Wondrous Wednesday Cup the Foot
Hopping on pointe is something students aspire to do, often
from the moment of their first pointe class. But this step should be introduced
later, after the dancer has developed the necessary strength in the foot and
ankle to perform the hops safely.
When dancers learn to hop on pointe, they must practice
something that isn’t done elsewhere in pointe technique: they must learn to have a slight “give” or plié,
in the ankle. This is the shock absorber (along with the regular plié) for each
hop. In other steps, this plié of the ankle would be strictly forbidden!
Some teachers call it “cupping the foot” and that is what it
feels like. As the dancer pliés at the knee, there is a corresponding (slight)
give, or “plié” in the ankle. This is one of the things that make hops on
pointe appear so effortless.
From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:
Secret #22m:
“For hops on
pointe, imagine a tiny plié in the ankle.”
Link of the Day:
Quote
of the Day:
“Peace starts with a smile."
-Unknown
Help expand the knowledge base!
Leave a comment about any instructions, ideas,
or images that worked best for you!
Want to know more about me? Read my interview at Ballet Connections:
No comments:
Post a Comment