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Saturday, February 8, 2014

Saturday and Floor Focus


Saturday and Floor Focus
A very common problem for many dancers is “looking at the floor”.  This downward focus is wrong for a whole host of reasons.
First, it distorts the posture, because in order to remain upright and not fall, the body compensates by sticking the seat out.  The dancer is now balanced, but it is hardly the alignment that anyone wants to see.  Another problem is simply one of aesthetics.  Watching someone who constantly stares at the floor is not enjoyable.  I’ve heard teachers threaten to paint eyeballs on a student’s eyelids just so they will appear to be looking up!
Finally, and most importantly, it is a difficult habit to break.  This is probably because  dancers look down when they are not dancing too – often it is a habit acquired in childhood, sometimes due to shyness.  Sometimes it is a habit of concentration.  Whatever the cause, it needs to be addressed, and the sooner the better.  Have students find things on the walls of the classroom to look at – and emphasis on the correct use of the head can also help with this problem. 

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Secret #7i 
“Find things to look at in the room while dancing, and remember the correct head positions to prevent looking at the floor.”

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-Aristotle

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