Customer Reviews

Bryony Brind's Ballet: The First Steps [VHS]

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Bryony's ballet class is quite average. For starters, there is only one participant: Bryony. For seconds, there are a lot of slow motion demonstrations and scenic sequences that have little to do with ballet class A third compaint is that Bryony goes through all the barre work without really breaking down and teaching the individual exercises. There is little nomenclature and explanation in this video. An intermediate student might know what's happening, but this video would tend to lose the beginning student taking his or her "first steps." Finally, I think Bryony rushes too quickly into the more complex exersises, losing all but the more informed student of ballet. If you want to see a professional work at the barre, get this video. If you are a beginner, find a less advanced and more basic tape.

This is one of my favorite ballet videos.
It would probably be best appreciated in combination with a basic instructional video. Ms. Brind does not go into a detailed explanation of each step and some of what she does would be beyond the ability of a beginner. She comments on and demonstrates the fundamentals but communicates primarily through her movements.
She shows the connection between the various phases of ballet training; warm up, barre and floor, to preparation for a role. In Ms. Brind's case, each phase transcends exercise and becomes a dance, and one has the inspiration of seeing the basic movements performed with the feeling and grace of a classical ballerina.