1. Guiding Question: How does ballet affect my life physically and emotionally?
AOIs: Health and Social Education
Community and Service
By: Eleni Sopikiotis

2. Ballet
Ballet is known as an elegant form of dancing. It originated in the Italian Renaissance in the 15th century and it was further developed in France, England and Russia.Ballet has its own vocabulary, most of the words n French.
3. Basic Positions
First: ankles together toes out to the side
Second: The balls of both feet are turned out completely, with the heels separated by the length of one foot. Similar to first position, but the feet are spread apart.
Third: One foot is in front of the other with the of the front foot touching the middle of the back foot
Fourth: The feet are placed the same as third position, but one step apart.
Fifth: With both feet touching, the toes of each foot reaches the heel of the other.
4. Pli
Pli is one of the basic steps that is first taught. It is a small bend in the knees. The back has to be straight and the neck long.It can be done from all the positions.
Pli is the first thing you learn, but takes years to perfect.
5. Barre
A barre is used for warm up exercises. The types of exercises that are done on a barre are plis, battements, rond-des-jambes, tendus, degages, etc. simple ballet steps to warm up the feet.
6. Leotards
Leotards are what dancers wear. That is required when you go to a ballet class. You have to wear tights, a leotard and the hair is up in a bun so that the hair is out of the face.
7. Ballet Shoes
These are pointe shoes. They allow you to go completely on the tip of your toes.Professionals and dancers of many years usually wear these.
These are soft ballet shoes. Usually beginners wear these types of shoes. These allow dancers to go on the ball of their feet.
8. Physical effects of Ballet
Ballet, has physical effects. Like a musician has their instruments, a dancer has their body. Some schools have weigh-ins and the dancers have to keep their silhouette and they have to eat right. This helps me because even though my ballet school doesnt have weigh-ins, my eating habits have changed. I dont eat as much junk food and I watch what I eat. Ballet is a good way for me to exercise and stay in shape. Ballet has helped my flexibility and my muscles. I have noticed that my legs have gotten more muscular. The technique that is used: turn out is helpful because all the muscles are working.
9. Physical (cont.)
Although all techniques are different, they each help dancers overcome bad and unsafe habits, and help them to move efficiently as possible. (Ambrosio 39).
Ballet helps with everyday habits. Since Ive been getting more into ballet, I noticed that I dont do many of my old habits. My back is straighter,my neck is longer, and I just naturally stand straight. Ive been getting used to doing all of those because of ballet. Along with eating healthier, my bad habits are almost broken. I have seen a big improvement in my body.
10. Emotion in ballet
Dancing gives me a sense of purpose and freedom. When I dance that is when I feel most alive; all of my problems just go away, as if they never existed. With dance, I become something I could never be without it; happy.
Their style of art was characterized by a number of different elements, such as, love of nature, emotion, power, violence, and tranquility. (Ambrosio 54).Emotion is a big part of ballet. The dancers have to portray the emotions from the dance to the audience without talking. They only have their bodies to communicate with.
11. Flexibility
Flexibility has a big part of ballet. In order to do something like the picture above, the dancer must have flexibility and strong muscles. It takes a lot of muscles to jump in a split.Some people may be flexible but may not have many leg muscles. Splits take a while to perfect like this one. To do something like this, it takes years. Its not the easiest thing to do.
12. Perfectionists
Looking at this picture really strikes something in me: Her line is perfect from her arms to her legsits just beautiful. Something that takes years to achieve.
Ballerinas are perfectionists. It always has to be right on the spot. Never disappoint people, especially your audience. Fight to keep a smile even though your feet are dyingyou look beautiful anyway.
13. Ive been dancing ballet for as long as I can remember.
Ive always been amazed at how contradicting the art is. How could something gentle (or appears to be) and soft be something that requires to have such power, control and strength?
The longer that I got exposed to dancing, the more that I became aware of that. Its not as soft and flowing that some people think to be. Every fiber and muscle in your body, literally from head to toe,has to be tense and controlled. You have to be aware of every single movement you make from the placement of the fingers to the flick of the head.
14. Ballet my first year
15. Ballet my first and second year
16. Ballet 5th and 6th year
17. Ballet as A Whole
Ballet helps everyone work as a whole because its not only one person in the class. You have to make sure that when you are dancing, you dont hit anyone and no one hits you. Everyone has to work together to get the emotion as a whole and portray the dance.
18. Ballet Dance June 20,2010
19. Dance
I am thankful for dance; it's a way of expressing yourself through your body. Thank God for giving us hands and legs right? You can tell the world a story jut through some fluid or sharp motions. The ability of such a n art is something many take for granted. Enjoy it while you still can. When you are ecstatic beyond words, feeling like punching someone in the face, just want to let go, or just want to burn some calories. Just dance.