded in our stilettos for hiking shoes and made the trek into Muir Woods for a delightful afternoon of good lagers and hefeweizens,  Bratwürste  and Polish W ürste , and walzers and polkas to live music.  Dance (especially when combined with good German beer) really has an incredible ability to melt away inhibitions--it was wonderful to watch my friends, who normally would have shied away from joining into a dance style they didn't know, attempting to polka with such gumption!  If you like Oktoberfest, and you like hiking in the outdoors, I highly recommend visiting the Tourist Club for this, or one of their other festivals, held in the spring and

Coming this Fall to Three Stages at Folsom Lake College, you won't want to miss this passionate dance tribute to the life of singer/songwriter Johnny Cash.  Presented by E:motion Dance Ensemble with choreography by Sunny Staton Mitchell. SHOW DATES Friday, November 30, 8pm Saturday, December 1, 8pm Thursday, December 6, 8pm Friday, December 7, 8pm Saturday, December 8, 2pm Saturday, December 8, 8pm TICKETS General Admission $22 (916) 608-6888 www.threestages.net Sponsored in part by:  

Always creating whimsical musical patters and sweeping lines, the imitable Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers...

This is the last week for Adult Beginning/Intermediate Ballet to be held on Thursdays at Step 1 Dance & Fitness.  For my friends and blog followers, I'm offering a single class discount. Beg./Int. Adult Ballet with Jeanne Thursday, August 30, 2012 $16 (cash or check only, please) If you've never had ballet or just want to work on your basics in a fun, casual atmosphere, this class is for you!  No leotard or tights required--please wear comfortable clothes that allow you to see your body line (think yoga class). Click  HERE  to see the facebook event page.

Operation Tango 6: 4 FREE introductory level tango classes by local bay area instructors. Open-house day for the general public. Hosted by Tango Renaissance USA . Saturday, July 28. Noon to 4pm. Classes each hour on the hour. Located at CELLspace. Pass it on! CELLspace 2050 Bryant St. (Between 18th & 19th) San Francisco, CA map This is a great kick-off event to help get ready for Tango Renaissance's big festival  Antipanico , which will be held August 2-5. Hope to see you there!

Advanced Dixon Dance Ballet Students: WEDNESDAY POINTE CLASS (5:15pm-6:00pm) IS CANCELLED THIS WEEK. Please watch the following video clip for discussion next class.

dreams come true from katerina bodrunova on Vimeo .

Advanced Ballet (Starts at 1:35) Intermediate Ballet III Intermediate Ballet I (Jardin Anime starts at 4:30) Intermediate Ballet II (Waltz of the Hours) Pointe

This post is coming on the heels of a discussion I had in class about the importance of using the hands while dancing.  Sometimes the tiniest detail can make all the difference between making a movement mediocre and making it absolutely exquisite.  Our hands are one of the most dexterous and expressive features we possess...don't neglect the opportunity to use them to make something beautiful.

In appreciation for other art forms, I present "Ballerina" by Banksy.  Thank you,  Colossal Art & Design  for showcasing this work. Artist webpage:  http://banksy.co.uk/

    Refusing to be held back by a nightmarish past or ugly stereotypes, teen ballerina michaela deprince is ready to soar. Incredible story by Teen Vogue's Giannella Garrett Read more HERE

This one gets me every time.  Gershwin via Mr. B and Hershey Kay.  I think I'd melt even if Viviana and Robert weren't doing such a stunning job of dancing the heck out of this.

Jeanne Jacobson will appear as a guest artist with    Compañía Mazatlán Bellas Artes  for the following performances: Corazón de México A highly valued cultural and artistic resource throughout the western United States as well as in international markets, Sacramento's  Compañía Mazatlán Bellas Artes  boasts a repertoire that includes traditional folkloric dance pieces as well as indigenous rituals that are fused with elements from contemporary movement. For lovers of fine ballet folklórico dance, the  “Corazón de México” (“Heart of Mexico”)  is colorful and creative, featuring originally designed dance costumes and traditions, with accents on their award –winning pieces performed in international competitions. Under the artistic direction of  Steven Valencia , thirty-five exceptional young dancers (ages 16-30) and a live Latin American music ensemble present a passionate rendition of Mexican culture and heritage, both past and present. New choreography added in 2012 is Valen

New York City Ballet "Pointe Shoes" by  Galen Summer

Attention! Want to learn to Lindy Hop but can't commit to a series? Want to brush up on your basics? Nick and Jeanne are excited to bring you Lindy Hop in this new ONE DAY format. With all of the productivity of a boot camp and all of the FUN of Lindy Hop, we will take you through some great new drills and ways of learning the basics while covering the fundamentals of the dance and getting you started on the path to becoming a great Lindy Hopper. This workshop is only $45 for all 5 hours and includes the dance at the Eastern Star Ballroom from 9pm - 12am . If you're already familiar with Lindy Hop, we also have  A Day of Lindy & Jazz with Gary and Amanda  on the same day. And we even promise not to yell at you! Click HERE to sign up online. Midtown Stomp is located at: The Eastern Star Ballroom 2719 K Street Sacramento, CA 95816 (map)