Saturday Straight Knees Statute
Those pesky bent knees! In fifth position, the knees must be
straight, not bent. If they bend – even a tiny bit - technically they are now
in plie. Bent knees in fifth usually happen when the working foot is closing in
fifth from tendu or some other step.
Bent knees in fifth happen because the weight of the body
tends to sink as soon as one foot leaves fifth position, making it impossible
for the foot to return without a bend happening in the working knee. To prevent
this, dancers must remember to lift the body a bit extra when closing their
foot in fifth.
The other, more troubling reason, occurs when a dancer
attempts to “add more turn-out” by forcing the feet into a tight fifth upon
closing in fifth – doing so by bending the working knee. This doesn’t add
turn-out, it only adds stress to the knee joint and lower leg. Turn-out is
developed from the hip joint, not from the feet.
Always
remember Ballet Statute #66: “If
you can stand in fifth position with straight knees, you can close in fifth
with straight knees.”
From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:
Ballet Statute #66:
“If you can stand in
fifth position with straight knees, you can close in fifth with straight knees.”
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