2 3 Ballet Webb: July 2019

Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Wacky Wednesday Toe Power



Wacky Wednesday Toe Power

Last week I talked about the philosophy of push and point for jumping in ballet. Today’s idea is similar.

Never underestimate the thrust that your toes provide. They are tiny powerhouses located at the ends of your feet, yet so often they are forgotten (sob!).

When you jump using the idea of push and point, it will remind you to send energy throughout your feet and well down into your toes. You’ll feel the thrust into the air when you do this. It’s fun!

And of course remember to reverse the process when you land, rolling through the foot toe to heel to plié for a perfectly cushioned landing.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Secret #15yyy:
“Never underestimate toe power.”

Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“Ballet shoes... I cannot play with them like they're toys.
But when the music is playing they get deep on my toes.”
― Ana Claudia Antunes, The DAO (Dancing As One) Workbook Illustrated

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Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Terminology Tuesday Grand Emboîté



Terminology Tuesday Grand Emboî

Most of us are familiar with emboité, but I seldom heard the term grand emboité. Of course it means big, but here is the full definition from https://themasterdance.com/ballet-terminology/: “A grand emboîté is a traveling jump where each leg is alternately brought to attitude in the air, each foot passing the previous one in alternating.”

Also from the same site, a regular or small emboîté is “known as a petit jeté in RAD and the French school.”

The word emboîté itself translates to “nested” in English and embroîér means “to fit together”.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Terminology Secret #52:
“A grand emboîté is a big emboîté.”

Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“We have too many high sounding words and too few actions that correspond with them.”
― Abigail Adams

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Monday, July 29, 2019

Mad Monday Water Tower



Mad Monday Water Tower

I’ve touched on this image before, but it is a good one that is worthy of an entire blog.

When the arms are in à la seconde, they are almost – but not quite – straight. The curve of the arm is gentle, allowing for a lovely, elongated look. Unfortunately there is always a tendency for the energy in the arms to wane, which causes the elbows to drop and the position to shorten. Ouch!

Instead, imagine standing on the inside of a water tower. You know, the ones that serve a whole city and often have the name of the city on the outside. If you were standing on the inside of an empty one with your back pressed against the wall and the arms in second (also pressed against the wall) your arms would instantly be shaped into a correct à la seconde position.

If the water tower image doesn’t work for you, imagine standing in very large round room instead.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Secret #6rrr:
“Imagine standing on the inside of a water tower.”

Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“Human nature is like water. It takes the shape of its container.”
― Wallace Stevens

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Sunday, July 28, 2019

Sunday Strength





Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“Greatness is inspiring others to be their best.”
― Ken Poirot

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Saturday, July 27, 2019

Superstitious Saturday Monday



Superstitious Saturday Monday

It is said that on Monday nights theater ghosts do their own performances. This is probably because there are seldom any scheduled (human) performances on Mondays, since dancers and actors often have that day off. Therefore, the ghosts are free to roam about the premises, doing as they please.

There are many non-theatrical superstitions involving Mondays. For instance, no grave digging on a Monday (1891); or this saying: “work begun on Monday will never be a week old”; and if a store owner extents credit to a customer on Monday, he will be unlucky all week.

On the other hand, in Ireland it is believed that “no great undertaking can be auspiciously commenced in Ireland on any morning but Monday morning.”

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Superstition #164:
“Theater ghosts do their own performances on Monday nights.”

Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“Candy is nature’s way of making up for Mondays."
-         Unknown

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Friday, July 26, 2019

Fun Friday Push and Point



Fun Friday Push and Point

Here is another idea for better jumps.

When preparing to jump from fifth position, guard against the dreaded “plié sit”. You know what I mean – when, in an attempt to gather lots of energy for a high jump you plié slowly and sit at the bottom. Scary.

Instead, the plié needs to be quick and resilient with the all-important push against the floor with the corresponding lift in the body. Two-way energy, of course.  From there think of pointing the feet immediately as you leave the ground. This propels you into the air and prevents the horror of “floppy fish feet”.

Therefore, the formula for jumps: Push and Point.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Secret #15xxx:
“When taking off for a jump, remember push and point.”

Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“When in doubt, throw doubt out and have a little faith....”
― E.A. Bucchianeri, Brushstrokes of a Gadfly

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Thursday, July 25, 2019

Throwback Thursday and Elena Andreianova



Throwback Thursday and Elena Andreianova

Born on July 13, 1819 in St. Petersburg, Elena Andreianova is considered to be one of the outstanding  Russian ballerinas of the Romantic era.

Little is known about her early life but she began studying at the St. Petersburg Drama School when she was ten years old. Her teachers included Philippe Taglioni and his daughter Marie. She joined the Maryinsky company in 1837 where she became the first Russian dancer to perform leading roles in Giselle and Paquita.

Her life was plagued with problems and rivalries. While dancing at the Imperial Theater, Taglioni and Elssler were given some of her roles and she left to star at the Bolshoi. But fans at the Bolshoi didn’t take kindly to Andreianova getting parts normally danced by the their favorite dancers (particularly Catherine Sankovski) and Andreianova was booed.

In 1846 she toured Europe with a group from the Bolshoi and this time audiences loved her fiery grace. And although a dispute arose with the Paris Opera (who refused to pay her), she managed to convince their leading male dancer Marius Petipa to leave Paris and join them. Choreographer Jules Perrot created two roles for her: the Black Fairy in Adana (1850), and the Countess Bertha in Wayward Wife (1851).

An attempt to create her own company ended due to the Crimean War and by this time the rigors of her life began to take their toll on Andreianova. She moved back to St. Petersburg but returned to Paris for medical treatment. She never recovered.

She died on October 28, 1857 in France. She was 38 years old. She is buried there beneath a gravestone she chose herself that depicts Giselle leaning against a cross.

The Vensian crater Andreianova is named in her honor.


From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Dance History Secret #231:
Elena Andreianova was a Russian ballerina who had a crater on Venus named in her honor.

Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Wild Wednesday Spot



Wild Wednesday Spot

Sometimes, when we are caught up in the enthusiasm of increasing the number of pirouettes we can do, we resort to spinning. That is, turning so fast that each individual turn is lost in a blur and we are no longer able to spot – and usually no longer able to balance well. Scary.

Beautiful pirouettes are beautiful because they aren’t lost in a blur – each individual turn is visible and exact. The spot is sharply rhythmic and matches each turn. Watch dancers who turn well and you’ll see what I mean. (See the Link of the Day below.)

If you are having problems with your pirouettes, try slowing things down a bit and make each spot separate and distinct. Don’t let your turns get ahead of your spot.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Secret #14hhh:
“Turn only as fast as you can spot.”

Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“Perfection of effort is not required, by the way. It is the consistency of attempting to work these tools that brings the progress. It’s like anything else. If I want to tone muscle, lifting a ten-pound weight a few times every day will move me toward my goal much quicker than hoisting a fifty-pound barbell once a week. Yes, it really is true: “Slow and steady wins the race.” Just try a little, every day. You’ll see.”
― Holly Mosier

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Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Terminology Tuesday Ciseaux



Terminology Tuesday Ciseaux

The word ciseaux [see-ZOH] means scissors. This is not to be confused with sissonne which was named for the originator of the step. But the confusion is certainly understandable.

Here is the definition of ciseaux from Gail Grant’s book:  This is a scissor-like movement made by opening the feet to a wide second position sur les pointes, or by jumping into the air and opening both legs to the second position en l’air.”


From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Terminology Secret #51:
“Ciseaux means scissors.”

Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“But why, why, why can't people just say what they mean?”
― Graeme Simsion

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Monday, July 22, 2019

Mad Monday Barrel



Mad Monday Barrel

Oh those squished arms in first position (fifth en avant)! It is so difficult to avoid and unpleasant to behold. And we all know there is no squishing in ballet.

Holding an imaginary beach ball is one way to prevent this, but here is another image: Imagine holding an empty barrel at the height of your rib cage. This is a heavier item and this heft may provide enough resistance for the position to work better.

Hold a barrel!

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Secret #6qqq:
“Imagine holding a barrel at rib cage height.”

Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“Most times, success does not come as tiny droplets of showers freely falling on every roof; it comes in heavy flows like a stream. Use the bigger dream barrels!”
― Israelmore Ayivor

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