Friday, January 30, 2015

Fabulous Friday Below the Knees


Fabulous Friday Below the Knees

A common problem in grand pliés occurs in second position. Grand pliés in this position are designed to help the dancer “open” the turnout, that is, stretch and warm up the legs and their connection in the hip socket for the more difficult work to come. However, this grand plié is still a controlled movement, and the hips should never be allowed to drop below the knees. Going below the knees is not a safe place (health-wise), since it puts too much stress on the knee joints.

Remember Ballet Secret #2l? It states: A grand plié in second makes the shape of a house. This house, with a slightly peaked roofed, helps the dancer maintain the correct height of the pelvis at the bottom of the plié. If the plié descends too far and the hips drop below the level of the knees, it is as though the roof of the house caved in!

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Secret #2o:  
In a second position grand plié, the pelvis never descends below the knees.

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