Les Petits Ballets News

  Starting ballet as an adult or coming back to ballet after a long hiatus can be intimidating and downright scary! While it may seem like most dancers begin at a young age and continue honing their technique as they age, it is totally possible to begin to dance later in life. It is also equally possible to come back to dance even if you haven...

  The tutu. The quintessential ballet costume. While beautiful, if you really think about it, the tutu is a rather strange garment, with layers of tulle jutting out from the hips, exposing the dancer's legs. The modern professional tutu usually consists of 8-12 layers of tulle, often with an attached bodice, and can take up to 20-60 hours of w...

Stylistic variations and subgenres of ballet have evolved over time. In addition to different training styles (our training is based on the Vaganova style at Les Petits Ballets), there are also different styles of ballets which were dependent on the era in which they were choreographed. These are Romantic, Classical, Neoclassical and Contemporary. ...

 Last December, Les Petits Ballets put on their new production of 'The Nutcracker'. After a 40 year history of being Ottawa's performing ballet school, this was the first year that 'The Nutcracker' was performed - a rarity for any ballet school or company. As the most popular ballet for dancers and non-dancers alike and the main revenue genera...

As we approach the end of November and the holiday season, we would normally be preparing for our biannual performance at Meridian Theatres. Last year around this time, we performed a new production of 'The Nutcracker' with choreography by Emily Rudenberg. The performances were a big success and we all were looking forward to performing it again th...

 In our third post in our series 'Boy's Don't Do Ballet, Do They?', we will look at the benefits of ballet for everyone (not just girls) and take a look at some professional athletes who take ballet - you may be surprised! See Part 1 and Part 2 by clicking the links. Unfortunately, there are still those in society today who reinforce...

 Ballon - A ballet term that refers to a dancer appearing to hover in the air when performing a jump. This light-weight and airy quality in allegro work is highly desired in ballet as it adds to the illusion of ease and weightlessness while dancing. Although it makes jumps appear effortless, achieving enviable ballon actually takes a lot of ef...

 The COVID-19 pandemic is changing the way we celebrate holidays this year. With Halloween around the corner, consider watching a spooky ballet that is sure to put you in the Halloween spirit! Giselle   A spooky favourite, Giselle, first performed in 1841, is a romantic tragedy and ghost story. After dying of a broken heart, the titular c...

 In the second instalment of our 'Boys Don't Do Ballet, Do They?' series (spoiler, they do!), we have interviewed two male dancers, whose dedication to their art is so inspirational! We asked them about their experience as males in the dance world and how they cope with the incorrect idea that ballet is only for girls.   &n...

Have you ever heard someone say that ballet isn't for boys? That ballet is a feminine activity, reserved solely for girls? Statements like these can't be further from the truth. To understand why this stereotype persists today, we must first look back at the history of ballet as a performing art.  Ballet finds its origins in the Italian Renais...

 APLOMB - Stability, Assurance, Poise   Correct posture allows us to use our bodies with maximum efficiency. In the words of Vaganova, "a correctly set body is the foundation of dance" . We call this 'aplomb' . This term applied to the dancer means that he or she has full control of their body and limbs with their weight correctly ce...

  A year of many changes to our regular lives, 2020 is a year that Les Petits Ballets is going to go through a major change - the retirement of Eva Zielinski, from the position of Director of Dance. After an established career as a dancer and teacher in her home country, Poland, Eva emigrated to Canada in 1982. In 1986, she joined Les Petits B...

 While COVID 19 health restrictions prevented in-person classes and rehearsals, the Les Petits Ballets family banded together to create something special - a way of dancing together while being apart. This project involved students from every program at Les Petits Ballets, including students from the Pre-professional, Recreational and Adult pr...

Dance throws us many physical and mental hurdles. Staying healthy can allow us to conquer these hurdles and become the best dancers we can be. See the tips below to learn more!     Tip #1- Take care of your body A dancer's body is their instrument, therefore it is extremely important to treat it well and with care. This includes eating we...

  "Look at life all around; everything is growing,  everything is moving forward. Therefore I recommend… keeping in touch with life and with art".  – Agrippina Vaganova   Famed pedagogue Agrippina Vaganova (1879-1951), is known for her development of a new training system for dancers in the first half of the 20th century, now kn...

​ Nourishing our bodies is very important for daily life and is even more important for athletic performance. Adding dance training to our regular activities uses up A LOT of energy and properly fuelling our bodies helps us maintain energy levels, avoid injury and stay well. Registered dietitian, Christine McPhail, so generously provided us wi...

Dancing at home is something you might have done occasionally for extra practice, or simply because you love to move. The majority of your training typically took place in the spacious studios at the Nepean Creative Arts Centre. This has all changed of course, due to the unprecedented situation we find ourselves living in - the COVID 19 pandemic. I...

​It's hard to think about ballet without conjuring up an image of a ballerina in a tutu with her hair tied back in a perfect bun.  We all know that becoming that ballerina in the tutu is a lot of hard work, but for some, creating that elusive bun is more difficult than expected. ​ ​ D ​ O NOT WORRY! YOU WILL NEED : -spray bottle with water -co...

Feet are the most precious tool for a dancer and taking care of them should be a priority.  The following are a few tips for healthy foot care.  ​ Toe nails Toe nails should be kept short.  Using sharp scissors or a toenail clipper cut your nails straight across the nail.  Do not curve inwards as this may cause ingrown toenails....

​In order for your canvas ballets shoes to look and feel their best it is necessary to keep them clean.  Following the next few simple steps will ensure comfortable, clean and  longer lasting shoes. You will need:     lingerie bag or mesh ballet shoe bag, mild detergent and a washing machine Step 1: Place canvas ballet...