2 3 Technical Tuesday and the Great Space Debate | Ballet Webb

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Technical Tuesday and the Great Space Debate




Technical Tuesday and the Great Space Debate

Something dancers need to do in a classroom is maintain a constant open space around their body. This is a rule that often goes unmentioned, and students are assumed to know it. This is too bad, because this rule is not as intuitive as it may seem.

This great space debate is important for safety reasons. Two dancers cannot occupy exactly the same space at the same moment because, as we all know, there is no crashing in ballet. The spatial area most often forgotten is the space behind the dancer. One good grand battement in that direction without checking the space can result in another dancer being kicked senseless. 

From the moment a dancer steps to the barre, this awareness of open space must kick in (no pun intended). There should be enough free space on all sides to allow for an unencumbered grand battement in any direction, and if the class is packed with dancers, angling one’s body in and out from barre is another classroom skill that must be mastered.

It is as though the dancer is within a bubble at all times.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Secret #7pp:  
“Be aware of maintaining an open space around you.”

                Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“Fill your life with experiences, not things. Have stories to tell, not stuff to show.”
-          Joshua Becker

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

No comments:

Post a Comment