Product Review

ABOUT THE TEACHER: Finis Jhung performed with the San Francisco, Robert Joffrey, and Harkness ballets, on Broadway, and in film, before founding his own Chamber Ballet U.S.A. Now, he is a master ballet teacher, the creator of more than 50 instructional dance videos, and the author of The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique: A Guide for Teachers & Students. ABOUT THE VIDEO: Based on his experience as ballet teacher for the lead boys in Billy Elliot: The Musical on Broadway, Finis Jhung knows that today's boy ballet dancer must go beyond positions and poses and learn the mechanics so that he will have multiple pirouettes and big jumps. In this video, eleven year-old Joseph Harrington warms up in front of the mirror without using a barre. He demonstrates the essential exercises which emphasize the spring action of the foot and necessary to achieve balanced turns and quick jumps. Finis explains each exercise and Joseph demonstrates, Finis analyzes and Joseph repeats. At the end, Joseph performs jumps and turns that will make you stand and cheer as audiences did at Billy Elliot: The Musical. EXERCISES are listed on the back cover of the DVD image above.