Mad Monday Kisses

Mad Monday Kisses

There are lots of places in ballet where it is useful to think about kissing.  We dancers are affectionate beings, and these kisses help insure good technique.  I’ve blogged about Aunt Matilda kissing your cheek, and how you should kiss your knees in port de bras forward.

Here’s another one:  when completing a plié, the backs of the knees should make contact, or kiss. This prevents slightly bent knees, and thus a weakened position.  The only time the knees are allowed to be relaxed (slightly bent) is during a bourrée.  Otherwise, the patella (knee cap) is fully pulled up.

Imagining the backs of the knees kissing is one way to keep the legs fully “pulled up”, elongated, and strong.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Secret #2n:  

“When completing a plié, remember that the back of the knees should kiss.”

                Link of the Day:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49Xfv56tNts

Quote of the Day:

“Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did.”

-Newt Gingrich

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