Thou shalt not flirt with the pianist whilst holding onto the piano as a barre - (but that would be a very good reason to do so - so he would let you hold onto the piano as a barre).<P>Thou shalt not ask needless questions of the teacher in hopes of delaying the oncoming adage exercise.

Well, Azlan, since you asked...<P>Mme. Smirnova (co-directors of my school) is ill, and the other co-director (M. Leblanc) is trying desperately to put together Act II of Nutcracker, since he cannot do the entire thing himself. (It's hard enough with two people.) So, this means limited roles, and parents and students alike are being difficult over it, saying they won't help out in the performance if their child doesn't get the role she "deserves." (The boys are pretty secure.) We depend very much on parent volunteers, since this is a ballet school, which is not a very profitable business. M. Leblanc can't please everyone with the casting, so there is a very large chance that we will not even be able to do just Act II, and without any Nutcracker at all, the school will just barely be able to hang on for the next year. M. Leblanc is trying to put together a small school benefit gala (good for me~~I might get to dance Sugarplum!) but it is also not easy to do. Basically, those of us who have been rehearsing are exhausted, and so are the few parents who are helping out. So you see how difficult life is for us all right now. Not to mention school! (Academic, that is.) <P>In Europe, I had a wonderful time. I got to see a few performances and take a few classes here and there (mostly in France and Switzerland, where I knew the language). I saw Sylvie Guillem dance Giselle at the Paris Opera (will write about it later) and got to go sightseeing. (Note to anyone going to Italy: The only thing in Pisa is the tower. There is nothing else.) <P>Sorry, Basheva, to write something serious in your humourous thread. People always used to do that in mine, and now here I go ! (At least I didn't discuss Pina Bausch... ). <P>------------------<BR>~Intuviel~<BR><A HREF="http://www.freetown.com/Uptown/HaightAshbury/1055/ballet.html" TARGET=_blank>Balletica</A><BR>

On topic: One girl in my class used to always ask to go to the bathroom just before ronds de jambe en l'air...I think that fits in with your last commandment, Basheva! <P>And how about: thou shalt not raise thine leg above 100 degrees whilst wearing a Romantic tutu.<P>------------------<BR>~Intuviel~<BR><A HREF="http://www.freetown.com/Uptown/HaightAshbury/1055/ballet.html" TARGET=_blank>Balletica</A><BR>

Intuviel! welcome back. I love the 10 commandments. You know, I liked the place at the barre where I could look out the window. I'm guilty.<P>I agree with using the piano as a barre. I deplore that. All those greasy fingerprints. (My grandmother was a concert pianist, she taught me respect for the piano, but, alas, I can't play it.

I think asking to go to the bathroom just before rond de jamb en l'air - is the best place in the barre exercises to do it. However, there is a penalty - you then have to squeeze back into that wet icky leotard as punishment. ACK

Maggie, I like that place at the barre as well, especially during M. Leblanc's class, when we get to look toward the barre whenever we do something en arriere...but the teacher starts to notice that you aren't paying attention when you forget to move your leg de cote again just do battements tendus en arriere over and over and over... <P>------------------<BR>~Intuviel~<BR><A HREF="http://www.freetown.com/Uptown/HaightAshbury/1055/ballet.html" TARGET=_blank>Balletica</A><BR>

So I think we need another commandment or three here:<P>Thou shalt do thy barre whenever the teacher watcheth you.<P>Thou shalt not slacketh off whenever the teacher turneth her back.<P>If thou standeth near the piano, thou shalt not whisper to the pianist thy favorite music selections. (yes, I have done that)<p>[This message has been edited by Basheva (edited December 12, 2000).]

In my class, we all gather around the pianist before class and nominate selections for different combinations. "Would you play that new Backstreet Boys song for tendus?" "You said you would play Swan Lake for the adagio today." And so on. We get away with it because we are the only class that does this . Shameless. <P>Thou shalt not "fish~eye" thyself in the mirror whilst standing in premiere arabesque. <P>Thou shalt not do more pirouettes than the music allows time for, and thou shalt especially not hop, skip, jump, or otherwise endeavour to propel thyself around one more time when thou hast obviously run out of force and/or fallen off balance. <P>Thou shalt not wear dead shoes to pas de deux class, unless thou detesteth thine partner and desireth to make him work more or look bad. <P>When thy teacher says, "Tilt thy head at a greater angle," thou shalt not bend back so far as to be able to look at everything upside down, because if thy teacher is Russian, s/he will say, "Correct," and expect thou to do it that way for ever and ever. Amen. <P>------------------<BR>~Intuviel~<BR><A HREF="http://www.freetown.com/Uptown/HaightAshbury/1055/ballet.html" TARGET=_blank>Balletica</A><BR>

Thou SHALT feel guilty when thou hearest thy partner gasping for breath when he endeavors to lift thee.<P>Thou shalt not pretend to have a hurt foot when thy teacher asks thee to demonstrate a combination because thee wasn't paying any attention when it was shown to thee.<P>Thou shalt not lyeth to thyself when thou seest thyself in the mirror and say "that couldn't possibly be me!!" IT IS THEE!!<P>When thy teacher asks "what did we do last week?" thou shalt tell the truth and not leave out the hard parts. (Yes, I have done that) (Actually I have done most of these shalt nots.)<P>

Hmm, I thought so Basheva. How did I know? Because I hast done them too!

I'm pretty sure that's how we come up with them~~we just think of things we ourselves have done wrong!<P>------------------<BR>~Intuviel~<BR><A HREF="http://www.freetown.com/Uptown/HaightAshbury/1055/ballet.html" TARGET=_blank>Balletica</A><BR>

Thou shalt not start thy diagonal halfway down the room - especially if it is brise'.

Or fouette rond de jambe travelling en avant.<P>------------------<BR>~Intuviel~<BR><A HREF="http://www.freetown.com/Uptown/HaightAshbury/1055/ballet.html" TARGET=_blank>Balletica</A><BR>

or grand jete' entrelace' entournant, cabriole, cabriole...........