Wednesday, July 25, 2018

Wild Wednesday Attitude Turns



Wild Wednesday Attitude Turns

The biggest problem I see in attitude (and arabesque) turns is that students try to keep their head centered over their supporting leg. This is exactly what they must do in standard pirouettes and many other turns, but it will not work for attitude and arabesque.

“Align the center of the lower back over the ball of the foot in an attitude turn, unlike basic pirouettes in passé, which require the head to be aligned over the torso and supporting leg. "Students tend to pull their head and torso back to get over their supporting foot in an attitude, which distorts the position," says Janet Parke, director of Ballet Memphis School. "Students should learn how to balance in attitude, preparing from a lunge or fourth position." 

It can help to show students photographs of dancers balancing in attitude and arabesque and point out where the head and upper body are in those positions. They’ll quickly see why the alignment for attitude and arabesque turns has to be different.

As I often say to my students: “An attitude turn is an attitude that turns.”


From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Secret #14vv:
“In attitude and arabesque turns, the upper body is in front of the supporting leg.”

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