Using a Mazurka in Ballet Class Grand Battement at barre

Having a pianist accompany your ballet class adds an element of liveliness that you just can’t get from a recording. I plan on interviewing some folks who accompany ballet classes for a living, but for now I wanted to share some things I learned today.

The definition of Mazurka (in Polish, mazurek) is a Polish folk dance in triple meter, usually at a lively tempo, and with accent on the second or third beat. (wikipedia.org)

There’s a blog post here by Jonathon Still about about using the mazurka in place of a waltz for some ballet combinations. He even points accompanists to a website with American Memory Sheet music where you can search for and find sheet music.

And here is a combination that would go well with a mazurka!

1-3    Grand battement devant, lower to tenu close 5th (arm 5th en haut)
4-6    Repeat to the side (arm 2nd)
1-6    Repeat back and side to complete en croix (arm arabesque, side)
1-2    Grand battement devant, close 5th (arm 5th en haut)
3-4    Grand battement side, close 5th back (arm 2nd)
5-6    Grand battement back, close 5th (arm to arabesque)
1-5    Cloche battement with INSIDE leg fbfbf (arm 5th en haut)
6       Close 5th position front
1-24  Repeat all from the back.