About The Ballet Center

The Ballet Center and Artistic Director Debra Punzi has provided dance education on Long Island  for over 35 years . We have classes in Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop , Musical Theater, Acting and Tap for all ages, young and adult alike. The Ballet Center is competition-free; that is not to say our students are not competitive, just that we do not promote sports-like competitions that are more lucrative than educational. Rather our dance education is centered around stage performance. Professional quality dance productions with Ballet Long Island provide students with theater experience and the opportunity to refine their dance technique. In the process they develop technical and social skills needed for collective participation towards a common goal. We feel these skills are more valuable to the community and to the individual. And besides, even though preparing for a major full-length ballet performance is hard work, our students find out that it is a lot of fun - fun that they share with other dancers. Many of our students have gone on to careers in ballet companies, modern companies, film, TV, broadway shows, dance teacher, directors and for other they develop a life long love of dance and theater. Register for classes today call 631-737-1964

101 Reasons to Study Ballet - #33 Jump

Reason #33 - Jump

Once you are warmed up and have completed barre you get to jump in ballet class. Jumping is fun, it burns calories and helps give you strong legs. Ballet Jumps are an essential part of ballet class. There are small jumps and big jumps. You will see professional dancers leap across the stage looking light and effortless. Sometimes it looks like they float on air.
From small jumps to big jumps, there are many tips and techniques that you can learn to enhance your ability to jump. Your plie is important to your jump for both the landing and the take off. Without your plie you simply can not jump as high. Without the right use of the plie you can not give full value to each jump. Plie also works as a cushion to the landing of the jump. Some of the names of steps are jete, grand jete, assemble, sissone, tour jete, pas de chat , saute and there are many more.  No matter whether you have a natural jump or not, it can be improved with the help of a good ballet teacher. Join a ballet class today.
http://www.theballetcenter.org/

Meet The Teachers - Natasa Trifan

Natasa Trifan is an international choreographer and teacher who was raised in Romania where she studied ballet for nine years at "Floria Capsali", the premier Romanian Ballet School. She graduated from the "Academy of Theater and Film" in Bucharest with a major in choreography and modern dance. During her major in dance she got involved in numerous student theater and film projects. "My absolute passion for image, any kind of image (cinematic, theatrical, photographic or emotional) came from these film and theater projects and from studying and seeing the same segments of film repeatedly. I have learned to compose from the outside, contrary to my usual dancer's approach of  building from inside-out... I think it's important to master both." 1999 she moved to United States of America and graduated from SUNY Brockport with an MA in Dance and Somatics. In 2001 she studied at the East -West Movement Therapy Program, the Alexander Technique and the Feldenkrais Method, that later will be integrated in her movement and aesthetic approaches. In 2002 she studied intensely physical theater with the international director Rene Migliaccio. Natasa founded Natasa Trifan Performance Group in 1999.

Work Methods - Collaboration

Collaboration is the core of her creative process, Natasa has worked with composers: Lucian Ban, Sylvia Mincewicz, Petre Radu Scafaru, Erol Israfil; costume designer Oana Botez Ban; filmmakers/ video artists: Chiaki Watanabe , Giles Hendrix, Martin Burga; writers/director: Saviana Stanescu and Rene Migliaccio, sculptor Rina Peleg and set designer Catalin Nastasoiu. She has created original works on students from  SUNY Brockport, and for the Minus Company, the Black Moon company and the Sudden Enlightenment Theater. Natasa Trifan has taught dance and movement awareness  at SUNY Brockport for one year.

Performance History

Natasa's work has been seen in Romania, Germany, Portugal, Russia, Chile, England at Chipping Norton Theater and the Bath Theater and in New York City at the Citicorp Theater at Alvin Ailey Studios , the HERE Theater, The Harlem Stages, the Dance New Amsterdam, the Theater for The New City, the Merkin Hall at Kaufman Center, the Construction Company, the Dance Theater Workshop, the Joyce Soho theater,  the Merce Cunningham Studio and at many others venues in Brooklyn.

Awards

Natasa Trifan's performance group received federal grants from Queens Council for the Arts, and grants from the Trust for Mutual Understanding foundation,  92y and from the USAInternatinonal from Mid Atlantic Foundation. 

She has been honored with the best dance critic prize from the Romanian Union of Choreographers and Composers and received full scholarship from the Academy of Theater and Film Bucharest and from SUNY, Brockport. In 2007 she was honored by the Romanian National Journal with the award entitled "The person of the day".

Art Residencies

She had art residencies at the White Oak, Florida and at the Romanian National Dance Center, Bucharest.

Published

Natasa Trifan is a dance scholar and a co writer of the textbook named "The art of choreography for actors" (published in Romania.) She published dance reviews for "Cotidianul", "Romania Literara" and other dance magazines. 

Memberships  

She is a current member of the International Dance Council under the UNESCO, the Field, a non profit organization for artists in NYC and Dance Theater Workshop.

For more information visit -www.theballetcenter.org

101 reasons to Study Ballet - #31 Pirouette

Reason # 31 Pirouette

Turning on one leg is both fun and a challenge. A pirouette is a rapid whirling or turning on the toe or ball of one foot in ballet. Most children love that feeling of spinning. Many people go to amusement parks and go on rides that spin and spin. Ballet dancers experience the enjoyment of spinning by trying to perfect the pirouette. When it is performed correctly it is a thing of pure beauty. Correct body placement is essential in all kinds of pirouettes. While repeatedly practicing the turn may improve performance, strengthening the muscles involved in your pirouette is also important. Exercises that improve balance, strengthen ankles, calves and turn out muscles are all important to help learn pirouettes. There are many kinds of pirouettes to learn. Choreographers create wonderful combinations of pirouettes for dancers to perform. Learn to turn today -- take a ballet class.

http://www.theballetcenter.org/

101 Reasons to Study Ballet - #29 Stretch

Reason # 29 Stretch
Ballet is all about increasing your range of movement. Stretching is a form of  exercise in which a specific muscle or group muscles is deliberately stretched  to improve the muscle's elasticity and increase range of movement. Stretching should be done gently and slowly. You need to be able to stretch correctly, so you do not injure yourself. Hold the stretches, do not bounce, feel the stretch but not pain, and maintain proper posture with your back straight. Stretch at least three to four times per week but daily is best to keep your muscles flexible.  Some ballet teachers include a stretch at the barre or on the floor. Students will find stretching is useful to do before and after class. Most people think of a dancer in a split as the idea of stretching but stretching is so much more. Dancer need to stretch many parts of the body including feet, arms, back, hamstrings, hip flexors and calf muscles. The thing to remember about stretching - SLOW and controlled. Join a ballet class today and stretch yourself.
http://www.theballetcenter.org/