PEDAGOGICAL GUIDE FOR TEACHING PRE-BALLET FROM

SYSTEMATIZATION OF THE ASSEMBLY PROCESS OF THE NUTCRACKER

WORK
IN SANTANDER DE QUILICHAO

KATHERINE GARCÍA CASTILLO

Valley University

VALLEY UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF INTEGRATED ARTS

SCHOOL OF PERFORMING ARTS

LIC. IN CLASSICAL
DANCE
CALI VALLEY)
2019
 PEDAGOGICAL GUIDE FOR TEACHING PRE-BALLET FROM
SYSTEMATIZATION OF THE ASSEMBLY PROCESS OF THE NUTCRACKER
WORK
IN SANTANDER DE QUILICHAO

PRESENTED BY:

KATHERINE GARCÍA CASTILLO

DEGREE WORK TO OPT FOR THE TITLE OF:

BACHELOR IN CLASSICAL DANCE

DEGREE WORK DIRECTOR:

DOUGLAS SOLOMON

DEGREE IN DRAMATIC ART

VALLEY UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF INTEGRATED ARTS

LIC. IN CLASSICAL
DANCE
CALI VALLEY)
2019
SCHOOL OF PERFORMING ARTS

LIC. IN CLASSICAL
DANCE
CALI VALLEY)
2019
 INDEX

PAGE

1. Introduction…………………………………………………………………….5

2. Background……………………………………………………………………6

3. Justification……………………………………………………………………..7

4. General objective………………………………………………………………..10
4.1 Specific objectives……………………………………………………..….10

5. Nutcracker Ballet - A wonderful work that lives through time………..11

5.1 Choreographers……………………………………………………………………..13
5.1.1 Marius Petipa……………………………………………………..13
5.1.2 Lev Ivanov………………………………………….……………..15
5.2 Composer. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky…………………………………………17
5.3 Plot of the work…………………………………………………………19

6. Teaching Ballet From a Pedagogical View……………………………21

6.1 A return trip…………………………………………………………...21
6.1.1 Finding the dance………………………………………………..21
6.1.2 Living the dance………………………………………………26
6.1.3 New experiences…………………………………………….........28
6.2 Encounter with teaching…………………………………………………………..30
6.3 Path to training as a classical dance teacher…………………………36

7. Adaptation of the Nutcracker Ballet in the Municipality of Santander De

Quilichao. A Pedagogical and Creative Experience with Pre-Ballet……………..43
7.1 Context of the pedagogical-creative process…………………………………….43
 PAGE

7.1.1 Arrival of a great pedagogical experience………….…………..43

7.1.2 Start of classes…………………………………………………………45
7.2 Utopian vision of the Nutcracker choreographic montage………………………… 52
7.3 Phases of the process………………………………………………………… 58
7.3.1 Learning, practice and internalization of a program
pre-ballet………………………………………………………….58
TO. Content…………………………………………………….…..58

8. Exercises developed…………………………………….….…62

7.3.2. Adaptation of the work to the socio-cultural reality of the municipality

from Santander de Quilichao..…………………………………………106
7.3.3. Pedagogical elements in the exercise of composition
of the Nutcracker (Development of the assembly process of the second
act of the C nutcracker ballet in the municipality of
Santander de Quilichao)………………..……………………………109
7.3.4. Final presentation of the work………………………………………..113

8. Interviews…………………………………………………………………………117

9. Conclusions From The Artistic And Pedagogical Experience...……………………...122

10. Bibliography……………………………………………………………………..123
10.1 online resources……………………………………………………………..123

11. Annexes……………………………………………………………………………….125
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1. INTRODUCTION

THIS MONOGRAPH PRESENTS the systematization of the process developed to carry out the
choreographic montage of the Nutcracker ballet presented in December 2016 in the Municipality
of Santander de Quilichao, with girls from 4 to 12 years of age belonging to this Municipality and
its surroundings. This choreographic montage was the result of an artistic experience as an
educational process, to create awareness of the dance art from learning basic knowledge of
classical technique that is acquired in pre-ballet, appropriate for these ages.

From my training as a professional dancer who graduated from the INCOLBALLET

artistic high school (2013) and a bachelor's degree student in classical dance at the Universidad del
Valle, it was clear to me that the assembly was going to be carried out using tools taken from
ballet, for which, I took as references the pre-ballet program (Pre-Primary and Primary level) of
the American Ballet Theater3 , which he had previously obtained in his teacher certification
carried out in LIMA-PERU in 2013 and the pre-ballet course program that he had learned in the
subject Classical Technique I, in my first semester at the Universidad del Valle . In these
programs, teachers are recommended to incorporate creative ideas that require contributions from
the student's imagination, for the internalization of the proposed contents.

This process transformed my vision of the way of teaching classical dance and the purpose
that can be given to it when faced with a population where this discipline has not been
experienced, since from this experience, I was able to explore and now affirm that the pre ballet
can not only be focused on training future professional dancers; This can be a material that
provides tools for girls and boys to increase their curiosity to learn and explore new things, in the
same way that they are encouraged to transform into reality all the ideas that arise in their
thinking, not only on a physical level. but for all aspects of your life, achieving a new perspective
of seeing the world and your own reality. In addition, it can fulfill another fundamental objective
of being a means to create awareness of ballet culture in populations where this art is not known in
depth.

3 United States ballet company, considered the most important in that country and one of the most outstanding of
the 20th century.
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2. BACKGROUND

THE PARENTS of this Municipality were interested in offering ballet classes to their daughters since
they had heard from different sources the physical and mental benefits that this artistic practice
offered, among which the following stood out: correct posture, elasticity, improvement in self-
esteem. , memory development, sensitivity, balance, teamwork and coordination. In this area,
there were some music, theater and dance academies (urban, popular and folkloric), but not one
that taught classical dance, because within the Municipality or its surroundings it had not been
possible to find a teacher to teach these. workshops and much less a person who traveled from
another city, since as the historian and political scientist Guido German Hurtado expresses it,
Santander de Quilichao presents a series of problems such as:

“A local administration without direction, without direction, without clear knowledge of

public policies and with many doubts regarding public administration. Political parties
constituted only as electoral companies that win mayoralties and then distribute the loot,
and politicians who serve as sellers of illusions. Strong illegal mining and with it, its
consequences for the environment and the emergence of associated mafias. With
permanent attacks by the FARC on the civilian population. And with drug trafficking and
the presence of criminal gangs. “A precarious situation that cannot be ignored.”4

Despite the above, I decided to face a risk that allowed me to modify my perception of the
educational teaching of classical ballet in non-professional training spaces and it is this motivation
that drives me to write the following monograph.

3. JUSTIFICATION

ONE OF THE most important reasons to justify the systematization of the assembly process of the
Nutcracker carried out within the municipality of Santander de Quilichao, is the importance given
to the development of creative value, based on tools taken from a pre-production program. ballet.
As Armando Rugarcía, doctor in education, says, “creativity is one of the most important human

4 Hurtado Vera, G. g. (2012, December, 22). Biodiversity, mining boom and human rights . In El Pueblo Magazine.
Recovered from http://elpueblo.com.co/biodiversidad-boom-minero-y-derechos-humanos/
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capacities, since with it man transforms and transforms, with it man makes culture; For him, this
confirms creativity as the most relevant trait to develop in contemporary education.” 5

Although classical dance has always been defined as a rigid, structured and closed
technique, through this work we will describe how ballet, in addition to providing physical and
mental benefits, among which the following stand out: coordination, work in group, correct
posture, musicality, among others; It was used as a tool to promote creativity with girls between 4
and 12 years old, belonging to the population of Santander de Quilichao. Furthermore, as Lin
Durán expresses it, “when dancing the student is not concerned with reaching the finish line, as in
competitive races; "He concentrates solely on the fact of moving his body, feeling and thinking,
starting from the initial stimulus that triggers creativity in him." 6 . Likewise, pre-ballet is an
introduction to classical dance in which work is done through images, games and activities that
lead children to relate knowledge that they have previously acquired in their lives, to create new
knowledge and It is through these processes that the development of their creative capacity is
favored.

Likewise, this work is pertinent due to the social and cultural relevance that this
choreographic production had within a vulnerable population with sociopolitical problems, where
something close to classical dance had not been performed before. It was through the work
Nutcracker originally created by the choreographer Marius Petipa and the composer Pyotr Ilyich
Tchaikovsky, who brought the population of this municipality closer to ballet. This work was
chosen because it is one of the most outstanding in classical dance culture, where the second act
(on which this process was focused) shows a selection of different dances from around the world
(Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Arabic) offering girls with auditory and cultural resources that served
as a driving force to expand their imagination. Likewise, we worked with these dances since this
section of the work presents short musical pieces that are easy to understand and have a marked
character. Furthermore, the plot is about a Christmas story, a time when the final performance of
the year 2016 was scheduled.

Since the objective of this process was to sensitize this population to the art of classical
ballet, the plot was taken from the Nutcracker , but not the original choreography, and one created

5 Duarte Briceño, E. (1998): “Creativity as a value within the educational process” , in School and Educational
Psychology Magazine, vol. 2 (No. 1), 43-51.
6 Duran, L. (1991): “Creativity in dance” . In Mexican Magazine of Political and Social Sciences. Vol. 36 (No.144), p.66
 9

during the process by the participating girls was chosen, using tools that were They were offered
from a pre-ballet program. This was a process that impacted not only the girls who were part of
this work, but also reached family, friends and people who in one way or another - even if it was
just out of curiosity - attended to see this version of the Nutcracker .

On the other hand, the development of this monograph is important, because it documents
the contribution made to the fulfillment of the cultural right that all Colombians have regarding
dance, which is presented within the national dance plan for a country that dances 2010. 2019 ,
written by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Colombia, where dance is exposed as a
“cultural right, guaranteeing the participation and appropriation of the various actors and sectors;
as well as the existence of scenarios that guarantee its practice and assessment. “Recognizes,
values and proposes democratic and equitable access to dance as a cultural right, heritage and
wealth of the nation.”7 . Additionally, this document presents a classification scheme for dance in
Colombia, to which the following genres belong: folk dance, classical dance, contemporary dance,
popular dance and urban dance.

On the other hand, I consider it important to systematize the performance of the Nutcracker
assembly since it is the first vestige of inclusion of this dance within the population of Santander
de Quilichao. Describing how ballet does not seek within this context to train professional and
virtuoso dancers of this technique, but rather it becomes an alternative so that girls do not find
themselves involved in the difficult socio-cultural situation that occurs within the municipality.

Finally, this work can serve future dance educators or historians who want to carry out a
study on the initiation of classical dance processes in said municipality. It is also of utmost
importance, since at the Universidad del Valle there has not been a systematization of a
choreographic process based on pre-ballet so far, in rural areas where there is no professional
training in classical dance and this, It can serve as a guide for teachers who wish to carry out
similar processes.

7Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Colombia (2010): “The national plan for dance.” Guidelines, National dance
plan for a country that dances 2010-2019 . Bogotá- Colombia: ebj advertising, p.29
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4. GENERAL OBJECTIVE

Present a pedagogical work guide based on a pre-ballet program, based on the systematization of
the creative process of the play Nutcracker, carried out with girls between 4 and 12 years old in
the municipality of Santander de Quilichao.

4.1 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

• Identify the contents worked on within this pedagogical-creative process and present some
exercises that help to develop these within a pre-ballet class.

• Identify the factors that led to varying the development of the final sample of the creative
process, based on the social context in which the participating girls operate.

Distinguish the phases of the pedagogical process of the assembly of the play The
Nutcracker, carried out within the municipality of Santander de Quilichao
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5. NUTCRACKER BALLET - A WONDERFUL WORK THAT LIVES THROUGH TIME

“The Nutcracker is a ballet-story structured in two acts, which was commissioned from Pyotr
Ilyich Tchaikovsky by the director of the Imperial Theaters, Ivan Vsevolozhsky in 1891. The
premiere took place in 1892 at the Mariinsky Theater in Saint Petersburg. In the original
production the choreography was created by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov. The libretto was
written by Ivan Vsevolozhsky and Petipa himself, based on the adaptation by Alexandre Dumas
(father) of the story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” by Ernst Theodor Amadeus
Hoffmann.”8

ALTHOUGH this ballet was not a great success at its premiere, the public's interest in this work
increased thanks to two important events: one refers to the premiere of the film Fantasia in 1940,
in which Walt Disney used fragments of music from the Nutcracker; the other is the premiere of
the film The Nutcracker choreographed by Gorge Balanchine in 1993. Throughout history, this
ballet has become one of the most recognized works in the classical dance repertoire, which is
presented by many schools and ballet companies around the world; This production is generally
staged at Christmas time, due to the relationship that is generated with the story it represents.
Additionally, it is a work that can be seen by all types of audiences.

After the success of the premiere of the ballet Sleeping Beauty (1890) , the director of the
imperial theaters commissioned Tchaikovsky with a new program consisting of an opera and a
ballet, on this occasion the opera Iolanta would be performed and for the ballet , this composer
would meet again with Marius Petipa, with whom he would take on the task of transforming a
story from letters to movement. The plot of this work is based on the story “The Nutcracker and the
Mouse King” by Hoffman, although it was simplified for the creation of the ballet, for example, in
the original story there is an explanation of how and why the prince has become the nutcracker,
but this is not shown in the ballet. During the production of this ballet, Marius Petipa became ill
and it was his assistant, the choreographer Lev Ivanov, who, despite continuing under Petipa's
instructions, completed the staging of this work. Tchaikovsky is said to have offered Petipa
detailed instructions for the composition of each ballet number, including the tempo and number
8 Adminmusica. (2015). The Nutcracker – Piotr Illich Tchaikovsky (1840 – 1893). Music in Mexico.
https://musicaenmexico.com.mx/el-cascanueces-piotr-illich-tchaikovsky-1840-1893/
 1
2

of bars.

The structure of the work is as follows:

“Act I

Miniature Overture

Christmas tree

March

Children's gallop and parents' dance

dance scene

Grandpa's Waltz

Clara and the nutcracker

The battle

A piano forest in winter

Snowflake Waltz

Act II

The magic castle in the kingdom of sweets

Clara and the nutcracker

entertainment

Waltz of the flowers

Pas de deux

Final waltz and apotheosis9

9 IBID
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5.1 CHOREOGRAPHERS
5.1.1 MARIUS PETIPA
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4

Dancer, teacher and choreographer, recognized today as “the father of classical ballet”;
He was born in Marseille, France in 1819 and died in Saint Petersburg, Russia in 1910. He
worked as a dancer, choreographer and director of the Imperial Ballet in Saint Petersburg. He
produced more than 70 ballets and countless shorter pieces throughout his artistic career and is
the creator of the pas de deux structure as we know it today (entrée, adagio, variations and coda).
Marius Petipa was the one who established the foundations for the entire school of Russian ballet,
managing to elevate said school to international fame; With Petipa the era of romantic ballet
ended and gave way to the great Russian ballet.

“ Marius Petipa is considered one of the best choreographers of all time. He researched
the subject matter of the ballets he staged, making careful and detailed preparations for each
production, and then worked closely with the designer and composer. Petipa elevated Russian
ballet to international fame and laid the cornerstone for 20th century ballet. His classicism
8
integrated the purity of the French school with Italian virtuosity.” Among his most notable
works are: Swan Lake; Sleeping Beauty; The Nutcracker; Raymonda; Don Quixote; Paquita; and
La Bayadere.

8
ABT. Repertory Archive. Marius Petipa. ABT American Ballet Theatre. https://www.abt.org/people/marius-
petipa/?fbclid=IwAR3xXL13VHKgbqwTPfzpuSNWKP7hWPWpr2zcotljPGA7RCpWk5w5OfcJ4hI
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5.1.2 LEV IVANOV

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Dancer and choreographer; He was born in Moscow, Russia in 1834 and died in Saint
Petersburg, Russia in 1901. He had a natural talent for music that allowed him to play the entire
score of a ballet "by ear" just by listening to it once, but although he received invitations from the
director of the Imperial School of Music to study there, Ivanov did not accept. He was a dance
student at the Imperial Ballet School of Saint Petersburg and later a professor at this same
institution, in 1885 he was appointed assistant to Marius Petipa. He stood out as a choreographer
since his work was found focused on the structure and emotional content of the musical score.
Ivanov organized many new ballets and revivals for the Imperial Theatre, such as: The
Nutcracker ( Petipa fell ill while preparing this work, so although he continued to advise, Ivanov
took charge of the project ); The magic Flute; The awakening of the flora; Swan Lake ( “white
acts”; Acts 2 and 4 ); Cinderella, Acis and Galathea; Sylvia (unfinished); among others.

