Daily Ballet Class with Cecelia Beam and Pianist Billy Wolfe
Week of January 1, 2022
Join us for a daily class where we will learn and execute classical ballet technique. All classes are accompanied by Pianist Billy Wolfe where we start at the ballet barre with our pliés (a type of meditation that prepares the large muscles) and progress to tendu, and jeté, (movements that focus on feet and lower leg) rond de jambe à terre (hip rotation) and more. After 30 minutes we leave the barre and stand in the center and dance. This is a beginning level ballet class – so all can confidently attend class and experience the joy of dance. Note: if you happen to have a pair of ballet shoes – bring them! Otherwise, socks will work.
What’s your taste in ballet – Classical or Contemporary?
Join us in the screening room as we watch two short romantic pas de deux’s. One choreographed in 1890 and the other in 2005. After we view the pas de deux’s we will discuss how dancers prepare to perform diverse repertoire, what you saw, what you liked and didn’t and if you have a preference.
Evening Concert
Winter Meditations – Compositions and improvisations from ‘Springs,’ Billy Wolfe’s acclaimed album of original piano solos. Evocative of fresh mountain spring water flowing from the earth, listeners will enjoy these meditative, soothing and rejuvenating piano studies during the twilight hours of a midwinter evening.
Afternoon Concert
Vintage Broadway – Original arrangements of classic melodies from the Golden Age of Broadway. Songs by Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers, George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Alan Jay Lerner, Harold Arlen, Kurt Weill and others, will provide a lively matinee filled with hummable tunes.
Cecelia Beam trained at two of the most prestigious ballet academies in the United States – School of American Ballet in New York City and North Carolina School of the Arts. After a short performing career, Cecelia turned her attention to teaching ballet to adults and received a master’s degree in Ballet at Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University Bloomington. Cecelia has taught adults in higher education, her own studio and currently at San Francisco Ballet School. Cecelia loves sharing her love of the art form and believes it’s the most fun and beautiful way to honor and challenge one’s mind, body and spirit.
Photo credit: © Chris Hardy
Billy Wolfe is a native of San Diego, California. Billy began studying piano at age 5. He studied theater and dance at San Diego Junior Theater. He graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a bachelor’s degree in Music. While a student at Cal, Billy began accompanying dance classes in the university’s dance department.
After moving to Austin, Texas, Billy served as music director at Ballet Austin. Since moving back to the Bay Area, Billy has been employed full time by San Francisco Ballet School. He has a church gig in the Rockridge neighborhood of Oakland. He enjoys writing musicals and playing show tunes as well as playing his own relaxing and meditative compositions.
Photo credit: Marc Sternberger