Saturday marks the end of the spring semester. It’s been an arduous, but beautiful, journey leading up to this point.  Months of hard preparation and unwavering dedication have led each student to our final semester week, which means different things for each dancer.

This week is Observation Week for those in our Primary and Lower Divisions. Family and friends have been swimming in and out of our studios, watching their dancer and witnessing what they have been learning since the beginning of the semester.

Students in our Upper Division are gearing up for their big performance on Saturday night at Belmont’s Troutt Theater.  Levels 4, 5, 6 and 7 have been pushing themselves hard to perfect each movement and attitude needed for each piece.

Endings are always bittersweet, especially on professional and educational levels.  It’s exciting to watch our students grow into the polished dancers they are quickly becoming, but the learning process is such an interesting and life-changing experience for everyone involved that it’s almost sad to see it give way to enlightenment.

But let’s not have a good cry over it just yet (get a hold of yourself!). We are looking forward to seeing these same students this summer for our Summer Dance Camps and Summer Intensive program, and we’re looking forward to meeting our new students who will be attending, as well. The whole cycle will start again, and just as our Summer Program will be ending, we’ll be getting ready for our fall semester.  The world of dance is in a constant state of flux: Learning, appreciating, mastering, and the final piece of the puzzle – the thrilling exhibition.

- Rachel

Being employed by Nashville Ballet has opened my eyes to many things I did not previously know about dance. I’ve had a lot of parents ask if I am (or ever was) a dancer, and the answer to that is a resounding “NO”. To further my point, I will then unintentionally bump into some inanimate object laying around my office to demonstrate my inability to walk properly, much less dance. Instead of dwelling on the fact that, at 25, I am at the height of my physical prowess and this is as good as it’s going to get, I choose to retain the wealth of information on dance I receive here everyday and throw away any misconceptions I had before.

Take jazz for instance. I used to believe jazz was all top hats, split-tail tuxedo jackets, tap-a, tap-a, tap-a annnnnd “Jazz hands!” As it turns out, even though this is a style of jazz dance, it’s not the only vein around.

I was able to have a few words with Jennifer Harwell, Artistic Director of Nashville in Motion and jazz instructor here at the School of Nashville Ballet. She explained to me that the origins of the different forms of jazz come from countless schools and choreographers morphing the basic principles into their own interpretations.  This resulted into the three main styles of jazz: East Coast, West Coast and Chicago.

East Coast is the jazz we all might be more familiar with. Bob Fosse helped usher in this particular style through such Broadway shows as Cabaret, Chicago and Damn Yankees. This is the almost classic image of jazz one might conjure up upon hearing the word (I did, at least).

But West Coast and Chicago jazz branch out from their foundations into slightly different territories. West Coast has been heavily influenced by hip-hop style dance, and Chicago is more lyrically based.

Mrs. Harwell went on to describe the physical benefits of jazz dance, in any form. A stronger sense of center is established and the core is reinforced as well. She stressed the importance of respecting the dynamics of the tempo changes in the music accompanying a jazz piece, and through this understanding, musicality and speed are also improved in the dancer. The focus on these aspects assists dancers in other areas, such as Contemporary or Classical Ballet.

She told me a huge emphasis is put on emotion and acting ability. As interpretation plays a huge role, she often will consult the dancers in our Levels 6 and 7 and gather their ideas, thoughts and feelings on the piece they will be working on for their class. That way, the dancers have a better understanding of their own investments, physical and emotional, in the movements.

See? It’s learning stuff like this that makes me feel better about not being a dancer myself. Even if you can’t get out there and move, having this knowledge makes you appreciate it so much more when you’re watching others who actually possess the talent.

Thank you, Mrs. Harwell!

Be sure to check back for more news and updates on our company and the School of Nashville Ballet.

- Rachel

The outreach ballet Carnival of the Animals was performed for the last time on Friday morning.  It is being retired (temporarily) from active outreach repertory.  Carnival was the first thing I learned here as a new member of NB2.  I had rehearsal for the Cuckoo pas de deux on day one.  I remember being so nervous!  What a way to begin the season — with a press lift!  I do not think there is anyone who isn’t ready to take a break from Carnival, but I will say that for me it sums up the essence of an outreach ballet.  Take a great piece of music, add a story, unitards, and mix-and-match costumes.  Rehearse.  Serve on the stages of elementary schools city-wide.  Thousands of children have seen Carnival.  The lion’s mask never ceases to frighten, nor the cuckoo’s lifts to amaze.  The hens always amuse, the tortoises delight.  The seagull charms, and in his heart, the lion always knows what is true.  The message of Carnival — a combination of “everyone is special and unique” and “to thine own self be true” — has been delivered time and again.  But for now, until Carnival of the Animals is revived, may it rest in peace.