Super Saturday Letter D
When teaching rond de jambe à terre (on the ground) to
beginners, I tell them that the foot moves in a half circle, making certain to
hit tendu devant, à la seconde, and tendu derrière positions. We trace the path slowly at first, talking
about how to maintain the rotation in the working leg and the supporting leg. All
of this works well for older beginners.
But for younger children, images are particularly
important. So I tell them that their big
toe is a big crayon and it must draw the curve of a giant letter D on the
floor. The upright and straight part of
the D is wider than the curved part of the D, since it is done mainly with the
bottom of the foot by rolling through the demi-pointe. Later, the concepts of direction – en dedans
and en dehors – are introduced.
So even if you aren't a young child, think of drawing a
giant letter D during rond de jambes.
From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:
Secret #22a:
“A rond de jambe inscribes a giant letter “D” on the floor.”
Link of the Day:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glLDBE96aBc
Quote
of the Day:
“With the new day comes new strength and
new thoughts.”
-Eleanor Roosevelt
Help expand the knowledge base!
Leave a comment about any instructions, ideas,
or images that worked best for you!
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