Thinking of taking up ballet for the first time as an adult? Or perhaps you're wondering if you're too old to go back to ballet? Coming back to ballet as an adult has been a rather surprising, interesting and rewarding journey for me. The author shares her journey of learning to dance ballet as an adult, which she found was different and challenging in ways very different from when she had been a child. She had to overcome challenges in flexibility and coordination, amongst other things. In this book, she gently introduces ballet to the adult beginner: how to choose the right class, what to wear and what to expect. She also shows you how to progress effectively in ballet, such as eventually going en pointe, developing artistry, taking ballet examinations and much more.

The benefits of ballet lessons for adults are examined and explained by master teacher Robert Brassel, whose international ballet career was the basis for his 2006 memoir, Always a Dancer. Drawn from his experience of teaching ballet to health club members since 1996, this book tells of the member's personal reactions to his teaching methods and the benefits they all share.

The world-renowned Joffrey Ballet School makes the art and joy of ballet available to everyone. Let Dena Simone Moss and Allison Kyle Leopold teach you everything you need to know to get in shape, beautifully sculpt your body, and truly appreciate the art of ballet. They'll let you in on all their secrets, including: -A demystifying explanation of ballet terms and positions -Tips on finding the right instructor and studio-and feeling comfortable once you're there -Hints on ballet attire-including finding, choosing, and tying pointe shoes -An exhaustive directory of where to find ballet publications, audio and videotapes, books, dance wear, schools, and studios. Perfect for the beginner and the veteran balletomane, The Joffrey Ballet School's Ballet-Fit offers an inside glimpse into the mysterious and beautiful world of ballet.

Have you always wanted to study Ballet? Do you wish you could return to class again? Wait! You are an Adult Ballet student! Ballet is a great exercise choice for adults! The steps and combinations help you maintain strength and stay flexible. The music and tradition engages your mind, and that mind-body connection helps you focus and concentrate in everything you do. Ballet is a great stress reliever! What do you have to gain? In Home at the Barre - Adult Ballet, you'll discover: Better Posture, Balance, and Body Alignment Improved Spatial Awareness Increased Strength and Flexibility Boosted Coordination and Stamina Inspiring support, practical direction, and so much more! Home At the Barre - Adult Balletis the fourth book in the Garage Ballet series, a comprehensive guide for the adult ballet student. An experienced ballet instructor for over forty years, Dawn C Crouch can undoubtedly relate to being an adult. But, as a teacher who continues to take class herself, she wants every adult student to know what to expect and how to be comfortable in an adult ballet class. Join us! Buy Home At the Barre - Adult Balletto get moving and have some fun today!

The term "femme" originates from 1940s Western working-class lesbian bar culture, wherein femme referred to a feminine lesbian who was typically in a relationship with a butch lesbian. Expanding from this original meaning, femme has since emerged as a form of femininity reclaimed by queer and culturally marginalized folks. Importantly, femme has also evolved into a theoretical framework. Femme theory argues that "femme" constitutes a missing piece in queer and feminist discourses of femininity. Attending to this gap, femme theory centres queer femininities as a means of pushing against the deeply embedded masculinist orientation of queer and gender theory. Thus, femme theory offers tools to shift the way researchers and readers understand femininity as well as systems of gender and power more broadly. This book is an introduction to femme theory, showcasing how femme can be used as a theoretical framework across a variety of contexts and disciplines, such as Film & Media Studies, Psychology, Sociology, or Critical Disability Studies; from countries, including Canada, China, Guyana and the USA. Femme theory asks readers to reconsider how femininity is conceptualized, revealing some of the many taken for granted assumptions that are embedded within cultural discourses of gender, sexuality, and power. The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Lesbian Studies.

If you are thinking about taking ballet classes, have a child who is starting to dance, or want to know more about ballet, then HowExpert Guide to Ballet is for you. This book covers many things, such as: - How to find the best studio for you. - Elements to look for in classes from ages 3 to 18. - What to wear to class if you are a child or an adult dancer. - Things to bring to class in your dance bag. - How to make the perfect ballet bun. - Proper ballet etiquette. - How to behave in class, at the barre, and when dancing in the center of the room. - Warm-up exercises to do sitting and standing. - Basic feet and arm positions. - The five major methods of ballet instruction. - Advice and encouragement for adult beginners. - The history of pointe shoes. - How dancers soften or harden their pointe shoes from ripping them apart to baking them in the oven. - What dancers wear inside their pointe shoes to make them comfortable. - How to Identify “dead pointe shoes” and why they are dangerous. - The history of male dancers in ballet. - Information for parents whose sons want to take ballet classes. - What Men’s Classes and Partnering Classes are. - Featuring expert advice, tips and tricks, and stories from the barre. About the Author Lauren Dillon is a multifaceted writer who has been dancing classical ballet for over two decades. She has worked as a dance instructor for children and enjoys sharing classical ballet with others. Born and raised in Florida, Lauren was inspired to take ballet classes by her mother, who took ballet classes as an adult. Lauren earned her Bachelor of Arts in Russian & Eastern European Studies from Florida State University (FSU). After moving across the country to California, Lauren earned her Master of Arts in Museum Studies from the University of San Francisco. When she wasn’t visiting museums or working in a performing arts archive, she continued to dance at San Francisco Ballet and Alonzo King LINES Ballet. HowExpert publishes how to guides by everyday experts.

Surveying the state of American ballet in a 1913 issue of McClure's Magazine, author Willa Cather reported that few girls expressed any interest in taking ballet class and that those who did were hard-pressed to find anything other than dingy studios and imperious teachers. One hundred years later, ballet is everywhere. There are ballet companies large and small across the United States; ballet is commonly featured in film, television, literature, and on social media; professional ballet dancers are spokespeople for all kinds of products; nail polish companies market colors like "Ballet Slippers" and "Prima Ballerina;" and, most importantly, millions of American children have taken ballet class. Beginning with the arrival of Russian dancers like Anna Pavlova, who first toured the United States on the eve of World War I, Ballet Class: An American History explores the growth of ballet from an ancillary part of nineteenth-century musical theater, opera, and vaudeville to the quintessential extracurricular activity it is today, pursued by countless children nationwide and an integral part of twentieth-century American childhood across borders of gender, class, race, and sexuality. A social history, Ballet Class takes a new approach to the very popular subject of ballet and helps ground an art form often perceived to be elite in the experiences of regular, everyday people who spent time in barre-lined studios across the United States. Drawing on a wide variety of materials, including children's books, memoirs by professional dancers and choreographers, pedagogy manuals, and dance periodicals, in addition to archival collections and oral histories, this pathbreaking study provides a deeply-researched national perspective on the history and significance of recreational ballet class in the United States and its influence on many facets of children's lives, including gender norms, consumerism, body image, children's literature, extracurricular activities, and popular culture.

A history of the development of ballet from the origins of dance through the 20th century.

Contributions by Megan Brown, Jill Coste, Sara K. Day, Rachel Dean-Ruzicka, Rebekah Fitzsimmons, Amber Gray, Roxanne Harde, Tom Jesse, Heidi Jones, Kaylee Jangula Mootz, Leah Phillips, Rachel L. Rickard Rebellino, S. R. Toliver, Jason Vanfosson, Sarah E. Whitney, and Casey Alane Wilson While critical and popular attention afforded to twenty-first-century young adult literature has exponentially increased in recent years, classroom materials and scholarship have remained static in focus and slight in scope. Twilight, The Hunger Games, The Fault in Our Stars, and The Hate U Give overwhelm conversations among scholars and critics—but these are far from the only texts in need of analysis. Beyond the Blockbusters: Themes and Trends in Contemporary Young Adult Fiction offers a necessary remedy to this limiting perspective, bringing together essays about the many subgenres, themes, and character types that have until now been overlooked. The collection tackles a diverse range of topics—modern updates to the marriage plot; fairy tale retellings in dystopian settings; stories of extrajudicial police killings and racial justice. The approaches are united, though, by a commitment to exploring the large-scale generic and theoretical structures at work in each set of texts. As a collection, Beyond the Blockbusters is an exciting entryway into a field that continues to grow and change even as its works captivate massive audiences. It will prove a crucial addition to the library of any scholar or instructor of young adult literature.

Whether you want to participate in ballet or just watch it, the ballet experience can excite and inspire you. Ballet is among the most beautiful forms of expression ever devised: an exquisite mix of sight and sound, stunning, aesthetics, and awesome technique. Ballet For Dummies is for anyone who wants to enjoy all that the dance forms offers – as an onlooker who wants to get a leg up on the forms you're likely to see or as an exercise enthusiast who understands that the practice of ballet can help you gain: More strength Greater flexibility Better body alignment Confidence in movement Comfort through stress reduction Infinite grace – for life From covering the basics of classical ballet to sharing safe and sensible ways to try your hand (and toes) at moving through the actual dance steps, this expert reference shows you how to: Build your appreciation for ballet from the ground up. Choose the best practice space and equipment. Warm up to your leap into the movements. Locate musical options for each exercise. Look for certain lifts in a stage performance. Tell a story with gestures. Picture a day in the life of a professional ballet dancer. Identify best-loved classic and contemporary ballets. Speak the language of ballet. Today you can find a ballet company in almost every major city on earth. Many companies have their own ballet schools – some for training future professionals, and others for interested amateurs. As you fine-tune your classical ballet technique – or even if you just like to read about it – you'll become better equipped to fully appreciate the great choreography and many styles of the dance. Ballet For Dummies raises the curtain on a world of beauty, grace, poise, and possibility! Ballet For Dummies (9781119643104) was previously published as Ballet For Dummies (9780764525681). While this version features a new Dummies cover and design, the content is the same as the prior release and should not be considered a new or updated product.