Here are my notes.
Chapter I: Make a Square of 32
The most important thing to understand is the way dancers count.
When the subdivision is 2, they count "1 and 2 and..." up through 8.
But actually, their counts are usually quarters, so an 8-count is 16 beats or 4 bars of 4/4.
These 8-count phrases are in period structure; another 8-count follows.
This structure is doubled for a 4 phrases of 8.
When the subdivision is 3, they count "1-and-a-2-and-a..." up through 8.
(Sometimes they count "1 and 2 and" where "ands" are 3rd beats.)
These are also usually quarters, so an 8-count is 24 beats, or 8 bars of 3/4.
Like before, 8 becomes 16, which becomes 32.
Pieces that don't conform to this structure must be altered to conform to this structure.
(Sometimes this is doubled for 64, but the template is always some power of 2.)
Either way, the intro is typically half a phrase, or 4 counts "5 6 7 8."
Intros should set the tempo and be very predictable.
They tend to be straightforward cadences that usually end with dominant or tonic.
Some examples:
I I I I
I V I I
I V I V
I ii I V
I vi I V
I ii V V
I64 V I V
Less frequently, the dancers will think in a "6-count."
In this case, the intro is only ONE 6-count (2 m of 3).
These tend to be 4 6-counts total, which is like 8 3-counts.
Often this calls for a polonaise or bolero.
Other 6-count dances are the sarabande (2 m of 3/4) and the triple jig (2 m of 9/8).
Compound times 6/8 and 12/8 can be used for exercises in 2s and 3s depending on the tempo.
Ending cadences should be very clear and coincide with the ending of the exercise.
Sometimes space between groups or an extra balance will add counts to an exercise.
These time changes must be improvised.
Chapter II: Dances for the Ballet Pianist
Slow to medium overview
Adagio
March
Mazurka/Polka Mazurka/Minuet
Waltz
Polonaise/Bolero/Triple Jig
Tango
Medium to fast overview
Jig/Quadrille/Rag/Choro/Contredanse/Hornpipe/Reel/Polka
Mazurka
Czardas/Galop/Can-Can/Coda/Schnellpolka
Tarantella
Ballroom Mazurka (German)
In 3
Slower and less marked than Polish mazurka
Dotted rhythms throughout the bar
Barcarolle/Sicilienne
In 2
6/8, 3/4, or 2/4
Slow boat rocking rhythms
Baroque Hornpipe
In 3
"1eand a 2 e and 3 and"
Handel, Purcell
Can be used in place of a lighter polonaise
Bolero
In 6
Like a polonaise but faster and lighter.
Can-can
In 2
Straight eighths
Fast, energetic
Choro
In 2
See polka and tango
Czardas
In 2
"1 and2 and"
Fast, energetic
Galop
This term means three different things:
Dance step which is accompanied by a lilting jig-like pattern
Dance from the 19th century in 2/4 "1 e and 2 and"
Concert piece also called the Polka Schnell or Schnellpolka
Related to the French can-can and Hungarian friska
All of these form the basis of the balletic coda
Hornpipe
In 2
Dotted rhythms
Jig
Single jig - long short lilting pattern
Double jig - slower than single jig, continuous eighths
Triple jig/slip jig - 9/8, counted in 6 (2 bars)
Can be used in place of a lighter polonaise
Mazurka (Polish)
In 3
"1eand a 2 3"
Allegretto, light and gliding, stamping feet
Kujawiaks are slow dignified mazurkas
Obereks are quick and wild mazurkas
Polka
In 2
Oom pah oom pah accompaniment, jumpy
Developed into the Brazilian choro and theAmerican rag
Polka Mazurka (German)
In 3
Dotted rhythms, accents every beat of the bar
Polonaise
In 6
"1 and a 2 and 3 and 4 and (a) 5 and 6 and."
Rag
In 2
Syncopated sixteenths
Reel
In 2
"1 and a 2 e and a"
Schottische (pronounced "shoteesh") & Shuffle
In 2
Moderately fast
Continuous dotted rhythm
Tango & Habañera
In 2
Accompaniment is "1eand a 2 and"
Habañera melody is "1 a la 2 and"
Brazilian tango & choro melody is "1 eand a 2 and"
Tarantella
In 6/8
Faster than double jig
Begins with and half-bar anacrusis
Lilting or constant eighth motion
Waltz
In 3, but sort of in 1; not considered "truly triple"
English or Boston waltzes are slow
Viennese waltzes are played with a big downbeat and an early 2nd beat
Early German waltzes are truly triple with running eighths
Chassé waltz "3 1 3 1"
Balancé waltz "3 12 3 12 3"
Quadrille & Contredanse
2/4 or 6/8
Chapter III: Ballet Terms
Teachers are called ballet masters or ballet mistresses.
