Streaming ballet for 3 year old
March 11, 2019 11:41 AM Subscribe
My three year old daughter is ballet-obsessed and I'm looking for streaming video of ballet to watch with her to supplement her existing ballet classes.
The caveat is that she is three, so what I'm looking for has to be:
1) Not even a little bit scary,
2) Not even a little bit modern or updated - tutus are a crucial part of the appeal,
3) Fit for a three year old attention span, ideally, and,
4) Available to stream via Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, or Amazon Prime
Reality shows about dancers have not been a hit - too much talking, not enough dancing. YouTube clips of Misty Copeland are good. Any ideas where else I could look?
The caveat is that she is three, so what I'm looking for has to be:
1) Not even a little bit scary,
2) Not even a little bit modern or updated - tutus are a crucial part of the appeal,
3) Fit for a three year old attention span, ideally, and,
4) Available to stream via Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, or Amazon Prime
Reality shows about dancers have not been a hit - too much talking, not enough dancing. YouTube clips of Misty Copeland are good. Any ideas where else I could look?
Does your library subscribe to Kanopy? There are ballet videos there, too.
posted by acidnova at 11:56 AM on March 11, 2019
posted by acidnova at 11:56 AM on March 11, 2019
The cbeebies channel has some clips from various ballets they've done in the past. Very suitable for a 3 yr old and not scary. Other people have posted clips too, such as this one. There are also a lot of clips here - I can't find any full ballets, but you might have more luck.
posted by low_horrible_immoral at 11:59 AM on March 11, 2019
posted by low_horrible_immoral at 11:59 AM on March 11, 2019
Also shout out to this ep of Let's Play which breaks down gender/race stereotypes etc in ballet.
posted by low_horrible_immoral at 12:01 PM on March 11, 2019
posted by low_horrible_immoral at 12:01 PM on March 11, 2019
you might try searching you tube for videos of other ballerinas - Julie Kent, Gelsey Kirkland or for old school Margot Fonteyn, Natalia Makarova, Maria Tallchief. Those older ones the quality might not be good, but I know there will be good ones of Kirkland or Kent.
Also you tube search for American Ballet Theatre should turn up tons of footage.
Also searching by Ballet on you tube - in additon to sleeping beauty and nutcracker (there are scary parts but easily avoided) stick with the variations and pas de deux in nutcracker and you should be good, look for parts of don quixote, le corsair, cinderella, firebird, coppelia. Its ballet, so theres usually some drama (how scary depends) in the story ballets but there is also lots of good solos and corps numbers.
posted by domino at 1:29 PM on March 11, 2019
Also you tube search for American Ballet Theatre should turn up tons of footage.
Also searching by Ballet on you tube - in additon to sleeping beauty and nutcracker (there are scary parts but easily avoided) stick with the variations and pas de deux in nutcracker and you should be good, look for parts of don quixote, le corsair, cinderella, firebird, coppelia. Its ballet, so theres usually some drama (how scary depends) in the story ballets but there is also lots of good solos and corps numbers.
posted by domino at 1:29 PM on March 11, 2019
There are hours and hours of variations performed by kids and teenagers if you search Youth America Grand Prix.
Pacific Northwest Ballet, New York City Ballet, Alvin Ailey, and Royal Ballet all have really active YouTube channels with lengthy clips from rehearsals and performances.
There are several versions of Cinderella, Swan Lake, and Sleeping Beauty on YouTube. Don Quixote is another fun and flashy ballet.
posted by ChuraChura at 2:23 PM on March 11, 2019
Pacific Northwest Ballet, New York City Ballet, Alvin Ailey, and Royal Ballet all have really active YouTube channels with lengthy clips from rehearsals and performances.
There are several versions of Cinderella, Swan Lake, and Sleeping Beauty on YouTube. Don Quixote is another fun and flashy ballet.
posted by ChuraChura at 2:23 PM on March 11, 2019
Not sure if this counts as a tutu, but it's lovely.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 9:30 PM on March 11, 2019
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 9:30 PM on March 11, 2019
This thread is closed to new comments.
I'd start with clips on YouTube from Sleeping Beauty or The Nutcracker so you can work around the "scarier" moments.
At one point, Amazon Prime had a bunch of full-length ballet pieces available for streaming, including Balanchine's Jewels. I haven't checked recently to see if they're still there.
posted by timestep at 11:53 AM on March 11, 2019 [1 favorite]