Nolwenn Collet: Attitude - Ballet Class Music for Young Dancers

From the album notes:

ATTITUDE is the fourth cd in the Tutus and Tempo collection and has been created specifically for the young dancer of 10 -13 years. At this level dancers are beginning a more serious study of ballet, encountering more technically demanding work and approaching pointe. With this in mind Nolwenn Collet has conceived music that will bring dancers and teachers on this exciting journey.

The cd follows the structure of daily ballet class, with particular emphasis on clear rhythms and steady tempi. The barre is tailored to support the additional vocabulary encountered at this level: petits battements, developes, grands battements en cloche … and ends with a demi-pointe and stretch section.

Once in the centre, Nolwenn wishes to bring the young dancer into the theatre, with ports de bras and adagio music that inspires, and for a moment lets the young performer imagine that he or she is on stage.

By expanding the pirouette section to include balance and spinning exercises, Nolwenn hopes to add to every teacher’s store of pirouette music, and to support the development of strong turning technique. As ever with Nolwenn’s music though, there is a sense of fun and enjoyment.

The allegro section is all about ‘opening the ears’ and listening to the music. From cheerful rags to pieces in five counts, from the steady ¾ composed specifically for balancés, to silences within pieces, the young dancer is encouraged to think about the interplay between rhythm, steps and music.

The cd ends with two pieces of repertory music, as at this level dancers are keenly aware of the link between the steps learnt in class and those performed on stage. To this end, the waltz from Giselle has been included. It is often one of the first pieces of repertory that the young performer learns. Nolwenn has taken particular care to record this at a steady tempo, thus allowing the young dancer to dance and at the same time pay particular attention to finer details of choreography. The addition of the Tarantella, with its joyful, celebratory energy, is designed to end class on a high note.  Enjoy!

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