Monday, November 2, 2015

Mad Monday Front Foot


Mad Monday Front Foot

A pirouette en dehors that starts and ends in fifth position can be challenging because the dancer doesn’t have the width of a fourth position to help provide the impetus (push) for the turn. Also, there is a tendency to shift the weight onto the back foot in anticipation of picking up the front foot.

Exactly the opposite must occur. Often teachers say: “Push from both feet”, and this is true, but it actually works better to think: “Push from the front foot” because this overrides the natural tendency to sit back, even when the dancer thinks about using both feet.

Pirouettes from fifth are often called tour suivi, and they can be seen at the end of  Kitri’s variation from Don Quixote (see today’s link).

So the next time do tour suivi, think of pushing from the foot in front.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:
Secret #14v:  
In a pirouette en dehors from fifth position, think of pushing with the front foot.

                Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“You have to push through every difficulty to achieve the goal.”
Lailah Gifty Akita, Pearls of Wisdom: Great mind

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