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
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