2 3 Wacky Wednesday Electric | Ballet Webb

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Wacky Wednesday Electric


Wacky Wednesday Electric

When dancers practice balancing at the barre, they often spend more time holding onto the barre and tweaking their placement than they do actually balancing. This is not productive, and only serves to fatigue the supporting leg. This habit also doesn’t allow the student to know exactly where their balance was off in the beginning – and that’s a handy little piece of information to have.

I often joke about The Cruel School of Ballet and how, in this school, the barres are electrified. If the student hangs on too long, the teacher flips a switch that sends a mild electrical pulse through the barre, forcing the pupil to let go. This fictional school also has trap doors in the floor, and lots of other crazy things. But I digress.

To perfect their balance, dancers must hit the position and let go of the barre quickly. If they cannot hold the balance, they will learn immediately what needs to be corrected. Falling right? Move more to the left, etc. You get the idea.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Ballet Secret #22x:  
“Release the barre quickly when practicing balances.”

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Quote of the Day:
“Success works as a cycle - growth and contraction, balancing and unbalancing - all while you're encountering hurdles that get higher and higher over time.”
― Julien Smith

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