Episode 105: Barre None

Robert Fairchild and Tiler Peck convince Hank and Spike that ballet is for everyone.

Ballet has managed to hold our interest for hundreds of years. Perhaps it’s the display of grace and agility, or the captivating stories it tells, but regardless, ballet continues to be one of the most relevant and influential forms of dance today.

Julie’s Greenroom was lucky enough to have Tiler Peck and Robert Fairchild stop by and teach the Greenies about Ballet. The lesson focuses on ballet fundamentals, with a core theme of demonstrating that ballet is an art form accessible to everyone.

Though dance is a widely celebrated art form, ballet is often painted with an effeminate brush, particularly at younger ages. In addition, Hank raises concerns that dance may be inaccessible for a handicapped individual such as himself.

In addition to introducing some handicapped dancers, Robert explains how even professional athletes use ballet to build muscle and stay limber.

But Robert and Tiler also demonstrate how ballet can be used to tell and further a story. The National Core Arts Standards looks for children to understand dance in a way that communicates meaning. Spike learns that certain elements in the ballet have their own corresponding language:  Tiler and Robert demonstrate such movements as “will you dance for me,” “promise me,” or “I love you.”

Other elements taught are the starting ballet positions, essential for anyone interested in discovering ballet for themselves! Students interested in pursuing dance can learn more about how movement communicates story and emotion by looking further into dance classes or designing their choreography. The internet has a wealth of resources to observe both performance and analysis!

Tiler Peck was born in Bakersfield, California where she began her dance training at the age of two at her mom's dance studio. At the age of 14, Ms. Peck entered the School of American Ballet, the official school of New York City Ballet, full time. The same year, Ms. Peck became an apprentice with the New York City Ballet and in a few short months was asked to join the Company as a member of the corps de ballet. Ms. Peck was promoted to Soloist in 2006 and to Principal Dancer in 2009 where she remains to this day.  

Tiler made her Broadway debut as Gracie Shinn in Meredith Wilson's The Music Man at the age of 11. She has been seen as a guest star on Dancing With The Stars for 2 seasons, has had the pleasure of being a guest on Bravo’s TV show Rocco’s Dinner Party, and stars in the film Ballet 422. This season Ms. Peck will be seen as a guest star on Julie Andrews’ new Netflix series Julie's Greenroom. 

Ms Peck has had the honor of performing for President Obama at the 2012 and 2014 Kennedy Center Honors and portrayed the role of Louise in the Emmy nominated production of ‪New York Philharmonic’s Live From Lincoln Center production of Carousel. Most recently, she played the title role in Susan Stroman’s newest musical, Little Dancer, at the Kennedy Center and was seen on Broadway as Ivy Smith in the Tony Nominated On The Town. 

Ms. Peck is the 2004 Mae L. Wien Award winner, the Janice Levin Honoree for 2006-2007, winner of the Leonide Massine’s Positano Premia La Danza for International Emerging Artists, a 2004 recipient of the Princess Grace Foundation- USA Dance Fellowship. In 2013, she was named Forbes 30 under 30 in Hollywood Entertainment and won the Princess Grace Statue Award. This December she received the 2016 Dance Magazine Award and in July of 2017 she will be curator of the Los Angeles’ Music Center’s presentation of Ballet Now. Tiler will also be starring in Ballet Now, which is a part of the Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance At The Music Center program.  Ms. Peck is also designer of Tiler Peck Designs for Body Wrappers.

Find Tiler at tilertalks.com

The most physically taxing of the Greenies lessons, ballet requires a warmup perhaps most of all. In fact, Ms. Julie and the Greenies start off with a simple stretch:

Straighten your shoulders, standing nice and tall. Now reach up high with one hand, stretching towards the ceiling, before slowly reaching that arm forward and down. After reaching down to your toes, lift yourself back up and take a deep breath.

Next, the Greenies have to learn the positions. There are five basic positions in total:

Position 1
Position one: is done like so – feet turned out, and hands down low.
Place your heels together, with your toes facing outward in either direction. Your feet should form a straight line as you keep your hands low.

Position 2
Position two: step feet out wide – arms extend out either side.
Keep your toes pointed outwards, but now spread your feet until your heels are about shoulder-length apart. Lift your arms outwards pointed in the same direction as your feet.

Position 3
Position three – bring heel to arch and make a ‘T’.
Bring your feet back together again. Only this time, place the heel of one foot against the arch of the other, in the middle. As Ms. Julie points out, this makes a “T” shape.

Position 4
Step forward for position four – we’ve only one position more.
Position four involves taking your foot, pressed against your other foot, and stepping forward with it. Your legs should now be slightly crossed, with your feet running parallel to each other.

Position 5
Take your feet, running parallel to each other, and pull them in close again. The toe of each foot should line up with the heel of the other foot. Your legs will feel crossed, and you might stand a little awkwardly. That’s where practice comes in!