Paddy Eger's Blog - Posts Tagged "writing-challenges"
Ballet Story Writing Challenges
For almost two decades, I danced: tap, modern, jazz, character and ballet. Through those years of moving to music, I became appreciative of many types of music, but I always veered back to listening to classical ballet. The emotion of the musical swells, the variety of instruments playing in unison and the stories ballet told through the music and movement held me tight.
Now, several decades later, I'm writing stories about young dancers who strive to become great dancers with interesting dance lives and dance experiences, something I didn't have for a variety of reasons. Those intervening years between when I danced and when I started writing about fictional dancers has left me with so many questions and so many forgotten details. It's true; if you don't use it you lose it so I'm finding myself leaning on a variety of references to help me keep my work authentic.
One of the biggest challenges is terminology. Ballet has an entire language, most of it in French and my French is so rusty that if it were a nail, it would be back to its metallic beginnings and no longer resemble a nail. Thanks to a local dance studio, I'm getting help. A delightful young woman, Brittany, is offering to watch the YouTube ballet excerpts that show the choreography I want to include in my third book, Letters to Follow . That way I'll write smarter and able to use the appropriate terminology for the turns, lifts and such.
The next challenge is to explain the ballet moves in non-dancer terms within the story. I want to keep readers engaged without their needing to stop, look up the term and head back to the story so I'll be curious to find out if I succeed.
One idea I'm working on, is including a listing of YouTube channels where readers can observe the various dances and/or listen to the music. I've loved exploring the wealth of video information I've found. In fact, it's becoming an obsession to watch the YouTube ballets with lush costumes, detailed sets and flowing symphony music enhancing my experiences.
Curious? Go to YouTube and type in a composer or the name of a ballet. A listing will arise and you can get lost in the dance and music just as I do.
Now, several decades later, I'm writing stories about young dancers who strive to become great dancers with interesting dance lives and dance experiences, something I didn't have for a variety of reasons. Those intervening years between when I danced and when I started writing about fictional dancers has left me with so many questions and so many forgotten details. It's true; if you don't use it you lose it so I'm finding myself leaning on a variety of references to help me keep my work authentic.
One of the biggest challenges is terminology. Ballet has an entire language, most of it in French and my French is so rusty that if it were a nail, it would be back to its metallic beginnings and no longer resemble a nail. Thanks to a local dance studio, I'm getting help. A delightful young woman, Brittany, is offering to watch the YouTube ballet excerpts that show the choreography I want to include in my third book, Letters to Follow . That way I'll write smarter and able to use the appropriate terminology for the turns, lifts and such.
The next challenge is to explain the ballet moves in non-dancer terms within the story. I want to keep readers engaged without their needing to stop, look up the term and head back to the story so I'll be curious to find out if I succeed.
One idea I'm working on, is including a listing of YouTube channels where readers can observe the various dances and/or listen to the music. I've loved exploring the wealth of video information I've found. In fact, it's becoming an obsession to watch the YouTube ballets with lush costumes, detailed sets and flowing symphony music enhancing my experiences.
Curious? Go to YouTube and type in a composer or the name of a ballet. A listing will arise and you can get lost in the dance and music just as I do.
