Alumni Spotlight – Joseph Lihos

Meet our third IDA alumni feature, Joseph Lihos! Joseph Trained at Staunton Academy of Ballet with Pamela McCray and Shanda Hansen for 7 years. He entered IDA every year, the last level he did was Tier L. He was offered a scholarship to train full time at Ballet West in Utah, Salt Lake City. Joseph loved the opportunity to dance the male variations in the IDA program, particularly a Swan Lake variation. When learning a different version of the Swan Lake male variation at a summer program, he felt confident as he had already learned and performed this variation with IDA.

Photo Credit, Danielle McMillion

The NEW Tier A1 is Ready

We have added a new option for our youngest dancers.

If you have already purchased the Prejunior/Junior Tiers, The new Tier A1 (videos, music and notes) will now appear in your downloads. This is a complementary upgrade to the curriculum! Go to your account and redownload the Tier A videos, the prejunior/junior notes, and the prejunior/junior music, and you will see that we have added:

Tier A1 Port de Bras

Tier A1 Dance Steps

Tier A1 Teddy Bear Dance

If you have not yet purchased the program Tier A1 will be included in your purchase.

How is your Attitude?

By Marlena Juniman –Prima Soft Pointe Shoe Designer – www.prima-soft.com

 

Attitude ([aah-tee-TEWD) A French ballet term introduced by French ballet choreographer Carlo Blasis ,(1797-1876) inspired by the Statue of Mercury by Giovanni da Bologna.

The .Attitude is executed by standing on one leg with the other lifted in back, the knee bent at an angle of 90 degrees with the leg well turned out so that the knee is higher than the foot. The supporting foot may be flat on the floor, demi pointe or sur la pointe. The arm on the side of the raised leg is curved over the head while the other arm is extended to the side. There are a number of attitudes positions according to how the step is choreographed.

Attitude (at-ti-tude) A state of mind or a feeling either negative or positive, conscious or unconscious. The important point here is that we do have choice. The way a dancer views her life, herself and how she chooses to behave towards it will determine the outcome.

To go through the day with consciousness and ‘chose’ to have a good attitude can contribute much toward a good day, class or audition. To chose or to succumb to unconscious living and give in to negativity may contribute to a negative outcome.

So, like ‘Ahh-tee-tewd’ of ballet, there are a number of attitudes for you to choose according to how you want to choreograph your life.

Newspaper Article RE: Upcoming IDA Awards in Poissy, France

Le Courrier des Yvelines 24 June 2015

Poissy Article“When dancers take their exam in front of a public in Poissy Danse en Ile de France is an association of Poissy (France) since 1992 (accredited by the Ministry of Youth and Education), specialized in the training of classical dance using the method and syllabus of Vaganova as in Saint-Petersburg, Russia under the artistic direction of Cécile Däniker, choreographer and professor of classical dance. This association is the first school in France to welcome a new examination, “International Dance Acclaim”

This event open to the public will take place in Poissy, Sunday 28 June from 10 am to 1pm. The program, “International Dance Acclaim”( an evaluation through stage presentation), has been founded by a team of internationally recognized teachers and has its headquarters in the U.S.A.

The exam is composed of around 150 different original choreographies scaled in difficulty. It covers the work of children from 5 years old to professional level. The dancers present several choreographies which cover various difficulties (port de bras, adage, pirouettes, petite batterie, allegro) and they finish with a solo dance (variation) which in the higher levels is from the classical repertoire.

Practical information: Sunday 28 June, room number 2 in the sport complex COSEC in Poissy(42 rue d’Aigremont). Free of charge.”