Somewhere along the line, nearly everyones education has included some basic instruction in music, art, and drama. But not so dance, especially ballet, which has come to be viewed as a rarefied art form only for the most cultured. Its really too bad, for ballet looked at without intimidation can actually be one of the most accessible art forms. Who cant appreciate sumptuous music, colorful costumes, and beautiful bodies performing fantastically agile, impeccably controlled moves, often while standing on their toes? And a greater understanding and appreciation can come simply through more exposure. The more one views the art form, the more one sees the same movements performed over and over. Then nuances and subtleties can be detected and appreciated distinctions such as how high a dancer can leap; how secure and soft the landing; how quickly, sharply, and uniformly a dancer can turn; and how those dynamics aid in creating a character of good or evil, youthfulness or maturity.

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