| Travelling in turns usually is a problem of strength | | | | ** Spend several weeks if necessary, to address the |
| holding the postural plumb line. If the position and | | | | above issues, until you can do rises and releves with |
| movement is not correct, the turns will travel and | | | | correct posture and placement. Learn some Pilates |
| flounder. | | | | core work, and stretch and relax all your muscles, |
| Here are 7 highly effective tips to examine your | | | | before, during and after class. |
| technique for fouettes and turns a la seconde: | | | | ** To check your spotting, do an easy echappe from |
| ** Standing sideways to a mirror, do a few press ups | | | | fifth to second, turning as far as you can toward a |
| in first position. Do you have a postural plumb line? If | | | | quarter turn, leaving your head to the front. I don't |
| your core, your turnout, your ankles and soles of the | | | | specifiy exactly how far you should turn, because this |
| foot are steady, also check to see that these | | | | depends on the extent your head will turn without |
| movements are done with no strain in the shoulders | | | | inclining. Continue to echappe turning, and close, leaving |
| and neck. | | | | the head behind, until you face front, then repeat on |
| ** With fingertips on the barre, do slow motion press | | | | the other side. This is just to feel the looseness of your |
| ups and down in retire, or a la seconde. If you can do | | | | neck muscles in leaving your head behind. |
| this without strain in the neck and shoulders, great. If | | | | ** Repeat this exercise in retire or a la seconde. Use a |
| there is strain, you need to build up strength in your | | | | partner, to hold the hand of your supporting side as |
| core, and possibly overall. If a postural deviation from | | | | you turn away from the front. Again, this is to check |
| your plumb line shows up here, check for technical | | | | the neck (and shoulders) relaxation as you releve, and |
| accuracy. | | | | to check your postural plumb line in the position of your |
| ** What specific technical accuracy? The basics, | | | | turn, and your demi plie. (We haven't dealt with fouette |
| always. Is your turnout strong, or have you | | | | yet). |
| compensated by shoving your supporting heel forward | | | | ** For fouettes, use a partner in the center, to do your |
| when you plie, changing your center of balance? Are | | | | demi plie with the leg extended devant, and then do a |
| you dropping back in the bottom of the demi plie? A | | | | slow motion press up with the ronde de jambe and |
| shorter demi plie is not a bad thing. What counts is | | | | into retire, turning a little. This is to again check the |
| being in good posture in your demi plie so that you can | | | | postural plumb line, correct demi plie, and ease of the |
| press with your heel/foot, into the floor, and use gravity | | | | neck in leaving the head behind. |
| to push up, without having to make another | | | | This whole process may take place over a whole |
| compensation to rise into a straight position. It's a lot | | | | year. You will be doing your pirouettes, fouettes and |
| more work to keep all these compensations | | | | turns a la seconde all the time. But as you gain |
| countercompensations going. | | | | strength, and learn to see and feel those tiny |
| I want to make a comment here about Classical | | | | compensations you have been doing, you will build |
| Stretch, the Full Body Workout and Athletes' Intense | | | | excellent work habits for these spectacular feats. |
| Stretch. On a day off dance classes, this is a | | | | Ballet is much harder to do wrong. If your early training |
| wonderful routine. It is not too hard on the legs and | | | | wasn't the best, you can back-peddle like this to |
| back, which need to rest, it combines Pilates with | | | | correct technique in your advanced levels. |
| balletic style for your core strength, and it fulfills the | | | | For any overworked muscles use an ice pack at least |
| need for stretch and relaxation that most dancers | | | | twice a day. A homeopathic cream called Traumeel is |
| neglect. Good muscle tone is not just work, work, and | | | | wonderful for soft tissue repair. Apply after icing. |
| more work. | | | | |