Piano Music for the Ballet Technique Class

Barre 8 - Adagio

Description of elements of a typical combination:

This combination can sometimes be called “développés”.
“The quality of these movements is sustained, controlled, deceivingly powerful, smooth, elongated, reaching, and extending beyond the body” (Cavalli 2001, p. 107).
Common steps used in this combination:

Développé

Grand rond de jambe en l’air
Attitude
Arabesque
Penché

Meter

triple (3/4 or 9/8)

or duple (4/4 or 12/8)

Tempo

moderately slow - 50 bpm

Accentuations

Lyrical and connected

Example of Teacher Demonstrating a Barre Adagio Combination:

Cues from teacher's demonstration:

In this barre adagio combination, because the teacher demonstrates a “balancé” this combination needs to be in triple meter (a waltz).
The music for the combination needs to be not too slow because there are sections where the dancer needs to hold their leg in second position for several counts.

Music Selected: Amy Beach, Barcarolle, Op. 28, No. 1

PDF of Original

08_Original_Barcarolle_Beach.pdf

PDF of Arranged Score

Barre08_Adagio at the Barre_Barcarolle Op28No1_Beach10.22.22.pdf

Changes made in arranged score:

To make this piece work in square phrasing, I only used mm. 1-18 and 92-107.

Videos of Dancers performing combination with selected music:

Reactions while playing the combination:

Despite the demonstration of going straight from one side to another, there was not only need for an eight count (teacher said four but meant eight) balance but then the combination was stopped between sides.

Next: Barre 9

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse