Music for Ballet Class
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (01 March, 1999)
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Reviews (5)

my favorite music to teach ballet class
I love all the cd's in this series.They are inspiring and the tempos are perfect for any class.There are always different cd's out there if you need a change of pace after awhile,but you will always come back to these. I alsofind his videos to be very helpful .His exercisesin the Russian method area great learning and teaching tool.

A "Must Have" Addition to Your Collection!
Dmitri Roudnev's CDs for ballet class are not only an excellent investment in your teacher's toolbox, but if you are a beginning, intermediate or professional dancer look no further - this is the CD you have been looking for! I know each volume well because I teach with them, dance to them three times a week in class with Dmitri, and use them at home to do barre work on the days I don't have class. I never tire of the tracks, and neither do my students. The music grows with your students, from their first plie to their best jumps, leaps and turns! You will not be disappointed with this CD, or any of the CDs in his five-volume collection.

Before meeting Dmitri and trying his CDs I was always disappointed with the music CDs I was able to find. They didn't inspire musicality or passion. Something was always wrong with one or many of the tracks - the tempo, length, selection etc. Dmitri's CDs are a pleasure - well thought out, easy to use and well received by my students. I find that my students no longer trudge along to the track, but are now far more expressive and engaged in their work. Roudnev constantly emphasizes musicality in class - one is not dancing if they are just doing the steps. His passion for this art form is easily "heard" in his CDs for ballet class.

Each track is certainly long enough to perform any exercise in ballet class en croix and often long enough to perform the exercise twice. There are many music CDs for ballet, but very few are geared specifically for teaching ballet class. Even fewer have been so carefully conceived as Dmitri Roudnev's CDs have. Full recordings of ballet works are fine for teaching variations or preparing students for performing with a live symphony, but they are rarely a good choice for technique training. The Russian schools of ballet have produced some of the best dancers ever known, including Dmitri Roudnev. Dmitri follows this rich tradition and provides music for class with a repertoire that is complex, musical, inspired, and excellent for students at any level.

Also, please be aware that these CDs are not just the quick collaboration of an instructor and an accompanist trying to make a few extra bucks. Instead each CD is created for the dancer with the interest of developing the best technique and highest level of musicality possible. Remember that Dmitri even uses these CDs in his classes when he teaches! He observes how the students work to the tracks, and asks for feedback. He recently asked for our feedback on the soon to be released Volume V.

In closing, Dmitri loves ballet, and should you get to meet him, you will love Dmitri. While a CD is never a substitute for a person, his CDs are the next best thing. Dmitri's heart and soul are in these CDs, and so too will Dmitri's heart and soul become a part of your students.

Superb music for ballet classes
This is an exceptional CD for ballet classes.Tempos excellent and allow for flexibility in constructing exercises.Phrasing and melodies superb.The way the music is played helps students achieve coordination and good form in their work.All four of the Roudnev CDs are great.I cannot recommend them too highly. ... Read more

Asin: B00004TWWR
Sales Rank: 83385

From the Choirgirl Hotel
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (05 May, 1998)
list price: $11.98 -- our price: $10.99
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Editorial Review

For Tori Amos, sex can be a weapon, a spiritual offering, or an act ofprotest;it's certainly been the singer-pianist's big subject since her 1989debut, Little Earthquakes. Butwhereher earliest compositions tried to punch every emotional hot button at once and came offmerely overblown,From The Choirgirl Hotel packs a greater punch by toning down the mock-symphonic excess in favor of stark, haunting tracks that contain their own veiled mysteries. Love cuts both ways on Choirgirl. Songs such as "She's Your Cocaine" and "cruel"view relationships as vicious, sexually-charged power plays, while the protagonists in "playboy mommy"and "Northern Lad" are desperately seeking salvation in the form of some emotional connection. Hypnotic, affecting, and frequently gorgeous, From The Choirgirl Hotelis Amos' most accomplished album to date. --Marc Weingarten ... Read more

Reviews (357)

Take the plunge into a world of emotion
Tori Amos' works have always explored the human soul, going deep and trying to emerge with some kind of light. This album however came from a much more personal place. Prior to recording Choirgirl, she suffered three miscarriages and a subsequent period of depression. The album documents the journey of the character and her effort to feel alive again. And it is an effort that is every bit as heart-wrenching, haunted and desperate as can be.
Using the concept of a hotel, each song being a character who lives in it, Tori Amos creates a mosaic of astonishing insight and depth.
The album is inspiring. Like great works of art, it makes the listener feel soothed and much less alone, while tackling themes such as loss, grief, abuse, a ruined childhood, sexual manipulation, rejection and codependence.
Sonically, it incorporates many elements of electronic music and the band has much more of a role to play on this album compared to her previous, piano based works. Lyrically, her poetic voice is stronger than it's ever been despite coming from a person broken into pieces.
I cannot rave highly enough about this album.

Highlights: Black Dove (January), Liquid Diamonds, Pandora's Aquarium

A true work of art.
I can't believe I didn't listen to this album sooner.This is truly a wonderful, solid piece of work.Every track is a masterpiece.It's hard to pick out my favorites.If you don't know any of Tori's work, this would be a good place to start.I would certainly recommend this CD.

My First and Most-Played Tori album
If you are not familiar with Tori, this is an excellent starter album. Her first with a band, the music has a rocking, dark sound. A couple of the songs are about Tori's miscarriages (including my absolute favourite, "Spark") and "Pandora's Aquarium" is about one of her best friends who was raped by her father. If you like songs with heavy, intellectual meaning, you will enjoy Tori's wonderfully poetic lyrics.
Great Tracks include but are not limited to:
Spark
Raspberry Swirl
She's Your Cocaine
Playboy Mommy
All of her albums are excellent as well. I reccomend each and every one. ... Read more

Asin: B0000062S6
Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Singer/Songwriter   

Between the Barres 20th Anniversary Edition
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (05 November, 2001)
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Reviews (4)

Pretty good
I was looking for instrumental music for both dance purposes as well as general listening while at work. I was really pleased with this CD in both aspects and would recommend it to others with like minded tastes.

One of my favorites
I've been teaching ballet for over 7 years and I have several CD's made from different artists and composers.This CD is one of my favorites for several reasons.One, I love the music and the variation of tempos.Two, it provides several song selections for each ballet moevement (tendu, rond de jamb, etc).Three, it has two CD disks with many tracks to exectute the different steps performed in ballet.This is a CD I would encourage ballet teachers to add to the collection.

BETWEEN THE BARRES is Refreshing!
I have been using Michael Roberts' BETWEEN THE BARRES 20th Anniversary Edition double CD for class and warm up since it was released in 1999. There is a wide variety of beautiful and imaginative music on 2 CDs to cover all needs for barre and center floor.The selections and tempos are clearly arranged on the liner notes.

Michael plays a lyrical and pianistic version of his music which is, by the way all original. As a professional musican, dancer and teacher I highly recommend this double CD package. BETWEEN THE BARRES is refreshing and there is LOTS of it!

Steven Woodruff
Pasadena, California ... Read more

Asin: B00005TOTO
Sales Rank: 28149

To Venus and Back
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (21 September, 1999)
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Editorial Review

For many pop-music cynics, excess can be neatly summed up in three things: live albums, double-CD's, and Tori Amos records. Damned ifTo Venus and Back doesn't hit the trifecta. But perhaps Amos is just trying to prove what we've always suspected: that her muse possesses a sly, ironic wit and has been frantically trying to give us a wink while Tori whipped up her heady cocktail of quiet Sturm, desperate Drang, and angst in the panties. There's teasing moments on this double-dose of Tori's love affair with her own melodic and mystical dramaturgy to support that notion, even in the disc of powerful new studio recordings that inaugurates this set. Dubbing a song "Glory of the 80's" is burlesque enough, but yearning to have oneself cloned as Kim Carnes at its climax is simply inspired. Amos is to Kate Bush's distaff mysticism what Mark McGwire was to Roger Maris; she hasn't so much broken the mold as willfully hammered it into her own image. After Bush hit the snooze-bar on her career in the late `80s, Amos boldly stepped into the fray, building a body of work that demanded to be taken seriously, even while the thrift-store chic set were laughing up their tattered sleeves at her ambitious chutzpah. They're not laughing now; in fact, many may find Venus to be a deliciously guilty pleasure. Amos supporters have long maintained that the key to understanding her intrigue lies in her live performances. Disc two boldly states their case as Amos coos, whoops, and warbles through a hit-sprinkled set, her shrewd, sorely undervalued band hanging with every nuance and turn of phrase. Cynics are from Mars; Tori is from Venus--that's just the way her galaxy crumbles. Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (414)

Planets of her universe ...
The music on the studio disc of the "To Venus and Back" set contains more of the sound effects and dreamy, almost incomprehensible, lyrics that were found on "From the Choirgirl Hotel."On one hand it's a good thing that they lyrics are always included with the Tori albums.On the other hand, I personally found that you don't really need to understand what Tori is saying/singing/moaning/trilling/screaming to "get" her; the music is wonderful and accessible either way.It might even be "better" that you can't understand the words; this simply adds to her magical mystique.

The live disc is Tori at her best; raw and rocking and snarling her songs into a microphone.By far one of the more talented songwriters and performers of the 1990s (and 2000s?).

Black Angel Here!
Tori is the best artist ever, she's always changing -not necessarily good but you know she's furthering herself and developing. This album saw her develop into electronic music and was a major success in terms of artistic evolution.

Tori Amos' latter work seems to lack her raw energy and emotions. This has got some really 'goovy' tracks such as Juarez which has Tori as the omniscient cool desert as she sees girls getting raped quite a juxtaposition to her tone in 'Me and a Gun'. The first and the last tracks are the most 'pop'. The rest needs to grow on you but this work is so much better than 'The Beekeeper' or 'Scarlet's Walk'.

Double the Goods!
The original material on the first disc has no trouble comparing to the classics on the second. Her voice on songs like "Juarez" and "Riot Poof" suggest she's a ruler of some country in the way it's so powerful and controlling. She's beautiful as always in songs like, "Bliss" and "Concertina". And is beautiful, but dark, in "Suede". As for the live material, Tori's voice always remains just as strong live as on her albums, which is an impressive feat. She rocks so hard on songs like "Precious Things" and "Waitress". She also rocks in "Cruel" where her sorceress vocals at the end have me picturing her conjuring spirits to her. And her vocals at the end of "Sugar" are like musical tears. She's phenomenal! ... Read more

Asin: B00001IVJS
Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Keyboards    4. Piano    5. Pop    6. Rock    7. Singer/Songwriter    8. Vocals   

In Sync-Music for Ballet Class
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (01 September, 1996)
list price: $29.99 -- our price: $29.99
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Reviews (1)

Clear and easy to hear
All of Lisa Harris' CDs are particularly good for beginning ballet students.The counts are easy to hear; there are songs they'll be familiar with (from musicals, popular music, etc.) mixed with classical pieces.My only complaints are that there are too many popular songs...it can get a little cheesy; and I've had difficulty finding a waltz tempo at the right speed for my beginners...they all seem to be too fast and too slow half-time.Overall, though, these are great CDs...easy to work with. ... Read more

Asin: B00005QIPZ
Sales Rank: 296111

Life for Rent
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (30 September, 2003)
list price: $18.98 -- our price: $13.49
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Editorial Review

Despite its somewhat polite, trip-hoppy surface, Dido Armstrong’s music frequently rests on a melancholy that can only be called courageous in the current pop world. Few singer-songwriters with 12 million record sales behind them would offer a single such as Life for Rent’s "White Flag," which is in part an apology for the "mess and destruction" the narrator has left with her lover. Emotions are even stickier on other tracks, with Dido’s Dusty-ish voice coolly sweeping through "Don’t Leave Home," one of the creepiest codependent-love songs since "Every Breath You Take," and in "Who Makes You Feel," ticking off a list of reasons why an affair is dying, while also admitting that she still loves the guy. It’s a hard-won romanticism, too, that pokes its head up in the tough-minded "This Land is Mine" and "Do You Have a Little Time" ("I’d like to hold you still/Remind you of all you’ve missed"). A knotty and rewarding album. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

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Reviews (415)

Truly a wonderful CD by Dido

I was rather skeptical with the release of Dido's second CD "Life for rent." I kept telling myself it would probably be just like P!nk's second CD: Not as good with only a couple of good songs, however I soon realized that comparing a wonderful vocalist, songwriter, and musician to P!nk was a true insult to Dido's talent so I picked up the Second release and gave it a try. It took me awhile to get used to this sound of her music on Life for rent being all new to be and taken in a different direction, but I got used to it after 3 times and now I'm hooked and waiting for her next release.


By far the best tracks on this CD has to be White flag, Life for rent, Don't leave home, Who makes you feel, which as a very cool and jazzy beat to it that make it enjoyable to listen to despite the suggestive lyrics, Sand in my shoes, a more light hearted song on the soundtrack. And lastly, This land is mine, and See the sun/The closer you get.


The other tracks on the CD; Stoned, See you when your forty, Mary's in India, and Do you have a little time, aren't bad but aren't as moving and compelling as the other tracks on CD which is saying something coming from me, because I loved almost the entire NO ANGEL CD. All in all Life for rent shapes up to be one enjoyable CD with its share of flaws, but this should not suggest that its a bad purchase. If you loved NO ANGEL then this will be just as enjoyable and listenable as the first one. ---- [a 4 out of 5]

More than a rental
This one's a keeper.Sure the hits are good but keep listening and the deeper into it the better it gets. "Mary's in India" is a wonderful song. Over all a nice cd. I hope Dido continues on her path to blend catchy pop music with something special.

This is possibly one of the greatestalbums of a generation
This compact disc titled, "Life for Rent" by Dido takes you on a journey through the greatness of life. It's music takes you through humility, light, and healing.

The music is also wonderful dance music. You will listen to this compact disc many times and never be be tired of it. It's music that you will probably love for the rest of you life. It is music that I will remember for a long time.
... Read more

Asin: B000089RVR
Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Pop    3. Rock    4. Singer/Songwriter   

No Angel
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (01 June, 1999)
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Editorial Review

Dido's debut is molded from Sarah McLachlan's intimate soul, Sinéad O'Connor's Celtic yelp, and Beth Orton's morose resolve--with all the sharp edges rounded out. Sculpted by producers Rollo (her brother) and techno-scientist Youth, No Angel is dream-pop mixed with Portishead-esque trip-hop; the results are midtempo ballads that would feel at home in Seal's neighborhood. The melancholy opener, "Here with Me," incorporates acoustic rhythm guitar, fluid strings, and a snare-driven tempo that simulates the slapping of rain off a windshield. "My Lover's Gone" is ethereal and misty, sounding at once ancient and modern with its synthesized ocean sounds and seagull cries. The only clunker is "Don't Think of Me," a passive, soft-bellied cousin to Alanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know." These songs play out beautifully in that quiet zone between slumber and consciousness--where you can see everything behind closed eyes. --Beth Massa ... Read more

Reviews (742)

Yes Angel.
I suspect this debut is something she will always have a hard time matching, because it's so good, and it seems to really touch alot of people. Dido says that she makes music that she wants to hear, and she's clearly not alone. I think this appeals to so many people because the music is a mesh of pop, folk, and electronica, and of course the voice and the lyrics are a plus too. "Here With Me" is a popular favorite and good opener, and no matter how many times I hear "Thank You", I always love it. That song just puts me into a trance. The rest is all very good, and it all leads up to my favorite song "Take My Hand". It starts very mellow, and builds up to a great beat, and is really quite an emotional and lengthy bonus track. So I say that a day without "No Angel" would be hell.

No Angel - An Albumn for A Rainy Day
This is a great albumn to listen for a rainy day. That's just the feel I got from listening to this albumn. Most of the songs in there are cold and even sad. And Dido's voice is perfect for those songs, a little detached, and a little cold.

The surprising thing is that most of the songs are even quite catchy. After listening to the albumn a few times, you would be able to sing along with it.

This is definitely an albumn worth buying.


Purple_Garden

Thank you, Dido
I picked up three different CDs using amazon.com's Marketplace Sellers over the past two weeks, in a combination of pleasure-related and work-related listening.

The last of the three is Dido's No Angel. This CD was released back in 1999, and for several years I've had a soft spot for "Here With Me", the lead single off of this CD. Last year I picked up her more recent Life For Rent, and was impressed with that disc's musical depth, so I picked this one up to get a feel for her earlier material. This disc show's Dido's potential. The emphasis here is on lyrics...I don't think that Dido's voice is truly remarkable (nothing wrong with it though), but her lyrics are thoughtful. So far, my favourite off of the album remains "Here With Me", but I'm enjoying "Hunter" and "Don't Think of Me" as well. As with Life For Rent, I suspect that No Angel will grow on me over time.

For some reason, Dido's music reminds me of Coupling, the British sitcom. Not sure why that is, specifically...was there a Dido track used in the series somewhere? ... Read more

Asin: B00000IAU3
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
by Stephen R. Covey
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (15 September, 1990)
list price: $15.00
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Editorial Review

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change was a groundbreaker when it was first published in 1990, and it continues to be a business bestseller with more than 10 million copies sold. Stephen Covey, an internationally respected leadership authority, realizes that true success encompasses a balance of personal and professional effectiveness, so this book is a manual for performing better in both arenas. His anecdotes are as frequently from family situations as from business challenges.

Before you can adopt the seven habits, you'll need to accomplish what Covey calls a "paradigm shift"--a change in perception and interpretation of how the world works. Covey takes you through this change, which affects how you perceive and act regarding productivity, time management, positive thinking, developing your "proactive muscles" (acting with initiative rather than reacting), and much more.

This isn't a quick-tips-start-tomorrow kind of book. The concepts are sometimes intricate, and you'll want to study this book, not skim it. When you finish, you'll probably have Post-it notes or hand-written annotations in every chapter, and you'll feel like you've taken a powerful seminar by Covey. --Joan Price ... Read more

Reviews (582)

Good Principles to Live By!
These are good principles to live by.Covey reveals the principles people use who are at the very highest levels of success.My boyhood hero Bart Starr is a big fan of Covey's seven principles, how can I go wrong?? If you think seriously about these ideas, your life is bound to improve in the long run.It will make you realize it is YOU and only YOU who can change the course of your life.With patience and perseverence, a person cannot lose.Thanks Stephen for your advice.

Jeffrey McAndrew
author of "Our Brown-Eyed Boy"

Difficult - Beyond the Point

Seven Habits of Highly Effective People is full of interesting points and the habits are laid out in an intelligent and easy to follow manner.Even if you go into this book knowing, on some level, all of the habits and their respective value, the mere presentation of them will spark motivation, or at least insight.

The really difficult part of this book is not the content or even the application (though difficult it is sure to be) but the suspension of cynicism.For me the hardest part of getting into, through, and out of this book was ignoring my overly critical instincts and taking the book for what it is--gleaning such insight as is available.

If the reader is willing to suspend cynicism and just blindly (more of a premeditated willingness) apply the tenets to their life, this can, and probably will be a life changing work in a positive way.

Addresses the Core of Our Character
The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People has been a bestseller in the field of personal development since its publication in 1989. A new fifteenth anniversary edition was recently published. I bought my copy in 1994 and it's been one of my most referenced books ever since, second only to my dictionary, I think.

Unlike other self-help books, The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People has a timeless quality to it, as if it is addressing the core of what makes us human beings. It is not a quick-pick-me-up kind of book, and because of that, some may find it dryer and more difficult than the latest pop psychology best-seller. Covey does not speak down to the reader; he expects the reader to pay a reasonable price in time and energy for the knowledge he imparts. But his personality comes through in the sincerity and earnestness of his message, not to mention the numerous examples he uses from his own life (he and his wife have nine children, a sufficiently large enough data sample from which to draw plenty of examples that are both on-point and quite funny).

The individual habits are invaluable. They are explained clearly and compellingly, and by the end of each chapter, the value of each habit seems as fundamental as the value of oxygen. Exercises accompany each chapter so the reader can begin applying the lessons and building the habits.

But my favorite lesson comes from the overall structure of the seven habits. The first three habits are the habits of Private Victory, the habits of independence: Be Proactive; Begin with the End in Mind; Put First Things First. The second three habits are the habits of Public Victory, the habits of interdependence: Think Win/Win; Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood; Synergize. Covey shows us that there is a natural evolution from dependence to independence to interdependence. Independence will serve you up to a point. Then it is necessary to collaborate if you want to continue to grow. An interdependent relationship creates a synergy that is greater than the sum of its parts.

And the final habit is the habit of renewal, which Covey calls Sharpening the Saw, a metaphor so vivid it needs no further explanation.

©2005 Curtis G. Schmitt

(The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is featured in the Turn On to Life! home-study course. The Turn On to Life! Free Newsletter features a new self-help book review each month.) ... Read more

Isbn: 0671708635
Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Business Life - General    3. Character    4. Management - General    5. Motivational    6. Personal Growth - Success    7. Psychological aspects    8. Self-Help    9. Success    10. Business & Economics / General   

Pointe
Average Customer Review:
Magazine
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Reviews (5)

Does not deserve 5 stars
Pointe is the equivalent to a teen magazine in the ballet world.Lovely photograghs, but lacks in content.If you are a true balletomane, look towards Ballet Review and Ballet Alert.

loveing pointe
Oh My Gosh! I love this magazine! It really brings the dance world into perspective. I love to hear what some of the professionals have to say about their dancing lives. My favorite articles are the ones on the problems with pointe shoes and how to overcome them. Realistic, honest, great advice!

oh my gosh-- this magazine is incredible!!
I have been looking for a ballet or dancing magazine forever and I found pointe and am really satisfied. It offers hundreds of wonderful apparel items and lots of advice, plus interveiws with famous dancers. Its definately ideal for the dancer or figure skater. It is also a great gift to give someone who dances or figure skates. Pointe rocks!! ... Read more

Asin: B00005NIRR
Sales Rank: 587
Subjects:  1. Art (Arts)    2. Dance (Dancing)   

The Video Dictionary of Classical Ballet
Average Customer Review:
DVD (11 November, 2003)
list price: $49.95 -- our price: $44.96
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Reviews (5)

Comments from a Ballet Student
I think this DVD is GREAT! There are many ballet dictionaries available but to SEE how the steps are done is more useful and clear than mere words could describe.

Unlike some other reviewers, I found the DVD quality to be fine.

This DVD is an invaluable reference for any ballet student. Although I have been learning ballet for only 2 1/2 years as an ADULT ballet student with no ballet background at all, I now take 8-14 classes a week (with teenage students!) and have managed to reach Level 5 and even do Pointe work so I can say with the conviction of a serious ballet student that - This DVD is an EXCELLENT reference for anyone interested in learning ballet.

I would recommend the DVD version instead of the VHS because it makes for easier and quicker selection of topics (imagine having to rewind and forward on VHS!).

If you're thinking of getting this DVD, go for it!

Bad Quality of DVD
Very disappointed with the DVD quality, it is even worse than any new VHS tapes. Even at the first time I played it, some part was not able to play. I wish the DVD/CD purchasing policy covered the case how to handle defect DVD/CD. Contents do cover a lot bellet movements.

sound terrible!
Great material but it is not DVD quality. Sound has distortion. It is obvious that they just put VHS version on to DVD. Don't but this until they fix the problem! I hope the manufactor will refund my DVD. You can buy this DVD if you don't mind watching this great dancers with Buzz sound all the time. I guess you can mute the sound! Terrible quality! ... Read more

Asin: B0000DI86M
Sales Rank: 22532
Subjects:  1. Performing Arts - Ballet/Dance   

Diet for Dancers: A Complete Guide to Nutrition and Weight Control
by Robin D. Chmelar Sally S. Fitt
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 May, 1995)
list price: $19.95 -- our price: $19.95
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Reviews (9)

Sound Advice.... Really!!
I bought this book wondering what I would find. Too many of the reviews here would like to make this book out to be a guide to starving oneself thin. The book is very complex, offering the physiology of how food breaks down in the body, how starvation and very low calorie consumption adversely effects the body, and how to calculate proper caloric intake based on weight and activity level. The recommened diet is the Exchange Program, that would be the American Diabetic Assoc. diet. The very same one physicians instruct persons with type 2 diabetes to use. This diet ensures that you eat a variety of foods (starches, meat, veggies, fruits, milk/dairy, and fat) and do not have to directly count calories. This is not a quick weight-loss plan, in fact the book testifies to the fact that this is a slow proccess. I couldn't find anything in this book that recommended unhealthy practices to lose weight.
Bottom Line:This diet WILL work and is not encouraging dangerous behavior in dancers or everyday folks!

i'm in love
Finally a book for dancers. all ballerinas KNOW we have a different set of standards to adhere to, and FINALLY, theres a book that pops up and helps us instead of attacking. I think the skinnyhaters need to calm down and understand dancers live on a whoole different PLANET. To Chmelar and Fitt - i adore you, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Chmelar is Stellar!
I found it shocking and irresponsible that in his review of Chmelar and Fitt's Diet for Dancers, Matthew McCarthy chose to take a few phrases out of context to paint a completely inaccurate portrait of what is the best book I've read on diet and nutrition for dancers.

Chmelar and Fitt are not telling dancers they have to be thin; rather they are reporting the realities that face most dancers who pursue careers in theatrical performing dance and encourage dancers who do not fit the body composition standards for being a professional ballet dancer to seek a style of dance that suits their bodies.Chmelar and Fitt are the only authors I know of who have assembled actual research on the body compositions of15 female professional and university, ballet and modern dancers and compared them to those of five kinds of female athletes.These results show that such dancers need to fit into a pretty narrow range of percent body fat and weight relative to height.For example, university female ballet dancers have a percent body fat range of 9.6% to 20.5% , an average weight of 117.7 +/- 10.4 pounds, and an average height of 65.3 +/-2.0 inches. Similar values are given for female university modern dancers as well as professional ballet and modern dancers.These values are substantially below what is considered an average healthy weight for nondance women.Yet the values for these same categories of male dancers are very similar to those of healthy nondance men.So it is the research that shows that female dancers have to maintain a lower than healthy average body weight; Chmelar and Fitt are simply reporting the facts.Mr. McCarthy seems to be shooting the messenger.

Yet C&F do more than simply report the facts; they also give their opinions on how to promote healthy weight expectations for female dancers.In the section "Professional Realities and Ethical Considerations" p43 C&F write, "In no way can this or any other book dictate what a school or company's weight standards should be...We can offer guidelines based on our current knowledge, but any dancer who reaches professional status is bound to be met by strict standards.... Directors, faculty, and students in university programs should ask themselves a number of questions (some of which mighght also be considered by professional companies) such as:Should we have weight standards?If so, how strict should they be for performing-emphasis students?Should we have weight standards for students going into nonperformance dance fields? What kind of policy should we have for students who don't meet weight standards?Are we familiar with appropriate referral sources for students with eating disorders?How do we strike a health balance between ensuring our dancers are healthy yet meet the aesthetic standards of dance?And what are those aesthetic standards?
There are obviously a variety of answers to these questions; however, the important thing is that they be discussed openly among faculty and student representatives."To me this shows an exceedingly responsible attitude on the part of the authors for both recognizing the pressures of the real world in certain areas of dance and in encouraging dancers, instructors, and directors to recognize their responsiblities in shaping healthy aesthetic expectations for body weight among dancers.

Also, in the section "Genetic Influences on Body Composition" C&F advise dancers who don't fit the ballerina mold. On p44 they write: "Research conducted by former New York City Ballet dancer Linda Hamilton....underscores the pivotal role genetics plays in determining a person's body composition.For those dancers seeking a career with a professional ballet company, this issue should be carefully considered.Dancers who do not naturally tend towards such thinness can certainly use appropriate diet and exercise measures to help get them to their desired body weight; however, sooner or later they may have to choose between battling their inherited body traits and modifying their dance goals.For those dancers not born with sylph-producing DNA, energy can be refocused toward dance careers that do not require an ultra-thin body, and also toward maintaining a healthy, fit body composition rather than trying to force an unhealthy skinny one. [Emphasis added.]."
This is as far from "shocking and irresponsible" as I can imagine.It's easy to make a book seem like something it's not by taking a few phrases out of context.Mr. McCarthy's review makes me wonder if he read the same book I did.

Mr. McCarthy recommends that dancers "buy a book about healthy nutrition instead."I know no other book that explains the way diet and exercise interacts as it applies to dancers, lists the functions of all vitamins and minerals, and notes those nutrients in which research has shown dancers to be deficient.If dancers want a book that is both about healthy nutrition and also applies to their specific dietary needs, this is it.I'm only sorry that the dancers at the London Contemporary School of Dance will not have access to this book in their school library. ... Read more

Isbn: 0916622894
Sales Rank: 102255
Subjects:  1. Dance    2. Dance - General    3. Dancers    4. Diet / Health / Fitness    5. Diets - General    6. Health & Fitness    7. Health/Fitness    8. Nutrition    9. Nutrition And Diet    10. Weight loss   

Perfect Class 3-CD Set: Music for Ballet Class from Julia Bourlina & Anna Korab
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (01 March, 2003)
list price: $59.99 -- our price: $59.99
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Reviews (1)

Great Set for Everyday Class
This music keeps my students moving and inspired. The wonderful melodies give me ideas quickly for combinations. I highly recommend these CDs. ... Read more

Asin: B00008LUM5
Sales Rank: 177875

Léon Minkus: Don Quijote
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (12 December, 1995)
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Reviews (5)

One of the Grreatest Ballet Recordings EVER
Finding recordings of old ballets from the 19th century is usually a feat within its self. Just about every ballet company today performs them, but the orchestra hardly ever records thier music. The old composers of the ballet before Tchaikovsky are, in my opinion, the most underrated creators of music ever. Alot of this has to do with the fact that they did not write music for showing off the orchestra or even the conductor, but for showing off the ballet dancer. The Ballet Master would set down strict instructions of time, tempo, and even scoring so that the music would fit like a glove to the dances and dramatic scenes. These composers are often dismissed for thier very 'un-symphonic' approach to composing. It is rare, that an orchestra sits down to record peices that were written soley for the ballet dancer. Delibes's or Tchaikovsky's music has more symphonic qualities, and the two are more famous. This results in thier music getting recorded more often (to often if you ask me).

Among these composers, the most famous is Leon Minkus. He was, before Tchaikovsky came along, the resident composer of ballet music for the Russian Czar's Imperial Ballet in St. Petersburg. With the great choreographer Marius Petipa (who would later create "La Bayadere", "The Sleeping Beauty", "Nutcracker", "Swan Lake" among others) they created a ballet very loosley based on the Cerevantes novel "Don Quixote". The ballet premiered in Moscow, Russia in 1869 for the Bolshoi Ballet. It was taken to St Petersburg in 1872 for a more lavish and formal staging and has been performed there ever since. The work was much revised and reworked throughout Petipa's lifetime and well afterward. Among these was the staging by the great dancer Alexander Gorsky in 1900. "Don Quixote" (or "Don Quijote" as its spelled on the packaging) has been tinkered with a great deal throughout the 20th century. It is these versions that have been passed down to us.

The music, true to 19th century tradition, was added to and revised by several composers, mostly at the behest of the ballerinas that danced its leads, and the fact that revisions of the work went on well after Minkus's death. Most of the additional music is recorded here (at least the important additions), and Spassov does a first rate job in his conducting. The music is played exactly as it would sound if you were in the theatre and had dancers right in front of you.

I was so excited when I saw this item a few years back for sale and quickly snatched it up. There is another recording done by the Victoria Orchestra of the Austrailian Ballet, with the Minkus score revised and refurbished by John Lanchbery, a version used for Nureyevs sumptuous staging (its only available on the orchestra Victoria site for purchase). Spassov's conducting is one of the best performances of ballet music ever put on disc. It should be owned by all dancers and balletomanes alike. Five Stars!

Great Conducting for Dancing
Spassov is a boon to ballet dancers. Excellent tempos and phrasing for thedancer. It's such a joy to have the full-length recording.

The full Quijote
I was pleased to find the full length recording of this ballet that is rarely seen in its entirety. I enjoyed the recording, however, I found the orchestra less than full-bodied, especially during the Grand Pas de Deuxtowards the end of the CD.It seemed a little tinny, a little too fragileduring Kitri's variation, which does not suit her passionate, voluptuousnature.Aside from these drawbacks, I found the music very entertaining.I am still waiting for a full length version by a more robust orchestra,but in the meantime, this Don Quijote recording will do. ... Read more

Asin: B000001WS6
Sales Rank: 46953
Subjects:  1. Ballet    2. Classical    3. Opera / Operetta / Oratorio   

The Joffrey Ballet School's Ballet-Fit
by Allison Kyle Leopold Dena Moss
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (15 February, 1999)
list price: $21.95 -- our price: $15.37
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Editorial Review

Ballet-Fit is for the adult beginner ballet student, "whether 17 or 70." The authors admit the atmosphere in most ballet studios can be a bit intimidating, but say it needn't be.

We concede that if you hang around your local ballet school or dance studio, at first glance, it probably will seem to be filled with long-legged, lean-limbed adolescents, with tight little hair buns, stern little faces, and rumpled leg warmers around their ankles. But ... chances are the 23-year-old stretching on the floor isn't a budding ballerina but a law student who finds beginning ballet a relaxing break from her books. As for the thirty-something woman at the barre, very likely she's a new mother who's thrilled with the stronger, firmer, more flexible body she has developed since she began classes.

A combination of confidence-boosting ballet instruction and fitness facts, with plenty of photographs (although all in black and white), Ballet-Fit offers a multitude of tips for beginners. You'll learn what to wear to class, the best way to break in a new pair of pointe shoes, and how to prevent injuries. And you'll even learn the proper pronunciation of the French dance terms, from arabesque to temps de flèche. For folks who don't live near a ballet studio or dancewear store, there's a helpful directory of magazines, catalogs, videos, audiotapes, and Web sites.

Ballerinas, as dancer Allegra Kent put it, "have the strongest, most beautiful, and very probably the most envied bodies in the world." With Ballet-Fit and some dedication, you can work your way toward becoming a toned, flexible balletomane, too. --Erica Jorgensen ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Wow!
This book was amazing! I read the entire book before deciding to take an adult ballet class and this book was dead on. It helped clarify everything from what to wear, to how the class would be formatted. I felt so at ease when I walked into my first class and saw the age range of the students - there were young 20-somethings all the way to a lady in her 50's - and there was even a guy in our class! The workout section towards the end of the book is great. You can do one or all of the exercises on your days out of class. And some of them will really get you stretching. I've noticed that there aren't many, if any, floor exercises during class - such as crunches. Most of the class time is spent doing barre work and some center work at the end. These workouts provide an excellent warm up before class. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in getting into (or back into) ballet. It will clarify any questions you could possibly have and leave you feeling like you can do this when you're finished reading it!

Exellent introduction for the adult novice
This book is written for female and male adults who have never danced ballet but would like to learn it without professional ambitions. It describes a typical ballet class and physical requirements, it addresses concerns adults may have such as fear of ridicule, prior sports injuries, costs and outfits involved, use of French terminology, etc. It also shows that ballet is not only for the fit 25-year-old woman, but equally beneficial to a 50-year-old. And, that many men practice it, too. The authors mention that Vince Lombardi, the "very macho" coach of the legendary Green Bay Packers, had his players take ballet for coordination, discipline, and endurance.

In addition to dance theory, the book explains dance terminology in words and clear photographs, it also shows ballet exercises that will prepare you for the class.

The book is realistic, encouraging and a great preparation before you sign up for a class. Finding a ballet school in your area that teaches adults, of course, is another matter, unless you live in a big city. But the book does list many schools all over the United States that accept adults.

Not what I thought it would be
I bought this book, expecting to find a good ballet exercise guide. Instead, the ballet fit was not a very big part of the book. Most of the books contents consisted of what to expect if you start an adult ballet class, faq, information, and thoughts of various kinds. Since I live in a place where I can't take adult classes (I don't think they even have them in Norway at all), this was not very much use. The book also had too many references to the joffrey ballet school. It felt like they vere trying to talk me into starting there, and that's not what I was after.

This is a very handy book if you're considering taking up adult classes, or if you are taking adult classes. But if you want a ballet-fit book, this ones not for you (though you might think so from the title) ... Read more

Isbn: 0312194706
Subjects:  1. Ballet    2. Ballet dancing    3. Diet / Health / Fitness    4. Exercise    5. Health & Fitness    6. Health/Fitness    7. Joffrey Ballet School    8. Physical fitness    9. Study and teaching    10. Health & Fitness / Exercise   

New York City Ballet Workout : Fifty Stretches And Exercises Anyone Can Do For A Strong, Graceful, And Sculpted Body
by Peter Martins
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (13 January, 1997)
list price: $24.00 -- our price: $16.32
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Editorial Review

Dancers get their beautiful bodies by dancing, right? Well, there's more to it than that. They also do specific exercises and stretches to build their strength and keep their magnificent physiques injury-free. This book offers 50 of those exercises, ranging from routine abdominal movements to "center exercises" (which develop coordination and stability) to advanced leg movements (which, of course, give you legs like a dancer). The book even offers suggestions for music to play while you follow the training tips. ... Read more

Reviews (64)

Wonderful book
I have had this book for at least 3 years and I got it because like lots of other girls, I liked ballet and it has always been a dream for me, another dream for me is mac'n cheese so, girls if you know nothing about ballet and can't even do a split dont worry, this book is perfect. You can go at your own pace and pick out the excercises that target your undesireable areas but dont pass up the ones that dont look hard, you dont work up a sweat but every one of the stretches does something good, pretty soon people will start to notice you because, you will start walking different, I sometimes do one or two of the balancing excercises before I go out and I have to say that this book will have you striking a pose without even knowing it. There is one thing that I think can be done to make this book perfect. I have literally worn out my book and I would purchase it again if it were smaller and wire bound and use it for travel.The pictures are lovely and even if you are a "couch potato" this book will do wonders for your posture and personally, the Complete Spinal Stretch has worked out crooks in my back like magic. This is the kind of book that becomes like a big secret because it does not take much for you to feel a difference, the change will be gradual but lasting.

Excellent Book
This book was more than I expected when I ordered it. It is large sized and the pictures of the ballet dancers are very inspiring.The stretches and other exercises are complex but well worth learning.The workouts are a great addition to any exercise routine.

excellent..
very good book.. great pictures.. fun excercises that are alot harder than they look.. easy to follow along.. however, if you're looking for something to get your heart rate up, this doesn't always work.. i usually combine it with practicing dance and do this as a warm up and cool down.. very relaxing.. definately makes you feel elongiated (is that a word?).. i enjoyed it alot.. ... Read more

Isbn: 0688152023
Subjects:  1. Ballet dancing    2. Diet / Health / Fitness    3. Exercise    4. General    5. Health & Fitness    6. Health/Fitness    7. Stretching exercises    8. Health & Fitness / Exercise   

The New York City Ballet Workout, Vol. 2
Average Customer Review:
DVD (27 May, 2003)
list price: $24.99 -- our price: $19.99
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Editorial Review

Peter Martins, Ballet Master in Chief of the New York City Ballet, and four graceful dancers--two men, two women--offer a beautifully produced, challenging, 90-minute strength and flexibility workout. The moving warm-up readies your muscles and makes you feel like a dancer. Most of the workout focuses on the abdominals and lower body (thighs, calves, buttocks), with exercises that ballet dancers use to strengthen and lengthen their muscles and condition their core. At the end, you learn patterns for a ballet routine which becomes a short cardiovascular workout. New York City Ballet Workout, Vol. 2 builds on what was best about the popular New York City Ballet Workout--the graceful moves and gorgeous dancers--and includes the much-needed instruction and technique that was missing in the original. If you love watching or dancing ballet, New York City Ballet Workout, Vol. 2 is your workout. Highly recommended. --Joan Price ... Read more

Features

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Reviews (22)

A Challenging Accompaniment to the First Workout
I have owned and used the first workout in this series for several years now and enjoy it thoroughly.I have no ballet training and purchased the video after getting interested in Pilates.I bought the second workout on DVD despite one reviewer's comment that it is virtually the same workout as the video I already own.I was glad to learn this wasn't true.The first workout is far easier as it requires less coordination while the second workout incorporates dance steps and arm movements in a much more complicated fashion.It also transitions from one type of move to the next much quicker than the first workout which broke each type of move (plies, tendu, etc.) into separate segments.Furthermore, I find the abdominal work and floor bar exercises much more challenging in this workout than in the first.

Perhaps what most distinguishes this workout from the first is the dance routine included at the end.The first workout has little cardiovascular work and this segment (which I skip to before Reverence) really kicks up the intensity of my workout.I also feel like I'm really learning how to dance ballet - not just engaging in ballet exercises. I get better at the routine each time I do the workout and find myself motivated to work out more as I attempt to master the steps.This routine is difficult to follow for those of us without dance training but equally thrilling when we amateurs find ourselves keeping up with the professionals (even if we aren't quite as graceful).

I recommend that non-dancers buy both workouts.The first allows you to concentrate on learning rudimentary postures and moves.The second increases the challenge with a more dynamic workout, preventing plateaus.I now alternate between the two workouts, doing each about once a week as a supplement to my other fitness activities.

Awesome
This is a great workout video. I have taken ballet for 14 yrs and have been away from dance for about 5 yrs so it was quite easy for me to get back into the routines and exercises. I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. This has been very helpful for balance and flexibilty after having to quit all physical activites for the last year. It is better prepared than the first version with great extras and customizable exercise routines. It may be a little difficult for beginners or those who haven't taken ballet before. The routines are a little more complicated than those in the first version and at a faster pace. It has a termanology and instruction section that is of great help if you are a beginner but I would start off with nyc ballet vol 1. great stretches and instructors. I loved it. It is a great workout and has a dance routine at the end.

Great workout!
The contempory music choice instead of classical was a great help. Even though I have NO ballet experience whatsoever, I had no problem following. I had done many other latin, belly dance DVDs as well as yoga to help me keep up with this DVD both in following & in keeping up for 45 min.

The plies really felt good to my overcontracted muscles/tedons in my knees that keep me from doing leg lifts, etc.I felt really toned after, even in my arms from keeping them up which are my weak spot. The floor abs workout also was a killer as well as the floor back workout.

You can see a trailer for both NYC Ballets at collagevideo.com ... Read more

Asin: B00008L3WX
Subjects:  1. Exercise/Fitness