Piano Music for the Ballet Technique Class

Centre 9 - Grand Allegro

Description of elements of a typical combination:

This combination usually comes near the end of combinations in the centre (Lishka 1979, p. 31).
These are big jumps in which dancers travel far and jump high (Lishka 1979, p. 31).
Typical steps in this combination include

Cabriole
Grand Jeté/Saut de Chat
Grand pas de chat

Sauté Fouetté
Pas de Boureé (linking step)
Glissade (linking step)
Tour Jeté
Grand Assemblé

Zig-Zag (Tombé-Pas de Boureé-Saut de Chat)
Pirouette
Tour en l’Air
Piqué Arabesque
Balancé

Pas de Basque

Meter

triple (3/4)

Tempo

allegro maestoso - 57 bpm per "count"

Accentuations

"Big, broad, powerful, robust, extending into space, and soaring” (Cavalli 2001, p. 120)

Example of Teacher Demonstrating a Grand Allegro Combination:

Cues from teacher's demonstration:

This needs to be a “big waltz”. Many times newer ballet pianists will stick with more sentimental waltzes but this really needs to push the dancers to jump high and travel across the floor.

Music Selected: Strauss II, Schatz-Walzer (Treasure Waltz), op. 418

PDF of Original

C09_Original_Treasure Waltz_Strauss II.pdf

PDF of Arranged Score

Centre09_Grand Allegro-Treasure WaltzOp418_Strauss II10.22.22.pdf

Changes made in arranged score:

I used only waltzes 1 (after introduction) and 3 (starting in m. 5) from this piece. Waltz 2 is not in square phrases.
I added a four-count introduction using “oom-pah-pahs.”
I changed the left hand to have an octave on the down-beat of every measure to give emphasis and a “springboard” for the dancers to jump and soar through the air.

Videos of Dancers performing combination with selected music:

Next: Centre 10

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