Episode 10 – Grand Battement and Grand Battement En Cloche
The podcast team then discuss some of the celebrations and the pitfalls of Grand Battement and how they help the dancers complete their barre successfully and get ready for the centre.
Episode 9 – Adage and Rond de Jambe En L’air
As always, David educates us about what the exercises are for and how they’re executed. We discuss our favourite pieces and genres of music for adage
Episode 8 – Frappe
In this Frappe exercise, as usual David gives the listeners an overview of what Frappe means and the fundaments of the exercise before the pianists talk about music that is suitable and appropriate for this exercise
Episode 7 – Fondu
We learn that this particular exercise and step is quite challenging with regards to standing on one leg for the first time, coordination, and each leg doing something slightly different. We talk about how fondu exercise is somewhat synonymous with the habanera rhythm and style.
Episode 6 – Rond de Jambe à Terre
In this weeks episode we’re lifting the lid on Rond de Jambe a Terre. We know that Rond de Jambe means rounding of the leg but there’s so much more to the exercise than this. We introduce a port de bra and a balance on the end and discuss how you can support this musically through time signatures, melodies, accompaniment and of course – humour.
Episode 5 – Glissé and Jeté
In this episode we’re lifting the lid on Glissé and Jeté. Often the music for glisse and jete exercises can be interchangeable with only minimal tempo alterations required for the accompanist which should make it a relatively straight forward exercise to accompany – however – there are accents to consider and different musical styles!
Episode 4 – Tendu
How do you feel the tenduness of a tendu? Sometimes it’s slow and then other times it’s fast! Discussions about mazurkas, polonaises, slow Scottish reels and slushy jazz standards.
Episode 3 – Plié
This week we’re lifting the lid on the plié exercise. It didn’t take us long to discover that we all are completely in love with this exercise and its our bread and butter, sets us up for the day and really gets us in that zone.
Episode 2 – Révérence and Warm Up
What is a warm up? How is it choreographed? What music should you play? Trying to answer these questions we’ve discovered that actually Warm Up can be one of the trickiest exercises in a ballet class. If you’re playing for a new teacher – not only are you introducing yourselves to each other musically and choreographically, but learning how the teacher sets an exercise and their own personal quirks and preferences.
Episode 1 – Hello
The listener gets to hear how each of the pianists began in this line of work from humble and unexpected beginnings, to playing for major ballet companies and schools globally. The team have sixty-four years of experience between them, that they can bring to the podcast.
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