Freaky Friday Fouetté Drill

Freaky Friday Fouetté Drill

Often the problem encountered in fouettés is an overabundance of energy in a single direction. The solution goes back to the famous two-way energy I talk about all the time.

In fouettés, if the “pulling up” action is not balanced by an equal energy down and through the floor, the turns won’t work. So to ensure a two-way energy, imagine the supporting leg as a drill, drilling consistently into the floor on every relevé. You can even imagine the sound a drill would make to heighten the experience.

This should solve any problems caused by too much energy up.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Secret #14cc:

“Imagine your supporting leg drilling into the floor during fouettés.”

Link of the Day:

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

Quote of the Day:

“Creativity without discipline will struggle, creativity with discipline will succeed.”
― Amit Kalantri, Wealth of Words

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Throwback Thursday and Lydia Kyasht

Throwback Thursday and Lydia Kyasht

Born on March 25, 1885, in St. Petersburg, Lydia Kyasht was the daughter of dancers George Kyasht and Agaffia Poubiloff. Her brother, also named George, had a career as a ballet dancer too.

Lydia Kyasht studied at the Imperial Ballet School in St. Petersburg, and went on to perform with both the Maryinsky and Bolshoi companies. In 1908 she moved to England, performing at the Empire Theatre. She also danced with the Ballet Russes.

Lydia Kyaksht married Alexis A. Ragosin, a military officer from St. Petersburg. They had a daughter, Lydia, carried on the family tradition, becoming a dancer and a choreographer.

In the United States, where she appeared in a Broadway production called The Whirl of the World. She also performed in two silent films:  Foolish Monte Carlo (also titled The Black Spider, 1920), and The Dance of the Moods (1924).

She also published a memoir, Romantic Reflections, in 1929.

After World War I she returned to London and opened a ballet school.

She died on January 11, 1959, aged 72.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Secret #:

“Lydia Kyasht was described by one critic as the World's Most Beautiful Dancer”.

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N85pSxaAIFU

Quote of the Day:

“Happiness [is] only real when shared”
― Jon Krakauer, Into the Wild

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Wacky Wednesday Follow

Wacky Wednesday Follow

Ballet Secret #14r states: “Imagine a slapping a mosquito off the leading shoulder with the following arm in a turn.” http://balletwebb.blogspot.com/search?q=mosquito

This is particularly important in sequential pique turns, because there is a tendency for the following arm to lag behind, putting the dancer increasing off balance with each turn. Not good.

The following arm in all turns is important! It must stay with the body, moving in and out in exactly the same way, and in the same position, with each turn. You aren’t really going to take it as far as slapping a mosquito, but you get the general idea.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Secret #14bb:

“Bring the following arm with you on piqué turns.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FwmmH8Z_kU

Quote of the Day:

Be persistent like a mosquito, at the end you will get your bite”
― Bangambiki Habyarimana, Pearls Of Eternity

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

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

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Technical Tuesday Spine

Technical Tuesday Spine

Dancers are often admonished “Don’t arch your back” or something similar. This is a common problem but one that needs to be addressed by directives like “use your stomach muscles”, or “lengthen from the top of the head”. This is because there is, and must be, a slight natural curve in the spine. You can see that in the above photo. Dancers need to understand that they are not attempting to create a perfectly flat, vertical back.

The spine is also known as the vertebral column, and is made up of 24 separate vertebrae. The spine is important: it supports the upper body’s weight and allows movement and flexibility. Plus, it protects the all-important spinal cord.

The spine is divided into several different sections, including the cervical spine (7), the thoracic spine (8) and the lumbar spine (9).

The cervical vertebrae can be particularly vulnerable to injury, which is why Ballet Statute #84 states: “There are no Pez heads in ballet”. See previous post: http://balletwebb.blogspot.com/search?q=Pez.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Secret #25s:

“The spine is made up of several different sections.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.facebook.com/medicitv/videos/10154448860847352/?hc_ref=NEWSFEED

Quote of the Day:

“I know I can depend on books in times of trouble because they have a spine and two wings”
― Ayse Aslihan Koksoy

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

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Marvelous Monday Barefoot

Marvelous Monday Barefoot

Now that it is summer and shoes are being thrown off, it’s a good time to think about experimenting with barefoot ballet.

That’s right. Ballet in bare feet – at least at the barre, to start with. Working barefoot can reveal areas where improvement is needed. For instance, are you really moving “through the foot” – or are you going directly to a fully extended foot, without moving through the demi-pointe (metatarsals)? Being barefoot allows you to really feel the floor and establish that necessary connection. Plus, it’s fun.

There is a wonderful freedom in doing barre barefoot. You’ll feel new sensations you can use when you go back to wearing shoes.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Secret #3t:

“Working barefoot can reveal new insights.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDS77XZocw8

Quote of the Day:

“BAREFOOT BEACH
Take off your shoes-
You're on barefoot beach.
Relax in the sunshine-
Broken only by trees.”
― Giorge Leedy

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

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Sunday Courage

Sunday Courage

Courage means different things to different people. To some it is fearlessness in the face of terrifying circumstances. To others, it is the ability to persevere through hard times.

