One of the first concepts a dancer learns is the idea of an
imaginary box, or square. This square
forms the basis of the geometry of body facings, whether the dancer is onstage
or in the classroom. I teach the “headlights”
concept first (see previous post), so the students know that when they face a
particular direction, both headlights should focus in that direction.
When I work with young children, I have them stand on
pre-cut pieces of colorful paper (about 12 inches square); or I have them draw
an imaginary box on the floor with their fingers, and then instruct them to
stand in the middle of this “box”. Then
we go through the process of shining their headlights to the front of the box,
the back, the side, and finally, the corner.
I explain that when a dancer isn’t facing front, they face
the corner of their box, not the corner of the room or the stage. For older dancers, I go on to explain that this
serves more than one purpose. First, it
presents the dancer’s body from the best possible angle (the seat isn’t
visible!); it makes the dancer appear to be longer and leaner; and finally, the
angle of every dancer in the room will be identical – critical for corps de
ballet work.
From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:
Secret
# 5b: “A dancer seldom faces the
corner of the room or stage, but instead faces the corner of his/her own box,
or square.”
Link of the Day:
Quote of the Day:
“The most solid stone in the structure is the lowest one in
the foundation.”
Kahlil Gibran
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