|
Showing posts with label ballet classes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ballet classes. Show all posts
Saturday, November 30, 2024
December 2024 schedule: No classes Dec 11th-31st!
Tuesday, November 5, 2024
Fall back into ballet!
November 2024 schedule
Wednesdays
Ready for Thanksgiving class?
Our traditional Thanksgiving morning class will be on Thursday, November 28 at 10AM!
It's always fun, always lively - a truly wonderful way to start the
holiday and express gratitude for the terrific community we have. Join
us! All are welcome! (No evening classes on Thanksgiving, only this
special morning class)
Your feedback is requested!
In December I will be out of town but I would be happy to teach a few classes via Zoom if there are enough students who would participate. If this is something you would do, please email or text me (323-640-6804) with your name and day and time. I would like to rent studio space where I will be staying so I can properly teach. Thank you!
Get your streaming tickets for "Sweet Sorrow, A Zombie Ballet"!
The company had two fabulous shows at the Lanterman on October 19 and 20. The audiences went wild for the new characters and dances and of course, the zombies!
If you missed the live show, get your streaming ticket now and you will be able to watch anytime you like from October 30th through November 10th. Tickets are on sale now!
Wondering what to expect?
Watch this video from Halloween Every Night from the Saturday night show. You'll see a sneak peek of the show plus an interview with me.
Photo of Witches by Jazley Faith Photography
From left: Stephanie, Samantha, Kristina, Amanda, Mika
6:45-8:15PM - Beginner ballet
8:15-9:15PM - Beginner jazz (Dance Party!)
Thursdays
6:30-8PM - Basic ballet
8-9:30PM - Open level ballet
Saturdays
9:30-11AM - Beginner ballet
11AM-12PM - Pointe/pre-pointe
Sundays
8:15-9:15PM - Beginner jazz (Dance Party!)
Thursdays
6:30-8PM - Basic ballet
8-9:30PM - Open level ballet
Saturdays
9:30-11AM - Beginner ballet
11AM-12PM - Pointe/pre-pointe
Sundays
10-11:30AM - Intermediate ballet
11:30AM-1PM - Basic ballet
11:30AM-1PM - Basic ballet
SIGN UP FOR ALL CLASSES HERE
Ready for Thanksgiving class?
Our traditional Thanksgiving morning class will be on Thursday, November 28 at 10AM!
It's always fun, always lively - a truly wonderful way to start the
holiday and express gratitude for the terrific community we have. Join
us! All are welcome! (No evening classes on Thanksgiving, only this
special morning class)
Your feedback is requested!
In December I will be out of town but I would be happy to teach a few classes via Zoom if there are enough students who would participate. If this is something you would do, please email or text me (323-640-6804) with your name and day and time. I would like to rent studio space where I will be staying so I can properly teach. Thank you!
LPBC News
Get your streaming tickets for "Sweet Sorrow, A Zombie Ballet"!
The company had two fabulous shows at the Lanterman on October 19 and 20. The audiences went wild for the new characters and dances and of course, the zombies!
If you missed the live show, get your streaming ticket now and you will be able to watch anytime you like from October 30th through November 10th. Tickets are on sale now!
Wondering what to expect?
Watch this video from Halloween Every Night from the Saturday night show. You'll see a sneak peek of the show plus an interview with me.
Photo of Witches by Jazley Faith Photography
From left: Stephanie, Samantha, Kristina, Amanda, Mika
Even more from the company!
Here's another fun video treat from remote company member Kavita and two of her friends.They were inspired by the show to create their own hilarious story involving vampires, a special black cat and a magic spell book.
Here's another fun video treat from remote company member Kavita and two of her friends.They were inspired by the show to create their own hilarious story involving vampires, a special black cat and a magic spell book.
Friday, September 30, 2022
Happy Halloween! Ballet & jazz & zombies - oh my!
Students, please take note I am not teaching on 10/11 and 10/12!
|
||||
|
||||
|
LPBC News
Friday, July 22, 2022
When Ballet Attacks: Get Big!
Beautiful dancers, when I started this blog post, I was searching Google for a picture of a person surviving a bear attack by making themselves big. Let me tell you, that was not a good phrase to search. I was rewarded with lots of photos of bears being very mean and scary and lots of photos of people who had survived the attacks but had been bloodied and disfigured in the process.