“ Most of these works were produced in collaboration with Petipa and historians are still divided,
the Petipa faction stating that Ivanov was only a competent craftsman compared to the Ivanov
faction, the latter maintaining that he was a choreographic genius than the zealous Petipa
constantly repressed. Although it is difficult to classify Lev Ivanov's importance in the history of
ballet in Russia, partly because he was a modest man (Ivanov's last message to young dancers
was “always be too loving: do not consider yourself better than others: be modest”) and partly
because of the above argument, he was considered different from any of the previous ballet
masters in his approach to music.” 9

9
Michelman, F. Repertory Archive. Lev Ivanov.ABT American Ballet Theatre.
https://www.abt.org/people/lev
ivanov/?fbclid=IwAR2DE7DM0sMDvxhM86qctUavA7o7LP3pQ1t1XBCH9a3mhp_1NFV6pB5oa6o
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5.2 COMPOSER. PIOTR ILICH TCHAIKOVSKY

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Musician, composer and orchestra director; He was born in Votkinsk, Russia in 1840 and
died in Saint Petersburg, Russia in 1893. He studied music at the St. Petersburg State
Conservatory and during his career performed compositions in various genres and forms,
including symphony, opera, ballet, instrumental music, chamber music and song. In 1875, he
composed his first ballet, Swan Lake, which premiered in 1877 with choreography by Julius
Reisinger, but this performance was considered a failure; In 1895 this ballet was revived with
new choreographies by Petipa and Ivanov, at which time it was recognized as a masterpiece of
the ballet repertoire. In 1888, he began working on his second ballet, The Sleeping Beauty , this
work was well received by the public, but still did not meet the expectations of the composer,
choreographer and designer-entrepreneur (Vsevolozhsky), some years passed before that this
work was recognized as a classic ballet success. In 1893 he premiered his third ballet, The
Nutcracker, which despite the disappointing reception it had with the public on the day of its
premiere, today is one of the most recognized works of this composer.

Tchaikovsky created masterpieces and is considered one of the most recognized Russian
composers thanks to his sentimental and easy-to-understand music. “ His music seems especially
suited to ballet, with its inexhaustible melody, an instinctive sense of movement considered ideal
for the human body, and an irresistible rhythmic pulse and brilliant orchestration. It is no
coincidence that his three ballets are firmly rooted in the international repertoire.”10
5.3 PLOT OF THE WORK

The plot of the work on which I based myself to develop this process was the one that was
represented in INCOLBALLET and that I knew during the time that I belonged to this institution
as a student; During these years, I observed and danced this work while I was in my training
process as a professional classical dancer, without knowing that at the least expected moment, the

10 ABT. Repertory Archive. Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky. ABT American Ballet Theatre.
https://www.abt.org/people/peter-ilyitch-
tchaikovsky/?fbclid=IwAR07PSbXu4_Or2mQMpF_Rr46mYjgzNz5ZXrW0JkclXN-SX0AzBp6hPWSyg
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9
analysis that I had directly and indirectly of the work would help me to develop this process in
Santander de Quilichao.

The choreographic version that was traditionally presented every December, performed by
dancers from the company in conjunction with students from the INCOLBALLET school and
directed by teacher Gloria Castro Martínez, from 2001 to 2012, was based on George's version
Balanchine (version that was used as an audiovisual reference for the girls during the approach to
the work we were going to work on).

This work tells us a Christmas story, in which Dr. Stahlbaum offers a party for his friends
in celebration of Christmas Eve; The doctor has two children named Clara and Federico. Among
the guests attending the party, Clara's uncle “Mr. Drosselmeyer” who is a magician and brings his
nephew Daniel with him; At this party, the magician gives Clara a nutcracker and a jealous
Federico breaks it, it is provisionally fixed and the party continues. At the end, everyone leaves
and Clara goes to sleep next to her nutcracker; It is then that she falls into a deep sleep... At
midnight, the tree, the windows and everything around Clara grows enormously and the king of
mice appears with his army. At this moment, the lead soldiers and those who come to life come to
life. Led by the Nutcracker, they fight against the mice, and just when it seems that the Mouse
King is going to defeat the Nutcracker, Clara attacks him with a shoe, hitting him from behind
and this is how the Nutcracker manages to emerge victorious from the battle; At this moment,
this soldier becomes a handsome prince, who is none other than Daniel (Drosselmeyer's nephew).
In gratitude for this act, the Nutcracker and Drosselmeyer take Clara on a journey through the
snow kingdom until they finally reach the candy kingdom, where they meet the Sugar Fairy, her
knight and the rest of the sweets. :

• Chocolate: Spanish dance

• Coffee: Arabic dance
• Tea: Chinese dance
• Candy canes: Russian dance
• Dance of the kazoos: dance of the flutes
• Gingerbread mother and the moths: dance of the moths
• Flowers (waltz of the flowers)
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Here, the Nutcracker tells everyone how brave Clara was to risk herself to save him and
this is why a welcome party is offered, where all the sweets perform dances in honor of the
guests; Finally, Drosselmeyer tells Clara that time is running out and she must return from her
dream. Clara wakes up happy with her nutcracker to tell her mother about the wonderful dream
she had.
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6.TEACHING BALLET FROM A PEDAGOGICAL LOOK

6.1 A RETURN TRIP
6.1.1 FINDING THE DANCE

Until I was 9 years old, I attended a nun's

school for half a day and then went home to
watch television, do homework, play, etc. My
mother tells me that I always had the desire to
dance ballet, although I did not know all the
sacrifice that was behind those divine dancers,
who while they seemed to float represented
fantastic stories and wore dazzling tutus.
Although I had never been to a ballet class or
anything like that, it was all magic through the eyes of a girl who wanted to live inside fairy tales.

My mother once heard about

INCOLBALLET, but she didn't find
out much because she believed that
this was a private institution. In
2005, she found out from a friend
that this school was a public entity
and the costs as an institution were
really economical.

Incolballet is a special place, since it

is the only place where hundreds of
children have the opportunity to study like in any other institution, but also obtain training to
fulfill the dream of being great dancers at a professional level. This is why being admitted to this
school is not as easy as any other institution.
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educational. To be able to enter, you must pass several admission tests: first, a pre selection
according to physical conditions (in this test they check flexibility, rotation and ball of the
applicants, which means the jumping ability); Then, those who pass this phase must go through a
second round, since the admission quota for the ballet program is approximately 30 students and
each year between 350 and 400 children apply to enter this school; After passing this, other tests
must be taken on rhythm, improvisation, psychology and finally academic tests such as Spanish
and mathematics.

I remember the nerves I felt on the day of

admission, we entered in groups as we were
called to a giant room with a wooden floor,
light entrances everywhere and a table with
several people who had sheets where they
were grading each applicant as they
progressed. tests. The score ranged from
0% to 100%, the better the score the more
likely you were to advance to the next
round. Once inside the ballet room, they
stopped us in front of the jury and they saw you from the front, from the side, from the back,
doing an anatomical review of each candidate, and then continuing with the flexibility, rotation
and ballon tests. Feelings of intrigue and anxiety took over me. If the score was very low, they
thanked the child for attending the test and told him or her to leave the room; Those who
achieved a higher score were taken to a corner within this same ballet room. As an applicant, you
really didn't know what it meant to be taken out or left inside. At the end of the test they indicated
that if you had left you had not passed the test and if you were in it was because you had passed
the first selection. After attending all the tests we had to wait a couple of days for the final list of
those admitted to come out. Every day that passed the anxiety increased. When the day of the
results arrived, I went with my mother to INCOLBALLET and we quickly looked for the list of
results where the names of 26 children who would enter I of Ballet in the following school year
were written down and that was when my journey through the wonderful path of dance.
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Entering this school was a very

strong change, I had to change the
routine I had had until that moment.
The school route picked me up at
5:30 in the morning, to start the first
class at 7:00 am; The school day
lasted until 5:15 pm, after which I
returned home very tired to eat, get
things ready for the next day
(supplements, uniform) and go to
bed. My ballet education began with the 2 hours of primary ballet class every day, then I attended
other artistic classes as repertoire where we staged children's works and folklore, in addition we
had to attend all the regular academic classes. You couldn't arrive late to any class, in the artistic
subjects we had to attend with the hairstyle corresponding to that of a ballet dancer, with a trunk
and slippers. This is why I feel that the artistic classes and INCOLBALLET, in addition to
providing technical knowledge, gave me values such as discipline, respect, responsibility and
perseverance.

In ballet classes, we began to experiment with exercises to develop our coordination, flexibility,
correct posture, attention, concentration,
as well as technical exercises that focused
on classical technique. Little by little the
classes became a daily practice of
technical steps that would allow us to
achieve more advanced and complex ones
later.
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It was at the end of the second year of ballet that the long-awaited pointe shoes appeared. At first
we did small exercises within the same classical technique class; They introduced us to this with
playful exercises (like running on pointe like chinitos) but at the same time we performed very
complex technical exercises for us who had just started this training. At this moment the blisters
appeared, the nails fell off and we glimpsed the reality that a ballet dancer experiences after long
hours of training.

At INCOLBALLET dancing the

Nutcracker was a privilege. It was a
ballet that was presented at the
municipal theater or Jorge Isaac,
during the month of December as
an artistic tradition of the ballet
school.

Each dance already knew more or

less which school year it was due to
be danced. For example: little angels were second year students, children of the house, Clara and
mice were third year students and the dances of the second act, which are: Arabic dance, Spanish
dance, Russian dance, marzipan, waltz of the flowers , corresponded to them. to the company or
dancers from the last years of the school. This made one always have the hope of getting to one
of those courses to be able to dance and perform.
The first time I danced Nutcracker, I participated in the cast of little angels . On this occasion, to
give several people the opportunity to present themselves, two casts of 4 performances were
formed, one cast participated in two performances and the other cast in the other two. The
technical demand in this choreography was really minimal since they were large dresses that
covered the entire body, but participating implied other things for us who had just begun to face a
stage, such as: learning the movement scheme that the choreography required, being necessary so
that we can all move at the same time, move just enough, move correctly so that the dress does
not move, giving the sensation that we were flying and
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perform for the first time in a theater full of spectators. These things were of course great
challenges for us at that time.

Every time a school year ended, we had open classes, which meant that parents, students and
teachers came to see the last class.
This day there was a table with a jury
(artistic coordinator, teachers,
director of the institution) like that
day of the entrance tests where all
eyes are fixed on finding each error
or skill, and lowering or adding the
score of each student. . Upon
reaching the third year of ballet, the
nerves increased; This was the first
year of cutting I faced at INCOLBALLET. This meant that that year the jury in the open class
would be more demanding, we could not be “overweight” and we had to meet the objectives that
had been set for that course, since otherwise we would most likely not be approved. this year.
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6.1.2 LIVING THE DANCE

As the years went by, the intensity of the

rehearsals and artistic subjects that we had to see
increased. We enter the world of classical
repertoire, pointe class and pas de deux class. The
demand was increasing. Personally, I believe that
during my training I did not have the self-
confidence that an artistic career requires and I feel
that few teachers contributed to the students in this
aspect; Also when it came to choosing the casts,
they were generally not the first ones chosen, but I
had to make an effort and take advantage when
someone was missing to show that I knew the
choreography and that I could do it to have the opportunity to dance, which in many moments
made me happy. It made me doubt whether I was really capable of continuing dancing classical
dance.

In sixth year of ballet another “cutting

year” takes place as well as in third year of
ballet. Finishing fifth year, a ballet teacher
approached me to give me advice: “you
should get out of the classical ballet
program; "You shouldn't waste another
year there, you won't pass the cutoff in
sixth year, you won't graduate." Today I
wonder why a teacher
Can you say that to a student? Because not better to support and try to enhance in some way
way to someone who is on that hard path of professional training in classical dance? Are teachers
aware that a word, a phrase or a gesture they have towards a student can mark their life? What
would have happened to me if at that moment I allowed myself to be influenced by his point of
view and did not continue my training in classical ballet? Finally, I ignored the
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comment from this teacher and I continued in the classical ballet process, passing sixth year of
ballet and years later graduating as a professional classical ballet dancer. In addition, I learn from
this that I seek to provide confidence every day and increase, from my position, the self-esteem of
children, adolescents, or people of any age, who intend to train or learn about the world of dance,
since values like these that are reinforced with dance are the ones that will really contribute to
people's lives.

But, just as there were times when some words tried to make me faint, people and opportunities
appeared on my path that helped me clear up many doubts I had about myself. Teachers who
contributed their knowledge with love and
determination, who always sought to
develop each person's own abilities, and
improve things that perhaps they were not
so strong in, but always making it clear that
what was important was being, fighting for
what you want. , demonstrating what it
really feels like on stage.
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6.1.3 NEW EXPERIENCES

In 2013, while I was in my 8th year of

ballet, INCOLBALLET invited a teacher
named Earl Mosley to give a modern
dance workshop to senior students. After
this workshop, I received a scholarship to
attend a summer course at “Earl Mosley's
Institute of the Arts” for one month. There
I received classes in ballet, contemporary
dance, hip hop, modern dance, as well as
dancing for different choreographers
every week.
In this space, the selection of dancers was made by the choreographers through auditions, thus,
every Sunday we attended the assigned room with all the judges in front, each of the dancers had
a number stuck on their trunks to be identified. A teacher directed the audition, dictated some
exercises that we all had to do and set up a short sequence of movements that would then be
shown in groups in front of the jury. With this, each of the choreographers in front selected the
dancers they wanted to participate in their choreography that week. The list of results came out
the next day and the corresponding rehearsals began to prepare for the following Saturday's
performance.
This art institute offers many scholarships to low-income children so that they have the
possibility of attending an intensive dance course and improving their technical and artistic
quality. The love for dance, effort and discipline was felt by both the teachers and the students.
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Without realizing when my life became

dance, rehearsals, theaters,
performances, shoes, costumes...
Things that at the time were becoming
commonplace, but that are ultimately
not a normal life for a girl or teenager. I
wasn't thinking about parties or going
out with friends; I was at school for 10
hours from Monday to Friday and
sometimes even on Saturdays for extra
rehearsals.
When we had functions I just wanted to get home to rest.

During my training process

as a professional dancer in
classical dance at
INCOLBALLET, I had the
opportunity to participate in
casts of different classical
ballets, each always with its
own challenges, both
technical and artistic, in addition to the pressure that if you did not do well There was another
person waiting for that position to dance it. Even so, when performance time arrives, the
satisfaction is truly enormous. You can't change for anything that tickling feeling in your stomach
that you get when you're about to go on stage, those nerves of doing things well so that the
audience enjoys the performance and that satisfaction of having managed to overcome one more
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challenge in the dance world.

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6.2 ENCOUNTER WITH TEACHING

When I was doing my last years of study

at INCOLBALLET, I was presented
with the opportunity to teach classes to
children who were between 3 and 6
years old. Although I had not taught
before, the idea immediately caught my
attention and without hesitation I
accepted. Fortunately, the person who
found me to teach these classes was an
INCOLBALLET graduate who had extensive experience teaching, so I had the support to ask
questions about how to carry out an activity in the class and also from time to time this person
would come in to observe how I was leading the exercises and give me some feedback on this.
Thanks to this experience I was able to observe, begin to experiment and take my first steps in
teaching pre-ballet.

I feel that observation and being open to receiving comments from other people were the most
important factors in beginning to conceive my way of guiding girls in their first steps in classical
ballet.
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2

During my training I had focused on the fact that the important thing was to find the perfection of
the classical technique, which was sought day by day in the ballet classes that had become for me,
the daily repetition of steps through which could reach that end. When I found myself in the
position of being the class teacher, initially based on that thought, I believed that this is how I
should develop the classes with the children; Therefore, I began teaching some steps of the
classical technique that, in my opinion, could be appropriate for the age and body development of
the children who came to my classes; I did this through exercises that for me were very simple
compared to what my technical level was at that time, where in my ballet classes as a dancer the
repetition of steps was maintained through complex coordination and memory exercises; Even so,
when I worked with the children I maintained the structure of a ballet class (warm-up, technical
development and stretching).

Little by little, I began to realize that I

could not suddenly speak to the children
with names of a thousand steps in a
language that they did not understand
(since the vocabulary used in ballet is
French) and also expect them to achieve
everything perfectly in a short time,
since the focus of their dance training at
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that time was very different from what I had had.

