From: Jason Benedict Subject: Tricks in Ballet Date: Thu, 2 May 1996 04:17:26 -1000 Organization: Division of Applied Sciences, Harvard University Message-ID: <960502101726.2020133e@LAW.FORDHAM.EDU> >> >> Most questions at the seminar were about music selection, how do you do >> this and that manuver, and a few questions on the age old debate of tricks >> vs nontricks ballet routines. > >Tell us more Dave! What about the trick issue? This was one reason I >dropped competing. I can do all the tricks as good as the next guy, That's subject is still up for debate..... I thought you dropped competing because your arthritis was acting up... You old dinosaurs can't keep up wth the young blood. >but I felt that Ballet was going down the tubes with all the gratuitous axels >and other tricks just thrown in for the hell of it. Don't read this wrong, >if a piece of music calls for something radical, fine. But, I would see >the standard flight with tricks go like so. Fly to the edge, stall, and >bang! an axel for no reason! (you can see one of those coming for miles) Even in the Upper Classes ?? I have started judging more and I have seen exactly what your talking about. Novice and Intermediate flyers may tend to telegraph their next move no matter what it is. Trick or Not ! Experienced and Masters have a better handle on when to trick and when not to. Don't you think ? Some flyers interpret the music more radically then others. For arguments sake, I know all the tricks also, but usually do very few select ones in competition. This doesn't mean that the more radical flyer deserves less appreciation. Your point should more precisely be that unwarrented tricks are bad form. >Last year, a bunch of us would stand and count axels in ballet routines! Yes, that was You and Me. We saw an Intermediate competitor pull off, like, 38 axels in New York last year..... Amazing... Funny, though .. he didn't do that bad... >Olan Turner was right! Why? Did he say you were an old dinosaur also ?? JJ = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =