Ballet Muda (1996)

Synopsis

An opportunity to excel in one of the great art forms combining physical strength and discipline with courage, intelligence and tenacity.

Production Information

  • Production / Presenting Company:Prodance Academy, Maria School of Dancing, Wendy Dance Centre
  • Date:28 November 1996
  • Total Showing:1; NB: A total of 5 individual pieces were performed. Below are the dance items.
  • Venue:Civic Centre, Petaling Jaya
  • State:Selangor

Individual Dance Items

Item #1

  • Title:The Little Mermaid
  • Item Synopsis / Program Notes:

    Adapted from the Hans Christian Anderson fairytale of the same name, a children’s fantasy for the children in our audience, danced by children experiencing the magic of imagination, the first step on the development of artistic quality and emotional feeling.

  • Choreographer:Wendy Eng
  • Category:Ballet
  • Dancers:Junior and Senior students of Wendy Dance Centre, Kajang
  • Other Information:

    adapted from “The Little Mermaid”

Item #2

  • Title:Grands Pas Charactere
  • Item Synopsis / Program Notes:

    The great classic ballets always include character dances by way of a travelogue for 18th and 19th century audiences in the absence on television or media! This is why our students still study these dances for their ballet exams. In such rare countries as Spain these dances have reached their highest point of development. “Grands Pas Charactere” is dances to the music of “Swan Lake” all of which the Russian composer Tchaikovsky composed within the rhythms of his native folk dances, and will show the styles of “Polonaise”, “Czardas”, “Mazurka”, and how the simple rhythms of children studies relate to a grand performance. In Spain folk dance has reached it’s most sophisticated form and “Swan Lake” includes a very stylish example.

  • Choreographer:Louise Hawke
  • Category:Ballet
  • Dancers:Junior and Senior students of Maria School of Dancing, Kepong
  • Composer:[Music]: Tchaikovsky Opus 20 “Swan Lake Act 2”

Item #3

  • Title:Pas De Quatre
  • Item Synopsis / Program Notes:

    Classical ballet derives from the Court Dances of  18th century France and was refined in Italy. In 1845, four of the greatest ballerinas in the history of theatrical dance were invited to perform together and “Pas de Quatre” was created. It is performed in the spirit of gentle rivalry as each ballerina demonstrates her particular ability whether it be a light jumping style, or multiple turns, or a delicate balance on her pointes, and each solo reflects her specialty.

    Our “Pas de Quatre” follows closely the original choreography. It is known as the “Romantic Style” and is taught in our syllabus as the elegant use of arms and head combined with the steps each of these ballerina’s perfected.

  • Choreographer:Louise Hawke (after Jules Perrot 1845)
  • Category:Ballet
  • Dancers:Advanced students of Prodance Academy PJ and Wong Sze Pooi First solo : Chong Chui Mei Second solo : Low Yee Lee Third solo : Wong Sze Pooi Fourth solo : May Hew Yoke Bee with Lisa Foo Yu Hsia, Yap Li Koon
  • Composer:[Music]: Adolphe Adam

Item #4

  • Title:Mozart by Muda
  • Item Synopsis / Program Notes:

    As the introduction to Contemporary dance technique, “Free Movement” is included at all children’s exam levels, and will often reveal personal dance qualities in students which are often not realised during formal ballet training sessions!

    “Mozart by Muda” is choreographed to show the relationship of free movement with in the context of ballet technique.

  • Choreographer:Louise Hawke
  • Category:Ballet
  • Dancers:Soloist : Hon Yen Kuen, Low Siew Keng, Tina Lim First Movement : Senior students of Maria School of Dancing Second Movement : Senior students of Prodance Acedemy Third Movement : Senior students of Maria School of Dancing Fourth Movement : Junior students of Prodance Academy (Choreographer: Theresa Woon) Finale: All
  • Composer:[Music]: Amadeus Mozart

Item #5

  • Title:Dances from Napoli
  • Item Synopsis / Program Notes:

    A pure classical ballet in the style of “Swan Lake” and “Giselle”, this ballet was first performed over a hundred years ago in Denmark by the Royal Danish Ballet and is still danced by this Company today and by many ballet companies worldwide.

    “Napoli” is ballet in an Italian style with Italian folk dance and the music of tambourines blended with ballet steps.

    Our dancers will perform the third act of the ballet and all the steps they will dance are from the original choreography and not changed or simplified. These same steps are incorporated in the training syllabus. They are difficult, a great deal of jumping is involved, needing physical strength and intelligence to remember the complicated sequences.

  • Category:Ballet
  • Dancers:Soloists of Ballet Muda with the students of Maria School of Dancing, Prodance Academy, Wendy Dance Centre.
  • Composer:[Music]: Helsted
  • Other Information:

    [Producer]: Louise Hawke (after Auguste Bournonville)

Credit