Marvelous Monday In Between

Marvelous Monday In Between

One way to illustrate the correct alignment for pliés  is to have the students stand behind the barre – between the barre and the wall. This only works in studios where there is enough room between the wall and the barre for the dancer to stand.

Young children in particular love the “being bad” feeling of being allowed to scrunch behind the barre. But it serves a useful purpose: once the student is there, have them face the barre and plié. Since there is so little room they immediately feel how a plié must go up and down without deviation – like the image of being in a toaster.

I don’t recommend doing this if there is a mirror on the wall behind the barre. Do it only if there is a bare wall and enough space for the student to get there with relative ease.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Secret #2p:  

“Standing between the barre and the wall illustrates the correct posture for plié.”

                Link of the Day:

http://balletoman.com/1608-alina-cojocaru-balance.html#vid

Quote of the Day:

“There are only two options regarding commitment; you're either in or you're out. There's no such thing as life in-between.”

-          Unknown

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