CITYDANCE
Week 2: Modern Dance & Ballet
We were so happy to welcome all of our students back to Citydance after our snowy long weekend! There were a lot of exciting moments in our classes this week, and we can't wait to share them with you!
This week in Ballet
After getting all suited up last week, we were able to have our first full ballet class! We learned about postural alignment, and arm and feet positions. Students also learned about reverence: to say thank you to their teacher, the musician, and themselves at the end of each class!
Ready Bodies
Checking alignment
First Position and Parallel
This week in Dance Discovery: Modern Dance
This week we learned about Modern Dance, a style of dance which was created in the United States. Class included live percussion accompaniment. Students learned that Modern dance is all about expressing yourself, and sharing your emotions through movement.
In this video, you can see one of the important lessons students learned with Ms. Jamie in Modern Dance: The floor is your friend!
Also this week- Boston Ballet Company Members surprised students with a special visit!
We had exciting visitors this week in our Citydance classes! Students were able to meet some Boston Ballet company dancers including: Isaac Akiba, Lia Cirio, Shelby Elsbree, Sarah Wroth, Matthew Slattery, John Lam, Ricardo Santos, Brittany Stone, Brittany Summer, and Emily Mistretta. They spoke to students and answered questions about working and training to be a dancers.
Students were curious about our dancer's experiences travelling and performing around the world, what age they started dancing, what it feels like to dance for a large audience being a dance professional, and how they deal with nerves on stage.
If you'd like to learn more about our dancers, please click the link below which will direct you to their bios on our website.
Isaac Akiba
Isaac Akiba, one of our soloists, is from Jamaica Plain, and joined us in Citydance at age 9! He talked to students about his journey becoming a company dancer with the Boston Ballet, and how exciting it is that dance allows him to travel.
When asked by a student if he gets nervous about messing up on stage, Isaac responded by saying:
"When you perform, you're doing what you love and challenging yourself."
John Lam
Ricardo Santos
Lia Cirio & Sarah Wroth
Fun Fact: Dancers put Rosin on their pointe shoes so they don't slip while they're dancing! Lia and Sarah demonstrate their pointe technique.
Sarah began dancing at the age of 7, and Lia began dancing at 3 years old! Talking to students about nerves and stage fright, Sarah said "You always get a little nervous because you care so much about what you're doing, but that's what makes it exciting!"
Meet our Team
Jamie Brege
Jaime was our enrichment teacher this week, and taught our students about Modern Dance!
Jamie Brege, a native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, began her training at The School of the Grand Rapids Ballet Company and attended intensive programs at American Ballet Theatre, Vail International Dance Festival, and The Juilliard School.
Brege holds a Master of Arts degree in Dance Education, American Ballet Theatre Pedagogy from New York University. She is an ABT® Certified Teacher, ABT® National Training Curriculum, Primary through Level 7 and Partnering. Brege graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance performance from Purchase College, SUNY where she performed works by choreographers including George Balanchine, Bronislava Nijinksa, David Parsons and Helen Pickett. While at Purchase, Brege was chosen to serve as an ambassador exchange student at Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts in Perth, Australia.
Brege has taught, choreographed, and performed throughout the United States, Europe, and Australia. Her teaching credits include The School of the Grand Rapids Ballet Company, Purchase College, Boston University, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, South Shore Ballet Theatre, Greenwich Dance Studio, and Dance in the Annex. Brege is co-artistic director of the International Ballet Ensemble for Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, and has served as guest faculty at American Ballet Theatre’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School.
Looking Forward
We had a lot of fun with our students this week! Please note that we will not have classes next week due to school vacation.
When we return, we will continue learning about Ballet, and get to explore Chinese Fan Dance with Chu Ling in Dance Discovery!
Learn More
Email: eci@bostonballet.org
Website: www.bostonballet.org
Location: 19 Clarendon Street, Boston, MA, United States
Phone: 617-456-6355
Facebook: facebook.com/bostonballet
Twitter: @Bostonballet