Finis talks about how dance has been the main motivating factor in his life since he was six years old. We’ve included some cartoons by Jules Feiffer, the renowned cartoonist whose famous dancer we think  was the first to say “To dance is to live.” The phrase pretty much describes Finis’s professional life as a teacher for 41 years—starting out with 4 students and eventually opening his own studio with sold-out classes and becoming the founder and artistic director of his own Chamber Ballet USA. He discusses how after a full day of teaching classes, he would return home, question his own teaching methods and then study famous dancers on video in an effort to learn what they did that made them so special so that he could become a better teacher. For Finis, ballet is a key to living a more fulfilling life.

1959 at the U of U dancing in Mr. C’s HAFFNER SYMPHONY

U of U 1959 – The Jewel Hunter in PARANDA

1962 my first job with Robert Joffrey in Aida at The Seattle World’s Fair with young Francesca Corkle

Feiffer a dance to autumn

Feiffer a dance to spring

Feiffer pas de chat

FJ at  Workshop with Broadway Legends Gwen Verdon and Peter Genarro

FJ teaches at a Conference in 2011

FJ teaches his adult babies at The Ailey Extension

FJ making Pirouette Class 2 with Sachiko Kanai. Assisted by Mayumi Omagari. Recorded & Edited by Katie Morgan

1955: Finis leaves Hawaii for the first time and goes to the mainland to find out whether or not he can become a ballet dancer. Why & how Finis went to the University of Utah in Salt Lake City

1954 At the Dorothy Hellis Moots Studio in Honolulu

1954 Dancing with Carole Ota at The Dorothy Hellis Moots Dance Studio in Honolulu

1955 Finis & Friends at airport

1955 My first photo shoot with shrunken woolen tights

1955, Leaving for Utah

1956 My first Nutcracker Spanish

1956 My first starring role as the Prince in the King & I at the U of U

1956 U of U Romeo & Juliet dancer

1957 My second Nutcracker Spanish

1957 studio shot

1958  U of U jump

1958 my 3rd Nutcracker Spanish

1958 Performing the Snow pas de deux at the U of Utah

1958 studio shot

1959 U of U in Mr. C’s class

1959, graduating U of U with Mom

I’ve seen ‘em all, from Pavlova on film to Plisetskaya to Makarova and even the Trocks, but this one is out of this world. Here’s hoping he inspires hip-hoppers to apply their talents to classical music. His musicality and delicacy is exceptional – and that ending. . .

Today I reminisce about my Mother.

1. 1936, Bryson, Mom, Grafton, Finis

2. 1947, My Mom, Caroline Jhung

3. 1952, Finis & Mom at Manana Housing (we were very poor, living in an Army Housing “out in the country”)

4. 1958. My Mom working in Classified Advertising at The Honolulu Star-Bulletin

Next we talk about getting to The University of Utah

Here are photos of my parents, Walter & Caroline Jhung, and me with older brothers Grafton & Bryson.

1. Walter & Caroline, just married and  on the boat to Honolulu, 1932

2. Walter & Caroline are greeted at the dock by his parents, Woon Sur and Shin Sil Lee Jhung, 1932

3. Family portrait, Honolulu, 1938

4. The “haole” mother with her three Oriental boys, 1940

Next week we’ll present Part Four: My Mother

Here’s a wonderful change of pace to this series. What do you think?

Hello,

This is a new blog series where I’ll give you a link to a YouTube performance I find inspiring and you tell me what you think. Do you like it? Why? If you don’t, why? Let’s compare notes!

Today let’s look at Marianela Nunez, Principal Dancer of The Royal Ballet perform Odile in Swan Lake.

If you’d like to take a trip down my memory lane, here’s Part One: My First Experience with Dance.

Photos are of the kinds of movies that probably got me started.

Next – Part Two: My First Dance Class

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