So this will have to do:
 |
| Courtesy YouTube |
FYI this image is TOTALLY WRONG! If you encounter a brown or Grizzly bear, you are supposed to lie down and play dead; if you encounter a black bear, you are supposed to make yourself big. Here's more about bear safety. (#1: talk to it??? Really???)
Thank you for coming to my TED talk about bears.
Now back to ballet...
Imagine if you will, ballet is your bear. It looks cuddly and you think it must be soft and cozy to curl up with, especially from a distance where you can see the sun catch its sleek coat and admire its graceful lope along the park path.
"Ah," you think. "I would like to walk alongside this bear and get into bear adventures with it."
But you get closer and you see it's got teeth - really big ones - and its paws are the size of your head and if they get too close, they will swipe your face clean off your skull. Uh-oh! Run away!
For some people, this is how they approach ballet: as if it's a terribly mean bear and they are encroaching on its territory. Some bears, I mean ballet dancers and instructors, want you to feel this way about ballet. They want you to think you don't belong so run away or play dead but you can't join us on our bear, I mean ballet, adventures.
That's just B.S. (bear s***). You do belong. You just haven't learned the bear language yet.
Another FYI...it takes years to learn to speak the bear language. But that's okay. You're not in a rush, are you? You start slowly, studying the basics, then once you've got a handle on those, you progress and study further, maybe try a higher level or learn to perform. But how do you manage in the meantime? What do you do when the bear sneaks up on you and threatens you? You don't speak bear yet, so how do you handle this encounter?
In ballet terms, I mean you're taking class and you're faced with a step or correction you don't understand. What do you do, especially if you worry that the bear/ballet doesn't want you there?
1. Talk to the bear...ask the teacher for a more specific breakdown of the step (preferably at a time when it is convenient to do so or when questions are allowed to be asked). You might need a private lesson or two to feel comfortable attempting it in class.
2. Get to higher ground and be bigger than the bear...when we feel anxious about something, we naturally make ourselves physically smaller. We retreat (play dead, run away) instead of attacking it back. When you feel anxious in class, deliberately make your arms bigger and your upper body the focus of the movement. It helps regulate your breath and it keeps you lifted instead of collapsing. Use your demi-plie to help you get off the floor or travel farther and faster. Don't run away, take a breath, extend yourself beyond your immediate physical boundary.
While I hate the admonition to "fake it til you make it," it comes in handy here. Sometimes you need to act like you know what you're doing before you actually do.
3. Be bigger than the bear mentally...you came to the park to see bears. You're prepared. You want to go on bear adventures even if they are scary and you don't know how long you'll be hiking. But that's the joy of ballet: the adventure it takes you on. It's a lifelong adventure. It has its ups and downs. Some days you will nail a double pirouette with ease; some days you can hardly manage a wobbly balance. The bear doesn't show you how hard it is to be a bear - you discover that yourself. But you have every right to be there so give yourself permission to not get things correctly the first time - and be all right with it. If you have to grin and bear it (ha! see what I did there?), so be it.
Happy dancing, everyone!
Friday, April 29, 2022
Happy International Dance Day!
We're at the tail end of this International Dance Day (which must be new because I sure don't remember it growing up!) - how did you spend it? Did you take a class? Did you shake your booty in your kitchen while you brewed coffee? Did you read a book about dance? Or a review about a performance? Maybe you bought a ticket to a show!
(Maybe you marked your calendar for June 18 and 19 for LPBC's "Hotel at the End of the Universe" at the Madrid Theatre!)
I'm fortunate to have so many wonderful teachers in my area. On Fridays I love to take class with Helen Nasillski in Eagle Rock at Live Arts LA. So this morning, I put on my best and fanciest leotard and skirt (a lovely hand-me-across gift from a friend) and danced classical ballet!
This afternoon, I spent prepping tomorrow's pointe class variation from La Esmeralda (get your tambourines out!) and sent out my May newsletter. Next up, choreography for this weekend's rehearsals for Hotel.
I'm also very blessed to be able to respond to my dancers' needs when it comes to classes. Over the years, many of my students have asked about a class that wouldn't be too taxing on their bodies. I have thought about it over and over and finally, I'm going to put it out there:
Gentle Ballet
Are you interested? If you wouldn't mind, please fill out this form by May 15th and we can get something started. Why wait any longer?
