Today we’re going to talk about placing the foot Sur Le Cou-de-pied.

Cou-de-pied is translated as the “neck” of the foot, which is between the ankle and the base of the calf. Sur means “on.”

As you can see in the video, the position foot is wrapped around the supporting ankle. It holds the ankle.

When you practice petit battements sur le cou-de-pied, the foot remains in this shape whether it is placed in the front or the back of the supporting ankle.

When you pirouette, you will place the foot sur le cou-de-pied devant (front) where it is fully pointed. The side of the little toe touches the supporting leg above the ankle joint.

When the foot is pointed in front of the ankle, there is a tendency to sickle the foot. It looks so ugly! When the foot is pointed in front of the leg, you must never sickle your foot with your heel touching the leg. To correct the sickling, place the side of the little toe on the ankle bone, with the inner ankle bone displayed forward.

When the foot is pointed in back of the ankle (sur le cou-de-pied derrière),  keep the foot in the correct shape:  heel forward, toes back. Never place the inside of the foot and the big toe on the back of the supporting ankle. Instead, shape the foot correctly and placed the inner heel  just below the calf, with the toes pointing back and away from the supporting leg.

Working with the foot sur le cou-de-pied helps to shape it correctly so you don’t sickle. This gives the position foot the correct shape when you move your free leg forward and back.

And, keeping the foot shaped correctly will make your pirouette position nice to look at!

Our next blog will be about The Retiré Devant & Derrière Positions.

 To dance is to live – Finis

We also recommend:

• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Level 1 Barrework: Barrework for Beginners
• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Level 2 Barrework: Barrework for Advanced Beginners
• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Level 3: Barrework
• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Level 4: Intermediate Barrework
• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Levels 2 & Up: The Power Barre
• The Thinking Dancer: Working at the Barre Levels 2 & Up – Basic Ballet 8

Today we’re working on The Sickled Foot in The Passé Par Terre.

The word passé means “passed.” In its most common usage, the foot of the position leg passes the knee of the supporting leg from one position to another (when you pirouette, for instance.)

Passé par terre means “Passed on the ground.” The foot of the position leg is passed from the pointe tendu in fourth front to the position pointe tendu in fourth back, or vice versa.

When we step out, we often use the passé par terre.

Working in first position, the foot is placed pointe tendu back and is brought forward with the big toe just barely off the floor. Once the big toe passes the supporting heel, the foot is raised about four inches off the floor and there is a small developpé. The leg is unfolded with a slight lift from the bent position and then the toe is placed in pointe tendu.

The process is the same when the foot is moved from front to back. In both cases, you want to present a fully pointed, correctly shaped foot and place it carefully on the floor.

When we look at this movement from the side, the sickled foot is apparent. When your bring the foot from back to front and are pointing the outside of the foot and connecting the outer ankle bone to the little toe, the foot will be sickled. When you move from front to the back and are working the outside of the leg and foot, it will be sickled.

To prevent sickling when you bring the foot from back to front, think of leading with the heel. Feel your inner ankle bone,  the inside of the foot, and the inside of your leg. Present your inner ankle bone and your inner heel as the foot is brought forward.

In the same way, to prevent sickling when you take the foot from front to back, keep the awareness of the heel forward-toes back.

Working the passé par terre with a correctly shaped position foot is also practicing the ideal presentation of the foot when the position is made higher in the air as a full developpé.

The work we have just done leads us directly to our next topic: Sur Le Cou-de-pied.

We also recommend:

• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Level 1: Centerwork for Beginners
• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Level 2: Centerwork for Advanced Beginners
• Connecting Movement Sideways & Forward Levels 2 & Up – Basic Ballet 6

 To dance is to live – Finis

Today we’re going to show you How To Flic The Foot to the side. This movement is also used when coming up from a demi-plié in fifth position and positioning the free foot in a pointe tendu or degagé.

As shown in the video, when you stand in first position and wish to flic the foot to a pointe tendu side, you pull the toes to the supporting heel. This points the foot. Once the foot is pointed, you extend it to either pointe tendu or degagé.

