The Cecchetti Method of ballet training was established by Maestro Enrico Cecchetti, revered teacher of Anna Pavlova, Vaslav Nijinsky, Alexandra Danilova, and other dancers of the Imperial Theater of St. Petersburg, Russia.
The Cecchetti Method includes a very full vocabulary of movement with French terminology. In addition to "set" exercises, the Cecchetti teacher includes "unseen" steps in each lesson so that a student will learn to adapt quickly and easily to any pattern of steps or rhythm. This method offers a completely balanced and analyzed system of theory and execution for the development of the student from the very first lesson.
Cecchetti emphasized that it is more important to execute an exercise correctly once, than to do it a dozen times carelessly. Slow and precise repetition is key to learning proper technique and correct muscle memory.
Other Distinguishing characteristics: 8 port de bras consisting of clean lines and smooth transition between positions; heavily used epaulement for beauty of line as well as stability; fast footwork; turnout based on a dancer's normal range of motion without forcing.
While most methods insist on a complete 180-degree turnout, which causes many to over-rotate at the knees and ankles and causes injuries, this method keeps the focus on a dancer's normal rotation from the hips, allowing for different body types.
It is important to protect our dancers' growing bodies. Extreme stretching, positions, and competition tricks are not needed for classical ballet. Developing turnout and flexibility through safe methods are an important part of our methodology.
Rachael's ballet training comes through an impressive lineage
of master ballet instructors.
Her primary instructor for 11 years of her life was Leanna Joyce Gomez, a Ballerina with the Maine State Ballet who also danced and studied with the Boston Ballet.
Leanna was instructed by two of the great ballet masters,
Alexandra Danilova and Maria Swoboda.
Both were Russian born, principal ballerinas with The Bolshoi and Ballet Russes and were pupils of Enrico Cecchetti who created the Cecchetti Method of teaching which is one of the 5 world recognized methods for teaching classical ballet.
Alexandra Danilova played a small but significant role as a ballet teacher in the 1977 movie, "The Turning Point" and taught at the School of American Ballet. Maria Swoboda created The Ballet Russe School of Dance in New York.
Leanna also trained with the NYC Ballet with George Balanchine and Thomas Andrew. She had been accepted into the New York City Ballet Company when she left her performing career behind to be full-time mother, and in 1976 she moved to Florida and soon after began instructing Mrs. Rachael.
Rachael is passing this legacy on to a new generation of dancers to preserve the traditions and elegance of Classical Ballet.