Happy dancing, everyone!
Friday, September 10, 2021
What does "mark it" mean?
Beautiful dancers, there are a lot of things that make perfect sense to long-time students but are confusing to new students.
One of the most ubiquitous ones is "marking." Have you heard this in your classes?
"Let's mark this turn combination."
"Mark it on your own while I find music."
"I was just marking it!"
When you mark something, you do a mini-version of it as a way of figuring it out before you perform it. You might hear "mark it with music," in which case the teacher plays the music they want you to dance to and you follow along. You might trace the path the combination takes along the floor. You might practice the steps to make sure you know what they are. You might only work your arms instead of your legs and feet.
Practice the patterns on the floor
(Horse Ballet, courtesy NYPL)
Marking can mean different things to different dancers and in different scenarios. But what everyone agrees is that you don't dance it "full-out," that is, as if you were performing it. There are also many ways to mark:
- with just your feet: you walk through the steps of the combination in a low-key way which can be helpful if you are in the center and the combination is long and travels a good deal (or doesn't!)
- with just your arms: you gesture with your arms as if you were dancing the combination full-out which can be especially useful if you are doing adagio or reminding yourself about where to hold your arms during turns and leaps
- with just your hands: the most common for barre exercises as well as easier center floor combinations
This last one is one of the most efficient ways to mark. Dancers use their hands like feet and map out the combination the teacher is giving them. You will see them move their hands in the air in front of them as if they are doing the steps with their feet.
Marking with your hands is a great way to get the steps in your body. When you move your hands like feet, your brain picks up another way to access the movement. You're instructing it in a way that is separate from the rest of the body which will do the actual steps. It's extremely beneficial to help you learn choreography more quickly.
Don't just stand there!
(NYCB Rehearsal, courtesy NYPL)
From a teacher's point of view, when we ask students to mark a combination with or without music, we watch to see how they pick up the choreography. Are they walking through it? Using their arms mostly? Using their hands? What we don't want to see is a student simply standing there doing nothing. Marking is movement with the body not just the eyes! We want to see that you're getting it - or not. When we mark together as a group, a teacher can see if you missed something or if a step is confusing or if the music is too fast or slow. We also want you to hold off on questions until we do it together. Many times marking a combination will answer the questions you have.
Speaking of questions, got any burning ones to ask? Have you heard something in class or seen something done without explanation - and you want an explanation? Just ask! Happy dancing!
Monday, February 1, 2021
February Newsletter!
| ||||
|
||||
|
ay, February 14, 5-6PM PST - No ballet experience necessary for your partner. It will help if you know arabesque, attitude and sousous. Only $20 for you and your partner. Sign up 
Sunday, July 26, 2020
Tips from the pirouette mini-workshop!
Hello beautiful dancers!
I'm so impressed with the group of dancers who attended the mini-workshop I held on Zoom this past weekend. Practicing pirouettes at home is not easy and these students were all-in. If you missed it, here are a few takeaways that you can try to apply on your own.
1. In every workshop I teach, I always try to give students a new way of approaching pirouettes en dehors. The fact is, every dancer responds to different images, concepts, and techniques. If the one I give you in a class doesn't click for you, maybe a different one will. That's why I tell students to never give up on turns. Saying, "I can't turn!" is not real. It's something you tell yourself or in some cases, something someone else might have told you.
The concept I introduced on Saturday was using the knee to guide the turn: an image of drawing a circle in the air with your knee, kind of like a compass (does anyone use compasses to draw perfect circles anymore?). This will prevent you from losing your rotation as you turn and also keeps you level. Once you are up in your releve, you let the head snap you around and let the knee guide you.
2. The second thing I try to do in each workshop is to emphasize the rhythm of a turn, from preparation to landing. Every turn, inside or outside, attitude or arabesque, etc. has a rhythm to it. You need to keep that rhythm in your head - in your muscle memory - so you always do the same thing. But what is in your head is not necessarily in someone else's head.
On Saturday, I gave my dancers the rhythm of --
If you can keep in your head a rhythm of Reach/Look/Land, you will have a rhythm for every single turn. My dancers reached their arms in front of them, saw what they were going to spot, and then landed the turn. Reach/Look/Land. Reach/Look/Land.
Honestly, it doesn't even matter what those three words are. They could be --
I prefer single syllable words because they pack a punch and are easy to recall. You just want to have a word in your brain that means - for you - what the start of the turn is, what word reminds you to focus on during the turn itself and a word that reminds you about finishing the turn.
Hope these 2 tips help you the next time you take a class or spend some time working on pirouettes. Especially now while you are home without a mirror, it's important to develop proper muscle memory. When you do get back to the studio, you will find turning even easier!
Happy dancing~
I'm so impressed with the group of dancers who attended the mini-workshop I held on Zoom this past weekend. Practicing pirouettes at home is not easy and these students were all-in. If you missed it, here are a few takeaways that you can try to apply on your own.
1. In every workshop I teach, I always try to give students a new way of approaching pirouettes en dehors. The fact is, every dancer responds to different images, concepts, and techniques. If the one I give you in a class doesn't click for you, maybe a different one will. That's why I tell students to never give up on turns. Saying, "I can't turn!" is not real. It's something you tell yourself or in some cases, something someone else might have told you.
I was told by a teacher I would never do more than a double turn. That stuck in my head for years!
 |
| Compass drawing |
2. The second thing I try to do in each workshop is to emphasize the rhythm of a turn, from preparation to landing. Every turn, inside or outside, attitude or arabesque, etc. has a rhythm to it. You need to keep that rhythm in your head - in your muscle memory - so you always do the same thing. But what is in your head is not necessarily in someone else's head.
On Saturday, I gave my dancers the rhythm of --
Reach
Reach the arms out
Look
Look at something
Land
Land the turn
If you can keep in your head a rhythm of Reach/Look/Land, you will have a rhythm for every single turn. My dancers reached their arms in front of them, saw what they were going to spot, and then landed the turn. Reach/Look/Land. Reach/Look/Land.
Honestly, it doesn't even matter what those three words are. They could be --
Prep/Spot/Land
or Bend/Stretch/Bend
or Start/Rise/End
or Arms/Head/Knees
I prefer single syllable words because they pack a punch and are easy to recall. You just want to have a word in your brain that means - for you - what the start of the turn is, what word reminds you to focus on during the turn itself and a word that reminds you about finishing the turn.
Hope these 2 tips help you the next time you take a class or spend some time working on pirouettes. Especially now while you are home without a mirror, it's important to develop proper muscle memory. When you do get back to the studio, you will find turning even easier!
Happy dancing~
Monday, June 29, 2020
Zoom classes begin July 1!
Hello beautiful dancers!
On Wed July 1, I will start teaching on Zoom so we can begin to transition back to classes. The Zoom schedule will be as follows:
Sunday 11AM-12:15PM Open level technique
Sunday 12:15-1:30PM Pointe
Monday 6:45-8PM Open level technique
Tuesday 6:45-8PM Open level technique
Wednesday 6:45-8PM Open level technique
Thursday 6:45-8PM Open level technique
Saturday 9:30-10:45AM Open level technique
Payment
for classes: I will be converting ALL paper cards to e-cards. Each
of you will receive credit for any remaining classes you have on
your cards (e.g. 2 classes left on a 10-class card is worth $31). Please
send me a photo of your card so I can give you proper
credit. If I have your card, I will do it for you. The credit will be
associated with your preferred email address so be sure to tell me which
one you want to use; you can use your credit to purchase a class
whenever you sign up for it. Your balance will adjust each time you
purchase a class.
Each
Zoom class is $15 and will be limited to 10 students. To attend a class, simply go to my class page
on my website, select the class you want to attend and reserve your
spot. You only need to fill in your name and email and pay for the class. A
reminder and Zoom link will be emailed to you.
When we return to in-studio classes, we will continue to do everything
online and with reserved spots.
I will also continue teaching a free livestream class on Fridays at 11AM on YouTube.
If
you have any questions, just let me know!As with everything during
this pandemic, we need to be flexible!
Thank you all so much for your
support and willingness to try new things in new ways!
Tuesday, August 20, 2019
What is "ballet time"? And hey, some ballet times are changing!
My friend and fellow teacher, Carol Guidry, and I were talking about how very difficult it seems to be to end a class on time. It's universal and Carol and I can only ascribe it to "ballet time."
Ballet time means a class is posted to begin at 10 and actually starts at 10:10. A class purporting to end at 11:30 might not finish until 11:45. Why is this and why can't we start and end classes properly?
