Eight Female Classical Ballet Variations

From the graceful flutter of Princess Florine at Sleeping Beauty's wedding to the playful jetées in the first act of Giselle, the variation - or short solo work - is one of the key elements of classical ballet. Arguing that true artistry requires in-depth knowledge, author Nina Danilova has worked with students for many years to focus on performing individual variations with the greatest extent of technical proficiency and artistic sensitivity.

Eight Female Classical Ballet Variations lays out eight variations in the ballerina's repertoire. Each chapter is divided into five sections: a piano reduction of the score; a contextual note covering the history of the ballet, the plot, and memorable dancers who have performed the role; and instructions for dancing the variation itself, illustrated step by step.

Accompanied by a comprehensive companion website, Eight Female Classical Ballet Variations pairs Danilova's method of teaching students with her decades of pedagogical experience.

Nina Danilova is a Kirov-trained ballet dancer who holds a graduate degree in ballet pedagogy. She has worked with the award-winning Pacific Northwest Ballet, and now teaches at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where her popular variations class provided the inspiration for this book.