2 3 Technical Tuesday Promenade | Ballet Webb

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Technical Tuesday Promenade



Technical Tuesday Promenade

Promenades are more than promenades. They prepare the dancer for other, more complicated turns. Think of a promenade as training wheels for pirouettes, because that is essentially what they are. Of course, a promenade is also a beautiful step in its own right, but as with most steps in ballet, promenades have a double purpose.

A correctly executed promenade is done with the weight over the ball of the foot, and that area becomes the pivot point. At no time is the heel allowed to stick to the floor and try to be the pivot. This throws the dancer’s weight back and unbalances the whole operation. 

Keeping the weight on the ball of the foot allows for a smooth rotational movement, plus it trains the dancer to maintain their balance over the ball of the foot – absolutely essential for pirouettes that will be done on pointe or demi-pointe.

Promenades are so useful they could be sold with an 800 number.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Ballet Secret #14p:  
In any promenade, the weight must remain over the ball of the foot.”

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