Generally, the classes I gave were held for 1 hour or 1 and a half hours, once a week, so the first
thing I had to understand was that I was not in a professional school, where children go every
day. to do his ballet class sacredly as I had done during my training. Likewise, I began to glimpse
other factors that I had to take into account on this path of teaching in non-professional training
spaces, these were:

- The age of the girls: Since there was a lot of difference in the development of physical and
cognitive skills, between the ages of 3 and 6 that the girls generally have when they attend a
ballet class in training spaces for the first time. non-professional, and I was 9 years old when I
began my training process in classical dance.

- Admission: To enter ballet classes in non-professional training spaces, there are no

entrance tests, since their focus is on providing all people, regardless of their age and physical
conditions, the opportunity to get closer to the world of ballet. dance, unlike vocational training
schools, such as INCOLBALLET, where people with certain characteristics are admitted.

- Discipline: In non-professional training spaces, girls go to their ballet class 1 or maximum

2 times a week and the rest of the time they are focused on other activities, games and so on,
therefore, what is not achieved in class is not going to be achieved outside of it, since they usually
do not worry about rehearsing what they have learned at home.

- Class development: If the class gets too technical in the same way as it is in a professional
ballet class, the children will get bored, which could cause them not to return to the class. ballet
and if there is no minimum number of children, non-professional training spaces cannot keep
these classes enabled. The children must learn but also, they must leave happy and eager to return
to class.

- Disposition of the children for class: when one faces working with children in these
spaces where the aim is to increase their self-esteem, provide them with knowledge and ensure
that they have a pleasant time, it is very important to take into account the attitude that each of the
children who attend the class has, since this will not only affect the child's particular
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4

performance, but also his way of relating to the teacher and the other children in the class. For
this, it is not necessary to question the child, I think of Mercedes Ridocci who in her book body
expression art of movement tells us:

“The physical attitude does not deceive; it tells us in a more or less subtle way what is
happening inside; reflects our state of mind. If you have any concern, any interest, or if
you are apathetic, uninterested, listless. The body is never neutral. You have to know how
to read it, you have to know how to listen to it. Sadness, pain, anguish, unease, joy,
optimism, placidity, anger, rage, tenderness..., all emotions with their extensive range of
nuances are printed on it and are reflected through it. ”11

Therefore, the teacher must be completely ready for the class since he must have the ability to
read each of the children and guide them correctly, to best introduce them to the class activities.

Taking these reasons into account, I was certain that I could not obtain the same results from a
professional training school in classical dance, but rather I had to adapt a little what I had learned
to transmit it to the children.

11Ridocci, M, (2009), body expression arts of movement. The practical bases of expressive language, Madrid,
Editorial Biblioteca Nueva, SL, p. 22
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5

As I began to travel down the path of

teaching, I also observed that classes in
a rigid manner, through orders and
without giving room to listen to the
children, was not the way I wanted to
develop my classes. That's how I found
myself searching for a methodology that
I felt that, in addition to providing
children with knowledge of classical
dance, could contribute to the
development of other values that would serve them in their daily lives. I started looking for
information about pre-ballet classes, videos, exercises, objectives that dance classes work on, etc.
Also, watch some pre-ballet classes to get a better idea of how to work with the children.

During this process, I began to teach ballet classes to children and adolescents in different
academies in the city of Cali, and it was in these spaces where I was able to experience things that
occurred to me that could work in classes. It was during this experience, where I realized that I
could take advantage of the girls' imagination to teach them some steps through the creation of
images and stories, making the class more attractive for them while achieving the stated
objectives.

Taking into account that I wanted to make

the children aware of and appropriate the
basic technical steps of classical dance, in
addition to concepts that I wanted to
develop such as: levels, movement in
space, teamwork, self-confidence, correct
posture , among others; but above all
wanting the class to be enjoyable for the
girls and for them to be excited about
learning new things,
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6

I began to explore and use resources such as: children's rounds, commercial music within the
class and objects that served for moments of improvisation. Initially, I took the rounds only for
the purpose of warming up, but little by little and as I found more and more new songs, I realized
that this could go beyond just helping to warm up for class, since with some songs I could work
on directions, dimensions, recognition of body parts, etc. And that's how I began to analyze each
song I heard in more depth to see how I could contribute this to the class.

As I followed this path of dance but from a new position (teacher), I realized that children often
feel inhibited to express their feelings, to move freely or to give an opinion, perhaps because from
Since we are born we are surrounded by rules that impose things that sometimes go against our
nature and this begins to stop some
impulses; This is why I began to give
greater importance to individual
improvisations and creations in pairs
or groups, in order to give confidence
to the children so that, taking into
account everything they learn in class
(which are tools that serve to explore
new movements) could express
themselves without fear of What will
happen if I make a mistake? Or what
if they laugh at me?
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6.3 PATH TO TRAINING AS A CLASSICAL DANCE TEACHER

I found more and more love for what I

did and I realized that my path in
dance is focused on providing the
opportunity for boys and girls to
know and experience the pleasant
sensation that dancing gives; But
above all, I felt that I wanted to reach
children who are part of contexts
where dance can have a more
significant value, contributing to the
construction of a better society with culture, respect and sensitivity; places where perhaps the
children, even if they wanted to, would not have the ease of attending a ballet class (whether for
economic reasons, because in the place where they live it would not be easy to find a ballet
academy or for any other reason). ).
But in order to do this the right way, I knew that I couldn't just continue experimenting with what
I thought was right without having a guide, clarity of objectives or a program to follow, but rather
I had to look for opportunities to learn how. really and responsibly teach a classical dance class.

Until that moment, in Cali there was no place that provided training for classical dance teachers.
Only between 2009 and 2011, based on this need, the Universidad del Valle and INCOLBALLET
created an agreement to provide professionalization for technique teachers. classical, with a
project called Creative Colombia, which was offered to teachers with a minimum age and years
of experience. In Colombia, there were only two dance majors known, one is the “Bachelor's
Degree in Basic Education in Dance” at the University of Antioquia, and the other is an
undergraduate degree in “ Dance Art” at the Francisco José de Caldas District University in
Bogotá, in addition to these, there is a degree in dance and theater at the Antonio Nariño
University; but the option of moving cities was not something I could consider at that time.
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8

moment. Because of the above, I saw the possibility of becoming a graduate in this artistic field
as a little difficult and this led me to think that I would have to continue experimenting, searching
for information on my own as I had done up to that point and continue asking more
knowledgeable teachers. experience, to find out how to teach my ballet classes.

In 2013, while I was in my last year of training at INCOLBALLET, I found out that the
AMERICAN BALLET THEATER was conducting a
training and certification course for classical dance
teachers called the AMERICAN BALLET
NATIONAL TRAINING CURRICULUM. I found that
the goal of this program is to “ provide teachers with
the tools and information they need to provide the
highest quality training to students of all ages and skill
levels ”12 .

This certification is divided into three sessions:

1. pre-primary level; primary level; level 1; level 2;
level 3
2. level 4; level 5
3. level 6; level 7 and partnering
This training for teachers was only offered in English, but that year session #1 would be held for
the second time in Spanish and session #2 would also be taught for the first time in Spanish.
When they opened the call, registration was only available for those over 18 years of age, but my
insistence was so great that approximately 15 days before classes started, they accepted my
request and I was able to attend this course for teacher training and certification.

12 ABT (American Ballet Theatre), training the whole dancer, accreditation for ballet teachers, Peru 2013, p. II
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9

In this training, I obtained a

curriculum for the training of
dancers from 3 years of age to the
last year of professional training,
which for ABT is the 7th grade. In
addition to this and providing me
with information to achieve correct
artistic training for future dancers, I
learned about the fundamentals of
movement (levels, dimension, direction, path, dynamics), characteristics of technical steps, also, I
attended talks on prevention of injuries, anatomy, health and physical and psychological well-
being, I learned about the stages of development, their characteristics and the role that parents and
teachers must face in each of these phases.
This training was an experience that was developed through theory and practice (here we applied
the theory and reviewed whether we understood and correctly executed what we studied).
Although all the information I was receiving within this experience caught my attention, I feel
that I found my greatest connection with the most basic levels of training (pre-primary and
primary). At these levels, the use of creativity and images was greatly focused. , of objects and
children's literature within the ballet class. I never forget that in a class in this workshop, we were
told: “for each correction, give the student three good observations”, so the child will not feel that
he is doing everything wrong but by recognizing his abilities, he is exposed to a way to improve
more.
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In 2014, the Universidad del Valle opened a call for

its professional career in movement pedagogy from
the perspective of the body language of classical
ballet, under the name of a bachelor's degree in
classical dance, what I had been dreaming and
waiting for so much . The general objective of this
program was “To provide the theoretical-practical
elements to train professionals in Classical Dance at
the undergraduate level, with the aim of promoting
cultural activity in their environment and the
individual's self-realization in this specialty.”13 This would become the first and only Bachelor's
Degree in Classical Dance that would exist in Colombia until this moment.

In addition, he offered a broad “ professional profile:

• Classical Dance Teacher based on mastery of classical dance technique

• classical dance choreographer
• Theoretical-practical researcher in the field of historical dance and character dance.
• Manager of socio-cultural projects from dance
• “Critic of dance production”14

Although I had already had the experience of certification with the ABT, I was clear that one
never stops learning, much less when it comes to teaching, and the information cited above
confirmed that this was exactly what I was longing for. This is why I made the decision to begin
my professional training path as a graduate in classical dance at the Universidad del Valle, to be
able to acquire more tools that would allow me to improve my way of teaching day by day and
achieve clear objectives through my classes.
At the beginning of 2014, the entrance tests for the degree were carried out, which I passed, but
despite everything being ready to start that same year, the number of students admitted for the

13Faculty of Integrated Arts, (2009), Guide to the Bachelor's Academic Program in Classical Dance , Cali-
Colombia, p. twenty-one
14 IBID, p.23
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1

program did not meet the minimum indicated by the plan to start the first semester, therefore we
had to wait and it was in 2015 when the university finally received the first cohort of students for
the bachelor's program in classical dance.

Thus, in the first semester, I was

fortunate enough to attend the subject
CLASSICAL TECHNIQUE I, this
subject introduced students in the
following way:

“The subject Classical Technique I is a

practical workshop that will put
students in contact with the
pedagogical bases for the initiation of
classical technique. The importance of
knowledge and awareness of the body, the construction of correct position and the basic
principles of movement. Tools are provided through games and improvisation exercises.
Pedagogical reflections will be carried out on these topics. "Reading and research will be
encouraged."15

And it presented the following “general objectives:

• Know consciously how the body works

• Build correct body position
• Know the basic principles of movement
• Recognize and explore the breathing process from one's own perception
• Work on attention and concentration”16
Everything seemed to be designed according to the needs that I had felt until that moment and
that surely many other people with and without experience in teaching classical dance had also
experienced. Witnessing this subject was really timely, since the teacher who taught the class
15 Universidad del Valle, (2015), Classical Technique Course Program I, Cali-Colombia
16 IBID
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took into account the reality that we face in our context, where it is more possible to teach classes
in non-professional training spaces than in professional schools. The study of this subject was
divided into two parts:

“First part: movement awareness program (sensitize your body, consciousness, space, time and
expressiveness of movement)

Second part: pre-ballet program (This work brings together everything learned in the movement
awareness program and begins to provide the student with knowledge of dance vocabulary,
continuing with the development of creative exercises, images and sensations)”17

This subject was carried out theoretically and practically; From each of these programs we were
provided with objectives, class structures, observations, etc.

The classes were developed as follows:

The teacher explained the topic we would study (space, breathing, recognition of body parts,
speeds, instep, demi plie, etc.), explained to us what each one was referring to and then left tasks
for the next class (individual or group). ) where we had to carry out exercises according to the
topic that was left as work, to experiment with them, analyze them and thus know if they could
really work or what should be improved.
In this process of experimentation in class, we took the position of students in the ballet class and
whoever taught the exercise took the role of teacher and thus we changed until everyone
presented their exercise.

I remember some observations that were given to us during the semester, which I believe are
pertinent and that all people who are preparing to teach a ballet class should take into account:

• The rules of the game must always be stated, being clear in the orders to be followed.
• For children with poor concentration, responsibilities should be delegated and stimulated
in an incisive way.
• Develop children's creativity and create a taste for dance, through work based on images
and sensations. (work with everyday movements, songs, stories, etc.)

• With children you should try to maintain a fantastic, sweet and childish tone in your voice,

17Personal class log - classical technique I (2015)

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which will provide suggestive motivation.

• At the beginning of class, you should start with exercises that do not impose an imposition
on the child.
• It is important that each exercise has a development of clear objectives and a previously
established end.
• The class must maintain a common thread from beginning to end.
• If an exercise doesn't work, analyze it and simplify or change it.
• Speak to them by name when referring to each child.
• Let children develop their creativity with activities in which they invent and create, not
always marking the things they must do.
• Take the time necessary to build good foundations in children, do not move forward until
you achieve the objective.
• Don't take anything for granted, do all the work you need to do, don't assume they already
know.
• Always work from the simple to the complex.
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7. ADAPTATION OF THE NUTCRACKER BALLET IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF

SANTANDER DE QUILICHAO. A PEDAGOGICAL AND CREATIVE EXPERIENCE
WITH THE PRE BALLET
7.1 CONTEXT OF THE PEDAGOGICAL-CREATIVE PROCESS
7.1.1 ARRIVAL OF A GREAT PEDAGOGICAL EXPERIENCE

WHEN I WAS beginning my training process as a classical dance teacher at the Universidad del
Valle, a friend told me that they were looking for a ballet teacher in Santander de Quilichao, a job
that she had committed to a while ago but at that moment For personal reasons I could no longer
accept, so he asked me if I was interested in taking that position (I remember that at that time I
didn't even know where this municipality was located). I had never really cared about the distance
I had to travel to get to a place like that if only for an hour of class, since each experience seemed
like an opportunity to learn more and more, so I said yes and she gave me the contact.

When I told my family about this offer, the first opinion was that it was very dangerous,
because Cauca had always been considered a red zone; In addition, the fact that I traveled alone in
a transport outside the municipality where we lived and especially outside our apartment, was
taking a high risk, added to this, that no one knew the people who were looking for the teacher (it
was not an academy or something like that, but a natural person) and these reasons made me
hesitate a little. Even so, I made the decision to call the lady who was interested in the ballet
teacher, I told her a little about my training and we made an appointment so I could go meet her.
Upon arriving, I met a woman who explained to me that her interest in ballet classes was based on
wanting to provide her two daughters with training in this artistic discipline; She also told me that
she had taken her eldest daughter in ballet classes at an academy in Cali when the girl was about 4
years old (since in Santander or its surroundings there were no academies where they taught
classical dance classes), but it was something that was very expensive for them, since in addition
to paying for the classes they had to bear transportation costs from Santander and a lot of time to
travel. Finally, with the arrival of their second daughter, it became a little more complicated for
them to continue organizing to travel. Until Cali, consequently, her daughter had not been able to
continue attending ballet classes. For all these reasons, she had thought about getting a ballet
teacher who lived in the municipality or could travel there to offer classes to her daughters and
some of the girls' classmates who were interested, but until that moment she had not found
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someone who will teach the classes. That day, I met the family with whom we would begin a
great process, a family with an interest in bringing ballet culture to their municipality because
they knew about the benefits that this could bring (correct position, discipline, coordination,
elasticity, etc.) , a family, who also wanted to give the girls of Santander de Quilichao the
opportunity to live an experience that until now had not been seen in their municipality.

The day I visited Santander for the first time, I learned about the place that was available
to carry out the classes: it was the back of a gym, where during the week the functional circuit
work part was carried out and that on Saturdays they could clear so that we could teach classes
there. This place was nothing like the ballet halls where I had taken my classes as a dancer, nor
like the spaces of the academies where I had worked before, its floor was not suitable for a ballet
hall (wooden floor that allows a correct rebound), it had no bars or sound equipment. Because this
was a discipline that had not been practiced before in the municipality, there was no adequate
space for this, but that space we visited had mirrors and a non-slip mat that reduced the risk of the
girls falling, which which was enough for me at that moment since I had been fascinated by the
idea of working with this population. They gave me the option of visiting other places that were
also part of gyms, but they always had something that did not favor us in class (like columns in
the middle of the room or something) so we decided to hold classes there. place that I had known.

