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the-vu

online magazine, since 2000

Month: March 2004

The Ballerina Interviews

By Kim Knode Published March 2004 Sven Toorvald’s life and his PBS documentary, The Ballerina Interviews, give an interesting behind-the-scenes look at the ballet world. Filmmaking is Sven’s passion. First and foremost, however, Sven is a danseur. Ballet “mesmerized” Sven at age fifteen. He signed up for classes at a local studio after seeing the… Read More The Ballerina Interviews

March 1, 2004December 6, 2022 thebarak2 Comments
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  1. brenda smith Avatar
    brenda smith
    December 24, 2008

    hello,

    ballet dancing does seem like a sport, with the many injuries that can take place.

    i took ballet when i was 20 years old and the dance instructor told me i had a very strong, natural posture/poise/gestures for ballet dancing, she said, “give her 3 years and she’d have me ready for a professional career as a ballet dancer.” i told her that i had always wanted to take ballet lessons. i’d never thought about a career in dancing. now i wish i’d jumped at the opportunity.

    ballet ballerina’s are the most beautiful art forms in dance.

    the classical music combined with ballet is a wonderful teeter tote. the two go so well together!

    the art form looks very much like strenuos work, but with the passion for the art, you give and you get and you gain so much.

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  2. Taryn Christine Eddy Avatar
    Taryn Christine Eddy
    December 12, 2012

    I always have felt very very blessed to live in the city of LA where the weather can’t be beat and the ocean’s edge is just short drive away. Growing up in Chicago – things we’re hardly anything like my “LaLa Land.” However, I suppose perhaps that’s why I developed a quick love and passion for my every dance lesson @ St. Charles School of Dance – more specifically – the tenuous yet most rewarding genre of dance that I can never stop craving to this day… Ballet. My long arms, long legs, rail thin figure and ability to mentally focus in a more mature manner than most dancers at my young age – made me feel very special in those classes:) I admit, I loved watching myself in that mirror become stronger & more graceful and just – continually amazed myself at what I was capable of doing – all using just the focused, centered movements of my own body. Mentally of course, I often felt defeated but as Sven say’s so perfectly, the more I practiced – in and out of class – the more I memorized every ballet term/word/phrase… I really, could do almost anything. Dedication is what will make a ballerina succeed & go on professionally.
    I just have to say, back to LA, I have re-taken up dancing mainly ballet – some modern, a bit of jazz/lyrical and even went back on pointe for a time being. Anyhow, Sven, I believe taught me at another school since I could not yet keep up with the more advance levels he teaches at Westside. Yet, he’s the 1st ballet teacher who actually – somehow, well, at least I know without a doubt this was my experience, he found that perfect balance for how to get the most -the very most, out of every dancers own unique & differing capabilities at that given time. Yet he never raised his voice or made me feel like I’d never get back my youthful talents from back long ago. So, I will never forget Sven – Not only b/c he danced for my all time favorite, number one performance must see whenever possible, ticket stubs still saved in cardboard box, so admirable through my child/pre-teen-tennage eyes, borderline-obsessed with dance company, “Hubbard Street Dance Chicago,”… BUT I think it was maybe almost two years ago – I found myself landing with complete ease the double pirouette – suddenly out of nowhere – it just clicked and was happening and it was in front of him in that small class of a few girls. So then he challeged me to go to tripple turns – those began to happen yet the landing wasn’t effortless and with the same control as my doubles… The point is – how did that happen? I have to admit as pretty of a ballerina I was as young teen… never ever did I learn the mind/body and muscle memory coordination and control to gracefully come out of a double pirouette. I give that moment which I can never forget to Sven b/cus he obviously taught me something that stuck and made those pirouettes – even if only two for me – he made me find the way to do it and do it like a true ballerina would. Blessings for CA living and blessings to have access to such amazing dancers like Sven – how wonderful to give back a lil piece of his tremendous success to even the leisurely dancer at 29 that just wants a clean double pirouettte 0:)
    Sincerely,
    Taryn Christine Eddy
    tce797@gmail.com

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