Product Description

Ballet is fun and easy with this classic program created especially for pre-schoolers. Each of the basic steps is associated with flower and animal characters that make it easy to remember ballet terminology. The beautiful melodies and memorable lyrics make this class a unique and exciting experience for the young child! In addition to the basic ballet steps, the class includes a warm-up, stretching and strengthening exercises, and fundamentals like basic motor skills and creative movement. The floor exercises teach children the format of a dance class, spatial directions, and working together in groups. Special Bonus: The DVD includes audio tracks of all 21 practice songs!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #17397 in DVD
• Released on: 2003-08-12
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 40 minutes

Amazon.com
Ballet instructor Rosemary Boross combines imagination and ballet in this innovative dance program for preschoolers. Boross and a class of preschoolers warm up, perform stretching and strengthening exercises, progress to center work, and end with révérence. Boross does not give specific instruction or attempt to include viewers in her class. She does associate many fundamental ballet steps like plié, tendu, and bourreé with garden flowers and animals by utilizing original compositions by Bruce Foster. While the video's cover art suggests animated segments, there is no animation in the presentation, just crayon drawings and studio dancing set to music with clever lyrics. Convincing young students dance with Boross throughout the video, then improvise with scarves in a brief creative-movement segment. The instruction is minimal in this 38-minute video, but young viewers will learn many ballet fundamentals by imitating Boross and may even remember some ballet terms thanks to the garden imagery. (Ages 3 to 5) --Tami Horiuchi

Customer Reviews

get this tape for your aspiring ballerina!!!
This is an incredible, fun class for young children. We've rented this video from our library more than 20 times and still want to own it. This teacher is every parent and child's dream.

Ballerina Alert!
I must admit that at first I wasn't overly impressed with this video. It is a dance class video, no real "frills." My 5 year old daughter on the other hand takes it very seriously. Today she even asked me, "Mommy next year when I take dance, can I have this teacher if she's available?" I have even found myself on more than one occasion reliving my ballerina dreams with my daughter, focusing on the instructor, trying desperately to get my 30 something old feet to do the moves! At least twice a week we push back the coffee table and roll up the rug. This one is a winner in our home.

Most excellent for a budding ballet dancer!
The instruction? Excellent! Technique? Perfect level for a young child!

To an experienced professional it may appear to be lacking, however it is important to remember what the audience is for this tape. It's fun and educational without being overwhelming... helping to prepare young children for formal dance lessons in the future years.

As for the person who reviewed Ms. Boross' teaching to be "turned in," it makes me wonder what they were watching because it certainly was not this video. I'm glad I did not let the opinion of that particular view disuade my purchase.

My children love the video, and to echo someone else, my daughters all want "Miss Rosemary" to teach them in real life!