That day, we also talked about the way in which the process should begin, the first thing
was to get girls of the same ages as the lady's daughters and form two groups, so that with each
one they could carry out correct technical and artistic taking into account their stage of physical
and mental development. For this, I had to take into account that I would not be able to take
admission tests as I had had to enter INCOLBALLET, which was a strong change for me, since I
had trained in a professional school and from that point of view study the physical conditions of
the applicants very well, but in this municipality the intention was not to create a professional
classical dance school but rather to provide the opportunity to bring boys and girls closer to the
world of dance, providing tools that would also serve them in their lives. everyday. For each
group we could receive a maximum of 14 girls, first because the space was not very large, second
to be able to develop the class very well and be able to pay the required attention to each of the
girls. I was asked to carry out two hours of class, with a 10 to 15 minute break in the middle with
each group; In this way it was agreed and we set the classes for Saturday mornings from 8:00 am
to 12:00 noon. Finally, costs were organized, it was requested to have a sound system, a person to
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6
accompany us during ballet classes (in case something happened to a girl, if we needed to solve
something or so on) and some ballet bars with which we could count in classes.

7.1.2 START OF CLASSES

This process began in the month of February 2016, the academy did not even have a name
that would make it recognized within the population, at the moment the daughters of the lady who
had contacted me and the friends who had contacted me were attending classes. They were
excited to also live this experience. We had two groups: one from 8:00 am to 10:00 am (ages
between 4 and 6 years old) and another from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon (ages between 7 and 10
years old). To carry out this task that I was assuming, I had my practical training as a dancer at the
Colombian classical ballet institute INCOLBALLET, the curricular program for teaching classical
dance that I obtained in the course with the American Ballet Theater and the experience that I had
acquired up to that moment with the classes that he had taught in different academies in Cali;
tools with which I begin to develop and carry out my work in this municipality.

My route on Saturdays to get to the municipality of Santander de Quilichao and start class
at 8:00 in the morning, began by leaving my house at 6:00 am, to catch a bus that left at the latest
at 7 in the morning from the south of Cali, since the tour lasts approximately 50 minutes. At the
end of the day, the owners of the academy took me to the bus terminal to return to Cali on another
journey of approximately two hours to my house.

The classes were very well received from the beginning, the parents accepted the rules
that were in place for the classes, such as punctuality both to drop off the girls and to pick them
up, since the change between one group and another had to be very organized. and in time to
avoid a lack of control or delay in classes; and those who left at 12:00 a.m. had to be very
compliant in this regard, since we had to leave the gym because the owner needed to close as
punctually as possible. On the other hand, the importance of the girls' hairstyle in the ballet class
was emphasized, since the hair should not cause distractions to the students during the exercises,
in addition, this is a requirement of ballet aesthetics so that the dancers can look more stylized;
Each of the parents were taught how to do the hairstyle so that the girls became accustomed to
acquiring a presence typical of the art of classical dance. Likewise, the importance of parents not
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being in the classes was highlighted, since many wanted to stay in the classroom to take photos,
make videos or see what the girls were doing, but this was a distraction for them and me. I had
previously observed that in many cases girls became withdrawn or intimidated by having their
parents present in this space.

During the course of the classes, I faced the question: How to make girls fall in love with
this dance universe and achieve the objectives that I had set for myself? Then, I began to
experiment with warm-up exercises, improvisations and stretching, with a type of commercial and
instrumental music, which gave me the sensations I needed for each of the activities. The
instrumental piano music that is generally used to accompany ballet classes was incorporated little
by little during the year in some exercises, since I used this resource from the beginning in the two
hours of class, according to my experience and my point of view could bore the girls, who were
not used to this kind of music. Likewise, I began to see that the girls really liked to experiment
with free-form movements, so this aspect began to be a strong point in the classes, the images,
stories and guided exercises but with the possibility of improvisation, were a tool strong in this
process, without leaving aside the structure of a ballet class: greeting, warm-up, technique
development and cool-down period.

The class lasted two hours, which were divided as follows: 1 initial hour, 15 minutes of
rest and a second part of 45 minutes. In this space I had to find a way to achieve repetition of the
exercises, since it is essential to create muscle memory in the students, but without this becoming
overwhelming for them. The objectives of the classes had to be achieved with activities according
to the ages of the girls and with respect to this, I saw that between 4 and 6 years old the resource
that worked the most were fantasy stories, supported by images that were related to things. that
they knew and could easily link, along with contributions that they themselves provided from
their imagination, for example: when we were lying down and doing CAMBRE exercise, they
related it to a snake, or when in this position the feet touch the head, to They were like a coiled
snake, and so we linked these images and created stories that allowed us to achieve an objective,
but at the same time carry out a more enjoyable class by relating it to their own imagination. On
the other hand, with girls aged 7 and older, I noticed that I could introduce a little more technical
terms of ballet practice, since this motivated them to feel a little bigger and more advanced, even
without forgetting the space for their own experimentation. of each of the girls.

In the development of the classes, I came across various cases such as:
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• Occasions where the girls at the first moment wanted to see all the results, or where they
said “and when are we going to dance ballet?”, “When are we going to stand on pointe?”,
“I can't do any more from here, it hurts.” "open up or stretch myself more" for all these
cases it was important to stop and demonstrate the value of constant work, repetition and
effort, making them understand that every result is the consequence of a process.

• In the moments of improvisation I was able to observe cases from girls who went out and
did many things without problem or embarrassment, to girls who in the moments where
everyone improvised at the same time did it without problems, but when doing individual
improvisations they were not able to stop from their position. place to stand in front of
their companions and dance freely. With these cases, a different resource had to be
handled than the others, they were not forced to go out in front of their classmates if they
did not feel ready at the moment, but during the classes the self-esteem and confidence
that each one could have in themselves was reinforced. same. In one case, it was observed
that after some classes the student went out in front of her classmates, she stood in the
center of the room but when the music played she did not make any movement; In this
case, her effort was valued and she continued with another student. Then tools were
sought to advance further in this aspect, for which instructions began to be given such as
“show us how your favorite animal moves” or “show us your favorite steps in class” and
thus, little by little, the objective of This student had the confidence to stand up in front of
her classmates and express herself freely.

• On the other hand, there were girls who did not have constant assistance for various
reasons, such as:

- One of the girls lived on the outskirts and even if she was ready to go to class, she
often couldn't find transportation to take her to Santander.
- Another of the girls had her in classes because she liked it a lot, but her parents
began to use ballet classes so that the girl could respond in school, so every time
they received complaints from the educational institution they took her out of these
classes. and after a while they integrated it again.
- In two other cases, the girls' mothers were studying at the university and if their
class schedules crossed with the girls', they did not take them to pre-ballet class.
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Cases like these did not allow for a constant process to be carried out with the groups
in general, so it was necessary to repeat in the classes content that had already been
seen to teach it to those who were just going to learn about this practice, while little by
little New objectives were being introduced. This is why as the classes went by, we
talked to the parents to emphasize the importance of perseverance and work in artistic
processes. With this same objective, for the month of April, celebrating dance day, we
held a class with each group where the girls participated with 1 companion (parents);
In this class we did exercises that we had been developing so far, but the companions
performed them at the same time with the girls; In this space they were able to observe
the things their daughters had learned and identify the results of a process that
involved responsibility, discipline and perseverance.

In addition, there were aspects that had to be taken into account when carrying out the classes,
such as:

• Sometimes, during our classes there were workouts in the front of the gym and due to the
sound generated by the machines or weights falling to the floor, we had to have greater
control of the class and the girls' concentration so that this would not be a distraction. .

• Not having a suitable floor, there were exercises that could not be performed very well
because they required a lot of care. But looking for a solution to this and to be able to do
various activities in the class, preventing the girls from getting hurt, we requested
permission from the owner of the gym to use some of the mats in the place with the
condition of leaving them in order at the end of the day.

In reality, there were not the best or optimal conditions required in ballet schools, but
options and solutions were always found so that nothing was an impediment.

Thus, as our first months of classes progressed, more people became aware of this activity
and approached us to ask how new girls could enter. Since we already had our two groups
organized, this led us to open spots for a third group, more or less for the beginning of April. With
this new group, we reorganized the ages that would correspond to each one and they were as
follows:
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• Group 1: ages between 4 and 6 years (from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon)
• Group 2: ages between 7 and 8 years old (from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm)
• Group 3: ages between 9 and 12 years old (from 8:00 am to 10:00 am)
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In general, the girls who came to the classes had not taken a ballet class and had only seen
dancers in movies or television, since in Santander, according to the information that the parents
provided me, there had not been a presentation of this type of dance and the possibility of going to
another city like Cali, to see a performance, was not a very viable option since this represented
transportation costs, entrance to the performance and generally what they are like at night if it was
not included. With private transportation, there was a risk of not catching the last bus to return to
Santander that same night. Therefore, this process had to start from scratch with all groups, since
there was no girl who had prior knowledge of ballet; It was for this reason that I decided to work
with a pre-ballet program for all groups, since at this level all the basic knowledge for training in
classical dance is provided, in addition to being the appropriate program to do with those who are
just starting out. a process of
training, always taking into account that its content must be developed based on the stage of
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physical and mental development that corresponds to the students.

As the classes progressed, parents began to ask if the girls would be in competitions like
they did in gymnastics, skating or other sports, but at this point, it was clarified that this was not
the case, since ballet is an artistic discipline, It requires a lot of effort and years of constant
training to achieve correct technique and our classes were focused on awakening motivation and
sensitivity towards the dance art, contributing through ballet to the development of the girls'
psychomotor abilities; But, it was said that of course we could do presentations to bring to the
stage what they learned in class, so the question arose as to how many performances a year the
girls would have? for which I explained that the best thing was to do a single presentation at the
end of the year, taking into account that our classes were only on Saturdays and if we decided to
do several presentations a year, we would really only be working on putting together
choreographies to show and it would not be would give the real importance of the development of
technical and artistic skills that are carried out in classes, finally this was accepted.

Knowing that at the end of the year we would hold a presentation for family, friends and
the general public in which the results of a year of work by the girls would be shown, my
planning to carry out this event began. The first thing I did was divide the year into two periods:
the first would go from February to June and the second from August to December.

- The first period of the year was focused on getting to know the girls and discovering their
qualities, to understand what classical ballet tools could help me enhance their own
abilities.
- The second period would be focused on the pre-production and production of the final
performance (assembly of the choreographies, costume design, set design, theater search
and realization of the presentation).

Until that moment, I had put together short choreographies with the children of the
academies where I had taught, but I had never been tasked with an entire assembly on my own,
much less from the planning of the work and everything that this required; but although it
represented a great challenge for me, I accepted and began to fantasize about what I wanted to
bring to the stage at the end of the year.

7.2 UTOPIAN VISION OF THE “NUTCRACKER” CHOREOGRAPHIC MONTAGE

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From my connection with the municipality of Santander de Quilichao, where I offered
ballet classes to girls between 4 and 12 years of age and would organize a presentation for the end
of the year, I began to face questions such as: What to do? Should achieving the final function be
the only goal? What is the right way to make ballet positively touch the lives of these girls? What
can I do with girls who do not have training in the traditional terms of a classical dancer? Should
choreography only dictate steps for them to show to the public or is it important to show on stage
the result of the real processes that occur within the classroom? How to develop a performance if
the girls in such a short time would not have the necessary technical vocabulary to dance a
classical dance piece at a professional level? Within these questions I asked myself another
question that finally shed light on the development of this process: What work from the repertoire
in my training process could be attractive to the girls and that in turn would allow me to provide
knowledge of the classical dance in this context? After some time of meditating on this, I realized
that NUTCRACKER, being one of the most important works in the classical dance repertoire,
which throughout its more than 100 years of history, has been performed and continues to be
performed on stage for many companies around the world, it would be the ideal ballet to carry out
the task I had in my hands. This work became the best option thanks to the fact that it has short
musical pieces that are easy to understand in their rhythm, character and musical phrases. In
addition, it was a work in which I participated on several occasions during my training as a
professional dancer and this It allowed me to have a clarity of the story and the characters, which
would help me to provide appropriate guidance to the girls of this municipality. I concluded that
this ambitious project prompted me to make changes to the choreographies, but I could take
advantage of the plot and music of the aforementioned work to create a choreographic version
specific to this population, taking advantage of the girls' knowledge and creativity; Thus, in
addition to providing them with training in the basics of ballet, I could play with them for a few
months to become great dancers.

In this nature of facing a group of girls not trained in classical ballet, but dreaming and
creating a fantasy, I planned that the complete ballet could be done with its two acts; Then, many
ideas began to come to me, such as: What if their parents also played for a moment in being part
of our montage and I led them in such a way that for a few seconds they felt like dancers? I
understood that they were not going to dance since they were not in that training process, but I
was very curious to know what could be done with them on stage, how could I provide an
additional space where the parents could share with the girls? How, through this experience, could
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I not only contribute to the girls, but also directly to the parents, allowing them to open their
minds to new possibilities? Thus, I became increasingly excited to think about how I could link
them to enrich the staging and create a structure on stage similar to the original ballet despite not
having professional dancers. Could it be that we could all play dance? It was my question and my
wish.

In addition to this, I thought it would be interesting to invite a couple of professional

dancers to participate in the performance for some reasons such as:

• Complement our assembly with a professional part.

• So that the girls and attendees of the performance could see live ballet dancers for the first
time.
• So that the girls could live the experience of sharing the stage with professional dancers.
• To show them what with effort and perseverance could be achieved.

All the questions and ideas presented above occurred in my head while I was developing
the first part of the year with the girls; It was then, upon getting to know them and advancing in
the fulfillment of technical and artistic objectives, when I managed to make the selection of the
work and after sharing some ideas with the owners of the academy, I began my table work (phase
through which they must begin all the artistic processes) and created some casts for the assembly
of the entire NUTCRACKER work, hoping that I would have the time and the necessary
conditions to achieve it. According to my dream, for the assembly of NUTCRACKER I would
have:

• Three groups of girls:

Group #1 : 15 girls. (Between 4 and 6 years old)
Group #2: 10 girls. (Between 7 and 8 years old)
Group #3: 11 girls (between 9 and 12 years old)

• A couple of professional dancers

• Parents

With all this in mind, I found myself fantasizing about the following cast:
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FIRST ACT

Parents and Drosselmeyer

Taking into account my desire to include the girls' parents in our version of the NUTCRACKER, I
considered talking to some of them who would voluntarily want to participate in the performance,
playing the roles of the adults who appear in this act. (This would also depend on the parents who
could participate and be in the rehearsal with their daughters)

girls of the house

Group 1. I thought of this group for these roles mainly because in the version of the
NUTCRACKER in which I participated during my training, the girls at home were small and of
the two groups of small girls that I had, this was the one that had started its process from the
beginning. of year.

clear

It would be one of the girls in group #1, so that it would be consistent with the age of the girls
who attended the Christmas Eve party. For this position I would have to have a confident girl who
could learn phrases of movement and actions easily and, above all, who would be available to
attend rehearsals at different times than those of her group, to participate with the other girls in the
moments they needed. were required on the job.

Nutcracker

As in our process we only had girls and we did not have boys to participate, a professional dancer
would be invited for the role of the nutcracker (main character).

Mice and soldiers

Girls from group #2. This group would be chosen, because it is a scene that can be created
through play and imagination, something that was very consistent with the way in which classes
for these ages were generally developed.

Snowflakes

They would be represented by the group of older girls (group #3). Since it required more space
management, coordination and group work.
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SECOND ACT

For this act I thought I would perform the 7 dances that appear in the original work, not
including the little angels that introduce the second act. Each group would have two dances, for
which each group would be divided into two and thus half of the girls would dance one dance and
the other half of the group, another dance. This would be done as follows:

• Group #1 : Chinese dance (7 girls) and Russian dance (8 girls)

• Group #2: Spanish dance (5 girls) and polichinelas (5 girls)
• Group #3: Arabic dance (6 girls); marzipan (5 girls) and since this was the group of older
girls and more movement phrases could be learned, the waltz of the flowers was also
included for them (the latter would be represented by the entire group -11 girls-).

This was thought like this, since as they are short dances the idea was that all the girls
could observe themselves very well when they were on stage, in addition, this way they could
learn short phrases of movements but with very good detail in musicality, group work,
coordination , etc.