***Reasons for not starting on time - STUDENT issues:
- attire must be changed from outdoors to studio clothes
- if you drive, there might be limited parking since studios typically are tucked into available spaces
- students usually sign in and/or pay for a class prior to it starting which can take time, particularly if multiple classes are happening at the same time or the teacher must take roll or payments
- class is a community and people want to greet each other when they come in
***Reasons for not ending on time - INSTRUCTOR issues:
- combinations take more time to explain than intended or students have more difficulty grasping them
- if it's a mixed level class, there might be more beginners (or simply new students who don't know the usual routines) who need greater explanation than the teacher planned
- combinations that worked for a teacher at home might need to be adjusted in the studio due to space considerations
- an especially large class takes more time to cycle through floor work
- an especially small class needs more time between passes in the center
But the number one reason classes don't end on time: A ballet class builds from one combination to the next. You can rush from exercise to exercise but you really can't skip anything so if a teacher's class has begun late for any of the reasons above, it's unlikely they can eliminate exercises completely. If they are good with time management, they can simplify things that had intended to be complex or they can put larger groups together for center floor work but it's dangerous to skip petit allegro and go right to grand allegro. Depending on the class itself, a teacher could end a class earlier, perhaps at adagio or pirouettes but it's not a good habit to get into if the students want to progress or if they take with other teachers who do a full class.
Speaking of ballet time...a few changes to my classes at Inspire Dance Studio!
Due to the children's program at Inspire, my weekday classes must be pushed by 15 minutes which means, as of August 26:
Monday & Wednesday Intermediate Ballet
WAS 6:30-8PM
WILL BE 6:45-8:10PM
Monday & Wednesday Beginner Ballet
WAS 8-9:30PM
WILL BE 8:10-9:30PM
Thursday Advanced Beginner Ballet
WAS 7-8:30PM
WILL BE 7:15-8:45PM
Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause but hopefully it allows you a little bit of extra time to get to class, park, etc. so we can start on time - and any problems ending on time will be mine!
Happy dancing, everyone~
Ballet time means a class is posted to begin at 10 and actually starts at 10:10. A class purporting to end at 11:30 might not finish until 11:45. Why is this and why can't we start and end classes properly?
 | ||
| Wrestling every second out of a ballet class! Photo by Ronald Rugenbrink |
***Reasons for not starting on time - STUDENT issues:
- attire must be changed from outdoors to studio clothes
- if you drive, there might be limited parking since studios typically are tucked into available spaces
- students usually sign in and/or pay for a class prior to it starting which can take time, particularly if multiple classes are happening at the same time or the teacher must take roll or payments
- class is a community and people want to greet each other when they come in
***Reasons for not ending on time - INSTRUCTOR issues:
- combinations take more time to explain than intended or students have more difficulty grasping them
- if it's a mixed level class, there might be more beginners (or simply new students who don't know the usual routines) who need greater explanation than the teacher planned
- combinations that worked for a teacher at home might need to be adjusted in the studio due to space considerations
- an especially large class takes more time to cycle through floor work
- an especially small class needs more time between passes in the center
But the number one reason classes don't end on time: A ballet class builds from one combination to the next. You can rush from exercise to exercise but you really can't skip anything so if a teacher's class has begun late for any of the reasons above, it's unlikely they can eliminate exercises completely. If they are good with time management, they can simplify things that had intended to be complex or they can put larger groups together for center floor work but it's dangerous to skip petit allegro and go right to grand allegro. Depending on the class itself, a teacher could end a class earlier, perhaps at adagio or pirouettes but it's not a good habit to get into if the students want to progress or if they take with other teachers who do a full class.
Speaking of ballet time...a few changes to my classes at Inspire Dance Studio!
Due to the children's program at Inspire, my weekday classes must be pushed by 15 minutes which means, as of August 26:
Monday & Wednesday Intermediate Ballet
WAS 6:30-8PM
WILL BE 6:45-8:10PM
Monday & Wednesday Beginner Ballet
WAS 8-9:30PM
WILL BE 8:10-9:30PM
Thursday Advanced Beginner Ballet
WAS 7-8:30PM
WILL BE 7:15-8:45PM
Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause but hopefully it allows you a little bit of extra time to get to class, park, etc. so we can start on time - and any problems ending on time will be mine!
