American Ballet Theatre Workshop
Over the past few weeks third graders have been working with the American Ballet Theatre. Mr. Adam, a dancer from ABT, spent two days at St. Bernard’s working with the boys. He taught them some of the basics of ballet, including plié, tendu, jèté, sauté, and chasse. Using the ballet Le Corsaire as a model, Mr. Adam taught each class a different choreography. The boys especially enjoyed the pirate theme and the focus on mime as way to express emotion.
The workshop culminated in a field trip to the American Ballet Theatre studio. The boys divided into three groups and rotated between activities. In one room they drew their own pirate and wrote a story about him. In another area they created a fan that could be used as an accessory on stage. They imagined fantastical adventures and drew them on their fans. Then they had the chance to perform the dance they had learned for their parents. The field trip ended with a wonderful performance by dancers from the American Ballet Theatre, who presented a piece from Le Corsaire.
Many thanks to the American Ballet Theatre. St. B’s has been lucky enough to work with ABT for six years, and we look forward to many more years of collaboration.
