Dance Studio at the Opera, Edgar Degas, 1872 Oil on canvas, Musée d'Orsay, Paris, France. Dance Foyer at the Opera is a result of Degas’ studies of Japanese prints. He adopted the asymmetrical grouping shown in this work, where the central area, which would traditionally have been the focal point of the painting, is empty, as though in anticipation of the dancer’s progress into it.

Shown at Durand-Ruel’s gallery in London in 1872, it excited the English critic Sidney Collin to write: “It is a scheme of various whites, gauzes and muslins, fluttering round the apartment, and the ballet-master in white ducks and jacket in the middle; and all the little shifts of indoor light and color, all the movements of the girls in rest and strained exercise, expressed with the most perfect precision of drawing and delicacy of color, and without a shadow of a shade of that sentiment which is ordinarily implied by a picture having the ballet for its subject”.

Degas’ lifelong devotion to the ballet as an artistic subject began at about this time, and Dance Foyer at the Opera was certainly his earliest large-scale work in the genre. Here he shows a single moment at a rehearsal in the Paris Opera’s practice rooms in the rue Le Peletier. The dancer is taking up her position, the master prepares to call out his instructions, and a fiddler sits ready to provide the necessary accompaniment. Some dancers watch; others go about their business; through the open door, a glimpse of tulle and a leg stretched out parallel to the principle dancer’s reveals that the instant ‘snapshot’ look of the painting is an illusion. The noble proportions of the room, the sharp drawing and the soft, harmonious, light-filled atmosphere give the picture a calm, classic quality.

The setting is an artist’s studio in Paris, 1900. Aging and grouchy, with failing eyesight, Edgar Degas is losing his desire to paint, but his model, 16-year-old Marie LeGrande will not allow him to quit. Marie, one of “les petites rats,” young ballerinas who aspires to perform at the Paris Opera, would rather go window-shopping than practice. Degas, impatient with her irresponsible attitude, shares with her the importance of practice and perseverance. She learns that, against all odds, Degas had to persevere in order to be accepted as a great artist. Degas, a founding father of Impressionist art, explains the history of Impressionism and shows her paintings by some of his friends --Renoir, Pissarro, Cassat – artists whose famous works date back to the 1870’s. Marie learns that if Degas and his friends did not believe in themselves, practice their art and ignore discouraging voices they would never have achieved their dreams. She embraces the aesthetic beauty of ballet even more, vowing to practice more, but not before coaxing the master out of his studio and into the vibrant Paris streets.

Gregory Humphreys (Degas) is a South African born actor. After studying drama at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, he peformed extensively in theater, film and television in South Africa and abroad. He has conducted educational theater workshops for children and young adults. Ian Patrick Williams Playwright) won an Emmy for his play, Bleacher Bums, studied acting at the Goodman School of Drama in Chicago and was a member of the Organic Theater Company. As an actor, he has appeared in numerous films and TV shows, including NYPD Blue, Profiler, Fresh Prince of Bel Air and Seinfeld. Chelsea Hackett (Marie) DANCE VOCABULARY THEATRE VOCABULARY Balance- Balanced weight is in a state of equilibrium. Balance may refer to the balance of weight or the spatial arrangement of bodies. Ballet-A classical Western dance form that originated in the Renaissance courts of Europe. Ballet is best known for its virtuoso techniques such as pointe work, grand pas de deux, and high leg extensions. Choreography- The creation and composition of dances by arranging or inventing steps, movements, and patterns of movements. Dance-Movement used as a form of expression, presented in a social, or performance setting. Dance Sequence-the continuation and order in which a series of movements and shapes occurs. en point-is the action of rising to 'tips of the toes' while performing steps from Character-The personality or part an actor recreates. cue- A signal, either verbal or physical, that indicates something else, such as an entrance, is to happen. Dialogue-the conversation between actors on stage Gesture- an expressive movement in which the body and limbs are used. Pantomime- acting without words through facial expression, gesture, and movement.

Objective-A character’s goal or intention. Play-the stage representation of an action or a story, a dramatic composition. Playwright-A person who writes plays. Props-(short for properties) items carried on stage by an actor; small ballet technique. Also known as pointe work, it is performed using hard toed pointe shoes. Grand Pas de deux- is a duet in which a male and female dancer performs. Pas de deux (French, step/dance for two) is a duet in which ballet steps are performed together. Pointe shoes (toe shoes) are a special type of shoe used by ballet dancers. They allow a ballerina to move on the tips of her toes (en pointe). Technique-The physical skills of a dancer that enable him or her to execute the steps and movements required in different dances.