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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
