2 3 Technical Tuesday Saut de Basque | Ballet Webb

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Technical Tuesday Saut de Basque


Technical Tuesday Saut de Basque

Saut de basque (soh duh bask) means “basque jump”. Well, that’s not particularly helpful, is it? What does basque mean? It is a noun that means:A member of a people of unknown origin inhabiting the western Pyrenees and the Bay of Biscay in France and Spain.” Therefore, saut de basque is a step done by or originated by people of this area.

Saut de basque is a term of the French and Russian schools of training and it is a turn in the air with one foot in retiré. It is often doubled, and as you will remember from Ballet Secret #15p: A saut de basque is a half turn in the air, so a double is really less than a double. That’s right, by the time the dancer is in the air, a half turn has already happened, so a single saut de basque is really less than a full turn. There’s that ballet illusion thing again.

In a saut de basque the leading leg battements into the air into à la seconde as the dancer jumps, then that leg pulls under and the other leg comes to retiré as the dancer completes the turn. The important part to remember is that all-important à la seconde moment. And, of course, spotting. (If it turns, it spots).
From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Secret #15ll:  
Saut de basque literally means “basque jump”.

                Link of the Day:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ii7FLod9Xkg

Quote of the Day:
My father used to say that stories are part of the most precious heritage of mankind.”
Tahir Shah

                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:

Or "Like" me on my Facebook Author Page:


2 comments:

  1. it have very entertaining blog about Ballet Web. thanks for share g comes to retiré as the dancer completes the turn.





    Rachel Withers Ballet Instructor in UK | Certified ballet instructors in UK

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you for your complimentary comment! I hope I can continue to be of help.

    ReplyDelete