Groups #1 and #2 were divided so that they each had a dance without an object and a
dance that required object handling. As a choreographic resource, umbrellas were used in Chinese
dance and fans for Spanish dance, since even if the girls did not have professional technical
development in classical dance, they could show artistic skill on stage and create images with
their objects.

Sugar Plum Fairy and Sugar Plum Fairy Knight

Guest professional dancers.

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Other aspects to take into account

• CLOTHING ROOMS

- For the first act, thinking about preserving the elegant and festive atmosphere that
the play requires, I conceived that the parents, Drosselmeyer and the girls could
participate with formal clothes that they had in their personal clothing items (girls
with formal dresses according to at their age, mothers in long cocktail dresses and
fathers in tuxedos).

- For the dances, the girls' costumes had to correspond to what each group was
representing (snowflakes, mice, soldiers, Chinese dance, Russian dance, Spanish
dance, Arabic dance, marzipans, polichinelles or waltz of the flowers). For this, I
would look for a person to make said costumes, I would explain the cost to the
owners of the academy and they would then share it with the parents, who would
accept or not accept this option.

- Guest dancers would be asked to participate in the performance with their own
costumes (woman in tutu, man in white mesh and vest).

• SCENOGRAPHY
Within my fantasy, I made a list of props that would be needed for each act:

- First act: objects from a house such as tables, chairs, wine glasses, a decorated
Christmas tree, gift boxes under the tree, a pendulum clock, windows in the
background to simulate being inside a house.

- Second act : as it refers to a trip through the world of sweets, they would be sweets
- hanging on the stage, keeping the Christmas tree and the gifts that appear in the
first act, on the stage.
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• ESSAYS
When I considered making this montage, I imagined that since I had some fragments of
the work separately, I would have to make modifications to the schedules to begin to unite
all these parts. Therefore, I thought that there would be days when I would have to meet
all the girls in the morning, increase their intensity, have extra meetings on Saturday
afternoons or if it was necessary to organize rehearsals for Sundays, all this thinking about
achieving build the complete structure of the NUTCRACKER ballet.

Finally, all this illusion that I have about the cast, costumes, scenery and rehearsals, was a
first approach created based on what my experience had been like dancing this work within an
institution such as INCOLBALLET, which after dancing this ballet for for many years, it already
has all the necessary resources to bring it to the stage every year; But, with the passage of time,
my fantasy changed and adapted to the reality that was faced as the process progressed in the
municipality of Santander de Quilichao.

7.3 PHASES OF THE PROCESS

7.3.1 LEARNING, PRACTICE AND INTERNALIZATION OF A PRE-BALLET
PROGRAM

TO. CONTENT

To carry out this process, I reviewed the programs I had on pre-ballet, one was the
curriculum that I had obtained from the American Ballet Theater and the other was the one
studied in the Classical Technique I subject that I attended at the Universidad del Valle. With this,
I intended to select one of the two to carry out the work that had been assigned to me with the
girls of this population; but at the time of starting to develop the classes, I realized that I could not
base myself on just one of them, since they had many things in common and there were others
that, despite not being like that, in my opinion worked very well in both. , then I decided to take
advantage of the topics that I believed I could use from each one, without refusing to add what,
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despite not being written in these documents, could help in the process of the girls from the
municipality of Santander de Quilichao and its surroundings. Without intending to create a pre-
ballet program and taking into account that my process was based on specialized and already
defined programs, I present below the content provided to the girls who participated in the pre-
ballet classes taught in the municipality of Santander de Quilichao during the first semester of
2016 and which was reinforced during the second semester of that same year, with which it was
possible to prepare a choreographic version of the NUTCRACKER ballet specific to these girls
and which was then brought to the stage in the month of December. of the current year.

Warm-up or introduction to the class

• Attention
• Concentration
• Breathing
• Space recognition

• Classroom points (Vaganova school reference)

• Recognition of body parts and joints
• 7 basic dance movements
1. Plier: fold
2. Étendre: stretch
3. Release: upload
4. Glisser: slide
5. Sauter: jump
6. Elancer: launch
7. Tourner: turn
• Levels of the body in space – vertical position of the body
• Addresses
• Dimensions
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• Roads/paths
• Speeds
• Team work
1. A child in relation to another child
2. A child in relation to the group
3. A small group in relation to other groups
4. A large group in relation to the teacher
• Coordination
• Musicality:
- Musical pulse recognition
- Recognition of musical meter/time signatures
- Create awareness of musical phrases
• pencil roll
• Roll forward
• Roll back
Floor Work

• Correct body position

• Leg stretch
• Foot joint work
• Sitting butterflies
• Butterflies lying face up
• Butterflies lying face down
• V arm position
• Souple
• Back strengthening
• Cambre
• Bow
• Stretching
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Center

• VI leg position
• Demi plie in VI position
• Battement tendu devant in VI position
• Transfer of body weight
• port de bras
• Greeting in VI position
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Diagonals

• Relief walk in VI position

• March
• Jumps:
> From two feet to two feet.
> From two feet to one foot and from one foot to two feet
> From one foot to one foot.

Closing of class

• Improvisations

Additionally, we worked with group #3

Bar

• Correct position on the bar

• Arm preparation
• I arm position
• I leg position
• Demi plie in I position
• Battement tendu devant in VI position
• Relief in VI position
• Battement tendu a la seconde y devant in I position
• Relief in I position
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• Battement tendu jette devant in VI position

floor work

• Release lent devant

• Grand Battement a la seconde y devant

b. EXERCISES DEVELOPED

Although a course program or a list like the one presented above offers the content
that can be worked on with a pre-ballet group, from my own experience I know that the
most difficult thing for teachers when this process is beginning is know how to provide
this knowledge to the children who attend the classes. For this reason, below I present
some exercises based on the aforementioned contents, which personally worked for me in
the process developed in the municipality of Santander de Quilichao and that can serve as
a guide and starting point for future dancers or teachers who are starting their path. in pre-
ballet teaching. Even so, in my opinion the teacher must be very attentive to each of the
children to provide the additional tools necessary to strengthen their process, in addition,
they must be willing to make variations to their exercises and even to your class if
something is not working right.

On the other hand, it is worth clarifying that not all the contents are going to be
worked on in a single class, therefore the teacher must observe to what extent they can
add new objectives taking into account that the content will advance as the students
comply. with the objectives that have already been set, for this, it is important to take into
account that not all children advance in the same way or at the same time, which is an
aspect that the teacher must respect and learn to manage within from his class.
Within my pre-ballet classes, children's rounds were a significant tool, especially
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with girls between 4 and 6 years old. The technical vocabulary of classical dance was
introduced after the girls were already familiar with the steps; For example, they knew the
pencil and the eraser (an image worked on in one of the exercises that will be mentioned
later) and after having understood the movement very well with this reference, I told them
that this step has a name in French to be recognized in the classical dance and that was
where I explained that we were referring to the Battement Tendu . The same thing
happened with the other steps we worked on in class. Furthermore, they were not made to
learn the exercises from their first class, in the first instance a lot of work was done
guiding them during the exercises and doing them with them, of course I was clear about
the count of the exercises, but I did not let them know so directly; Over time and after
carrying out musical recognition work, the exercise counts were introduced and memory
work began, where they already had to learn them and perform them without me doing
them together with them. Regarding music, for the exercises where the girls moved freely,
initially my resource was commercial music or soundtracks from children's movies, after
getting the girls to free themselves from feelings such as sadness or fear and enjoy these
moments, they He introduced the use of classical piano music usually used in ballet
classes, for these moments of improvisation. On the other hand, with the girls between 4
and 6 years old, I realized that it works very well to develop the floor work part, with
everyone sitting in a circle, because this way I could see them all and none of them would
feel excluded at any time. With girls 7 years old and older, the floor and center work was
done in lines as is traditionally done in the center within a ballet class.
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Warm-up or introduction to the class

• Attention
> Musical hoops: this game is based on what is traditionally known as “musical
chairs.”
To begin, a number of rings are used distributed throughout the room, equal to the
number of students who will participate.
It will be indicated that while the music is playing, all participants must be
dancing freely throughout the room and no one can be inside any hoop. But once
the music stops, each of the participants must find the nearest hoop and stand
inside it. After explaining this, about three rounds are done to verify if the
dynamics have been understood correctly.
Afterwards, we will explain that in each round a hoop will be removed from the
game, which means that when the music stops one member will be left without a
hoop (for this reason they must be very attentive and go quickly to their nearest
hoop) who is left without a ring, he leaves the game. At the end, we can
congratulate the participant who manages to be within the last hoop by giving
everyone a round of applause.

> The king commands: This game consists of the “King” commanding the group to
do what he wants and the children must do it quickly to please the “King”.
These orders can be: “The King orders you to sit down” “the King orders you to
lie down” “the King orders you to bring a shoe”; etc…
Initially the teacher will take the position of the “King” or may be the “Queen”.
When the dynamics have been understood, some child in the group can take the
position of the “King” or the “Queen.”

• Concentration
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> Magic doll store:
The participants are divided into 2 groups: one group will be the dolls and the
other group will be the buyers.
The group of buyers will leave the room for a moment, while the group of dolls
will be distributed throughout the room and will become toys in a store, adopting
static postures. Then, the buyers will enter the room, walk around looking at these
toys for a moment and leave again.
While the buyers are outside, the dolls will move a part of their body and will
remain still again. When the shoppers come back in, they have to guess which part
of the toys has moved.

• Breathing: achieving correct breathing will help us to be able to have a correct body
position, as well as the execution of movements (especially in jumps), release of tensions,
nerves and others.

> Lying face up. Legs bent (feet hip-width apart, knees toward the ceiling), eyes
closed.
For this activity we can use paper boats for each of the students.
Music: slow audio accompaniment, as if for relaxation.
Initially, time will be given for the children to focus on their own breathing. Then,
it will be indicated that we are going to inhale through the nose and exhale
through the mouth (each student will go at their own pace).
We will each place the boat on their stomach and we will give the image that our
stomach is waves of the sea. Thus, every time we inhale we should feel how that
boat is lifted by the waves and when we exhale we should feel how the little boat
sinks.

If we don't have paper boats, you can put your hands on your stomach and give the
same image. It is important for the teacher to check if the students are doing it
correctly, for this they will approach each student and put their hand on their
stomach to verify their experience.
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• Space recognition
> The students will move around the room as indicated by the teacher. Example: like
dwarfs, like giants, like dogs, walking, running; etc…
Accompaniment music will be used in the activity at the preference of the person
who is directing the activity.
The children will be told that each one is going to pretend that they are moving
inside a bubble and this bubble cannot collide with any other, because then it will
explode. When the music stops, all participants must stay in statues to check if any
bubbles are colliding with another.
Then this exercise can be developed by indicating the actions and using different
locations for the movements, such as circles, straight lines, diagonals, etc.

> The ship: for this activity it will be indicated that our room is a ship and the
participants are people who are traveling inside it. But, together they must occupy
the entire boat so that it does not sink, since if everyone goes to one side of the
boat, they will sink, likewise they must take care that there is no free space in the
room where they sit. water can enter the boat.

While the music plays: all the participants will move around the boat as indicated
by the teacher. Example: like dwarfs, like giants, like dogs, walking, running;
etc…or also, this can be done by letting the participants move freely with the
music. At these times you must be very attentive and move around trying to
occupy all the empty spaces on the boat.

When the music stops: everyone will remain in statues and the teacher will check
if the boat has no spaces where water can enter or if they all sink “into the sea.”
This activity can be repeated several times until you see that the children are
distributed correctly throughout the room.

• Classroom points (Vaganova school reference)

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Regarding this, it is important to make known the eight points of the room, but
also clarify the 4 corners that make it up.

> For this, we can place ourselves with the students in the center of the room and indicate
each of the respective points, showing that starting from point #1, which we will
always place where the public is, we will rotate like the hands of the clock ( to the
right side). Then we can say “let's all run to point #1, #2, #3, etc.” First we will clarify
the eight points in order. Afterwards, we return to the center of the room and the
teacher will indicate going to different points in the room with different ways of
moving. For example:

> We are “swimming” to point #5

> Turning to point #1
> Like giraffes to point #3
> Skipping to point #7

When it is observed that the entire group has understood this, they can all sit in the
center of the room and one by one of the students will be told how and to what point in
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the room they should go. If any class participant has not understood very well, you
should help them and find some way to make them aware of this, without making them
feel bad.

> Another way we can do it is through a game, for example: We are going to take a
trip through different parts of the world where we will have the following stops:

> 1 - it is the station where we will get on the plane to start our adventure #2 - we
will arrive at the beach
> 3 - we will be at the north pole
> 4 - we came to Africa to see animals like elephants, giraffes, etc...
> 5 - we become hunters because we are in the middle of the jungle
> 6 - We arrive in China and we have to act as if we were Chinese
> 7 - we will be in Paris having a coffee in a very elegant way

> 8 - this station is the farewell of the trip, so we will take a group photo
(everyone must organize themselves as if they were going to take a photo)

> During the explanation, while we go to each station we will indicate what each
one will correspond to.
> At each station, actions must be carried out that correspond to the stop being
made. For example, if we are on the beach, each one can do what they think is
done there, such as swimming, making sand castles, sunbathing, etc... and so
on with all the seasons.
> Then they can make the trip alone (without the teacher's company).

So we can then join the stations so that from one station to another I can “dress”
for the next stop or develop all the creative ideas that may appear in the process.
Another way to develop it is that they must make each stop with a defined count;
That is, 6 beats is the station (to interpret what corresponds) and 2 beats to run to
the next station.
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> Later, we can play to remember some stops on our trip: “How about we
remember when we were at the North Pole?” and everyone must go to point
number 2 and mime being at the north pole; “What if we remember when we
had coffee in Paris?” and all of them must go to point number 7; so on.

The points in the classroom are something that we can also reinforce throughout
the class, for example if we are going to do some activity diagonally, indicate: “we are
going to locate ourselves at point number 6” and we are going to do “x thing”, one by
one. one, to point number “2”; or to cross the room from one side to the other: “we are
going to locate ourselves at point number “7” and we are going to do “x thing”, one by
one, until point number “3”

• Recognition of body parts and joints: it is important to work on this with students of all
ages to create body awareness. With larger ones it will be a faster process, but it is still
important to do it.

> Round: head, shoulders, knees, feet (audio attached)

> Ronda: I shook (audio attached)

> Round: chu chu ua (audio attached)

Personally, I recommend working these rounds with the entire group forming a circle.
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> The students will be dancing freely throughout the room while music that the
teacher will play plays; When the music stops, it will be indicated on which part of
the body they should place their hands and the children must remain like a statue
in that position until the music plays again and they resume the free dance. For
example: hands on the head, hands on the shoulders or hands on the feet; etc
Likewise, it can be indicated as: hands on the shoulders of a partner; etc

> Another option is that you can play music and tell the students what parts of the
body they should move, or indicate the movement they should do, for example: as
if we were swimming forward, or swimming backward, or swimming like
puppies, or moving your hips to the sides or moving your hips in circles, moving
your head saying yes or saying no, moving your arms like ducks; etc…

• 7 basic dance movements

1. Plier: fold
2. Étendre: stretch
3. Release: upload
4. Glisser: slide
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5. Sauter: jump
6. Elancer: launch
7. Tourner: turn

> The teacher will play music, while the students will move freely throughout the
room. When the music stops, students must pay attention to the number of claps
the teacher gives or the number indicated, as this will mean an action they must
perform.
The teacher can set himself/herself to work on 3 movements per class, not all of
them should be covered in one or in a single exercise. For example:

> 1 clap: bend (it can be a specific part of the body or let them respond freely to
what they feel like doing)

> 2 claps: slide > 3 claps: rotate

> 4 claps: jump

• Levels of the body in space – vertical position of the body

> Start in corner #1 standing in VI position.
Music: This can be instrumental music such as a march or a happy song.

They crawl like snakes to corner #2 where they will become coiled snakes; We
will quickly become hunters and march to corner #3 where we will make a pose
“like a hunter observing in the distance”; We will immediately become giants and
walk in relief to corner #4 and do a pose “as if we wanted to reach for the stars”
(in relief with our arms stretched towards the ceiling); and finally we will jump
like rabbits to point #1 where we will get to do a dancer's salute (in VI position,
head salute).
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Once the children have learned the sequence, we can introduce the counts; For
example:

> 4 times for each movement and 4 times for each pose > 6 times for each
movement and 2 times for each pose

• Directions: with little girls it is better to work on lateral movements without imposing right
side or left side, since girls under 6 years of age in most cases still do not differentiate
this. But indirectly with games or rounds we can work on it.

