The Classic Ballet

Basic Technique and Terminology

by Lincoln Kirstein

Descriptive text by Muriel Stuart
Illustrations by Carlus Dyer

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A warm welcome back to this beloved classic! For decades the standard text for ballet technique, this book--first published in 1952--presents a beginner's guide to basic movements, steps, and terminology. Written by the staff of the School of American Ballet, it builds on the Russian tradition of Anna Pavlova and reflects the dance style of George Balanchine.

The 800 masterful drawings by Carlus Dyer demonstrate proper body position, balance point, movement, and attitude of each position and step in the basic classical repertoire. As Balanchine points out in his preface, the illustrations are more accurate than photographs could possibly be because they have been corrected and recorrected until they approximate the ideal.

Lincoln Kirstein (with George Balanchine) founded the School of American Ballet in 1934. He became its first director and remained the driving force behind both the school and the New York City Ballet for most of his life. Muriel Stuart, the last student of Anna Pavlova, was ballet mistress at the school for many years.

1998. 264 pp. 10 X 8.

800 drawings, index.

       Paper,$24.95

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From the preface:
"There are no short cuts to great dancing, but what is necessary to remember and unalterable in its instruction may be found in this book. . . . An admirable source of reference for the highest standard of practice. . . Miss Stuart has done more than anyone else to make the academic dance clear to students and amateurs. I know that the drawings of Carlus Dyer are superior to any other illustrations to a training book that I have seen."—George Balanchine

"It seems that such a rarefied breed as the classically trained ballet dancer would hold dear an instruction book that was first published in 1952, enjoyed life only between hard covers and fell out of print in 1992 after 19 printings. . . . The reprint --this time an oversize paper edition--- conveys each step in the classical repertoire through meticulous line drawings by Charles Dyer and descriptive text by Muriel Stuart. . . . Publication coincides with the New York City Ballet's 50th-anniversary celebrations this fall, and should easily inspire new generations of dancers." -- Publishers Weekly