Happy dancing, everyone~
Friday, May 3, 2019
Be bold...be big...be the bear
Beautiful dancers, if you go camping or hiking or if you live in the foothills of a mountain like my students in La Canada Flintridge, you've probably heard the advice about what to do if you are confronted by a bear.
Make yourself big.
You won't ever be bigger than a bear, unless it's a baby in which case your instinct will probably be to hug it because it will be so cute. When that adult bear rears back on its hind legs and roars at you, it will take every ounce of courage you have not to run away.
Instead, you stand your ground, rise up on your toes and flail your arms. You rawr! back at it and show it you're not scared. (Good luck with that, btw...)
By forcing yourself to be big and tall and wide, you are defying your own anxiety about being in a frightening situation.
Which brings me to ballet.
For many dancers, coming off the security of a barre where you might be standing behind someone who knows the combinations better than you, where you are clutching something for support, where at least one foot is on the ground all the time, is frightening.
It's scary to move and turn and jump in the center and when we feel that anxiety, we tend to make ourselves smaller. Our legs don't extend as far as they might be able to; our arms collapse over our chest and waist; our heels barely leave the floor when we jump. Our fear makes us small. The result is pirouettes that spin rather than float, terre a terre jumps, and overall weak lines in an adagio.
In a classroom, we might get away with this by telling ourselves we're just tired or we don't know the combination well enough to do it properly, or in some cases, we might say the room is too crowded and there isn't enough space to be big.
Hmmm...I call BS on that last excuse. There's always room to make yourself bigger in a crowded class: stand in the back, angle yourself in a corner, move more conscientiously of your fellow dancers.
And for the other excuses? Defy your fear. Fight your instinct.
Make yourself big.
1. When you are feeling anxious about your jumps, push yourself higher off the ground (assuming you are properly warmed-up and working through your feet). Use your center to get off the ground and propel yourself up rather than out. By jumping higher, you will give yourself more time to roll through your feet on the landing, time to straighten your knees in the air, and time to execute the steps.
2. When you are anxious about your pirouette, push to a higher releve, hold your arms higher and farther away from your body, widen your back and open your lungs. By making yourself bigger and wider and rounder in a turn, you will float more and longer and you won't spin.
3. When you fear the slow extensions of an adagio, think about starting your developpe from the top of your thigh and unfolding outward. Use your arms to lengthen your body in the space. Pull your knees up and engage your "under-buns" to stabilize yourself during a pose or promenade.
In all instances, making yourself "bigger" than you are - taller, wider, rounder, higher, longer - will help you. It will also give you more confidence when you're not feeling so secure.
Happy dancing~
Make yourself big.
You won't ever be bigger than a bear, unless it's a baby in which case your instinct will probably be to hug it because it will be so cute. When that adult bear rears back on its hind legs and roars at you, it will take every ounce of courage you have not to run away.
 |
| cc lic Magnus Johansson |
By forcing yourself to be big and tall and wide, you are defying your own anxiety about being in a frightening situation.
Which brings me to ballet.
For many dancers, coming off the security of a barre where you might be standing behind someone who knows the combinations better than you, where you are clutching something for support, where at least one foot is on the ground all the time, is frightening.
It's scary to move and turn and jump in the center and when we feel that anxiety, we tend to make ourselves smaller. Our legs don't extend as far as they might be able to; our arms collapse over our chest and waist; our heels barely leave the floor when we jump. Our fear makes us small. The result is pirouettes that spin rather than float, terre a terre jumps, and overall weak lines in an adagio.
In a classroom, we might get away with this by telling ourselves we're just tired or we don't know the combination well enough to do it properly, or in some cases, we might say the room is too crowded and there isn't enough space to be big.
Hmmm...I call BS on that last excuse. There's always room to make yourself bigger in a crowded class: stand in the back, angle yourself in a corner, move more conscientiously of your fellow dancers.
And for the other excuses? Defy your fear. Fight your instinct.
Make yourself big.
1. When you are feeling anxious about your jumps, push yourself higher off the ground (assuming you are properly warmed-up and working through your feet). Use your center to get off the ground and propel yourself up rather than out. By jumping higher, you will give yourself more time to roll through your feet on the landing, time to straighten your knees in the air, and time to execute the steps.
