Friday, September 19, 2014

Fun Friday Ecarté


Fun Friday Ecarté

Ecarté is a lovely position!  Dancers are often told they should imagine the profile on a Roman coin to correctly achieve the line of the head in an ecarté.  This is true.  Unlike the other positions of the body where the head moves a quarter turn plus adds an incline, ecarté is the exception. 

In an ecarté devant, the head turns to the side, but there is no incline (ear to the shoulder) at all.  Instead, there is a slight lift to the chin, and also a slight incline in the shoulder line.  The eye focus is outward and upward, directed well beyond the  raised working arm.  This is designed, as are all the prescribed head positions, to provide a counterweight for the leg positions.
 
Therefore, the position of the head not only makes the position beautiful to look at, but also serves a very practical purpose:  it balances (stabilizes) the position.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Secret #9d:  
“ In an ecarté, the head is not inclined, but directly turned and the chin lifted.”

                Link of the Day:

(Note the lovely ecartés at 2:35)


Quote of the Day:
“Time is a circus, always packing up and moving away.”
-          Ben Hecht

                Help expand the knowledge base!
 Leave a comment about any instructions, ideas, or images that worked best for you!


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