For dancers, I think it is the ability and determination to try again tomorrow all those things that didn’t work well today. And there are always many things that didn’t work well – and we are constantly striving to get as close to perfection as humanly possible.

Courage! Get up tomorrow and try again. Every day brings better results.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Secret #171:

“Courage is simply the quiet determination to try again tomorrow.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkMyW3SMSW0

Quote of the Day:

“Scared is what you're feeling. Brave is what you're doing.”
― Emma Donoghue

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Saturday Complacent

Saturday Complacent

The definition of the word complacency is:  “a feeling of smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one’s achievements”. Well. Of course this has no place in the world of ballet.

The key factor here is that of smugness. A dancer who thinks she is better than anyone else without casting a critical eye on herself is not going to progress. Working diligently will be slowed or brought to a halt.

That being said, I am a believer in recognizing one’s own accomplishments. Just don’t recognize them for so long that nothing else is accomplished.

It’s a matter of balance.

Isn’t everything in ballet?

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Ballet Statute # 80:

“There is no complacency in ballet.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bDFX8DhbkI

Quote of the Day:

“You will never be entirely comfortable. This is the truth behind the champion - he is always fighting something. To do otherwise is to settle.”
― Julien Smith

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

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Fun Friday Heel Magnets

Fun Friday Heel Magnets

A problem with grand pliés often involves the heels. That is, their reluctance to return to the floor immediately from the base of the plié. Instead, they stay suspended in the air until they abruptly drop back. Not good. We all know that the heels must return to the floor as soon as possible as the dancer ascends. See Ballet Secret 2l: “In a grand plié, imagine that the heels are anxious to get back on the floor.”

But, if the heels were magnets, and the floor metal, then there wouldn’t be a problem. The heels would automatically be drawn back to the floor at the proper time, solving the problem.

Perhaps we should make ballet slippers with magnets in the heels….hmmmm.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Secret #2y:

“Imagine magnets in each heel that pull them back to the floor in grand plié.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnYPYl15w2k

Quote of the Day:

“It’s the unknown that draws people.”
― E.A. Bucchianeri, Brushstrokes of a Gadfly

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My latest books are 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/

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Throwback Thursday and Lubov Tchernicheva

Throwback Thursday and Lubov Tchernicheva

Born on September 17, 1890 in St. Petersburg, Russia, Lubov Tchernicheva was a principal dancer with several of the Ballet Russes companies throughout the 20^th century. She received her early dance training at the Imperial Theatre School with teachers such as Fokine and Cecchetti.

In 1909, one year after her graduation, she married ballet master Grigoriev and together they joined Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes in 1911. Here she created roles in many ballets, from Massine’s The Good-Humoured Ladies (1917), La Boutique Fantasque (1919), Nijinska's Les Noces (1923) and and Balanchine's Jack-in-the-Box (1926). She may be best known for her role in Fokine’s ballet, Cleopatra, pictured above. She stayed with the company until it dissolved in 1929.

In 1932, she and her husband joined de Basil’s Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo, where she worked as ballet mistress. She stayed until this company (later called the Original Ballet Russes), folded in 1952.

She and her husband then relocated to England where they staged productions of Diaghilev’s repertoire, and where she worked as a teacher for Sadler’s Wells Ballet and London Festival Ballet.

Lubov Tchernicheva died in England on March 1, 1976.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Dance History Factoid #171:

“Lubov Tchernicheva was a principal dancer with several of the Ballet Russes companies  throughout the 20^th century.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1jaWvIfa68

Quote of the Day:

“I attribute my success to this: I never gave or took any excuse.”

 –Florence Nightingale

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

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Wonderful Wednesday Look

Wonderful Wednesday Look

An often overlooked area of technique involves the eye focus. If the eyes are truly the “windows to the soul”, then the eye focus is important for both technique and artistry.

But today let’s focus on (no pun intended) the technical side. When the body moves, the focus changes. This is true for ordinary life. But for some reason, dancers seem to forget this.

Generally speaking, the eyes follow the hands, and again, this is natural. Don’t ’be so absorbed in perfecting a step that the eyes freeze and look only in one place, especially if that place is the ceiling or the floor!

When you dance, simply make the focus as natural as possible.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Secret #22bb:

“Remember the eye focus changes with every movement.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFjmagqJn10

Quote of the Day:

“Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.”

 –Albert Einstein

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

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

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Technical Tuesday Blisters

Technical Tuesday Blisters

A common concern, especially for those beginning pointe work, is how to handle blisters. They are inevitable for most dancers, and seem to appear at the worst possible times, like at the beginning of a season, or before a performance.

The advice I received from a physician is this: when you get a blister, soak your foot in water as hot as you can tolerate, then carefully dry the foot and apply some antibiotic ointment (I have also used vitamin E oil), and cover it with a band-aid.

I go one step further and cover the band-aid with medical tape so the band-aid won’t move. This way you can manage to dance without exacerbating the problem. 

Of course, if there is any sign of infection, a doctor should be consulted.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Secret #27b:

“The proper care of blisters will prevent future problems.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFJ81WUyuas

Quote of the Day:

“Life is about making an impact, not making an income”

--Kevin Kruse

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My latest books are 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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