Articles

Below is a growing collection of articles and papers of interest to our members. They are articles summarizing past seminar topics, as well as research papers from Intermediate and Advanced Teacher examination candidates. Contact the Society’s office for passwords as needed.

All articles are the sole property of the authors and the Society of Classical Ballet, and may not be copied or shared without the express permission of the author and the Society of Classical Ballet.

• Connecting & Auxiliary Steps; Where the Dance Happens by Jane Pound & Merle Adam, Examiners
  A summary of the discussion on connecting and auxiliary steps from the August 25 and October 6, 2021 teacher training webinars. Video editions of these webinars may also be found on the Society’s YouTube Channel.
• Exploring & Distinguishing Male Ballet Technique in the Vaganova Method by Timothy Tompkins, SCBVM Int.
  Discussion of male styling and technical elements in the Vaganova Method. A synopsis of the paper was presented at the October 6, 2021 teacher training webinar.
• Gender Identity & Traditional Ballet Roles by Jessica A. Pardy, SCBVM Adv.
  Research and discussion about gender identity and its relationship to classical ballet training and performance. A synopsis of the paper was presented at the August 25, 2021 teacher training webinar.

Recommended Reading

There are many books that can help the new Affiliate candidate study before and after the examination/interview. Below is a recommended reading list. The first three on the list are a must for any teacher of the Vaganova method:

• Basic Principles of Classical Ballet, Russian Ballet Technique By Agrippina Vaganova, Translated by Anatole Chujoy
• School of Classical Dance By Vera Kostrovitskaya, Alexei Pisarev, Translated by John Barker
• Technical Manual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet by Gail Grant
• The Ballet Book, A Young Person’s Guide to Classical Dance By The National Ballet School
• Dance Medicine, Head to Toe: A Dancer’s Guide to Health By Judith R. Peterson, M.D
• Classical Ballet Technique by Gretchen Ward Warren
• The Perfect Pointe System, Pre-Pointe Assessment & Teacher Training Manual By Lisa Howell
• The Physics of Dance by Kenneth Laws
• Dance Anatomy by Jacqui Greene Haas
• Dance Anatomy & Kinesiology by Karen Clippinger
• Trail Guide to the Body by Andrew Biel
• The Anatomy Colouring Book by Wynn Kapit
• The Bolshoi Ballet Academy: Methods of Teaching Classical Dance By Marina Konstantinova Leonova, Dean of Bolshoi Academy, People’s Artist of Russia
• Alphabet of Classical Dance By Nadeshda Bazarova and Varvara Mey
• Taking Root To Fly By Irene Dowd