Terminology Tuesday Pied Dans la Main

Terminology Tuesday Pied Dans la Main

The phrase pied dans la main [pyay dahn lah men] is a term of the French school and means foot in the hand.

This is a stretch we are all familiar with – the dancer holds the foot or heel from the inside and the leg is straightened and brought to second position in the air with the foot still held in the hand.

It is the same as détiré, which means drawn out.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Terminology Secret #74:

“Pied dans la main means foot in the hand.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wK1bCgC7HG8

Quote of the Day:

“True success is achieved by stretching oneself, learning to feel comfortable being uncomfortable.”
― Ken Poirot

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

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Mad Monday Noodle

Mad Monday Noodle

I’ve talked before about how pas de deux work is a true partnership, with each dancer having responsibilities for his/her partner.

Let’s talk about the females today. They need  to be where they are expected to be and always be strong in their positions and technique. Especially when it comes to any sort of lift, there is no way a male dancer can help his partner if she breaks her position and becomes a noodle. Imagine trying to hold onto that!

Even if things aren’t going well, the female dancer must hold her position. No noodles, please.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Ballet Secret #27f:

“In partnering, the female dancer must never become a noodle.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPxVN0VMWqI

Quote of the Day:

“Noodles are not only amusing, but delicious.”

-         Julia Child

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

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Sunday Looking Ahead

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5PUTipC56k

Quote of the Day:

“Life moves forward. The old leaves wither, die and fall away, and the new growth extends forward into the light.”
― Bryant McGill, Voice of Reason

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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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Saturday Blue Fire

Saturday Blue Fire

Although not exactly a superstition, there was a time when “blue fire” was a theatrical phrase that began in the Victorian period.

It meant that something was awe-inspiring or sensational and it came from an early special effect used in the theaters of the day. A mixture of sulfur was ignited and this produced a blue glow onstage. At the time, this was astounding since audiences had never seen anything like it before. It was often used in scenes involving ghosts or the supernatural.

Soon the phrase “blue fire” came to mean anything in the theater that was equally astonishing.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Superstitious Secret #187:

“In Victorian times, the phrase ‘blue fire’ meant something sensational.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBjlyZsW1z4

Quote of the Day:

“It is astounding what power being kind, mannered, polite and considerate has in transforming your life.”
― Bryant McGill, Simple Reminders: Inspiration for Living Your Best Life

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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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Fun Friday Rectangle

Fun Friday Rectangle

Here is a simple visual picture for pirouettes: a 3-D rectangle. A rectangular building block, like a giant brick.

Imagine your torso as this rectangle. This will help keep the shoulders and hips aligned as well as helping prevent the dreaded Twisting Torso Syndrome.

Think Rectangle! right before you pirouette.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Ballet Secret #14rrr:

“Remember to think rectangle for pirouettes.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy3-UgKp2vM

Quote of the Day:

“You don’t see something until you have the right metaphor to let you perceive it”
― James Gleick, Chaos: Making a New Science

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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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Throwback Thursday and Bessie Dudley

Throwback Thursday and Bessie Dudley

Born in Baltimore Maryland on March 16, 1904, Bessie Dudley was regarded as one of the greatest tap and snake dancers of her time. At age thirteen she ran away from home to join the traveling Chocolate Box Revue, but soon discovered that life on the road wasn’t exactly what she expected. After two years she left the group and married the son of a vaudeville performer, S.H. Dudley. Dudley had his own revue.

She went on to work with Florence Hill in the Duke Ellington film Bundle of Blues. She is in the white costume during the song Bugle Call Rag (see the Link of the Day below). She also danced with Earl Tucker (“Snake Hips”) in Symphony in Black.

According to her brief bio on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgfHqHXR3Wc she lived a long life, dying in Georgia on January 16. 1999.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Dance History Secret #304:

“Bessie Dudley was a great tap dancer who toured with Duke Ellington.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgfHqHXR3Wc

Quote of the Day:

“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.”
― Mark Twain

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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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Holiday Wishes

 

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy6dlGpC3Ns

Quote of the Day:

“Don't get caught up in the wrapping paper and forget that the gift of the Christmas season is simply love.”
― Toni Sorenson

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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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Terminology Tuesday A Plat

Terminology Tuesday A Plat

A term of the French school, à plat [a pla] means on the flat. It means that the entire bottom of the foot is in contact with the ground.

It is the same as pied à terre [pyay a tehr], a term of the Cecchetti school, which means – not surprisingly – foot on the ground.

Sometimes the answers are simple.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Terminology Secret #73:

“The term à plat means on the flat.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwpmrQ2vsbk

Quote of the Day:

“Once upon a time, people thought earth was flat-shaped.
Now I'm ready to perceive universe won't be as we think.”
― Toba Beta

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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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Mad Monday Bookends

Mad Monday Bookends

Here is another way to think about pliés and jumps.

We all know how important it is to land a jump in a good plié (anything else is really scary). But sometimes the initiating plié isn’t given the care and respect it deserves to produce a good jump in the first place.

Therefore, think of pliés as bookends for any jump. There must be one before and one after each jump- and they are equally important. Forgetting either one produces the same result as having only a single bookend try to support  a line of books – crash!

Jump bookends!

  

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Ballet Secret #15fff:

“For jumps, remember plié bookends.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_56m_iHRh8

Quote of the Day:

“Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them.”
― Lemony Snicket, Horseradish

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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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Sunday Holiday Thought

Link of the Day:

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

Quote of the Day:

“The nutcracker sits under the holiday tree, a guardian of childhood stories. Feed him walnuts and he will crack open a tale...”
― Vera Nazarian, The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration

Help expand the knowledge base!

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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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Superstitious Saturday Wolf

Superstitious Saturday Wolf

Most of us are familiar with the pre-performance wish merde, and we all know what that means. But dancers in other countries have their own phrases designed to bring good luck.

For instance, in Italy they use the phrase in bocca al lupo which means in the wolf’s mouth. But it goes a step further because the recipient should reply crepi il lupo. This means may the wolf die. Hmmm…

This is apparently another example of wishing a performer the opposite of what they want to happen, like actors telling each other to break a leg.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Superstitous Secret #186:

“In Italy, dancers say ’in bocca al lupo’ to wish others good luck.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Px6XHQDqPY

Quote of the Day:

“If theater is ritual, then dance is too... It's as if the threads connecting us to the rest of the world were washed clean of preconceptions and fears. When you dance, you can enjoy the luxury of being you.”
― Paulo Coelho, The Witch of Portobello

Help expand the knowledge base!

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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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For interesting articles involving mental health:

 http://balletwebb.blogspot.com/2018/05/