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The Cecchetti method of classical ballet, pronounced “chec-getti” after Italian-born maestro Enrico Cecchetti, is the basis for the classical ballet taught by Miss Glenna Bell Moenning and her studio. Maestro Cecchetti was a consummate virtuoso dancer and teacher of professional dancers. Cecchetti influenced the Russian ballet enormously and contributed to the technical standard of the dancers through his teaching. He left Russia when he became angered with the prospect of having to give up his Italian citizenship to qualify for a Russian pension. He then taught many years at Warsaw Imperial Ballet School in Warsaw, Poland. Returning to St. Petersburg, he provided private classes for the eminent Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, later traveling to the United States as her private teacher.
In 1910 Enrico was hired as ballet master and mime for the Ballet Russes by impresario Serge Diaghilev. In 1918 he opened his own school in London--a school that was frequented by the greatest ballet dancers of the time. Cyril Beaumont, recognizing the genius of Enrico Cecchetti, encouraged one of his students to codify his technique to be published as what is now called the Manual of Classical Theatrical Dancing/Method of Cav. E. Cechetti, later: Theory and Practice of Allegro in Classical Ballet and Advanced Allegro. These books are popular and currently available, immortalizing his ideas of graceful, confident, joyful technical performance.
Years later, Cecchetti trained dancers and dance teachers. They formed a society to expand the use of his work into a series of graded syllabi and examinations to meet the needs of children of both pre-vocational and recreational levels, as well as those of the dedicated vocational student. A Certificate of Performance, suitable for framing, and a card proclaiming completion of a grade, can be earned to compliment and encourage each aspect of the children’s work. There are also qualifying examinations for teachers, granting Associate, Licentiate, and Fellow status of the Cecchetti Society, thus immortalizing his work as a basis for clean and strong, beautify and graceful, dynamic and exciting use of the body in performance.
Cecchetti Ballet is a great basic technique for skaters, baton twirlers, gymnasts, cheer leaders, and all artistic uses for the body, to which Miss Glenna Bell’s students from various disciplines can attest.
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