Super Saturday Singing
The most difficult part of a grand battement isn’t getting
the leg up – it’s bringing the working leg down without crashing. Gravity works.
Control of the abdominal muscles is critical here. The stomach or core muscles must be engaged
- i.e. “sucked in” as the leg descends.
Otherwise the back is left unsupported and vulnerable to the force and weight
of the leg as gravity pulls it back to earth.
To help with this, sing silently with the rhythm of each battement: “UP! Suck it in, UP! Suck it in.”, etc. The “UP” is on the upward sweep of the grand battement,
and the “Suck it in” happens as the leg comes down. Try it!
From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:
Secret #12b:
“To control the
descent of the working leg, sing (silently) with each battement: “UP! Suck it in; Up! Suck it in.”
Link of the Day:
“Every journey begins with a single step.”
Maya Angelou
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