Fun Facts About Ballet and Dancing

4 Amazing Ballet Facts Top 10 Reasons Teachers Don't Let Students Start Pointe Top 10 Things A Ballerina Would Never Say Top 10 Most Important Things I've Learned in Ballet Class My Top 10 Favorite Ballet Books 6 Great Gifts to Give Your Teacher as a Class 10 Jobs Surrounding Dance The 7 Movements of Dance 20 Makers of Pointe Shoes ~ Now with links! 11 Things A Dancer Should Promise Herself 5 Attributes a Dancer Should Have The 7 Fairies Who Dance in the Prolouge of Sleeping Beauty 10 Ideal Characteristics of a Performer

1. A male dancer lifts over 1-1/2 tons worth of ballerinas during performances.
2. Most ballerinas wear out 2-3 pairs of pointe shoes per week.
3. One tutu costs up to $2,000 to make.
4. The same tutu requires 60-90 hours of labor and over 100 yards of ruffle.

1. Improper placement
2. Too young
3. Not pulled up in body or feet
4. Feet not arched enough
5. Overweight
6. Lack of strength in torso
7. Weak knees
8. Weak ankles
9. Basic stance on demi-pointe not strong and correct
10. Taking too few classes per week

I found this list in The Pointe Book: Shoes Training and Technique by Janice Barringer and Sarah Schlesinger

Click HERE to see one academy's requirements for pointe. It's a very complete list!

1. "You gonna finish those cheese fries?"
2. "I can't get the chewing tobacco stains out of my unitard!"
3. "I'm loopy from all the spinning!"
4. "My dream is to do a ballet version of 'Smokey and the Bandit'."
5. "Baseball players can scratch themselves. Why can't we?"
6. "I don't know which I love more--'Swan Lake' or Ricki Lake?"
7. "When I have to jump really high, I pretend there's a ferret biting me in the rear."
8. "I love the Quizstar 5000!"
9. "Hey girls--let's go beat the heck outta some opera singers."
10. "I'll have what Rush is having."

1. Life at the Royal Ballet School by Camilla Jessel -143 pages (1979)
2. Behind the Scenes at the Ballet: Rehearsing and Performing The Sleeping Beauty by Leslie E. Spatt -48 pages (1995)
3. The Bolshoi Ballet School: Student Life in the World’s Most Prestigious Dance School by Sophia N. Golovkina -77 pages (1987)
4. On Their Toes: A Russian Ballet School by Ann Morris -46 pages(1991)
5. The Random House Book of Dance Stories by Jean Richardson -406 pages
6. On Your Toes: Beginning Ballet: A Complete Guide to Proper Ballet Training for Pre-Kindergarten to Adult Beginners by Wendy Neale -134 pages (1980)
7. Ballet Life Behind the Scenes: From Classes, Rehearsals, and Performances to the Company and Home Lives of the Dancers by Wendy Neale -182 pages (1982)
8. Barefoot to Balanchine: How to Watch Dance by Mary Kerner -208 pages (1990)
9. Dance Injuries: Their Prevention and Care by Daniel D. Arnheim -234 pages (1986)
10. Blood Memory by Martha Graham

1. A journal with letters from everyone, pictures of her class(es), and some dance poems and quotes. I've got some great ones on my site.
2. A spa package that includes a massage. Maybe even get two so your teacher can take a friend along too.
3. A framed picture or poster for the studio with the year and class level it's from on an engraved plaque.
4. An old pair of dance shoes signed by everyone. Old, to show how much you have worked for him or her.
5. New CDs to use during class, or just some with your teacher's favorite tunes on them.
6. A gift certificate to a local dance store if he or she still dances.

1. Artistic Director- decides what shows to put on and casts the roles.
2. Ballet Master or Mistress- runs rehearsals and supervises the corps de ballet.
3. Dance Teacher- runs daily classes and gives individual coaching.
4. Physiotherapist- treats dancers’ injuries.
5. Choreographer- creates the dance part of a ballet and helps decide on costumes and scenery.
6. Wardrobe Master or Mistress- looks after and takes care of the costumes.
7. Technical Director or Stage Manager- co-ordinates the lighting staff, orchestra, dancers, and stage crew.
8. Member of a Stage Crew- is responsible for the electrics, such as wiring and special effects, as well as the props.
9. Marketing Officers- comission posters, leaflets and programs advertsing ballets.
10. General Manager- arranges tours, salaries, and general business matters.

1. Bending
2. Gliding
3. Turning
4. Stretching
5. Jumping
6. Rising
7. Darting

1. Capezio (USA)
2. Grishko (Russia)
3. Bloch(Australia)
4. Gaynor Minden (USA)
5. Fuzi (China)
6. Freed (England)
7. Chacott (Spain/Japan)
8. Repetto (France)
9. Gamba (England)
10. Sansha (China)
11. Prima Soft (USA)
12. Porselli (Itlay)
13. Angelo Luzio (Canada)
14. Schachtner (Austria)
15. Russian Pointe
16. Baryshnikov (USA)
17. Eva (Germany)
18. Gandolfi
19. Soloist
20. Leo (USA)

All of these brands, except Gaynor Minden can be purchased from Patterson’s Back Bay Dancewear

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