Ballerina

Aim for grace and charm in your performance. Open with a light soft staccato in the right hand while the left hand plays a smooth legato to accompany the ‘dancing toes’. Starting in bar 8 there are big leaps. The use of the pedal and a slight slowing down ‘in the air’ will help you get to the notes in a timely manner. I also like to tell my students to ‘linger’ on the RH tenuto at the end of the first two phrases. This could be seen as first attempts at rubato and helps to create a graceful shape to the melody. At the end, be ready to cross the RH over the LH for that final graceful, soft note.