Attitudes and Water Glasses

Attitudes and Water Glasses

In an attitude devant, the turn-out (rotation from the hip socket) must be maintained.  The tendency is for the heel to drop, causing the knee to face upward, instead of sideways, thus compromising the necessary turned-out position and the correct line of the attitude.

To prevent this, imagine balancing a glass of water on the heel of the working foot.  Or it could be a glass of anything – just as long as it can sit securely on the heel.

Now, this is almost impossible to do in reality, although I have had students with a natural ability to immediately put the leg into a perfectly placed attitude devant.  They are the exception. But simply thinking about balancing a container of liquid is very useful for establishing and maintaining a correct attitude devant position.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Secret #18a:

“In an attitude devant, imagine balancing a glass of water on the heel of the working foot.”

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Quote of the Day:

“The major work of the world is not done by geniuses. It is done by ordinary people, with balance in their lives, who have learned to work in an extraordinary manner.”
- Gordon B. Hinckley

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