You’re making a circular movement: dragging the foot to the supporting heel and then pointing it out and moving it away from that heel. Push the air away from you with the top of your pointed foot.

When we see the movement from the side, those of you who sickle your foot will be working the outside of the foot and leg.

As previously demonstrated with movements in preceding blogs, you must always have your weight passing down the inside of the leg so you connect your inner ankle bone to the big toe and second toe.

As you flic the foot, you must never let go of the awareness of the inside of your leg, the inside of your foot, to the big toe.

This will make sure you present your foot properly, without sickling, when you flic it.

Our next blog will be about The Passé Par Terre.

To dance is to live – Finis

We also recommend:

• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Level 1 Barrework: Barrework for Beginners
• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Level 2 Barrework: Barrework for Advanced Beginners
• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Level 3: Barrework
• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Level 4: Intermediate Barrework
• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Levels 2 & Up: The Power Barre
• The Thinking Dancer: Working at the Barre Levels 2 & Up – Basic Ballet 8

Working in first position, let’s practice the Plié-Relevé because eventually it will become the way you fondu-relevé, or plié-relevé.

When I am in demi-plié, I am gripping the floor with my toes. I intend to remain in demi-plié as I roll my feet to the half-toe.

To begin rolling the foot over to half-toe, I am thinking of the inside of the leg and  the inside of the foot. I am conscious of moving my inner ankle bone so it’s lined up with the big toe and second toe. I am pushing my arch over the toes as far as it can go.

When my foot has arrived on half-toe I’m still trying to increase the arch. I am still keeping the awareness of the inside of the leg and the inside of the foot so it doesn’t roll outward and sickle.

When I begin rolling down, I still want to keep that same alignment to the big toe as I lower the heel. Once the heels are down, I push the floor which makes me come up to the standing position.

Now, the difference between what I just showed you and what those of you who have a sickled foot problem do is that you begin the exercise already standing back on your heels so that roll to half-toe with your weight on the outside of your foot. Your foot is already sickled and your weight is going to the little toe instead of the big toe.

So you arrive on half-toe with a sickled foot. Yes, your leg is straight, and yes, you’re on half-toe, but look where you are. And, look what you look like. (Remember, you should be doing all The Sickled Foot exercises in front of a mirror.)

You’re way back on your heel, so you easily drop from the half-toe to the flat foot.

You must correct this by thinking of using the inside of your leg and foot so you connect to the big toe and second toe.

You must keep that awareness as you continue to work the exercise.

If you allow yourself to sit back you’re not really in Number 1. You’re not thinking of standing straight to the floor like a post, and therefore you will have a tendency to have your weight back on your heel and little toe.

Whereas, when you are correctly standing in Number 1, you are balanced and ready to roll your foot to half-toe immediately without having to adjust your body placement and muscle contact.

The difference is that instead of a shaking balance with a wobbly ankle and dropping heel, you will have a solid balance with a quiet foot on half-toe.

If you’re having problems in this area, you must correct yourself!

Our next blog will show you How To Flic The Foot.

To dance is to live – Finis

We also recommend:

• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Level 1 Barrework: Barrework for Beginners
• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Level 2 Barrework: Barrework for Advanced Beginners
• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Level 3: Barrework
• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Level 4: Intermediate Barrework
• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Levels 2 & Up: The Power Barre
• The Thinking Dancer: Working at the Barre Levels 2 & Up – Basic Ballet 8

Working in first position, we’re going to talk about Rising to the Half-Toe.

To work with me on this, get in front of the mirror so you can see what you’re doing.

First of all, are you someone who tends to stand back on your heel with the weight of your body traveling down the back of the leg?  When you rise to the half-toe from a standing position like this, your foot will most likely sickle. You’ll be standing on the outside of the foot, with your weight connecting to the little toe.

Or, are you more correctly placed, standing in Number 1 (your correct posture as explained in my Level 1 Barrework video) with hips forward, so that when you press down against the floor, you are well aware of the inside of the leg, the inner ankle bone, the inside of the foot, and you’re thinking your weight has to reach the big toe and second toe?

In order to keep your body placed like this as you slowly lower your heels, you must use your core muscles and be well aware of how your pelvis is placed.