> Ronda: the dance of the animals. (audio attached)

This round can be done in a circle. Or in lines all facing towards point #1.

For this round, references will be sought on how to move with each animal, these
may be (depending on what the room is like):

- Dante the crocodile walks forward: towards the mirror (point #1)
- The elephant Blas walks backwards: we return to the place (point #5)
- The chick Lalo walks to the side: towards a window (point #3)
- And on my bicycle I go the other way: towards the exit door (point #7)

This means that we will move forward, to the right or left side and backward but
through images or references to where they should move.

• Dimensions: This point refers to how big or small I am or the movement I am performing.

> For this, we can do a small dance with the children or use a children's round and
once they have learned it well, we will do it with large and exaggerated
movements, then medium movements and finally very small movements (always
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the same sequence of movements). You can do this by moving around the room, in
circles, in lines, in pairs; etc
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• Roads/roads: refers to the slogan “which way are you going?”

We are going to work on displacements in lines, diagonals, large and small circles; etc

> Animal race:

The girls will stand in a line on one side of the room facing the opposite side. This
game consists of moving like the animal that the teacher indicates, but it must be
clarified that it is a race where the winner is not the one who arrives first but the
one who does it best. It is very important that each one keep their own path and
not cross the path of the other companions.
An image that can be used for this is the train tracks; In this case the train goes
straight on its path because if it leaves it it can cause an accident; or if they are
cars that do not maintain their lane, they can collide with other cars; Just as in
these examples, each one must go their own way to avoid causing accidents.

The movement will be carried out in the following way:

Public (point #1) Public (point #1)

1 -> -> -> -> -> -> -> 1 <- <- <- <- <- <- <

2 -> -> -> -> -> -> -> 2 <- <- <- <- <- <- <

3 -> -> -> -> -> -> -> 3 <- <- <- <- <- <- <-
Some animals that can be worked are:

> Snakes
> Dogs
> Tigers
> Elephants (walk on hands and feet with tail up)
> Crabs (walking sideways –demi plie in II position-)
> Frogs
> Giraffes (walking in relief)
> Butterflies
> birdies
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> Horses

The teacher should not refuse to include images, in this case of animals, that arise in the process,
whether they occur to him or her or the children propose them in class.

In this dynamic, the levels of the body in space are also worked on, since depending on the
animal indicated, it will be the level at which they will be moving.

• Speeds
- Round: slow very slow

This round can be worked with free movements throughout the room.
We can relate each speed to an animal to have a clearer image of how to move
and create awareness of the term speed in relation to the body.

- Slowly, very slowly, we are walking: this first part we can be cats that move
slowly.

- Quick, quick, quick, quick: we can be little birds that flap their wings and run
quickly around the room.

- On tiptoe, titas, titas: we can be ducks that walk on tiptoe, moving our arms
like ducks to the rhythm of the song.

- I march, I march, I march straight: we can become wolves (arms and faces of
wolves) while we march hard with our legs to the rhythm of the music.

- Float, float, let's float: we can sit like butterflies and fly with our wings (legs),
we can fly higher if we use our arms as wings, kiss the feet like butterflies,
etc...
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- Jump, jump, jump poin: we can become rabbits that jump very high and
quickly around the room to the rhythm of the song.

- With older students, we can do a speed activity where they will move around the
room to the rhythm of the teacher's clapping.
We will have speeds from 1 to 5, where 1 is the slowest speed and 5 is the
fastest. The children will be walking around the room to the rhythm of the
teacher's clapping.

- The teacher will be able to select 3 different audios

1. a very slow song
2. A normal rhythm song
3. a very fast song

The students must move around the room according to the song that is playing
(their movement must correspond to the speed of the music).
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• Team work
1. A child in relation to another child

> Mirror game

Each couple is located in a place in space with a safe distance from the other
couples. The participants stand facing each other with their corresponding partner.
The teacher will list the girls in each pair, one will be #1 and the other will be #2.
Afterwards, it is indicated that #1 is going to perform a free dance in front of their
partner, while #2 will be the mirror that must perform exactly all the movements
that their partner performs.
For this explanation, the teacher can stand in front of a real mirror and
demonstrate an example, showing how the mirror image moves at the same
moment as the person standing in front of it.

2. A child in relation to the group

> To start this activity, all the participants will dance freely throughout the room
(taking into account that no one can bump into anyone), at some moments the
teacher will stop the music and the children will do statue to check the group's
concentration on the activity. Then the teacher will say out loud on behalf of one
of the participants so that everyone follows that partner. Everyone must copy and
perform the movements of whoever has been indicated. A certain time will be
given for this and then another student will be named who they must follow and so
on until each of the participants has led the group.

3. A small group in relation to other groups

> So that the children are aware that within a group there may be subgroups and we
do not always belong to all of them, learning to identify in this case which one we
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belong to, we will divide the group into subgroups, for example if we have 10
students we form two groups of three people and one of four members.
Then a certain time will be given for each group to form a small dance, where
each of the participants must contribute and then this will be presented in front of
the other groups. Before each group begins to create their dance, they will be
introduced to the music that will accompany them in that montage and will be left
playing during the time they are in the creation process.
While there is time to set up, the room is divided so that each group has its own
space and it is clarified that when it comes to showing their choreography, they
will have the entire room as a stage, since the other groups will sit as an audience
to observe. .

4. A large group in relation to the teacher

> This point is something that, especially with younger children, is worked on during
a large part of the class since the children are always positioned in relation to the
teacher. We work from the beginning of the class, where the students will imitate
the teacher's movements to warm up / at some point in the class to guide
themselves when performing an exercise / when standing in line behind the
teacher to start an exercise or by placing themselves in lines with the teacher
located in front of the group following a directed dance; etc...
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• Coordination

For me, this is an aspect that is implicit in every class. In the same way we can do
exercises focused on this objective. For example, the teacher can stand in front of the
students and they must copy the movements that he/she makes. At this moment the
teacher can make more complex coordination movements between arms and legs, or arms
and head or legs and head; etc... as well as managing different dynamics of movements,
whether they are cut movements, linked movements, etc...

• Musicality: develop awareness of musical quality and time.

> Recognition of the musical pulse.

For this, the children will listen to various musical audios, which in an
intuitive way they will begin to accompany with claps following the strong
accents they find in the melodies, in this way they will begin to feel the pulse
of the music, recognizing it as the beating of it (as if it were a heart); The
teacher must guide those children who find it difficult to carry out this
rhythmic sequence.
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> Recognition of musical meter/time signatures.
After basic understanding of the beat of the music, the teacher will induce a
cyclic count of (1, 2, 3, 4), (1, 2, 3) or (1,2) as appropriate to the melodies,
Then they will be asked to keep that same count out loud and just clap on the
number one.

> Create awareness of musical phrases.

After understanding the pulse and understanding the meter of music in a basic
way, that “one” in which they clapped is taken as the beginning of each
measure, and it is explained to them that each 8 “ones” can correspond to a
musical phrase with which they will synchronize the movements of the ballet
exercises worked in class.

Floor Work

• Correct body position

Although nowadays there is a lot of talk about not creating a stereotype of a man or
woman directly with girls, it worked for me in this process to create the image of
“princesses” to achieve a correct body position with girls. who attended classes; It is
important to note that no children attended.

- Princess – Monster (audio attached)

We will start sitting and we will create the image of the princesses in the
following way (at the same time we give the verbal indication of this, we will
represent the image that we are creating)

- On our head we have a crown, therefore we cannot have our head tilted in any
direction, because it could fall off.

- On our neck we have a collar, if we have our chin down our collar will not be
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seen, so we must have a long neck like giraffes to show it.
- On our chest we will have a light that will illuminate the entire room, if we
relax it will be off, but in ballet class it must be on all the time
- On our hands we have some beautiful gloves that we are going to show (arms
in Allongé low at the sides)
- Our big toe is going to hide during the entire ballet class because it's too
embarrassed to go out.
- We are going to glue our legs together and also to the floor (they must be super
stretched) since not even a sheet of paper can fit under the legs.
- On our feet we will have heels (insteps)

After having created this image, we can make a game called “Princess-Monster”

They will start as princesses (with the position we learned) when the teacher gives
one applause they will become monsters (each one creates her own monster), with
the next applause they will return to being princesses, and so on.

Afterwards, we can do this exercise with music:

Preparation (1, 2, 3, 4): in princess position

1, 2, 3, 4: monsters

5, 6, 7, 8: princesses

1, 2, 3, 4: monsters
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1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8: monsters

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8: princesses

• Leg stretching
> Rocket (audio attached)
We will be sitting facing the wall, with our legs bent and our feet ready to push us
very far.
Hands cannot touch the floor. When the teacher applauds the rockets they are
going to fly (they must push the wall with their feet to get as far away as they can
and remain with their legs super stretched showing their insteps)
They then return to the wall and perform this action again.
After reviewing each of the members, we will do this exercise with music:

Preparation (1, 2, 3, 4): initial position close to the wall.

1, I push the wall, the rocket takes off

2, 3, 4: wait showing the position of straight legs

5, 6, 7, 8: approaches the wall, returning to the starting position

And repeat this 4 more times. For a total of 5 times.

• Foot joint work

> Instep: toes want to touch the floor, keeping the legs straight
> Flex: fingers want to touch the nose, keeping the legs straight
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> Instep (heels) and flex exercise (audio attached)

Preparation (1, 2, 3, 4): in princess position, but with feet flexed

1, 2, 3, 4: instep or heels

5, 6, 7, 8: flex

1, 2, 3, 4: instep or heels

5, 6, 7, 8: flex

Repeat everything again.

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• Sitting butterflies
> History of the butterfly (audio attached)

Preparation (1, 2, 3, 4): in sleeping butterfly position

1, 2, 3, 4: the butterflies wake up and stretch

5, 6, 7, 8: the wings are pushed

1: they sniff a foot

2: we make a gesture that it smells bad

3: they sniff the other foot

4: we make a gesture that it smells bad

5: 6, 7, 8: put talcum powder on your feet

1: they sniff a foot

2: we gesture that it smells good now

3: they smell each other

4: we gesture that it smells good now

5: 6, 7, 8: they fly (moving their knees up and down quickly, trying to touch the
floor each time)

2, 2: they put on a giant crown that they found on the road (V position of arms)

3, 4: they show their elegant gloves again (arms in short allongé)

5, 6, 7, 8: and finally they go to sleep

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Initially we can tell them the story without counting, after they learn it, do it with music
guiding them and after a couple of classes try to get them to do it on their own, guiding
the counting a little with their voice.

• Butterflies lying face up and face down (audio attached)

For this stretch, we can play soft music that the children like, where we will only focus on
breathing, the eyes can be kept closed.
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• V arm position
In this process where only girls participated, this position became known as “the crown.”
It was included in exercises worked on during class such as butterflies, at the end of some
exercise, in the position of princesses with crowns, in the walk of giants with crowns; etc

• Souple

> Souple exercise (audio attached)

Preparation (1, 2, 3, 4): in princess position, with insteps, arms in Allongé low at
the sides.

1, 2: hug legs

3, 4: I stretch my legs, trying to leave my chest close to my legs

5, 6: I hold the souple

7, 8: rise to initial position

Repeat two more times, for a total of 3 times. And then he does:

1, 2, 3, 4: in princess position raise arms to crown (V position of arms)

5, 6, 7, 8: open your arms to the starting position (Allongé low to the sides)

• Back strengthening
> Superman (audio attached)
In the Santander process, the girls gave a new name to this exercise with which we
identified it in the “super fashionable girls” class.
The teacher will indicate each change of “fly” or “lie down” with a clap.

Preparation (1, 2, 3, 4): face under legs stretched with insteps, and arms stretched
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above ready to fly like Superman.

1, 2: flying

3, 4: they go to bed

5, 6: flying

7, 8: they go to bed

1, 2, 3, 4: flying

5, 6, 7, 8: they go to bed

and repeat

• Cambre
> Story of the snake (audio attached)

Preparation (1, 2, 3, 4): lying face down, legs stretched with insteps, hands on the
sides of the shoulders with palms facing the floor and elbows close to the body.

1, 2, 3, 4: the snake wakes up (cambre)

5, 6, 7, 8: the snake lies down to sleep

1, 2, 3, 4: the snake wakes up (cambre)

5, 6, 7, 8: the snake lies down to sleep

1, 2., 3, 4: the snake wakes up (cambre)

5, 6, 7, 8: shake hands with your classmates

1, 2, 3, 4: greet your classmates with the other hand

5, 6, 7, 8: holds camber position

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1, 2, 3, 4: the snake coils (feet will touch the head)

5, 6, 7, 8: Hold coiled snake position (trying to touch my bun, forehead, eyes,

nose, or mouth)

1, 2, 3, 4: stretch legs (return to cambre or snake position)

5, 6, 7, 8: the snakes lie down to sleep.

• Bow
It is important to review one by one of the students to ensure that they are doing it
correctly.

• Stretching
For this, all types of exercises were performed that can focus on improving your
flexibility. For example:

> With the teacher's help, the student, lying down, raises his/her straight legs
forward and backwards, for 10 seconds.
> Face up, legs up on the wall and tail against the wall, open your legs and hold
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for a song, keeping your eyes closed. The teacher will little by little help to
open the legs more and more
> The student sits with his/her back completely against the wall and his/her legs
open, the teacher will help him/her to open his/her legs further for 10 seconds.

Center

It must be taken into account that before starting to do exercises with counting, the step
that is going to be taught must be explained very well, review how each student is executing it
and clarify any doubts that may arise. Then it is advisable to perform the exercise with counting
but without music and finally add music to perform the exercise.

• VI leg position
The same princess position that we learned sitting. We will do it standing with our legs
super stretched like a rocket.

• Demi plie in VI position

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> The elevator (audio attached)
The demi plie is a step that goes down and up (hence the relationship with the
elevator) but in a linked way, without stops.
We will explain the characteristics of the step, giving this image and we can
perform the following exercise:

Preparation (1, 2, 3, 4): in VI position, hands on the waist.

1, 2: demi plie (go down by elevator)

3, 4: stretch (elevator goes up)

5, 6: demi plie (go down by elevator)

7, 8: stretch (elevator goes up)

1, 2: demi plie (go down by elevator)

3, 4: stretch (elevator goes up)

5, 6, 7, 8: change arms (it can be hands on the shoulders with the elbows up or
hands to grab the skirt for girls if they have them)

1, 2: demi plie (go down by elevator)

3, 4: stretch (elevator goes up)

5, 6: demi plie (go down by elevator)

7, 8: stretch (elevator goes up)

1, 2: demi plie (go down by elevator)

3, 4: stretch (elevator goes up)

5, 6, 7, 8: change arms (they return to the waist)

• Battement tendu devant in VI position

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> Pencil and eraser (audio attached)

In my opinion it is better to teach this step in the center and not directly on the bar
so that the children find the correct transfer of their body weight without creating
unnecessary tensions and supports that can arise if they work on the bar from the
beginning.
It is important to emphasize that the legs never bend in this exercise and that we
talk about the role that each leg has:
> The base leg
> The action leg
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Preparation (1, 2, 3, 4): in VI position, hands on the waist.

1, 2, 3, 4: pencil comes out drawing a straight line to the front, showing the instep

5, 6, 7, 8: the eraser enters (The foot must pass where we draw the line at the exit
to erase it)

1, 2, 3, 4: pencil comes out drawing a straight line to the front, showing the instep

5, 6, 7, 8: enter the draft

1, 2, 3, 4: pencil comes out drawing a straight line to the front, showing the instep

5, 6, 7, 8: enter the draft

1, 2, 3, 4: raise arms on the outside to V position (crown)

5, 6, 7, 8: lower arms on the outside to the starting position (hands on waist)

• Transfer of body weight (attached audio)

> Located in lines (as traditionally worked in the center of the ballet class. looking
towards point #1 of the room)
I worked on this exercise with girls ages 7 and up.

Preparation (1, 2, 3, 4): in VI position, hands on the waist

1: step with right leg forward

2: step with left leg forward

3: step with right leg forward

4: left leg closes to VI position

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5: 6: demi plie in VI position

7, 8: stretch your legs

1: step with the right leg to the right side

2: step with the left leg to the side closing to VIposition

3: step with the right leg to the right

4:left legclose to VIposition

5.6:deploy in VIposition

7.8: leg stretcher

1: step with the left leg to the left

2: step with the right leg to the left closing to VIposition

3: step with the left leg to the left

4: right leg close to VI position

5.6:demilieenVIposition 7.8:stretchlegs

1, 2, 3, 4: close passé climb with the right leg

5, 6, 7, 8: close VI position

The exercise is finished and then the left side is explained.

