Saturday, April 9, 2016

Saturday Statute Down


Saturday Statute Down

A common habit in many dancers is looking at the floor. This can be a difficult one to break, because dancers that do this probably look down in other areas of their life. It is especially common for people to look down when they are concentrating or contemplating something, or when they are feeling insecure. And, in dance, all three things are often present. It is a problem!

I try to remind my students to look up and out, instead of saying “Don’t look down”. It is a more possitive directive, and those are usually better. I also tell them  about Statute #65: “If you look down, that’s where you will go.” In other words, looking at the floor makes it more likely that you will fall, simply because  looking down compromises correct alignment.

Look up! (But not at the ceiling).

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Ballet Statute #65:  
“If you look down, that’s where you will go.”

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“There is nothing like looking, if you want to find something.”
J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

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