Basic Principles of Classical Ballet (Paperback)

by Agrippina Vaganova (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Discusses all basic principles of ballet, grouping movement by fundamental types. Diagrams show clearly the exact foot, leg, arm and body positions for the proper execution of many steps and movements. Offers dancers, teachers and ballet lovers information often difficult to locate in other books.


Language Notes
Text: English, Russian (translation)

Product Details

• Paperback: 175 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications; Revised edition (June 1, 1969)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486220362
• ISBN-13: 978-0486220369
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #65,069 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An important Russian standard work on ballet, July 31, 1998

By A Customer

Madame Vaganova (1879-1951) is justly considered the best teacher of classical ballet this century. Her book, first published in the West in 1946 and translated by Anatole Chujoy, deals with the intricate steps of ballet in a matter-of-fact way. The drawings, though, are plain awful, dull, uninspiring, but informative. The chapter "Construction of a lesson" ought to be compulsory reading for every teacher of dance. The order of the exercises, what faults to look out for and how to remedy them. There is great emphasis on the use of the arms, the secret that gives ballet its eloquence. If I should recommend only one single book on ballet technique, this would be the one. Every step - from the barre exercises to the most spectacular jumps and turns are described in detail, great emphasis is put upon the correct placing of the head and arm movements as aids to perfect execution. The Vaganova system is used by the Maryinski - formerly the Kirov - dancers; she was ! also honored by having the former Leningrad Choreographic School renamed the Vaganova Institute.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For the student and the teacher!, May 6, 2000

By	Colorado Dancer (Greeley, CO) - See all my reviews

I first received a copy of this book when I was 9 years old...it was recommended by one of my first ballet teachers. I loved looking at the illustrations, and discovering the spelling of terms that I was learning in class. I loved looking at the more advanced steps and their complexity. I still have that copy 20 years later. Now, I use it as a wonderful reference for teaching, and recommend it to my students. A valueable book that every dancer should have!

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Book, November 28, 2003

By	Sarah Salome "Vintage Grace" (NYC) - See all my reviews

As a student dancer I usually like to brush up on things that I wish I could at school or on the bus. It's a great book emphising on Russian Technique and basic steps. For eight bucks it was one of the most cheapest ballet books I have boughten. It goes straight into the positions of the feet. It tells you of what are the correct ways and what are the incorrect ways. It gives little drawings of a ballet practicing the step. If you can remember those little diagrams of the silloutte of feet for ballroom dancing, most of the diagrams are like that. In the drawings when a leg is suppose to switch or the body, little lines are drawn and it is almost impossible not to understand what the steps are drawn out to be. The only thing I wish was more of introduction to pointe. There are only a chapter dedicated to pointe work, clear and understandable on how to develop strength with echapes and releves. Even in the diagrams they give you Russian and French and Italian for some to show you the possible difference. This is a very detailed book, the only problem you would have if you didn't live in the ballet world at all. If your looking for an introduction I suggest the Royal Academy Ballet Book, but if you know your ballet terminology and learning how this manual will save you steps, get it. It helped me understand really what I was suppose to do. Visually you don't learn everything but it breaks it down perfectly to really know what your doing physically than visually.