Fun Friday Fouettés and Keyholes

Fun Friday Fouettés and Keyholes

No, I’m not talking about fouetté turns, as in 32.  I’m focusing on a standard fouetté.  The French term “fouetté” means “to whip” and that is a pretty accurate description of the correct movement.  There are many different variations on the fouetté, but all contain a basic whipping type of movement.

 Often taught first at the barre, the working leg is extended in the devant position, then the body turns away from the working leg, and the working leg ends up in an arabesque or derriere position.  The dancer spots a focal point at the finishing position, (remember, “If it turns, it spots”, Ballet Statute #5).  http://balletwebb.blogspot.com/2013/12/wonderful-wednesday-turns-and-spots.html

A key point here (no pun intended) is that the working leg must maintain its original height (or go higher), and not drop at all.  To keep the height, imagine that the working foot extends even longer (is placed in a wide keyhole), and when the fouetté happens, turn the key (always maintaining the turn-out).

 

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Secret #20a:

“To maintain the height of the working leg in a fouetté, imagine placing the foot in a keyhole, and then turn the key.”

 

                Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpgNjn8BFPc        

 

Quote of the Day:

“The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential…these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.”

-Confucius

 

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Throwback Thursday and Jules Perrot

Throwback Thursday and Jules Perrot

Jules Perrot (1810-1892) began his career in the circus as a clown and pantomime artist.  When he moved to Paris he was hailed by critics who said he was “the greatest dancer of our time.”  His partner was often Marie Taglioni whose fame soon exceeded his, causing a conflict.  Before long Perrot was no longer welcome at the Paris Opera. He then toured throughout Western Europe and the ballets he choreographed made him famous. 

He met and married ballerina Carlotta Grisi, known for her Giselle – parts of which were choreographed by Perrot, but wholly attributed to Coralli – since Perrot wasn’t welcome at the Paris Opera.  Perrot’s other ballets include:  La Esmeralda, Faust, Ondine, and Pas de Quatre.

Perrot danced and choreographed in Russia for more than a decade (1848-1858), but then returned to Paris.  The painter Edgar Degas used Perrot as his model for the ballet master in several of his paintings.

Perrot died destitute in 1892, but his spirit lives in on his ballets and in the paintings of Edgar Degas.

 

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Dance History Factoid #27:

“Jules Perrot is seen in paintings by Edgar Degas as the ballet master.”

 

                Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYeAHewsoSU  

 Quote of the Day:

“The work you do while you procrastinate is probably the work you should be doing for the rest of your life.”

-Jessica Hische

 

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Wild Wednesday and Grand Canyon

 

Wild Wednesday and Grand Canyon

Earlier I talked about how traveling turns should follow a direct line established by the leading foot.  Well, a similar thing happens in basic jetés.

A basic jeté does not travel side to side, and this sideways action is a common mistake.  Jetés are often preceded by a glissade, which does travel sideways, but the jeté itself only travels forward (or backward in the reverse, or on any angle established by the "log").

So imagine that jetés are performed on a log across the Grand Canyon.  Anyone who has visited this majestic site can tell you that it is a long, long way down!  Any jetés that move side to side on the log would have catastrophic results! 

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Secret #15c:  

“Imagine doing basic jetés on a log across the Grand Canyon.”

 

                Link of the Day:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDBIX9erZ-w               

 

Quote of the Day:

“The wonders of the Grand Canyon cannot be adequately represented in symbols of speech, nor by speech itself.  The resources of the graphic art are taxed beyond their powers in attempting to portray its features.  Language and illustration combined must fail.”

-John Wesley Powell

 

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Terrific Tuesday Toenails

Terrific Tuesday Toenails

Dancers are always admonished to “point your feet”.  I usually prefer to say “stretch your feet” to encourage a longer, less tense, movement. 

Sometimes dancers stretch their ankles well, but the energy stops about mid-foot, leaving the toes dangling.  This is not only unattractive, it is ineffective.  To prevent this, I tell my students to imagine stretching all the way through their toenails.  I also tell them that if they do this effectively, their toenails will suddenly grow to such lengths that they will trip over them on their way out of the studio.

Adding humor to the classroom helps make the instructions more memorable.  So “stretch your toenails!”

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Secret #19a:  

“To prevent a half-pointed foot, imagine stretching your toenails.”

 

                Link of the Day:

                http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1vpB6h3ek4

Quote of the Day:

“Glory lies in the attempt to reach one’s goal and not in reaching it.”

-Mahatma Gandhi

 

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Monday Madness

Monday Madness

I’ve talked before about the alignment of the body and how the hip bones should be imagined as headlights on a car.  Today I’m going to discuss the entire torso. 

In ballet, the torso is, most of the time, relatively immobile.  With the exceptions of port de bras, cambres and instances of epaulement, the torso simply doesn’t move or twist much.  And this can be a problem.  The spine supports the back effectively, but there is no spine in the front of the body!  This allows turning, twisting, and bending movements, but also allows a dancer to do these movements when they shouldn’t – pirouettes are a prime example.

So for those times when the torso must remain still, imagine it as a big cereal box.  Pick any brand you like, and don’t allow the cereal inside to get crushed. 

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Secret #1z: 

“Imagine the torso as a large cereal box, and don’t let the cereal get crushed.”

 

                Link of the Day:               

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07viCHYpfLQ

 

Quote of the Day:

“Laziness is nothing more than the habit of resting before you get tired.”

-Jules Renard

 

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Sunday Sunday

Sunday Sunday

As we go into this spring season of many performances, I thought I’d do some blogs about performing.  This is what most dancers live for:  those fleeting moments onstage.  But it is also an area that can be problematic.  How does one do a wonderful performance when there are so many technical details to think about?  This is made more difficult because dancers in the classroom receive a constant barrage of criticism (hopefully constructive).  How can this internal editor be turned off so an effortlessly appearing performance can be given?

There are lots of hints and tips for this.  One of my favorites is this one:  “The audience wants to love you.  Let them.”  In other words, don’t forget that the audience (usually) isn’t familiar with the technical details that drive dancers crazy.  They just want to be entertained.  If a dancer is worrying too much about the technique and too little about the performance, it will show on their face – or even in their body language.  And the audience will know.

So surrender to the joy of dancing.  After all, the work has been done in the weeks and months beforehand, so there’s nothing to worry about!  What will be, will be. 

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Motivational Secret #19:  

“The audience wants to love you.  Let them.”

 

                Link of the Day:

                http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtBRN5BXt6o

 

Quote of the Day:

“Take your work seriously, but never yourself.”

-Margot Fonteyn

 

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Super Saturday and No Floating

 

Super Saturday and No Floating

Recently I talked about the “floating pelvis” and how it should seem to be hovering just above the legs.  Today’s subject is “floating retiré”, which sounds like it should be a dessert.

Unlike the floating pelvis, a dancer doesn’t want a floating retiré.  Instead, the working foot moves in a direct line up the tights (see earlier blog), and maintains contact with the leg until it stops, always maintaining contact with the knee – never, ever floating, or hovering,  out beside the knee.

The retiré can be placed in three possible locations:  directly side with the toe touching the side of the supporting leg; in front of the knee, with the little toe in the smiley face of the knee; or in the back, with the heel of the working foot hidden behind – touching – the back of the supporting leg (as in piqué turns).

So remember:  a floating retiré should only be a dessert! 

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Secret #16e:  

“Retirés always maintain contact with the supporting leg.”

 

                Link of the Day:  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQjN4a7bp8k&safe=active

 

Quote of the Day:

“The human foot is a masterpiece of engineering and a work of art.”

-Leonardo da Vinci

 

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