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Monday, September 14, 2015

Marvelous Monday Simple


Marvelous Monday Simple

Ballet Secret #7e states:  Ballet technique involves a great deal of illusion.”  This is especially true for the arms. When someone imitates a ballet dancer, they often move their arms all over the place with lots of flourishes, and if they place their arms overhead it often looks more like the double arches in a McDonald’s commercial. This is because the actual pathways and shape of the arms are simple – very simple – it is all based on illusion.

Remember Ballet Secret #6a? It states:  The arms move on specific “highways”. This is important for maintaining the simplicity and illusion of the balletic port de bras. The arms actually move very little, and the arms themselves are almost straight (only slightly curved) the majority of the time. Also, the hands and the wrists do not twist and flex – they breathe a bit but always keep the correct shape.

All this is what makes ballet beautiful. It is the simplicity of the arm movements that create and maintain ballet’s lovely geometry. Watch videos of accomplished dancers and study the arm movements.  You may be surprised to see how simple the actual pathways of movement are.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Secret #6bb:  
The arms follow extremely simple pathways.”

                Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“Like all magnificent things, it's very simple.”
Natalie Babbitt, Tuck Everlasting

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