"First Pointe Shoes", 9x11, impressionism, Maryanne Jacobsen art, ballet, young dancer, Vaganova method, Kirov ballet, Margarita De Saa, John White, Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet Society

"First Pointe Shoes", 9x11

As a former ballet instructor and director of Rock School West, it was very important to me to train my little students correctly. I chose to study with Margarita de Saa and John White at The Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet Society in Narberth, Pa. and to take their intensive Vaganova training course as well. The course followed the strict Vaganova syllabus used to train the young dancers in St. Petersburg , Russia who went on to dance with the Kirov Ballet and is a successful proving ground for dancers worldwide. The Vaganova method is a tried and true training method for ballet dancers and to this day it serves me well in Zumba class!! I am proud to say that one of my young dancers, Taylor Stanley, went on the become a principal with the New York City Ballet!

The little dancer in my painting was painted in the impressionistic style, but although her face is vague, I did want to show her Vaganova training in both her attire and her carriage. Dancers familiar with the pedagogue will recognize it.

Email me at maryannejacobsen@aol.com if you are interested in this painting.

"Allegro", 11x14, oil on linen, paintings of dancers, solo dancers, contemporary dancers

"Allegro", 11x14, oil on linen

I painted this back in the summer when I was preoccupied with the BP catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico. I took it out over the weekend and defined a few passages that seemed too vague. I am very happy with this painting now - it makes me think of how much I enjoyed dancing once upon a time.

I love ballet. It is so beautiful. But there is something incredibly strong and athletic in contemporary dance that is a bit harder to detect in ballet, which when done correctly appears so effortless that strength and athleticism become invisible to the untrained eye.

Not sure if any of that makes sense. At any rate, I miss ballet class. Hopefully there's a ballet class somewhere in heaven, waiting for me, with my bunions and bad knees, and taught by Margarita de Saá, my favorite teacher, ballerina extraordinaire, and a beautiful and compassionate human being as well.

This painting is not for sale at the current time.