2 3 Wacky Wednesday Point | Ballet Webb

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Wacky Wednesday Point


Wacky Wednesday Point

The arms in ballet should always look fluid and beautiful. This means that any angular shapes must be avoided. This is more difficult than it sounds because the arms are, by their very nature, angular. Bones are straight, not curved. Joints are angular too. So what to do?

The arm must be fully elongated. The shapes created in ballet are seldom circular, but instead form ovals. In positions like arabesque the arm is almost, but not quite, straight; and in other positions the arms are stretched into an elongated curve (think fifth en avant or fifth en haut). At no time should there be any pointy elbows.

This is part of the illusion of ballet. When non-dancers imitate ballet, they form their arms into droopy, squashed positions. The reality is quite different!

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Ballet Secret #6ee:  
Avoid pointy elbows.

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