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When the exercise for both sides has been understood, we can do the right and left
side in a row.

• Port de bras
For this point, we can create stories where the students follow the teacher's movement.
For example:

> Sitting down, create the story of gently lifting a baby off the floor, lulling it to
sleep, showing that we have to be silent, putting it back down on the floor, and
adding the ideas that may arise (for this we can use a doll that each student to
take to class or just imagine him baby)
> We can create another story where we have to take several apples down from a
tree and we can bite them or we can put them in a basket and then take them to
another side of the room and take them out of the basket one by one.
> Likewise, we can do complete port de bra exercises (initially just endehors)
first with one arm, then the other and finally both. When the time is right, port
de bras endans will be introduced

Greeting in VI position
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Diagonals

On the diagonals we can explain the steps and then one by one of the students, they will
advance along the diagonal with the corresponding movement so that the teacher can review each
of the students. When the students have understood the movements and have appropriated them,
we can create exercises with small combinations.

• Relief walk in VI position

The images that we can use for this walk are:

> Walk as if you were wearing your mother's heels

> Walk like giants, with long necks like giraffes.

Initially you can work with your hands on your waist, then if the girls have a skirt
they can hold the skirt on their sides or you can also do this with your hands in a
“crown” (V arm position)

• March
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Here we can give the image that we are soldiers who march strong. It helps to show
images to create references.

• Jumps:
We can also do the jumps diagonally, with the help of hoops that we will place on the
floor depending on the jump we want to do (rabbits, hopscotch, puddles, etc...)

1) From two feet to two feet.

For example:

> The rabbits (Jump from VI position)

> Jumps as in II position but without rotating the legs - just legs apart. Continued
along the diagonal.
> Opening and closing like hopscotch, always on both feet (likeechappe)
> From VI position, jump and open your legs in the air as in II position, and fall
in VI position.
> frog jumps

2) From two feet to one foot and from one foot to two feet For example:

> Hopscotch (open both legs, and in the next jump fall on one), the smaller ones
are not told which leg they should land on, the important thing is that the
mechanics of the movement are carried out; with those who already identify
right and left without giving the indication.

3) From one foot to one foot.

For example:

> Horse jump

> Jumps on one foot
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> Jumps alternating legs in forward tendu with plie.
> puddle jump

Closing of class

• Improvisations
> Individual improvisations.
All class participants will sit and observe as if they were the audience. According
to whoever the teacher indicates, they will go out one by one to the center to dance
freely, with the music that the teacher plays at that moment.

In this dance they can include the steps they have learned in class, what they liked
the most, steps that they want to invent; etc...
The condition that can be placed is that they must move around the room and not
stay in one place during their “presentation.”
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> With the groups of girls a little larger or when they have been in ballet classes for
longer, we can divide the students either into pairs or groups. And give a certain
time for them to do a short dance. It is important to highlight that all members of
the group must contribute to the creation of their choreography.
At the end of the time, each group will show what they did to the other couples or
groups. It doesn't matter if the dance is short or long, all effort should be valued
positively.

> Riddles
In an envelope the teacher will carry some pieces of paper where different feelings
or emotions will be written. For example: joy, sadness, rage, madness, etc... All
the participants in the group will sit as an audience and only one will go to take
out a piece of paper; Then whoever takes out the paper must stand in front of the
group and, without speaking, interpret that feeling or emotion that corresponds to
them and the group must guess what they are representing. Thus, one/or one of the
members of the group will come out.
We can also do this activity, for example, with professions (writer, teacher, police
officer, etc...)
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Additionally, we worked with group #3:

Bar

• Correct position on the bar

It is important to talk about the position we must have on the bar so that the exercises are
carried out correctly, never assuming that the students know something.
At this point it is important to talk about the correct distance that we must have with the
bar, the distance between the hands, the placement of the hands on the bar, highlighting
that the position of the body does not vary with respect to what we have already learned,
so like talking about the bar helping us to have a little more security and not to hold on to
it.

According to the ABT program, it is not recommended to work at the bar with students
under 8 years of age. Thus, I personally believe that once the work on the bar begins, one can
speak directly with names of steps and characteristics, but clearly without evading the images that
can help the students better understand the movements, always relating it to the steps that you
have already learned before reaching this moment, this will make understanding and developing
new movements much easier. Likewise, it is better to start this work with simple exercises and
repetitions, to create awareness and muscle memory.
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1
• Demi plie in I position (audio attached)

Starting position: I position in front of the bar, arms in preparation.

Preparation (1, 2, 3, 4): arms go up to the bar

1, 2: half fold

3, 4: stretch

5, 6: half fold

7, 8: stretch

1, 2: half fold

3, 4: stretch

5, 6: head turns a little to the right diagonal

7, 8: return head forward

1, 2: half fold

3, 4: stretch

5, 6: half fold

7, 8: stretch

1, 2: half fold

3, 4: stretch

5, 6: head turns a little to the left diagonal

7, 8: return head forward

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8: arms in I position

1, 2, 3, 4; arms are lowered in preparation, gaze accompanies the movement of the hands
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5, 6, 7, 8: look forward again 2

• Battement tendu devant in VI position (audio attached)

We can give the same pencil and eraser image as discussed above.
In this exercise, for example, we can add the relief in VI position.
Starting position: VI position in front of the bar, arms in preparation

Preparation (1, 2, 3, 4): arms go up to the bar

1, 2, 3, 4: Battement tendu devant with the right leg

5, 6, 7, 8: Close VI position

1, 2, 3, 4: Battement tendu devant with the right leg

5, 6, 7, 8: Close VI position

1, 2: Battement tendu devant with the right leg

3, 4: Close VI position

5, 6: Battement tendu devant with the right leg

7, 8: close VI position

1, 2, 3, 4: relieve in VI position

5, 6, 7, 8: ground floor in VI position

He does everything with his left leg and then

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8: holds arms in I position

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8: raise arms to V position and hold the position

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8: open with a port de bras endehors until the arms reach preparation

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8: Hold in VI position, with arms in preparation, lengthening and

reviewing the position of the body.
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• Relief in VI position
3

In my opinion, it is not necessary to create an exercise only with this movement, since it
has been previously known as the giants and walks in heels, etc...
Therefore we can add it within an exercise as shown in the previous example.

• Battement Tendu a la seconde and devant in I position

We continue with the image of the pencil and eraser for the execution of the movement.
As has already been said, it is important to talk about the characteristics of the step, such
as:
- Devant leaves his heel and enters his toes
- Devant is in line with the heel of the base leg
- There should be no hip movement
- Transfer of body weight

Starting position: I position in front of the bar, arms in preparation

Preparation (1, 2, 3, 4): arms go up to the bar

1, 2, 3, 4: Battement tendu a la seconde with the right leg

5, 6, 7, 8: Close I position

1, 2, 3, 4: Battement tendu a la seconde with the right leg

5, 6, 7, 8: Close I position

1, 2, 3, 4: Battement tendu a la seconde with the right leg

5, 6, 7, 8: Close I position

1, 2, 3, 4: Relief in I position

5, 6, 7, 8: low I position
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Release the bar and finish with arms in I position. When the teacher indicates, lower your4
arms to prepare.

Then, the entire exercise is repeated a la seconde with the left leg.

This same exercise can be performed with Battement tendu devant.

• Relief in I position
In my opinion it is not necessary to create an exercise with just this movement, therefore
we can add it within an exercise as shown in the previous example.

• Battement tendu jette devant in VI position (audio attached) Starting position: VI position
in front of the bar, arms in preparation

Preparation (1, 2, 3, 4): arms go up to the bar

1: right leg comes out forward

2: Battement tendu jette devant

3: 4: holds Battement tendu jette out

5, 6: support toe on the floor

7, 8: Close VI position

1: right leg comes out forward

2: Battement tendu jette devant

3: 4: holds Battement tendu jette out

5, 6: support toe on the floor

7, 8: Close VI position

1: right leg comes out forward

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2: Battement tendu jette devant 5

3: 4: holds Battement tendu jette out

5, 6: support toe on the floor

7, 8: Close VI position

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8: raise arms to V position and stay. When the teacher indicates, lower
your arms through port de bras until preparation.

floor work

• Release lent devant (audio attached)

Lying face up. VI leg position. Arms at the sides as in a cross position.

Preparation (1, 2, 3, 4): wait

1, 2, 3, 4: Release lent devant with the right leg

5, 6, 7, 8: Close VI position

1, 2, 3, 4: Release lent devant with the right leg

5, 6, 7, 8: Close VI position

1, 2, 3, 4: Release lent devant with the right leg

5, 6, 7, 8: Close VI position

1, 2, 3, 4: Releve lent devant with the right leg

5, 6, 7, 8: Close VI position

Then do the same with the left leg.

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• Grand Battement devant (audio attached) 6

Lying face up. VI leg position. Arms at the sides as in a cross position. The image for this
exercise may be to throw your leg hard to ring a bell.

Preparation (1, 2, 3, 4): wait

1: throw Grand battement devant with the right leg

2, 3.4: down to VI position

5, throw Grand battement devant with the right leg

6, 7, 8: go down to VI position

1, throw Grand battement devant with the right leg

2, 3.4: down to VI position

5, throw Grand battement devant with the right leg

6, 7, 8: go down to VI position

Then do the same with the left leg.

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7.3.2 ADAPTATION OF THE WORK TO THE SOCIO-CULTURAL REALITY OF
THE MUNICIPALITY OF SANTANDER DE QUILICHAO.

When the second semester of the year arrived, the academy already had a name
"Magic Sneakers Ballet School", it had 36 students and the time had come to launch the
creation of the end of the year work, with which the first presentation of the ballet school
in the municipality of Santander de Quilichao.

This was the moment to make everything I had imagined months ago come true.
To do this, I had to organize a work schedule, get the music, define the venue for the
performance, start designing the costumes, define who would dance each dance, etc. …
but as time went by and as this creation progressed, I had to adapt my fantasy to the
reality in which this process was developing, since by this time I realized many factors
that would begin to transform my final idea of this new choreographic version of the
ballet “NUTCRACKER” , such as:

• Due to the economic situation that was experienced in this population, I realized
that I would not be able to ask for more than one costume from each girl due to the
cost that this represented, only with group # 3 and with a very great effort, after
having spoken with We parents concluded that each girl would participate in two
choreographies, each with its respective costumes as planned.

• When I told the owner of the academy about the idea of meeting the girls at a
different time, she told me that it was not possible, since during the week we did
not have space to rehearse and the girls studied, on Saturdays many girls had other
activities before or after ballet class and on Sundays they were not going to attend
classes because the parents were not used to investing extra time to take their girls
to rehearsals. In this way, it was always difficult to meet the girls at a time other
than their normal two hours of class.

• The assembly time was reduced to 4 months (August - November) since the
performance had to be between the first and second Saturday of December, which
meant that there were 17 classes to develop the entire process of exploration,
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creation, rehearsals, wardrobe measurements, recognition of the space in which the
function would finally take place and so on (everything that a function implies
logistically).

• This process began with the staging of the second act of the ballet that corresponds
to the dances of the world. Since attendance was not so constant, this influenced
the production to develop more slowly, which finally led to me not being able to
speak with the parents to invite them to participate in the performance, because
there was no longer enough time to put on the first act. of the work.

• At first glance, it may seem that there was enough time to carry out everything and
this perhaps would have been the case, if the total time of each class had been used
only for the assembly of the work, but each class reduced the time to the
development of the work since each one was divided as follows:

- Most of the time the class started 10 minutes after the due time, because the
girls were late in arriving (tardyness).

- 15 minutes warm up

- 30 minutes of assembly with half of the group. During this time, the other half
of the group was in some activity with the owner of the academy, whether
reinforcing movements such as bow, rolls, drawing, etc...

- 15 minutes rest

- 30 minutes of assembly with the other half of the group

- 20 minutes to close the class (stretch or activity)

All these factors influenced my fantasy to finally be reduced to creating a new version of
the second act of the ballet “ Nutcracker” in the municipality of Santander de Quilichao.

In addition to this, while I was doing the assembly I had the idea that I would be able to
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find a stage to represent the play, in an easy way as can be done in Cali (which is where I live),
where there are theaters and spaces available from which one can choose the one that best suits
one's needs. For this, I considered visiting various auditoriums, theaters or spaces to look for one
that met the basic needs to carry out a classical dance performance, taking into account that guest
dancers would participate who would do great jumps and pointe handling. What would be taken
into account when selecting the venue for the function would be:

- A stage with a wooden floor and cushioning, due to the technical work of the dancers
and the care that must be taken with them.
- That the stage had legs, so that various entrances and exits would be made with the
girls for the development of the choreographies.
- That it had lights, to help create the atmosphere of the different moments of the work.
- That it had a good sound.
- Adequate seating capacity for the attendance of parents, family, friends and guests.
- Technician in charge of lights and sound.

But, once I spoke with the owners of the academy about this point, I was surprised to find
that in Santander de Quilichao there was no theater where we could perform our performance, but
I was given the option of checking out auditoriums and coliseums. Among the places visited, we
had cases such as an auditorium that had the capacity for very minimal attendance, so it was not a
very good option to hold it there; a coliseum that had stands for sufficient attendance, but was
very open (it had no walls) which would require obtaining audio equipment that covered a large
sound amplitude, so that all attendees could hear the melody to which they were dancing very
well. girls and this increased the cost; Finally we visited the auditorium of a school, which despite
not having seating, had a large space to place chairs according to the number of expected
audiences and an elevated stage that would allow all attendees to observe the performance
without problem, additionally, in the Behind the stage there were two bathrooms and two rooms
that served perfectly as dressing rooms for the girls and another plus point was that at the back of
the stage there was a hallway through which you could change sides for exits to the stage. stage
without the audience seeing them.

This space did not have a wooden floor or legs like a theater generally has, so the next
step was to rent a platform (wooden floor) that we could put on the stage. For this we visited a
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person who rented platforms, but he did not have a wooden floor that we could place on the stage.
Even so, this man listened to our need and decided to build an apartment like the one we were
needing to rent to the academy on this occasion. The sound and lights necessary to perform the
function were rented from this same person, since the auditorium did not have its own equipment
either, but this did not include a technician (which the auditorium did not have either). On the
other hand, chairs would be rented for people who would attend to see the performance.

7.3.3. PEDAGOGICAL ELEMENTS IN THE EXERCISE OF THE COMPOSITION OF

THE NUTCRACKER (DEVELOPMENT OF THE ASSEMBLY PROCESS OF THE
SECOND ACT OF THE NUTCRACKER BALLET IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF
SANTANDER DE QUILICHAO)

The creation process was carried out as follows:

1. Presentation to the girls of the work to work on

This refers to reading the ballet plot and watching videos.

A plot was chosen that fit very well with the version that I knew, which was read
to the girls so that they understood the history of the ballet that we were going to
work on and although in the end we only staged the second act of the work, it was
an occasion that It was used to inform them about this wonderful ballet that is
recognized worldwide.
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As an audiovisual resource, two videos were selected to present to the girls:

❖ The first was a fragment of the film “FANTASY” which is an animated

film produced by Walt Disney , released on November 13, 1940. In it,
between minute 9:22 and minute 21:30, the musical pieces from the
second act of “ The Nutcracker ” by Piotr Ilich Tchaikovsky are
performed.

❖ The second was “The Nutcracker,” also known as “ George

Balanchine's The Nutcracker,” which is an American Christmas film
performed by the New York City Ballet that premiered in 1993.

I chose this version because its argument referred to the one I wanted
to develop; In addition, its costumes and scenery seemed ideal to attract
the attention of the girls and bring them closer to this ballet.
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2
The observation of these videos also served for each one to recognize the dances that
were presented in the work and how the dancers interpreted each of the dances
(Chinese, Arab, Spanish, Russian).

2. Musical appreciation of the second act of The Nutcracker .

The activities that were carried out for this were:

- The girls, lying on their backs and with their eyes closed, listened to the music
of the fragments that they were going to dance.
- Then, everyone clapped to the rhythm of the music (to begin to recognize its
pulse) in order to understand the speed and character of the musical piece.
- After recognizing their pulse, we count the measures in a very basic way to
understand the musical phrases a little and thus be able to correctly
synchronize their movements with the music later on.

