Inside Ballet Technique

separating anatomical fact from fiction in the ballet class

Valerie Grieg

Outside Reading Post 3rd Quarter

Speaker: The speaker of Inside Ballet Technique is Valerie Grieg. In the novel, Valerie Grieg strives to separate the anatomical fact from fiction in the ballet class. Uniquely, Grieg speaks to the audience in a genuine way. When speaking to her ballet dancers, she gives background information regarding the anatomy of the body. From anatomical knowledge, the author is able to relate each part of the body to its usage in dance. Through the publication, the author is able to not only emphasize the physical importance of dancers, but also their mental capacity.

The Audience: The audience is dancers. Many of the references are mainly based off of ballet requisitions but also are applicable to jazz and modern dancers. In a unique way, Grieg makes references to dance teachers and their corrections. These corrections are to be taken figuratively and not literally. Grieg guides the common dancer to differentiate between literal and figurative corrections.

Purpose: The purpose is to make dancers aware of the connection between the nervous system and muscular system. Every system influences one another. This theory is clearly shown when teachers tell their students “when you think you can’t, you wont.” It is a scientific fact that when you brain has positive thoughts your body will follow. The nervous system is with out a doubt the most important form in the body.

Subject: The book Inside Ballet Technique is divided into the main sectors of the body. Some of the contents include muscle understanding, the spinal column, the control center, turn-out and the feet. A human body includes 700 muscles, however these 700 muscles are often used the wrong way. Valerie Grieg encourages dancers to ask questions and develop their own understanding of their own body’s limitations.

Rating System: For any dancer, I would highly recommend this book. After reading this highly specific dance novel, I have a better understanding of the body and how each part collaborates to make the whole body move.