Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Weird Wednesday and Barbie Hands



Weird  Wednesday and Barbie Hands

One evening I asked my adult ballet students this question:  “What image or thought helped you the most with your technique when you were a student?”  One answer was: “Barbie Hands”.  She went on to explain that she never really understood how to shape her hands until she heard this hint.

I thought at first that this image might produce stiff, stilted hands - but this student has lovely port de bras.  So the lesson for teachers is this:  try lots of images in the classroom because you never know which one will work for a student.

I pulled out one of my old Barbie dolls (yes, I still have them), and sure enough, Barbie’s hands come close to mimicking the correct shape of a dancer’s hands.   

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Secret #6f:
“To correctly shape the hands think of Barbie’s hands.”  

 

                Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“Hold a true friend with both hands.”
-African proverb
 

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