Book Suggestions
One of the most amazing parts of ballet is how dancers can express whole stories without ever speaking a word. Most of the classic ballet stories are set in far off lands and magical places; some stories are common knowledge, while others are less well known by the average person. I encourage you, as the parent, to open your imagination and become more aware of the classic stories of ballet. Think of this as a new bedtime story to add to your list. In class we have a story of the month, and each child will be able to explore movement through the music and the story. I will make available to you a synopsis of the story in order to open lines of communication between you and your child. Be an active parent and ask questions. Ask to see the steps they learned or even check out the music from your local library. Here is a list of the ballets we will be exploring this fall and the best copy of the story books I can find to accompany them. Enjoy and discover a new love for the arts together.
September
Coppelia
Music- Leo Delibes
Choreography- Marius Petipa
First Performed- Paris 1870
Tiny Toes and Creative Movement
“Coppelia”
told by Margot Fonteyn
Illustrations by Steve Johnson and Lou Francher
Gulliver Books Harcourt Brace and Company
First Year Ballet and Second Year Ballet
“Footnotes Dancing the World’s Best-Loved Ballets”
Frank Augustyn and Shelley Tanaka
The Millbrook Press
October
Swan Lake
Music- Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Choreography- Marius Petipa
First Performed- Moscow 1877
Tiny Toes and Creative Movement
“Swan Lake”
by Pyotr I. Tchaikovsky
Retold and Illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger
A Michael Neugebauer Book
First Year Ballet and Second Year Ballet
“Footnotes Dancing the World’s Best-Loved Ballets”
Frank Augustyn and Shelley Tanaka
The Millbrook Press
November/ December
Nutcracker
Music- Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky
Choreography- Lev Ivanov
First Performed- Saint Petersburg 1892
Tiny Toes, Creative Movement, First Year Ballet, and Second Year Ballet
“George Balanchine’s the Nutcracker”
Photographed and told by Joel Meyerowitz
CD is included and contains recordings by the Philharmonia Orchestra
Barnes and Noble Books New York
First Year Ballet and Second Year Ballet
“Footnotes Dancing the World’s Best-Loved Ballets”
Frank Augustyn and Shelley Tanaka
The Millbrook Press
Coppelia: Synopsis
Act 1, Scene 1
In a small town in Germany Franz and Swanilda are engaged to be married, though Swanilda suspects that Franz is enamored with Coppelia, a beautiful girl who spends her days reading in the window of her father’s workshop. The burgermeister gives Swanilda a sheaf of wheat that, according to legend, will reveal one’s true love. But when she shakes it the wheat is silent and she runs off in a huff. That night, the village boys are teasing the strange old Dr. Coppelius. In the scuffle, his key falls to the ground. Swanilda finds it and sneaks into his workshop. Meanwhile, Franz climbs through an open window in search of his beloved Coppelia.
Act 1, Scene 2
Swanilda discovers that Coppelia is nothing except a life-size doll. When she hears Dr. Coppelius returning, she quickly puts on Coppelia’s clothes and takes the doll’s place. Franz is discovered by Dr. Coppelius, who gives him wine that puts him to sleep. The old doctor then tries to transfer Franz’s life force to his beloved doll. To amuse him, Swanilda pretends to be the doll and does everything he asks her to do. Soon she tires of the game and reveals her deception. Dr. Coppelius is brokenhearted. Franz awakens and is reunited with his true love, Swanilda.
Act 2
Swanilda and Franz are married while the citizens dance in celebration. The festivities including a betrothal waltz, and dances depicting dawn and prayer. Dr. Coppelius is paid for the damage to his workshop.
Synopsis from: “Footnotes, Dancing the World’s Best-Loved Ballet” by, Frank Augustyn and Shelley Tanaka
Swan Lake: Synopsis
Act 1
The kingdom is celebrating Prince Siegfried’s twenty-first birthday. The Queen Mother gives her son her own wedding ring as a symbol of his coming of age and then demands that he choose a bride. Reluctant to marry until he is in love, the prince is distressed. His friend Benno leads him off into the forest to hunt swans.
Act 2
As Siegfried, now separated from Benno, pursues the swans, a mysterious figure, Von Rothbart, accost him. He tempts Siegfried by offering him Odette, a pure and divine swan. Odette and Siegfried fall in love.
Act 3
At the ball at the palace, Siegfried is presented with many possible princess brides, but he ignores them all. Suddenly Von Rothbart appears with a princess dressed all in black and called Odile, an evil twin of Odette. Siegfried is fooled. As he declares his love for Odile, Odette’s cry of betrayal mingles with the triumphant laughter of the scornful Von Rothbarts who then reveals their true identities. A flood envelopes the palace. All but Siegfried are drowned.
Act 4
Siegfried rushes back to the lake, where Odette forgives him. Then, to release herself from the sorcerer’s power, she leaps to her death from a high rock into the lake. While Von Rothbart writhes in fury, knowing that true love has triumphed, Siegfried throws himself into the water to be with his love forever.
Synopsis from: “Footnotes, Dancing the World’s Best-Loved Ballet” by, Frank Augustyn and Shelley Tanaka
The Nutcracker: Synopsis
Act 1, Scene 1
At a grand family party on Christmas Eve, a magician, Herr Drosselmeyer, arrives and distributes presents to children. Then, from two boxes step four life-size clockwork toys. The toys are wound up and begin to dance. The boys attack the dolls and Clara begins to cry at their meanness. To make her happy, Herr Drosselmeyer gives her a nutcracker doll. But the mischievous Fritz is jealous and smashes it on the floor. Clara is forlorn. That night she wakes up and creeps downstairs to fetch her new gift, only to discover that her Christmas tree has magically grown (or has she shrunk?), and the toys, including her precious nutcracker, have come to life. Clara witnesses a battle between the mice and toy soldiers, and she saves her nutcracker from the Mouse King. The nutcracker turns into a handsome prince who invites her to accompany him on a journey.
Act 1, Scene 2
The travelers find themselves in wondrous Land of the Snowflakes. The Snow Queen appears and dances with the Prince.
Act 2
Continuing on their journey, Clara and the Prince come to the Kingdom of the Sweets, where the Sugarplum Fairy shows Clara some wonderful entertainment. Clara returns home just before morning, in time to wonder whether her nighttime adventures were all a dream.
Synopsis from: “Footnotes, Dancing the World’s Best-Loved Ballet” by, Frank Augustyn and Shelley Tanaka
