Relax...your demi-plie!

Lately, I've been on a rant about two things with my students in all class levels:

Relax more in your demi-plie

Hold your turnout during jumps

They go hand-in-hand, actually!

Rant #1: Let's first tackle the relaxation of the demi-plie.

From the very first exercises at the barre, we are working our rotation but some of us, particularly during the plie combination, grip our glutes or tighten our calves.

Remember: you only want to engage your glutes and your calves on the recovery from a plie. On the descent, you are engaging your quads and stretching your Achilles tendons.

If your calves are activated during everything, they won't be there for you when you need them to jump. That is when we get tears in our muscles. The calves simply can't activate any further than they are activated but you're asking them to do more, and like a loving friend, they really really try to do what you want. But alas, they can't do anything extra so they break.

Friends don't let friends tear their calf muscles.

If you are a dancer with short Achilles tendons which don't allow you to get a deep demi-plie, then try to relax the muscles at the top of your thighs on the descent. Also try exploring a deeper plie by focusing on sending your kneecaps over the center part of your feet and feel the expanse of the bend there. In other words, don't just think your plie has to be in your Achilles.

And don't forget to exhale on the descent so your muscles are truly relaxed.

Courtesy Danza Ballet blog

Now when you take that plie to center for jumps, you will only be activating the calf muscles on the push off rather than on the preparation.

Rant #2: Holding your turnout during jumps.

When we leave the ground, either one leg or both, we inevitably lose the connection between the tops of our legs. What we don't want to lose is the rotation.

Do you do this? Try this exercise:
--stand facing the mirror in first position
--demi-plie and press up to releve with knees engaged
--check the tops of your thighs for turnout.
--repeat the plie-releve but this time take the toes off the floor for a jump
--check the tops of your thighs for turnout when you are in the air and when you land

More than likely, you are losing your turnout. Again, RELAX your muscles so you can engage them on the jump, hold the backs of your thighs and think about landing toe-ball-heel into your demi-plie. Your plie before a jump or turn should be as ooey and gooey as possible, like you're melting into a pile of marshmallow.

Mmmm, marshmallow

Remember: Relax!!! Happy dancing~