Skaters whose ballet training has paid off

[dancing_tessa]

ITA. I did years of ballet and modern dance and it didn't make me graceful, or flexible, or "artistic". It did improve my posture somewhat, though that may be credited to other things. I think with skaters, ballet allows you, maybe, to improve on what is already there. If someone is naturally graceful in the way he or she moves, ballet may help express it even more beautifully, by helping with posture, line and extension. But it is most definitely not a magic wand.

ITA. Just taking ballet lesson will not make you graceful or artistic because it is somewhat technical. I've been doing ballet since I was 5 years old and I don't know whether I was graceful or artistic before. But I honestly believe that ballet can help you with that. Of course, only if you have a versatile training schedule that includes more than just technical ballet lessons. You need the technical basis but you also need to feel it. If you just don't have "it" naturally, you may never become a ballet dancer but I don't think that it means you won't be able to improve to artitry and grace.

 

[Bennett]

ITA. Just taking ballet lesson will not make you graceful or artistic because it is somewhat technical. I've been doing ballet since I was 5 years old and I don't know whether I was graceful or artistic before. But I honestly believe that ballet can help you with that. Of course, only if you have a versatile training schedule that includes more than just technical ballet lessons. You need the technical basis but you also need to feel it. If you just don't have "it" naturally, you may never become a ballet dancer but I don't think that it means you won't be able to improve to artitry and grace.

I think that learning from teachers/coaches who are artists themselves help the student "feel it". I am not good at any of the dances or music I have learned. But I am really grateful to some of my piano, ballet, FS, and other dance teachers/coaches who were really artistic. Some showed great examples. Others had great vocabulary to describe it. Some others had knowledge and skills to intellectually analyze it. Even at a lower level, your dance or music experiences become richer with such help.
My current ballet teachers are very artistic and elegant and always full of joy of dancing even after having danced already for decades. Just being around them helps me learn something more than techniques. Even my reverence improved after I came here because they shared with me what they have in mind when they do that.

One day, I watched a video of David Wilson working with Yuna. He seems to be really an artistic person. I liked the way he verbalized beautiful images. I also loved it when I watched a video of him talking about Jeff's programs. He seemed very sensitive. I guess working with a person like him would help the skater with artistry.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

ITA. Just taking ballet lesson will not make you graceful or artistic because it is somewhat technical. I've been doing ballet since I was 5 years old and I don't know whether I was graceful or artistic before. But I honestly believe that ballet can help you with that. Of course, only if you have a versatile training schedule that includes more than just technical ballet lessons. You need the technical basis but you also need to feel it. If you just don't have "it" naturally, you may never become a ballet dancer but I don't think that it means you won't be able to improve to artitry and grace.

Who didn't? I also took tap, Spanish, character and Acrobatics. So what?

I agree Artistry comes from inside the person not from a dance class. Technical prowess comes from the classes.

The port du bras if I spelled it correctly, means carrying the arms which I think most posters are concerned about especially when a lady skater poses. A good choreographer will get her the correct arms with a ballet-look.

Ballet is helpful if you study it for at least 5 years of 5 classes a week. but it is not a cure-all for faulty posture, and poor skating presentation. Caroline Zhang, for me has the most ballet-like arms that fit her style of skating. How she could handle a Flamenco without a good Spanish teacher to show her, would be a test of versatility, and I don't mean batting eyelashes in Carmen either. And I don't think she could consider herself a Spanish dancer which takes as much time as Ballet to master.

Many posters see ballet in figure skating. Many ballet dancers think figure skating is cute.

 

[dewey]

Jenny Kirk, although it was more evident in her early skating.

Sasha said in an interview that she only did a little ballet - she mostly did gymnastics as a small child.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Jenny Kirk, although it was more evident in her early skating.

Sasha said in an interview that she only did a little ballet - she mostly did gymnastics as a small child.

Jenny, and I love her, only performed in Nutcracker. I doubt she had a problem passing the audition. I thought her Cabaret number was quite dancey on ice.

Sacha took Acrobatics as all little girls involved in Gymnastics. In Acrobatic classes one learns how to work on flexibility and point one's toes. Just about all professional ballet dancers warm up with acrobatic floor work.

 

[dancing_tessa]

Who didn't? I also took tap, Spanish, character and Acrobatics. So what?


Ballet is helpful if you study it for at least 5 years of 5 classes a week. but it is not a cure-all for faulty posture, and poor skating presentation. Caroline Zhang, for me has the most ballet-like arms that fit her style of skating. How she could handle a Flamenco without a good Spanish teacher to show her, would be a test of versatility, and I don't mean batting eyelashes in Carmen either. And I don't think she could consider herself a Spanish dancer which takes as much time as Ballet to master.
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Well, I think we all agree that figure skaters are no ballet dancers and they will never be! My ballet training is 12 hours per week, plus some extra classes, and I find the time management quite difficult! And it's "only" ballet. But I do know that many skaters do a lot more hours of training a week which includes from what a know just a limited number of ballet lesson, so I'm very impressed with how much they still can benefit from ballet classes.
I can totally understand why you dislike(I think it was you, if not forgive me) that ballet discussion. Some of the comment seem to imply that either just taking a couple of ballet lessons will make you improve lines, posture etc. significantly or that a figure skater could just take his/her skates off(if he/she has done ballet training)and enter a ballet company.
I love ballet and I really like figure skating. But if figure skating would transform into something like "ballet on ice" I would be really disappointed because I think it looks somewhat ridiculous, no offense!

 

[blue dog]

Yeah, ballet really doesn't have anything to do with edges.

Can't think of any other skaters on this list who have visibly benefitted from taking ballet, so what about skaters who gained nothing from ballet? Rachael Flatt claims to take ballet lessons, but I see nothing in her poor posture and complete lack of extention and turnout that would even HINT at her having taken lessons. She looks very awkward. But, ballet is really just another tool, I guess, it isn't a magic wand.

ITA--Mirai Leung took ballet, and while she is flexible, her line still has a lot of work--but she has the potential.

 

[passion]

ITA--Mirai Leung took ballet, and while she is flexible, her line still has a lot of work--but she has the potential.

Do you mean Mirai Nagasu or Mira Leung? I'm confused.