Technical Manual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet

Rating:
Summary: A great help for any dancer!
Review: As a 13-year-old intermediate/advanced ballet dancer, I found this book very useful. I bought it at the first master class I ever went to about 5 years ago, because it was then I realized that there was more to ballet than just "tendu close degage plie". I wasn't familiar with some of the terms the teacher was using, and it helped immensely, especially with the body positions (croise, efface, etc) and pronounciation. Also, my dance teacher recommends this book to us constantly!

Rating:
Summary: An Essential Book for a Dancer
Review: As a dancer, I've always been taught, and do believe, that knowing exactly what those tounge twisting French terms means helps you to execute the steps. If you don't know the names of the steps, you can't do the combonations, you can't dance properly. This book definately helped with a couple of the creaky terms that I wasn't too sure about, and was especially useful when rehearsing alone without a partner or ballet master. Gail Grant's book is excellent for both ballet beginners, advanced dancers, and balletomanes.

Rating:
Summary: highly recommended for terminology
Review: As a pianist who basically got drafted to accompany ballet classes I needed all the help I could get since I knew absolutely nothing about the terminology of ballet. And since my first experience accompanying was for the professionals at the Southern Ballet Theatre, I knew I was in big trouble. This little book helped me immensely with the terms, although I still had tons of problems because I simply did not know what the steps looked like until I saw them rehearsed. For beginners, you are going to need a few references to understand what the instructor is saying because they simply don't have the time to give you private lessons while the rest of the class waits. I recommend this book for all those musicians who haven't got a clue about the language of one of the most beautiful art forms in existence. Heck, I almost sound French when I use the pronunciation guide.

Rating:
Summary: highly recommended for terminology
Review: As a pianist who basically got drafted to accompany ballet classes I needed all the help I could get since I knew absolutely nothing about the terminology of ballet. And since my first experience accompanying was for the professionals at the Southern Ballet Theatre, I knew I was in big trouble. This little book helped me immensely with the terms, although I still had tons of problems because I simply did not know what the steps looked like until I saw them rehearsed. For beginners, you are going to need a few references to understand what the instructor is saying because they simply don't have the time to give you private lessons while the rest of the class waits. I recommend this book for all those musicians who haven't got a clue about the language of one of the most beautiful art forms in existence. Heck, I almost sound French when I use the pronunciation guide.

Rating:
Summary: Great Reference Book
Review: I found this dictionary to be useful to me with my limited terminology. It describes everything in detail, including many illustrations showing differences between Cecheti and Russian methods. Overall, for beginning to advanced choreographers or students who need a lift in their ballet vocabulary, this is a great reference! It's also small enough to carry with you in a dance bag or elsewhere!

Rating:
Summary: Great resource
Review: I used to have a copy of this when I was taking ballet classes as a teen and found it a great way to improve my technique when I wasn't in class. I refered to it frequently when I wondered if I was doing a step correctly or if I couldn't place a movement to a name. At the price, you really can't go wrong.

Rating:
Summary: An excellant aide to learning the art of classical ballet.
Review: I was pleased with this book, which was given to me as a gift. I had no touble looking up terms and words. The description of the terms, if a complicated ballet step, was a little unclear. As a dancer myself, I think the illustrations in the back were exceptional. I often use this book while I reherse my ballet lessons. I sometimes get confused about simple placement, and which way to turn and stand. The simple yet educational illustrations have really helped in my classes. It is really an extraordinary "ballet dictionary". An essntial aide for anyone who wants to improve their form in ballet, or has a desire to learn about the art.

Rating:
Summary: Pre Ballet to Advanced Classes
Review: I work with the Center for Dance and Palmetto Dance Theatre. We refer to this book regularly. Oftentimes, we give our beginning students die cut figures with the French term on one side and the simple definition on the other side. We start with our Pre Ballet students and they quickly learn the terminolgy. It is an invaluable resource for teachers and students alike. All Ballet teachers could benefit from the use of this inexpensive but informative book.

Rating:
Summary: Pre Ballet to Advanced Classes
Review: I work with the Center for Dance and Palmetto Dance Theatre. We refer to this book regularly. Oftentimes, we give our beginning students die cut figures with the French term on one side and the simple definition on the other side. We start with our Pre Ballet students and they quickly learn the terminolgy. It is an invaluable resource for teachers and students alike. All Ballet teachers could benefit from the use of this inexpensive but informative book.

Rating:
Summary: Favorite ballet book !!!! (RATE ME!!!)
Review: If you love ballet and want to get ahead on the class and know the steps before your teacher shows them to you then you should defenetiley buy this book I just love it I have learned so much from it and it really let's you understand the step if you have any doubts this honestly is the best ballet book for really begginers all the way up to masters I love it because whenever I have any doubts I just look it up in the book, you may see more expensive dictionaries and think they are better but don't think about that I have bought some more expensive thinking that they are really informative but this is the best if you are a ballet dancer and don't have this book buy it you'll never regret it, it's an essential for any ballet dancer i'm sure you will like it as much as me, plus it has the body positions drawn and you can actually learn them well, and more drawings, also it is for the french, russian ,and the Cecchetti method, what i'm trying to say is that this is an awesome book and you really should get it, it's the best dictionary, in my opinion

*KARLA G**