Wild Wednesday Scratch
A common problem in ballet technique is achieving a fully
straightened leg. This is particularly
true in an arabesque position where there is a tendency for the leg to almost –
but not quite – straighten.
When the leg in question is a supporting leg, a slightly bent leg becomes an even bigger
problem. A straight knee is a safe knee,
but when it is slightly relaxed it is possible to twist it slightly – not
good! This is one of the most common
ways that dancers injure their knees.
To help students feel the sensation of a correctly
straightened leg, have them “scratch behind” their knee. This allows them to tune in to the feeling
they need to achieve whenever they straighten their legs.
From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:
Secret #7t:
“To feel the muscles
used when the knee is straight, scratch behind the knees.”
Link of the Day:
“If you don’t know where you are going,
you will probably end up somewhere else.
-Lawrence J. Peter
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