All ballet classes have two parts: first at the barre and then away from the barre.
Exercises on the barre tend to be slower and lighter than those away from the barre.
Towards the end are big 3's and jumpy things.
Classes usually run 60 or 90 minutes.
Adage
Typically in 3, smooth
Flowing left hand or quarters with different inversions on beats 2 and 3
Allongé - elongated
Arabesque
Position of a leg extended behind with arms held harmoniously
Assemblé - feet assembled or joined together
Ballon - bounce
Chassé - chased; one foot chases the other out of its position
Changement - changing of the feet
Coda
Fast and in 2
Very big
Oom pah oom pah left hand
Can-can, czardas, galop/schnellpolka, tarantella
Dégagé - to disengage
Move through tondu, brush leg off the floor
Développé - open, unfold, developing movement
Working leg is drawn up the knee of supporting leg then extended to an open position
Diagonals
Traveling in a diagonal direction
Échappé - escaping
Opening of both feet from a closed to an open position
Fondu, Fondue - sinking down
Often calls for a tango
Frappé - to strike
Sharp, marked style
Quick
Grand Allegro
Last big combination in class
Often in 3
Big and forceful, but not too heavy
Big chords, octaves
Grand Battement
Often in 2
Cut time, marchy
Dotted rhythms and triplets
Jeté - throwing step, jump
Staccato, light, energetic, spritely, airy
Can have a syncopated right hand
Small jumps often 2/4 or 6/8
Pas de bourrée - running
Transitional steps
Pas de chat - step of the cat
Pas de deux - dance for two
Passé - pass
To pass through retiré
Petit Allegro
Fiddle music
Jigs, reels, polkas, & hornpipes
Quadrilles
Petit Battement
Battement tendus, dégagés, frappés, tendus relevés
Pirouette - whirl, spin
Piqué - pricked, pricking
Staccato, light
Not too slow
Plié - bent, bending
Often in 3
Gentle, slow, smooth, controlled
Not too waltzy; maybe quarter half pattern or straight eighths
Port de bras - carriage of the arms
Often in 3, gentle
Relevé - raised, on toes
Retiré - withdrawn
Position of pointed toe near supporting knee
Rond de jambe - circular movement of the leg
Often in 3, gentle
Sauté - jump, jumping
Soutenu - sustained in turning
Stop time
Lots of space, staccato downbeats
Keep melody followable through spaces
Tendu - stretched
Often in 2
More marked than Plié
Slightly marchy but not heavy
Some left hand stride or alberti bass
Not too abrupt or fast
Waltz steps
Always in 3
Waltz with oom pah pahs
Chapter IV: Advice
You'll mess up; try not to take it personally and keep doing your best.
Dance instructors can and will change things at the very last second, sometimes by accident.
Be a flexible collaborator and try to be helpful rather than right.
Mark up your music to follow 8-count phrases more easily.
If you know that a piece conforms to the 32 counts, it may be quite malleable.
Try to vary the tempo, meter, style, and mood.
Don't play too many minor pieces in a row.
Build a collection of marches, waltzes, tangos, polonaises, and mazurkas.
Build a collection of quadrilles.
Fiddle music has jigs, hornpipes, polkas, and reels; these are harder for pianists to improvise.
Improvise in the relative or parallel keys to the original changes.
High right hand octaves on the dominant can signal that it's time to change sides.
Instead of repeating an A section, consider moving onto the B section if the counts work out.
Have some harmonic progressions to fall back on.
Try VI VII i (aeolian)
Try I I I I I I V V, V V V V V V I I (ionian).
Follow the descending circle of fifths
Left hand dictates rhythm, harmonies, baseline, energy, character, so practice left hand alone.
When improvising a melody, try to create a question and an answer; can be easy and simple.
It's important to be clear and musical, and it's not important to be fancy.
Watch the exercise carefully and try to inspire the dancers.
Love the music you play.
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