When you are not aware of standing in Number 1, you will likely be standing with your weight in the back of the foot  instead of reaching to the toe.

So, again, with whatever you’re doing, it’s never a good idea to be back on your heel with your foot already sickled, with your weight passing down the back of the leg, the outside of the foot with the weight going mainly to the little toe. You will be on half-toe with a sickled foot.

Rather, what you want to do is get in Number 1. Place your body correctly. Be aware of the inside of your leg so you are turned-out properly. When I stand in Number 1, I am aware of my inner ankle bone and am instantly connected to my big toe and second toe as I push down and rise to the half-toe.

I want to bring my heels forward and show the insides of my legs to the audience. As I stand balanced on half-toe, I am pressing my toes and metatarsals firmly on the floor. I continue to drive my weight all the way down into (and through) the floor so I feel my body weight is solidly planted into the floor.

Keeping these ideas as you work should help you a lot!

In our next blog we will discuss The Plié-Relevé.

To dance is to live – Finis

We also recommend:

• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Level 1 Barrework: Barrework for Beginners
• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Level 2 Barrework: Barrework for Advanced Beginners
• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Level 3: Barrework
• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Level 4: Intermediate Barrework
• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Levels 2 & Up: The Power Barre
• The Thinking Dancer: Working at the Barre Levels 2 & Up – Basic Ballet 8

I didn’t mention it earlier, but when you’re studying, and you have a sickled foot problem, you need to get in front of the mirror. You need to see what you’re doing, so you can feel and see the difference when you make the corrections. This is the only way you’re going to be able to cure your sickled foot.

You must see what it feels like, and you must feel what it looks like.

Standing in first position, we’re going to work The Battement Tendu Front & Back. The proper French terminology is Battement Tendu Devant & Derrière.

In class, when I see a sickled foot pointed to the front, there again is the familiar problem of the outside curve of the foot. When I sickle my own foot, I am so much aware of the muscles along the outside of my leg that continue to curve along the outside of the foot down into the little toe.

Whereas when I correct it, then I feel the muscles along the inside of the leg, and the inner ankle bone connecting to the big toe. When you keep that shape of your foot as you brush to the back then you will retain your turn-out. Again, in class I see students letting go of the outward rotation and brushing the foot sickled to the back.

As we continue moving to the back from first position, once again I feel the inside of the leg and the inner ankle bone connecting to the big toe. However, when the foot is sickled, then we’ll see that curve from the outer ankle bone connecting to the little toe. When I do this, I feel the muscles on the outside of the leg.

As return the foot to the front while brushing through first position, the correction is to think of bringing the inside of the leg and the heel forward.

And, also, when you point the foot to the fourth position front you can think of deliberately angling the foot—beveling it—or we say “winging” the foot—which looks a lot nicer for the line of your body than a sickled foot. The foot is not fully pointed and in fact is more of a relaxed point so it can be angled/beveled/winged.

When you point back, realize that eventually this becomes the look of your foot in arabesque and attitude. Nothing looks worse than seeing an arabesque with a sickled foot. The leg is straight but when you sickle your line drops to the floor. You always want your arabesque line to continue up into the air. You need to know what it feels like when you bevel your arabesque foot so that you know the difference.

Get in front of the mirror and practice beveling your foot so you can feel what muscles you’re using.

When you do a battement degagé to fourth front, you want to offer your heel.  When you degagé to the back, you want to feel the inside of your leg facing the floor so the leg is fully rotated and turned out. To help you do this, always feel free to adjust the turn-out of your standing leg. Showing your arabesque leg completely turned out is what matters most. It’s not how turned-out your standing leg, it’s whether you show a beautiful arabesque leg and foot.

To strengthen your foot and make your ankle more flexible, be sure you press your foot flat against the floor as you pass through first position.

As the leg moves forward, remember it’s the heel that leads the inside of the leg and foot. Moving back, put the foot completely flat in first position, and remember the inside of the leg and foot should face the floor.

These ideas should help you cure your sickled foot.

In our next blog we will discuss Rising To The Half-Toe.

