Technical Tuesday and Extensor Retinaculum

Technical Tuesday and Extensor Retinaculum

The extensor retinaculum is an anatomical term for the thick bands of connective tissue that hold the tendons of extensor muscles in place. There is an extensor retinaculum in the wrist, the knee, and in the ankle. Today I’m talking about the ankle. Basically, the term retinaculum refers to any region of the body where tendons from different muscles pass under one connective tissue band.

Here is a description from healthline.com:

“The extensor retinaculum refers to the set of ligaments inside the ankle that connect the tibia and fibula, which are the bones of the lower leg. The Achilles tendon and tissue inside the sole of the foot are also connected by the extensor retinaculum.”

The extensor retinaculum functions to stabilize the tendons as the muscles to which they attach contract to cause movement-  as in working the foot in tendu, or simply walking. The Inferior Extensor Retinaculum can become injured if too much pressure is put on the ankle. A strain of this type is often seen in athletes who run. It can also happen whenever there is undue pressure placed on the ankle, like forcing turnout or standing for long periods on one leg. 

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Anatomical Secret #:

“The extensor retinaculum is a Y-shaped band in front of the ankle.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFUC5ROtN8M

Quote of the Day:

“The application of consistent, logical effort, over a prolonged period is the key to reaching your physical muscular potential.”
― Craig Cecil

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Marvelous Monday Développé Secret

Marvelous Monday Développé Secret

I like to think of today’s hint as an anticipatory développé. Dancers learn early in their training that any développé must pass through attitude so the leg will be fully turned out at the end, and so that the développé will look lovely throughout. 

Let’s try thinking about this yet another way. Instead of waiting for the attitude, rotate the leg a bit extra while it is still in passé – and let this rotation help produce the développé itself. In other words, anticipate the développé early in the process.

This works in any direction. Try it!

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Ballet Secret#11J:

“In any développé, rotate the working leg in passé – before the leg extends.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4A6PLeGIB4

Quote of the Day:

“If you come at four in the afternoon, I'll begin to be happy by three.”
― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

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 Leave a comment about any instructions, ideas, or images that worked best for you!

My latest books are two coloring books! They are available on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Family-Tree-Coloring-Debra-Rogers/dp/0980191947/

https://www.amazon.com/Frames-Borders-Backgrounds-Color-Rogers/dp/0980191955/

Want to know more about me? Read my interview at Ballet Connections:

http://balletconnections.com/DebraWebbRogers

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Sunday Faith and Fear

Sunday Faith and Fear

I’m going to extend yesterday’s blog about trusting your muscle memory. In addition to having faith in your muscles, think about the faith you must have in yourself to overcome all those nasty, pesky little fears of failure that hover around the edges of your consciousness.

It is difficult for dancers to have faith in themselves, I think, because we are so constantly admonished and reminded about all the things we do wrong on a daily basis. Personally, I’d like to see a shift in the ballet world toward letting dancers know when they do things well – but this requires a real paradigm shift.

Until then, remind yourself of those things you do well. It’s okay. You won’t become lazy and shiftless in your dance technique if you do. That’s because if you’ve come far enough in your dance training to be reading this blog, I know you are a motivated dancer. Highly motivated people don’t need to be hit over the head constantly in order to progress. They do enough internal criticizing as it is.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Motivational Secret #49:

“Let your faith be bigger than your fear.”

 Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/user/TheAustralianBallet

Quote of the Day:

“Believe in yourself. You are braver than you think, more talented than you know, and capable of more than you imagine.”
― Roy T. Bennett

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 Leave a comment about any instructions, ideas, or images that worked best for you!

My latest books are two coloring books! They are available on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Family-Tree-Coloring-Debra-Rogers/dp/0980191947/

https://www.amazon.com/Frames-Borders-Backgrounds-Color-Rogers/dp/0980191955/

Want to know more about me? Read my interview at Ballet Connections:

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Saturday Trust Statute

Saturday Trust Statute

I believe one of the reasons young children do so well in dance training is because they haven’t learned how difficult it is, and therefore they have no reason to worry. They simply believe in and trust the process. Alas, when we mature we realize “things are hard”, and we must keep working, and some days things don’t work well…etc. etc. In other words, worry takes over.

Instead, go back and remember to trust the process like young children do. Trust your muscle memory. You’ve put in many hours, days, weeks, and years – and whether you realize it or not, your body remembers. Yes it does! You will always be working toward the next level, but don’t let that slow down – or eliminate - what you already know. 

Muscle memory is why dancers will often give the performance of their lives when something has gone wrong, and/or they have been forced to step in for another dancer. With little preparation (mental or physical), the magic of muscle memory takes over.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Ballet Statute: #99

“Trust your muscle memory.”

Link of the Day:

http://buzz.dancechanneltv.com/video/alexander-sergeev-talisman-pas-de-deux-variation

Quote of the Day:

“None of us knows what might happen even the next minute, yet still we go forward. Because we trust.”
― Paulo Coelho

            Help expand the knowledge base!

 Leave a comment about any instructions, ideas, or images that worked best for you!

My latest books are two coloring books! They are available on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Family-Tree-Coloring-Debra-Rogers/dp/0980191947/

https://www.amazon.com/Frames-Borders-Backgrounds-Color-Rogers/dp/0980191955/

Want to know more about me? Read my interview at Ballet Connections:

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Fun Friday Shoe Canoes

Fun Friday Shoe Canoes

As I have said before, excessive pronation (“rolling” on the arches) is an all-too-common problem for dancers. It is usually caused by forcing the turn-out from the feet instead of creating it from the hip sockets. Not good.

Here is a new way to think about this. Imagine each foot as a canoe. Canoes must stay level in the water or they will become swamped and the occupant will end up swimming. It is the same with the feet. All five toes must be on the floor (when the whole foot is), and the little toes must never be suspended in the air – otherwise the canoe will be swamped!

Two shoe canoes!

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Ballet Secret# 4y:

“Imagine your feet as two canoes and don’t allow the sides  to tip into the water.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V55n8XBN12U

Quote of the Day:

“To reach a port we must set sail –
Sail, not tie at anchor
Sail, not drift.”
― Franklin D. Roosevelt

            Help expand the knowledge base!

 Leave a comment about any instructions, ideas, or images that worked best for you!

My latest books are two coloring books! They are available on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Family-Tree-Coloring-Debra-Rogers/dp/0980191947/

https://www.amazon.com/Frames-Borders-Backgrounds-Color-Rogers/dp/0980191955/

Want to know more about me? Read my interview at Ballet Connections:

http://balletconnections.com/DebraWebbRogers

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