Saturday Secret

Saturday Secret

Most dancers learn that the word “fondue” means “to melt” or “to sink”.  While I do teach this to my students, sometimes the translation can cause too much of a literal sinking. 

As you will remember from Ballet Secret #17a, “A fondue is a plié on one leg”.  Therefore all the secrets that apply to pliés also apply to fondues.  There is always a lift in the posture during a fondue (see Secrets 1b, 1g, 1h, 1m, 1o, 1u, 1cc, and 1ee), and the dancer “sinks” only because the knee is bending.

There is also an important shift of weight in a fondue.  The body must be centered over the supporting leg (and lifted).  A common problem, especially at the barre, is when the student fails to put the torso over the standing leg and instead depends on the arm on the barre for support.

So for fondues, you do melt, but remember the melting doesn’t mean that the body sinks or squashes!

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Secret #17b:  

“The word ‘fondue’ means ‘to melt’ or ‘to sink’.”

                Link of the Day:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1rzPWevE6w

Quote of the Day:

“It is a sign that your reputation is small and sinking if your own tongue must praise you.”

-          Matthew Hale

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