Thursday, October 3, 2013

Helium Balloons

Helium Balloons
Another way to think about the “lift” that should happen in a dancer’s posture is to use the image of a large helium balloon.  Emphasis on large.  This huge, imaginary balloon is attached by an imaginary string to the top of the head and thus exerts a constant, but gentle, upward pull.   This upward pull should be matched by an equal sensation of sending energy downward, through the floor.
The helium balloon image is especially useful to think about during any plié, since that movement has the tendency, especially in very young dancers, to pull everything down, and effectively “squash” the desired correct posture.  Bear in mind that this lift is always up and slightly forward, not straight up, as described in last month’s blog about “rocket angles”.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:
Secret #1h:
“Imagine a helium balloon attached to the top of your head.”


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