Wacky Wednesday and Chairs

Wacky Wednesday and Chairs

Sometimes a visual aid can help dancers understand a step or a concept better than a mental image.  Even in a Spartan dance studio setting, there are items that can be utilized to this end.

One readily available item is a chair.  There are two ways in particular that I use chairs.  The first one is to illustrate the difference between “sitting” and “not sitting” in a grand plié.  I have the student stand at the barre in second position while I place a chair behind and under them.  When they plié, I ask them to sit in the chair.  Then they repeat the plié, but this time hovering slightly above the chair.  This demonstrates the lift in the body that is necessary to do the step correctly.

The other use involves two chairs.  Again, have the dancer(s) stand in second position at the barre, and then place one chair very close to and on either side of their outside foot.   They must then plié without their knees hitting the chair – in other words, using the turn-out correctly with the knees aligning directly over the toes.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Secret #20a:

“Use chairs to demonstrate the correct use of turn-out, and to illustrate “lift” in a plié.”

                Link of the Day:

                http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orm9FMqTJAU&safe=active

Quote of the Day:

“Next to trying and winning, the best thing is trying and failing.”

-L.M. Montgomery (one of my favorite authors)

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Tuesday Velcro

Tuesday Velcro

If I had five cents for every time I remind my students to use their abdominals, I’d be on one of the “Richest People” lists.  But this can be difficult to remember, especially for beginning students.

The correct use of the abdominals, or “the core” area of the body is important for correct alignment, and for correct everything.  Human beings have a spine in their backs, but no spine in front to assist in holding in the stomach area.  (Of course, not having a spine in front is essential if we wish to have any sort of mobility – like bending over.)  

To help engage the abdominal muscles, imagine two internal pieces of Velcro:  one directly behind the belly button, and the other piece at the same level on the inside of the spine.  Simply stick the two together (conveniently ignoring all the internal organs in between).

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Secret #1x:  

“To help engage the abdominal muscles, imagine two internal pieces of Velcro:  one behind the belly button, and one on the inside of the spine.”

                Link of the Day:

                http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMP1FZYo7vE&safe=active

Quote of the Day:

“The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking places.”

-Unknown

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Monday Mini Milestones

Monday Mini Milestones

How does a dancer stay motivated?  It’s different for everyone, but one method that works is to have small daily milestones (goals).  It can sound so simple:  do one more pirouette than the day before. But that can be daunting.   So often it takes more time than the hour(s) in one class to make visible progress in large areas.  Therefore, daily milestones need to be small.

For example, at the barre, try to balance for one more count – just one more than the previous day.  This requires remembering, and being conscious of how many counts the balance was held yesterday.  But it is this type of focus that is so very effective at producing progress!

So start thinking in mini-milestones:  a single count, a new sensation, a slightly greater energy.  Apply mini-milestones in whatever area is most needed. 

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Secret #7u:  

“To stay motivated, have daily mini-milestones.”

                Link of the Day:

http://www.mindtools.com/page6.html 

Quote of the Day:

“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.”

-Tony  Robbins

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Sunday Should

Sunday Should

Last week I heard an interesting interview.  In this show, the featured speaker said there is one word that needs to be eliminated from our vocabulary.  That word is “should”.  "I should move that box", "I should clean out that closet", "I should take more classes….: etc, etc. 

I think this is a great idea.  That word robs us of our relaxation, our joy and, I believe, our productivity.  It’s hard to concentrate on the business at hand when we are thinking of all the other things we “should” be doing.

It is another way of looking at the adage “seize the day”, or “don’t worry until just in time”.  In other words, focus on the now.  Set goals, but don’t worry about how far you “should” have traveled toward them.  Just keep traveling.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Motivational Secret #24:  

“Eliminate (or minimize) the use of the word “should” from your vocabulary.”

 

                Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0DlahFBV4o

 

Quote of the Day:

“Sometimes you will never know the true value of a moment until it becomes a memory.”

-          Unknown

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Saturday Spear Throwing

Saturday Spear Throwing

When performing a piqué to any position it is important that the body lifts high enough to prevent the supporting leg from bending slightly (a common problem).  Remember the definition of a pique: “… it steps out onto a straight leg.”  A piqué, although propelled by a good plié, doesn’t push up from the bottom as much as it lands from the top. 

Especially in steps like a piqué to arabesque or to an attitude, getting the correct amount of lift in the body during the preparation is critical.  To help with this, imagine that the movement of stepping to piqué is like throwing a spear so that it sticks securely into the ground.  The pique leg is the “spear”, and the plié provides the throwing impetus.  This up, over and down image will allow the body to lift, thus making it easier to keep the pique leg solid and straight. 

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Secret #13g:  

                               “A piqué is like a spear being thrown into the ground and sticking there.”        

 

                Link of the Day:

                http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qgh3Hpe7f2E&safe=active

 

Quote of the Day:

“Making one person smile can change the world – maybe not the whole world, but their world.”

-Unknown

 

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Fun Friday Statute

Fun Friday Statute

Yes, here we go again with yet another “There is no….” statute!  Today’s offering:  “There is no drooping in ballet.”  That’s right, none.  Even when the arms are being used in the style of the 1800s, they don’t droop because there is always energy in the port de bras.  Drooping means succumbing to gravity.

The most common things that tend to droop are the elbows.  But they have lots of company.  Drooping posture, drooping head, drooping foot in passé, etc.  The list is endless.  Nothing should droop.  The energy is always upward, downward and out ward (as discussed in previous blogs), therefore there is no room for drooping.  Ever.  At all.  Simple! 

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Statute # 18:

“There is no drooping in ballet.”

 

                Link of the Day:

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

 

Quote of the Day:

“Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.”

-Mother Teresa

 

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Throwback Thursday and Maypoles

Throwback Thursday and Maypoles

Maypole dancing is believed to have originated as a part of Germanic pagan rituals, and during this period, dancers moved around a living tree.  It evolved into a form of folk dancing in Germany, England and Sweden.  In the most common type, dancers circle around a tall pole, holding onto long ribbons or garlands.  As the dancers move around the pole, sometimes weaving in and out, the ribbons weave themselves around the pole.  To unwind, the dancers simply reverse their pattern.

Maypole dancing evolved into a form of theatrical dance in the 1700s, and was popular in Italy and France.  Traveling dance troupes brought it to England, and it was there that an English teacher adapted it and caused it to spread across Europe.  Eventually it became part of physical education programs and was popular in England and the United States until the 1950s.

Maypole dances were usually performed as part of spring festivals on or near May the first, although in Sweden it is a part of their mid-summer celebrations.

A maypole dance is featured in the ballet La Fille Mal Gardee; one of the oldest ballets still being performed today. 

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Dance History Factoid #27:  

“Maypole dances are believed to have originated as a part of Germanic pagan rituals.”

                Link of the Day:

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

 

Quote of the Day:

“Happiness is not a matter of events; it depends upon the tides of the mind.”

-Alice Meynell

 

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