3. Improvisation exercises

These exercises were carried out based on a given theme (representing

Chinese, Russian, Arab, Spanish dancers), with each group performed according
to the dances that corresponded to them for the final presentation:

• Group #1 : Chinese dance and Russian dance

• Group #2: Spanish dance and polichinelas
• Group #3: Arabic dance, marzipan and waltz of the flowers

Initially it was very important to ask: How do you think the Chinese move?
How do you think the Spanish walk? Do these characters generally move fast or
slow?, etc...
Then the music was played and they had to improvise individually throughout the
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room. Improvisations were also performed in pairs and groups. 3

In these activities, as a teacher I began to observe which movements they did

naturally could be used to be included in the choreographies.
I felt satisfaction in their improvisations since I could see how their range of
movements had expanded so far, thanks to the exercises we had developed during
the first period of the year.

4. Formation of the choreographic version of The Nutcracker created by the

girls participating in the pre-ballet workshop in Santander de Quilichao.

After the work done up to this point, I told them the number of members
that should be in each choreography and they decided which one each wanted to
belong to. Then, depending on the age of the girls, I organized what locations and
what movements could be made in each composition. I included the steps that I
had observed in their improvisations; Thus, I guided the process, uniting these
movements and creating a musical count that would help them all move in
synchrony.
For the groups that remained in the dances that had object management such as the
Chinese dance that was with umbrellas and the Spanish dance that was with fans,
additional improvisation work was done with an object. To do this, each of the
girls had to bring to class the object that corresponded to them according to the
dance in which they participated.
Additionally, I added movements and unions that in my opinion could be achieved
without problem and that is how the choreographies were finally created based on
the girls' creativity.
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4

7.3.4. FINAL PRESENTATION OF THE

WORK
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The day finally arrived where all the
work that had been done during the year
would be reflected on stage. Regarding
the costumes, the idea of having them
made in relation to the dance that each
group would perform was maintained;
This was socialized and accepted by
parents, so for this day, each girl had
her own wardrobe. On the other hand,
for the scenery, since we would finally
only perform the second act of the play, I spoke with the owners of the academy and I told them
that my idea was to show images of candy and a Christmas tree as scenery; They were in charge
of getting a person to paint a custom fabric for the back wall of the stage, taking into account the
request that I had made, and this was also ready for that day.
The girls had made an appointment at 1 pm to do a general rehearsal at the performance

venue, but when we got there, we found that the entire hallway behind the stage which was going
to be used by the girls to move from one room to another was from one side to the other without
being seen by the public and according to the needs of the choreographies, it was completely full
of desks in width and height, which completely hindered the passage; Finally, a parent and the
owner of the academy dedicated themselves to removing all the desks to allow us to use this
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6
hallway and the function would look much more organized.

At 4 pm, they began to apply makeup and hair to all the girls and this had to be done on
time, since the performance was scheduled for 6 pm, therefore the issue of desks delayed,
decreased and affected the time they had. planned for the test. I remember a lot that the rehearsal
was not what I expected and I believed that the performance was going to be a disaster, since it
was difficult for the little girls to find their way into a space so different from the classroom and
they did not have enough time to carry out a detailed essay as it should be done.

During the general rehearsal, I realized that there was going to be a person in charge of
playing the music so I gave him in writing how this should be done for each of the
choreographies; On the other hand, the owner of the academy would be in charge of managing
the lights that had been rented for the performance (two multicolored lamps, each located on one
side of the stage) but it turned out that during the performance he was involved in other aspects of
logistics. and could not perform this function, so the lights remained playing automatically
throughout the presentation.

Fortunately, we had great support from parents who created committees for hair, makeup,
costumes, refreshments, and the group in charge of the entrance to the auditorium, which helped
things flow in the best way.

Finally, at the time of the performance I was able to observe how the girls remembered
the movement sequences very well when they were alone on stage, how they positioned
themselves correctly in space without getting too close to each other taking into account what we
had learned during the year, how they knew how to solve small errors that appeared and make the
audience not notice them, how they controlled their nerves and had the confidence to dance in
front of the large audience.

Regarding the audience, it was much more than expected, so much so that while the
audience was getting situated, it was necessary to bring more rented chairs to be able to seat all
the people. If I remember correctly, there were more or less 300 attendees including family,
friends, guests and people who had simply heard about the show and did not want to miss it
because they had not seen anything like it before. This day, I could see that everyone was very
anxious and I know that I was stressed because the responsibility that I had in my hands was very
big, but in the end the result was very satisfactory, because a sincere and very good result could
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be seen on stage. well realized of the process that the girls had had during 2016 in their pre-ballet
classes, with a staging that lasted 35 minutes.
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8. INTERVIEWS

Interview conducted by: Katherine Garcia

Interviewed: Ángela Lucia Suarez (Mother of María Antonia Ledesma Suarez – participant in
the play “The Nutcracker” performed in Santander de Quilichao in 2016 and currently a student
at the “ Magic Sneakers Ballet School”)

Interview date: May 4, 2019

How did you find out about the ballet classes in Santander de Quilichao and why did you
want your daughter to participate in them?

Actually, I found out through social media and a friend who told me “they are giving ballet
classes on that side near my house.” Mmm why did I want to? María Antonia was born with a
weight restriction and on the doctor's recommendation they told me that she could not do any
physical activity, except something that did not generate or cost her energy, so that is why I
decided on ballet.

As a mother, what pros and cons do you find in the fact that your daughter has added the
artistic discipline of ballet to her life?

Haber, I don't really find any cons in dance as such, eh... pros? Everyone, María Antonia has
become disciplined, eh... she has improved her posture, at the level of artistic expression she has
advanced in quantities, she can express herself both speaking and with her body also gesturally,
so I think that they have been more pros than cons.

Suddenly with respect not only to María Antonia but to you as a mother, to the family, to
the friends?

That is like a status in reality, for María Antonia she is the only one in her family who dedicates
herself to something artistic, so it has been very gratifying and she shows her chest for all that
and the family feels very proud of her
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What did it mean to you as a mother to see your daughter participate in the choreographic
version of the ballet THE NUTCRACKER, which was performed in Santander de
Quilichao in December 2016?

That was a joy, or rather, to see quite important progress in her development, both physically and
cognitively and motor-wise, and no... very proud, very gratifying to have María Antonia here.

What did you perceive this meant for your daughter and for the audience attending the day
of the final performance?

mmmm everyone was very happy, María Antonia was happy, it was the first time she performed
or gave a presentation for an audience other than her family and no, she was happy and in reality
she says this with great joy, with great satisfaction in fact.

Interview conducted by: Katherine Garcia

Interviewed: Diana milena Galvis Castillo (Mother of Salome Rojas and Valeria Andrea Rojas –
participants in the play “The Nutcracker” performed in Santander de Quilichao in 2016 and
currently students at the “ Magic Sneakers Ballet School”)

Interview date: May 4, 2019

Why did you want your daughters to participate in ballet classes?

Well, at first with the eldest, we put her in an academy in Cali when she was very small, she was
about 3.4 years old, I don't remember very well, and she was there for a year but because
transportation was difficult for us, she finished that year and after Salome, the other daughter,
was born and she seemed more interested in ballet, so it was always like that frustration that I
couldn't give classes to her and I would like the other one too, so it was like that uncertainty of
what? What to do? So, my administrative vision, since I am a business administrator, I have
always focused on everything I see and want, how to look at it as a business issue, so I saw that
my daughter's friends said, how cool an academy is. here in Santander I don't know what, and I
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said well we are going to do the process and we are going to try to bring a teacher and form the
academy; It is difficult, difficult to find the teacher because, generally on Saturdays all the
academies in Cali are teaching, so it was not easy to find her, I was calling several academies so
that the directors of the academies could recommend me some student who was well advanced
and that she was able to teach the classes and I couldn't find her, so it was always a difficult
process, it took more or less a year to locate, until we found someone... a friend of yours
recommended me, she contacted me with you and well The interview was already possible, we
agreed and the whole process started there.

As a mother, what pros and cons do you find in the fact that your daughters have added the
artistic discipline of ballet to their lives?

No, I think there are no cons, (laughs) none of the cons, everything has been pros, my daughters
are very elastic, they love ballet, Salome has been seen a lot... Now that she is also in karate, at
least she has a plus more than all the children and adults and everyone, because of the ballet issue
she has an elasticity, that foot rides there, but it is because of the process that she She has had her
ballet, because she has had it since she was very little, in her posture, you can see the difference
from other girls, they sit more upright, everything has been positive for their lives.

And regarding the family, let's say, as a mother, are there any pros or cons of it being
affected?

No nothing, not at all, there is nothing against it.

What did it mean to you as a mother to see your daughters participate in the choreographic
version of the ballet THE NUTCRACKER, which was performed in Santander de
Quilichao in December 2016?

Nothing, then, was wonderful, as a mother the happiness of seeing them there who looked like
little dolls, of everything that was done, of their happiness, and since that was unique here in
Santander, a presentation like this had never been shown. That level was super nice, it was
magical and as the owner of the academy, it was not a satisfactory job because it really is not
easy, you have to move a lot, you have to have a lot of logistics, you have to run here, run there,

So seeing the results of that presentation was enormously satisfying because we said well, we did
well, we came out triumphant, the team that we worked with the teacher was wonderful, because
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it was clear that the parents were happy and all the people who attended that presentation were
praise and positive things and they themselves felt very happy with the result of seeing the girls
in that beautiful presentation, so that first presentation was wonderful.

Interview conducted by: Katherine Garcia

Interviewed: Robinson Aranda López (Father of Isabella Aranda Castillo – participant in the
play “The Nutcracker” performed in Santander de Quilichao in 2016 and currently a student at
the “ Magic Sneakers Ballet School”)

Interview date: May 4, 2019

How did you find out about the ballet classes in Santander de Quilichao and why did you
want your daughter to participate in them?

I found out about it through some friends and the interest, because she always expressed her
interest in learning ballet and she was told about it and she got excited, that's why she is here.

Where had she known anything about ballet?

On TV with ballet programs or series

As a parent, what pros and cons do you find in the fact that your daughter has added the
artistic discipline of ballet to her life?

Well, advantages? Many, first of all for health, and it is a very beautiful art that helps them
develop that sensitivity towards the arts and as a person as well, so, let's say that they are
important factors... erm... cons... Well, I don't know, suddenly the development, if for some
reason you become interested let's say professionally in ballet, well I don't know if it's my
ignorance but I don't see here in Colombia much development of the subject and that it is
something to develop professionally, I don't know, that's my perception
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Some pros or cons with family?

The pros would be the same, that she develop as a person, the arts, her physical state, and that it
is still a discipline, right? Then he will form them. Cons at the family level? No, the truth is I
haven't heard any objections about it.

What did it mean to you as a father to see your daughter participate in the choreographic
version of the ballet THE NUTCRACKER, which was performed in Santander de
Quilichao in December 2016?

No, it was a very nice experience, because you saw, let's say, the fruit of the work of the children
and the teacher of the institution, everything turned out very nice and let's say that one feels
proud to see your daughter presenting a work, well let's say which is important because of the
recognition it has worldwide and how they did it, the way they presented themselves, the work
that was reflected in the work, so it is a source of pride for one as a parent to see that beautiful
baby there on stage. .

What did you perceive this meant for your daughter and for the audience attending the day
of the final performance?

What do I mean? Let's say that on a cultural level, it is something very important because it was
not seen here in the region anymore, so, let's say that one more step was taken and every year
that... Let's say the idea is to do it every year and for that discipline to gain strength, encouraging
culture in the region, let's say that that is the important factor to rescue there.

Did you notice anything from the public?

No... total emotion, of course at the end everyone was excited, good reviews, the presentation
was very good, the stage, the costumes, well, the girls, the dance itself, in general it was very
good, very positive.

9. CONCLUSIONS OF THE ARTISTIC AND PEDAGOGICAL EXPERIENCE

• It is possible to perform a choreographic composition with children who do not have

professional training in classical dance, as long as the teacher is clear about the content to
be worked on, is open to reading to the children to take into account their own abilities
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and Be willing to adapt to the sociocultural context in which you are developing your
work.

• We can see how pre-ballet, through the use of images and recreational activities, serves as
a tool to encourage creativity in children and improve their self-esteem, thus creating the
possibility not only of improving technically and artistically, but also , allowing them to
function in a better way in their daily lives, based on the reinforcement that is achieved in
their psychomotor skills within ballet classes.

• Art, and specifically classical dance, can contribute to the positive transformation of the
world view of people who live within a vulnerable population, allowing them to create
feelings of hope towards the formation of a better society, with greater cultural and
respect among all inhabitants.

• A teacher has the responsibility of directing pedagogical training in order to correctly

develop his or her role in dance. It is not enough to have practical training and experiment
with students, since processes carried out conscientiously and with good pedagogical
bases will allow the results of the training to be developed and enhanced.
their processes.
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10. BIBLIOGRAPHY

• ABT (American Ballet Theatre), training the whole dancer, accreditation for ballet
teachers, Peru 2013
• Personal class log - classical technique I (2015)
• Cruz Fernández, J, (2015). Musical training for dancers (appropriation of musical
rhythmic language) (Undergraduate thesis). Universidad del Valle, Cali (Valle)
• Duarte Briceño, E. (1998): “Creativity as a value within the educational process” , in
School and Educational Psychology Magazine, vol. 2 (No. 1), 43-51.
• Duran, L. (1991): “Creativity in dance” . In Mexican Magazine of Political and Social
Sciences. Vol. 36 (No. 144).
• Faculty of Integrated Arts, (2009), Guide for the academic degree program in classical
dance , Cali-Colombia
• Incolballet, (2012), Nutcracker hand program, Cali – Colombia
• Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Colombia (2010): “The national plan for dance.”
Guidelines, National dance plan for a country that dances 2010-2019 . Bogotá-
Colombia: ebj advertising.

• Ridocci, M, (2009), body expression arts of movement. The practical bases of expressive
language, Madrid, Editorial Biblioteca Nueva, SL
• Universidad del Valle, (2015), Classical Technique Course Program I, Cali-Colombia

10.1 ONLINE RESOURCES

• ABT. Repertory Archive. Marius Petipa. ABT American Ballet Theatre.

https://www.abt.org/people/marius-
petipa/?fbclid=IwAR3xXL13VHKgbqwTPfzpuSNWKP7hWPWpr2zcotljPGA7RCpWk5
w5OfcJ4hI
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• ABT. Repertory Archive. Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky. ABT American Ballet Theatre.
https://www.abt.org/people/peter-ilyitch-tchaikovsky/?fbclid=IwAR07PSbXu-
4_Or2mQMpF_Rr46mYjgzNz5ZXrW0JkclXN-SX0AzBp6hPWSyg

• Adminmusica. (2015). The Nutcracker – Piotr Illich Tchaikovsky (1840 – 1893). Music
in Mexico. https://musicaenmexico.com.mx/el-cascanueces-piotr-illich-tchaikovsky-
1840-1893/

• Hurtado Vera, G. g. (2012, December, 22). Biodiversity, mining boom and human rights .
In El Pueblo Magazine. Retrieved from http://elpueblo.com.co/biodiversidad-boom-
minero-y-derechos-humanos/

• Michelman, F. Repertory Archive. Lev Ivanov.ABT American Ballet Theatre.

https://www.abt.org/people/lev-
ivanov/?fbclid=IwAR2DE7DM0sMDvxhM86qctUavA7o7LP3pQ1t1XBCH9a3mhp_1N
FV6pB5oa6o
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11. ANNEXES

Audios to accompany the exercises

1. Round: Head, shoulders, knees feet

2. Ronda: I shook
3. Round: Chu chu ua
4. Round: The dance of the animals
5. Round: Slow very slow
6. Princess-monster
7. Rocket
8. Instep and flex exercise
9. Butterfly History
10. Butterflies lying face up and face down
11. Souple
12. superman
13. snake story
14. Demi plie in VI position – center
15. Pencil and eraser (battement tendu devant in VI position)
16. Transfer of body weight
17. Demi plie in I position (bar)
18. Battement tendu devant in VI position (bar)
19. Battement tendu a second and devant in I position (bar)
20. Battement tendu jette devant in VI position (bar)
21. Releve lent devant (floor work)
22. Grand Battement devant (floor work)
23. Final video performance of the play “ NUTCRACKER” performed by the girls of
Santander de Quilichao. December/2016