2 3 Marvelous Monday Balancing | Ballet Webb

Monday, August 3, 2015

Marvelous Monday Balancing


Marvelous Monday Balancing

The ability to balance for long periods on one leg is something dancers work on every day. After all, almost all ballet is done on one leg or another. Seldom is a dancer standing still on two feet.

The problem that occurs in balances is when a dancer attempts to makes the position rigid, in the hope that if nothing moves, nothing falls. Nothing could be further from the truth. Instead, a balance is a living, breathing thing. There are always slight (emphasis on slight) adjustments that are going on throughout the duration of any balance.

That being said, in order to balance effectively, the bones must be stacked (balanced) correctly. If the bones are in the right place, the amount of muscular strength necessary to hold the balance isn’t as great as one might think. This is why beginners can often balance rather well.

This bony arrangement will be different for each balletic position, and there is always a counterweight – in arabesque, for example, the upper part of the torso is actually in front of the supporting leg, not directly over it, to counter-balance the weight of the working leg extended to the back.

So, although it may seem counter-intuitive, for effective balancing, think of stacking the bones in the correct structure, and avoid becoming rigid: allow the body to breathe.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Secret #22l:  
Think of a balance as a living, breathing position.

                Link of the Day:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQul4DIdl-Y

Quote of the Day:
““Keep your best wishes, close to your heart and watch what happens”
Tony DeLiso, Legacy: The Power Within

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