Wacky Wednesday Confusion

Wacky Wednesday Confusion

Two ballet terms that are seldom heard today are dessus, and dessous. You’ll soon understand why they are not heard much anymore.

Dessus, which means top, is pronounced duh-SUI.  This term means that the working foot passes over the supporting foot. Dessous, (underneath or below) is pronounced duh-SOO, means that the working foot passes under the supporting foot. Well!

If that isn’t confusing enough, remember that dance studios are usually large, echo-prone spaces and in such an environment making out the difference in the two pronunciations is problematic at best.

That’s why most people use over and under.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Secret #21kk:

“Dessus means the working foot goes over, and dessous means it goes under.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6q08fKUQBE

Quote of the Day:

“Over, under, around, or through. There is always a way.
- Soteria”
― Sherrilyn Kenyon, Acheron

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https://www.amazon.com/Frames-Borders-Backgrounds-Color-Rogers/dp/0980191955/

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Technical Tuesday Balance

Technical Tuesday Balance

There are two basic structures in the inner ear that help us maintain our balance. First are three semicircular canals that are connected at right angles to each other, like a gyroscope. Second is the vestibule (containing the saccule and utricle) that connect the semicircular canals to the cochlea.

To maintain balance the semicircular canals are filled with fluid (the endolymph), and each canal has a cuplike structure (cupula) that has fine hair cells. When you move your head, the fluid moves and gives off signals. These signals are detected by the hair cells and converted into nerve impulses that are sent to the brain.

The brain interprets these signals and thus helps the body maintain its equilibrium, whether walking, dancing or doing multiple pirouettes.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Anatomical Secret #27ggg:

“Two structures in the inner ear help maintain balance.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jc4gkN8w7o

Quote of the Day:

“Your dreaming self seeks to tell you something your waking ears will not hear.”
― Jacqueline Carey

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https://www.amazon.com/Frames-Borders-Backgrounds-Color-Rogers/dp/0980191955/

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Mad Monday Churning

Mad Monday Churning

The word “churning” means “to agitate” or “move about vigorously”. Unfortunately, this is what many students do during a pirouette in an effort to achieve more turns. Scary.

Churning pirouettes is counterproductive and unnecessary. Once the dancer is out of plié and onto relevé, all they have to do is maintain their position and spot.

It’s like a merry-go-round, or any amusement ride. You get on and enjoy the ride. That’s it. Churning the torso or the shoulders or the arms isn’t going to do anything except destroy the alignment.

No churning. Just ride and enjoy!

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Secret #14uu:

“Churning pirouettes isn’t necessary.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.facebook.com/Yumi.Iloveballet/videos/1936906366329071/?hc_ref=ARQ22hQveah4usU0PY3uQ94YZGCs1KWE8f7uVl7MRvN72AU_5gmh8R2HKtUoqgDdvkw

Quote of the Day:

n order to reflect, think and plan, you must quiet yourself. You can't see your reflection in churning waters. Water must be still to see your reflection.

- Karen Hantze Susman

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https://www.amazon.com/Family-Tree-Coloring-Debra-Rogers/dp/0980191947/

https://www.amazon.com/Frames-Borders-Backgrounds-Color-Rogers/dp/0980191955/

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Kindness

Kindness

Make this day beautiful…

Quote of the Day:

“ The Paradoxical Commandments 

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.” 

― Kent M. Keith, The Silent Revolution: Dynamic Leadership in the Student Council

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My latest books are coloring books! They are available on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Family-Tree-Coloring-Debra-Rogers/dp/0980191947/

https://www.amazon.com/Frames-Borders-Backgrounds-Color-Rogers/dp/0980191955/

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Saturday Every

Saturday Every

When you watch all those spectacular ballet videos, it’s hard to imagine that those dancers ever have any problems with their technique. But they do. Everyone does.

Even if a dancer usually does six pirouettes (right and left!) in class doesn’t mean there aren’t days when it simply doesn’t work well. The goal is to keep on keeping on, even if only five pirouettes are happening that day.

Which brings me to this: it’s all about perspective. Most of us would love to do five pirouettes consistently (right and left!), but to someone with six as their norm…well, it can be a depressing day.

It’s not easy every time for everyone. Keep on keeping on with positive thoughts.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Ballet Statute #124:

“It’s not easy every time for everyone.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeO2evl8az8

Quote of the Day:

“If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.”
― Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

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My latest books are coloring books! They are available on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Family-Tree-Coloring-Debra-Rogers/dp/0980191947/

https://www.amazon.com/Frames-Borders-Backgrounds-Color-Rogers/dp/0980191955/

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Fun Friday Winding

Fun Friday Winding

It feels like something that should work. It feels right. It feels natural. But no. Winding up before a turn is terribly counterproductive. Not to mention unattractive.

Winding up is when the upper body and the arms move out of a correct position and spiral in the opposite direction of the forthcoming turn. Yes, it seems like the right thing to do – even the instinctive thing to do – but it only serves to ruin the body’s alignment, right before the turn. Scary.

Plus, it gives your body a further distance to turn. Think about it. It also makes the body go through more gyrations to actually get to a clean retiré position.

Instead, especially for en dedans pirouettes, make sure the fourth position is cleanly facing the corner of your square or box, without allowing your pelvis to tilt backwards (another common problem).

Winding is for vintage watches, antique clocks, or picturesque dirt roads – not  pirouettes.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Secret #14tt:

“Never ‘wind up’ during a turn preparation.”

Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:

“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.”

- Edward Abbey

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https://www.amazon.com/Family-Tree-Coloring-Debra-Rogers/dp/0980191947/

https://www.amazon.com/Frames-Borders-Backgrounds-Color-Rogers/dp/0980191955/

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Throwback Thursday and Natacha Rambova

Throwback Thursday and Natacha Rambova

Her real name was Winifred Hudnut, or Winifred Shawnessy (depending on the source), but she took Natacha Rambova as her stage name. She was born in Utah on January 19, 1897. She began her career as a dancer for Russian choreographer Theodore Kosloff in New York.

She was sometimes described as the “most exotic woman in the whole world” . Rambova designed her own ballet costumes, and went on to become a costume designer for Cecil B. DeMille.

But she is probably best known as the wife of screen legend, Rudolf Valentino, although their marriage lasted less than three years. But during this time they made seven films together. She also managed Valentino’s career and negotiated his contracts.

A woman ahead of her time, Rambova was also a playwright, set designer, actress, producer and a spiritualist who was fascinated by Egyptology.

Rambova died of scleroderma at age 69 on June 5, 1966.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Dance History Factoid #133:

“Natacha Rambova was a dancer and the wife of Rudolf Valentino.”

Link of the Day:

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

Quote of the Day:

“Fame is like a giant X-Ray. Once you are exposed beneath it, the very beatings of your heart are shown to a gaping world.”

- Natacha Rambova

                Help expand the knowledge base!

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My latest books are coloring books! They are available on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Family-Tree-Coloring-Debra-Rogers/dp/0980191947/

https://www.amazon.com/Frames-Borders-Backgrounds-Color-Rogers/dp/0980191955/

Want to know more about me? Read my interview at Ballet Connections:

http://www.balletconnections.com/?s=debrawebbrogers

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