To dance is to live – Finis

We also recommend:

• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Level 1 Barrework: Barrework for Beginners
• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Level 2 Barrework: Barrework for Advanced Beginners
• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Level 3: Barrework
• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Level 4: Intermediate Barrework
• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Levels 2 & Up: The Power Barre
• The Thinking Dancer: Working at the Barre Levels 2 & Up – Basic Ballet 8

Today we will discuss sickling the foot when making the Battement Tendu à la Seconde (to the side.) This also includes the battement degagé, since they are worked the  same way.

When students stand in first position what I often see is the position foot moving out to the side and sickling as it reaches full pointe.

When I do this, I feel the outside of my foot and the little toe. The muscles on the inside of the ankle feel shortened. You want to avoid doing this.

What you want to do is feel the inside of the foot and slide it along the line where your toes are pointing. Always follow your toes when you do the battements à la seconde.

When I work this way, as I show you on the video, I feel the connection between my inner ankle bone and the big toe and second toe. As I begin drawing the foot back into first position, I am still trying to keep that sense of the inside of my leg and the inside of the foot.

To repeat, as you push the foot out to tendu, we always want to sense the inner ankle bone, the big toe, and the line along the inside of the foot, the inside of your leg.

As you draw your foot back, put all the toes on the floor, followed by all the bones of the metatarsal.

In review, the difference is whether I deliberately sickle the foot—curling the outside of the foot—or whether I focus on working the inside of the foot .

When the tendu brushes off the floor it becomes a degagé. A degagé is simply a tendu that leaves the floor.

The correct principle remains the same: the inside of the foot, the inside of the leg, the inseam, the inner ankle bone. You must always connect with your big toe.

The way you slide your foot off and on the floor will either strengthen or weaken it. You will reaize this when it comes time for you to relevé and jump.

In our next blog we will discuss The Battement Tendu Front & Back.

To dance is to live – Finis

We also recommend:

• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Level 1 Barrework: Barrework for Beginners
• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Level 2 Barrework: Barrework for Advanced Beginners
• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Level 3: Barrework
• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Level 4: Intermediate Barrework
• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Levels 2 & Up: The Power Barre
• The Thinking Dancer: Working at the Barre Levels 2 & Up – Basic Ballet 8

This blog is the first in a series about the Sickled Foot.

What Is A Sickled Foot?

A sickle is an instrument used in cutting grass, and it has a crescent shape. When you put your foot in that shape, we say it’s sickled.

In practically every class I teach, I see  students standing on half-toe with sickled feet. They are standing with their weight on the outside of the foot.

When I place my foot on half-toe and sickle it, I feel  my little toe and the outside of my foot. I don’t feel  I’m connected to the big toe.

When you stand on half-toe, always make sure your weight reaches your big toe, because that’s what it is—it’s your biggest toe—and it’s the one that’s going to push the floor when you relevé or jump.

So, to make sure I stand correctly, I am thinking of the inner ankle bone, the inside of my leg, the inner side of the foot connecting to the big toe. And, I am always pressing the toe firmly to the floor.

Again, the difference is whether I feel I’m standing with my foot curving outward in a sickled shape, and as you can see when you do this there’s a tendency to fall back and down on your heel.

Eventually, if you repeatedly stand with your foot sickled, you are going to weaken your ankle and may end up twisting or spraining it.

On the other hand, if you always make sure you preserve the correct alignment of your inner ankle bone to the big toe and second toe, then you will be building the correct path to go up and down easily on your supporting foot.

When you point your foot to the side without standing on it (we will next go on to moving the tendu) you must still be aware of whether or not you are sickling. A foot that is strongly pointed o the side will look good to the audience, but is it sickled?

Always remember to think of the inside of your foot, not the outside. The big toe and second toe, not the little toe.

In our next blog we will consider the Battement Tendu À la seconde.

To dance is to live – Finis

We also recommend:

• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Level 1 Barrework: Barrework for Beginners
• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Level 2 Barrework: Barrework for Advanced Beginners
• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Level 3: Barrework
• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Level 4: Intermediate Barrework
• The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Levels 2 & Up: The Power Barre
• The Thinking Dancer: Working at the Barre Levels 2 & Up – Basic Ballet 8