Fun Friday Fouettés

Fun Friday Fouettés

Ballet students are always anxious to learn how to do thirty-two fouettés. It is an impressive turning sequence, originated and performed by a ballerina named Pierina Legnani in the 1890s.

A good, effective single fouetté turn is made up of several different elements, all of which must be clean, accurate and coordinated. There is the passé, the développé devant, the demi rond de jambe of the working leg from devant to à la seconde, the ability to spot repeatedly and accurately, and finally: the ability to relevé thirty-two times without fatigue. Whew! 

The element that often goes unrecognized and unappreciated is the ability to relevé thirty-two times on one leg. This is a strength issue and one that must be developed or the fouettés will not work. It may not be exciting to practice these relevés every day until the number thirty-two is reached (and exceeded), but it is critical.

Work those relevés!  The fouettés will follow.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Secret #14p:  

“Thirty-two fouettés require thirty-two relevés.”

                Link of the Day:

http://balletoman.com/2026-the-washington-ballets-hardest-dance-moves.html#vid

Quote of the Day:

““You are what you practice most.”
― Richard Carlson

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