The Physicality of Presence
Elaine Bauer – Master Teacher, Coach

The Physicality of Presence

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Elaine Bauer, former Principal Dancer with Boston Ballet, master teacher & beloved coach, discusses how to help students find presence through teaching them how to stand.

"Presence lives in the collar bone area"
Elaine Bauer brings to her work as master teacher, coach and regisseuse a rich and versatile experience in dance. During her 20 year performing career as a principal ballerina with Boston Ballet, she was known for her extraordinary artistry and dramaticism in many classical, contemporary and modern works. Ms. Bauer was noted for her versatility as well as her unique ability to interpret the intent of contemporary choreographers who sought her out amongst others in the company. Her major roles included Lizzie Borden in Agnes DeMille’s Fall River Legend, Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Giselle, Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. She also danced principal roles in many Balanchine masterpieces, including Concerto Borocco, La Sonnambula, Serenade, the Siren in Prodigal Son and The Four Temperaments. Her signature performance piece was her personal interpretation of the legendary solo, The Dying Swan. Ms. Bauer danced lead roles opposite Rudolph Nureyev in La Sylphide, Giselle and Swan Lake. Ms. Bauer served as a ballet master for Boston Ballet from 1990-95. During this time she was responsible for the Balanchine repertory and assisted such contemporary choreographers as Mark Morris, Elisa Monte and Susan Marshal. In April of 2002 Ms. Bauer staged her interpretation of The Dying Swan for Kansas City Ballet as part of a retrospective of solo works through out the 20th Century. In 2006 Ms. Bauer was asked by Artistic Director Peter Boal to serve as adjunct artistic staff to coach Pacific Northwest Ballet’s principal dancers in the company’s classical repetory. This body of work includes Ronald Hyne’s production of Sleeping Beauty in 2006, 2010 and 2014 and Kent Stowell’s production of Swan Lake in 2007, 2009, 2013 and 2015. Ms  Bauer coached Peter Boal’s historic reconstruction of Giselle for PNB in 2011 and 2014 and Kitri and Basilio in Alexei Rotmansky’s production of Don Quixote for it’s American premier in 2012. In February of 2015 Ms Bauer coached Kansas City’s new production of Giselle. She has also coached full-length productions of Swan Lake and Giselle for Ballet Austin. In January of 2013 Ms Bauer was one of the artistic advisors for the University of Washington’s Dance Department’s production of Jose Limon’s Dances for Isadora staged by Jennifer Scanlon. Ms. Bauer retired from full time teaching in August of 2012. She continues to contribute her valuable knowledge and experience as a coach and master teacher. She has been a frequent master teacher for the Southwest Regional Ballet Festival. In 2012 she taught at the National RDA Festival in Montreal Canada. In 2013 Ms Bauer was a master teacher for the Northeast Regional Ballet Festival in Pittsburg. Her guest teaching engagements include Ballet Austin, Kansas City Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, Boston Conservatory, Cornish Conservatory, Portland Festival Ballet and Butler University. Having received her BA in Dance, Magna Cum Laude from Butler University in 1971, Ms. Bauer was subsequently honored by her alma mater with an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts in 1989 for her service to the art form. In 2007 she returned to Butler University to coach their production of Giselle. Ms Bauer was also honored by the Boston Theater District in1989 with the prestigious Elliot Norton Award for her distinguished career.

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