BALLET TECHNIQUE

TOMBÉ PAS DE BOURRÉE PIROUETTE: If you stop and pose in plié fourth after the pas de bourrée, be sure you “double” the plié. If your supporting knee stops moving, give it another push past your supporting toe so it makes that foot relevé. Push the floor with all your toes, spot, and bring your arms into position.

BALLET TECHNIQUE

SECRET OF SUCCESS. The dancers we admire most always continue to grow and enlarge each pose or movement whether slow or fast, on the floor or in the air. They don’t hit a pose and hold it. Instead, they send their life force out into space through their fingers, toes, and eyes and touch our hearts. They create unforgettable moments that renew and inspire us.

BALLET TECHNIQUE

ONE FOOT: Remember that in center floor and on stage, you will spend most of the time dancing on one foot rather than standing in a static position with both feet. Therefore, at the barre, make sure you’re securely balanced on your supporting foot, ready to push down and rise, and in complete control of the position or free leg.

BALLET TECHNIQUE

JUMPS: You want your legs to act like springs when you jump. When you prepare to jump, try to make your demi-plié almost isometric. Never relax into a deep plié that requires you to lift your body and pull your legs out of it. Try not to think of jumping with your knees and thighs. Put all of your energy into your feet and push the floor.