2 3 The Rule of the Pinky Finger | Ballet Webb

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

The Rule of the Pinky Finger




The Rule of the Pinky Finger
When the arms are in fifth en haut, or “high fifth”, how far apart should the hands be?  I get this question frequently from my students.  The answer is:  the distance between the two middle fingers in fifth en haut is the length of the pinky finger.
This is important.  If the hands are too far apart, a lovely curved oval shape is not created, and if the hands are too close together, it also distorts the intended curve.  But using the little finger as a guide works well and is an easy thing to remember, since one always has a pinky finger readily available for instant reference. 
I guess you could also say that it is a good rule of thumb. 

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Secret #6j:
“The distance between the two middle fingers in fifth en haut is the length of the pinky finger.”


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-          Julia Cameron


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