2. When you are anxious about your pirouette, push to a higher releve, hold your arms higher and farther away from your body, widen your back and open your lungs. By making yourself bigger and wider and rounder in a turn, you will float more and longer and you won't spin.
3. When you fear the slow extensions of an adagio, think about starting your developpe from the top of your thigh and unfolding outward. Use your arms to lengthen your body in the space. Pull your knees up and engage your "under-buns" to stabilize yourself during a pose or promenade.
In all instances, making yourself "bigger" than you are - taller, wider, rounder, higher, longer - will help you. It will also give you more confidence when you're not feeling so secure.
 |
| cc lic State Library of Queensland |
Wednesday, April 24, 2019
A million tendus
If you're an experienced dancer with years of classes behind you, you've likely done thousands of tendus, thousands more degages, and perhaps a million demi-plies. As a teacher I try to structure my combinations so you don't realize you're doing the same tendus you've seen a bajillion times but honestly, there are just so many ways to combine steps at the barre.
But there's a very good reason for this: muscle memory. Just as baseball players and golfers practice their swings over and over and over again, we dancers must practice the same steps over and over and over again until they are so much a part of our bodies that we don't think about them.
If we had to think about every muscle and every bone that must move and coordinate in order to do a grand jete developpe, we would never get off the ground!
Take a look at this breakdown of a baseball player's swing - and he's not even propelling his body into the air!
Baseball Swing Anatomy
Today I want to talk about the tiniest little things that have a BIG impact on your turns, your jumps and your lines.
Your toes.
Ten tiny parts of you that really sell you as a polished dancer, no matter how many years you have been taking class. Your toes do so many things!
--they keep you on the floor
--they push you off the floor
--they start your pirouette
--they finish your lines
--they form the platform upon which you balance
--they are the basis of your pointe work
--they shape your foot and guide your leg through the air no matter what you do
And they MUST be STRETCHED. This is an absolute MUST.
Teachers always tell you to point your toes but instead, think STRETCH, not point. We don't want to grip our toes or feet - we want to lengthen them. With the stretch/lengthen imagery, we will spring ourselves up to retire for a turn; we will spring to glissade and brush every jete.
Without exception, your toes must be stretched to a fully extended position EVERY TIME they come off the floor (unless the choreography calls for a flexed or soft foot) and they remain stretched until the foot returns to the floor. From the very first exercises at the barre (typically a plie combination), think about the toes adhering to the floor; think about them when you balance flat or en releve. Think about them as you articulate the foot during slow tendus. The more you engage the toes, the more you articulate them, the more muscle memory you're gaining. Soon it will feel weird for you to not point your feet.
Happy dancing~
But there's a very good reason for this: muscle memory. Just as baseball players and golfers practice their swings over and over and over again, we dancers must practice the same steps over and over and over again until they are so much a part of our bodies that we don't think about them.
 |
| cc lic Paul L Dineen "Big Swing" |
Take a look at this breakdown of a baseball player's swing - and he's not even propelling his body into the air!
Baseball Swing Anatomy
Today I want to talk about the tiniest little things that have a BIG impact on your turns, your jumps and your lines.
Your toes.
 |
| cc lic melalouise Sous Sous |
Ten tiny parts of you that really sell you as a polished dancer, no matter how many years you have been taking class. Your toes do so many things!
--they keep you on the floor
--they push you off the floor
--they start your pirouette
--they finish your lines
--they form the platform upon which you balance
--they are the basis of your pointe work
--they shape your foot and guide your leg through the air no matter what you do
 |
| cc lic Quinn Dombrowski, A Leg Out of Nowhere |
Teachers always tell you to point your toes but instead, think STRETCH, not point. We don't want to grip our toes or feet - we want to lengthen them. With the stretch/lengthen imagery, we will spring ourselves up to retire for a turn; we will spring to glissade and brush every jete.
Without exception, your toes must be stretched to a fully extended position EVERY TIME they come off the floor (unless the choreography calls for a flexed or soft foot) and they remain stretched until the foot returns to the floor. From the very first exercises at the barre (typically a plie combination), think about the toes adhering to the floor; think about them when you balance flat or en releve. Think about them as you articulate the foot during slow tendus. The more you engage the toes, the more you articulate them, the more muscle memory you're gaining. Soon it will feel weird for you to not point your feet.
Happy dancing~
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)