Tag: ballet positions

Spot!

Posted on by Finis Jhung

Spotting makes the difference: After class today, Ari was practicing her pirouette en dehors with arms fifth high. She could not find her balance. The reason was that she was pulling in her supporting arm in order to turn and did it so quickly with so much force she ending up spinning faster than she could spot and could not control the turns. I told her to slow it down a bit and make each spot separate and distinct. First, plié and push down, then snap your head quickly , which will bring your body around, and then bring the arms into position. At first she didn’t get it, but after a few tries she did exactly as instructed and made a multiple pirouette with four sharply spotted turns. We could see each turn separately—her spotting was that clear and distinct and her balance was perfect. She showed us a series of individual balances: one-one-one-one. After she did it, she was amazed. So were we!

Photo of Belle McDonagh (Elance Adult Ballet School, Victoria, Australia) by Stephen von der Launitz

A PLIÉ IS NOT A PLIÉ

Posted on by Finis Jhung

A PLIÉ IS NOT A PLIÉ

Go beyond the position. What are you going to do with that demi-plié in fifth position? What is it for? If you are making the plié as a preparation for a pirouette, pose, or jump, make sure you place your weight over what will be your supporting toe. This will make it much easier for you to rise perfectly balanced on one foot. Form follows function. More details on this idea are in my instructional video “Use Your Head & Turn!”

Use Your Head & Turn! (2010)

Glide Your Glissade

Posted on by Finis Jhung

Glide Your Glissade: When you glissade sideways in second position, keep your body over the foot that pushes, not the foot that glides or brushes out. In general, students tend to let their bodies follow the foot that brushes out which makes them clunk or lurch over that foot and creates a movement that looks abrupt and uncontrolled. If you are making a glissade to the left side, you should reach to the right and keep your head connected to the right foot while the left foot brushes out. When the right foot pushes away from the floor, your body will be pushed up and over to the left foot, and the right foot that just pushed will then brush into the fifth position. When moving to the left, look towards the diagonal right and keep your weight to the right. In other words, don’t let the foot that brushes out pull your body to it. Wait for the foot that is going to brush in (the right foot) to push you away from the floor and over to the foot that brushed out. Done this way, your movement GLIDES smoothly and gracefully across the floor—which is why it is called a GLISSADE. This movement is broken down and demonstrated beautifully by City Ballet Soloist Antonio Carmena in the Finis Jhung instructional video “Basic Ballet Movement Skills Lesson 1.”

 

Basic Ballet Movement Skills: Lesson 1 (2013)

CAUTION!

Posted on by Finis Jhung

The more you practice incorrectly the better you get at doing it wrong. It does not matter how many classes you take—wrong will never be right. Open your mind to the possibilities of new ways to do old things.Try doing things differently and surprise yourself.

Airborne!

Posted on by Finis Jhung

This is one of the most useful videos Finis has created because it not only teaches you how to jump, it also teaches you how to dance BIG. Learn how to execute connecting movements such as the glissade and pas de bourrée so that they become preparations for little jumps such as the jeté and assemblé. Finis shows each exercise, step-by-step, count-by-count, and then it is expertly demonstrated. Finis analyzes and corrects each exercise and then it is repeated with noticeable improvement.  And that is because Finis shows you how to use opposition through your torso and arms in order to facilitate the movements of the feet and legs. Wouldn’t you like to look in the mirror and see yourself standing in the air? You can, and will, when you learn what Finis teaches in this video. Get the streaming version so you can coach yourself  before each class. Transform yourself from earth-borne to airborne.

The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique Level 4: Intermediate Centerwork on Jumps (2005)

Lift & Kick versus Reach & Push

Posted on by Finis Jhung

As you dance forward across the center floor with a battement fondu developpé relevé, it’s a good idea to remember how Gail Grant defines it in “The Technical Manual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet”: “As the supporting leg straightens, the dancer rises to the demi-pointe and performs a developpé at 45 or 90 degrees.”  Sadly, many ballet students execute this step backwards: First they lift and kick the developpé and then use that momentum to lift the supporting heel and pull the supporting leg straight. This pulls your weight away from the supporting toe, looks jerky, and makes you look clumsy.

Here’s how to look better: Reach forward as far as possible with what will be your supporting leg. Point that foot strongly. Correctly align that foot so that it will be under your body on half-toe. Press down firmly on the floor with the ball and toes of your supporting foot. This will make you rise to the half-toe on a straight leg. As you push down and rise, the back foot will automatically be brought forward—it will follow your supporting foot—and then you will complete the developpé. Always time your movements with the transfer of weight to the supporting foot and leg.

Get On Your Leg & Dance! (2011)

Turn Your Leading Arm

Posted on by Finis Jhung

Whether you pirouette en dehors (turning to the right on your left foot) or pirouette en dedans (turning to the right on your right foot) go ahead and use the right arm to initiate and complete the turn. When you turn to the right and fall to the right, it is because you are bringing your left side to the right. Divide your body in half: left side, right side. Learn to keep them apart—the left stays left, the right stays right. One side should lead the other. One side is more important than the other. First you do this, then you do that. For both turns to the right, first reach back and twist to the left, and leave it there. Then turn your right arm back and around to the completion. It doesn’t matter what leg you are on. As long as you turning to the right, lead with the right arm. And, vice-versa. And don’t forget to give the supporting knee a push past the toes and press the ball of your feet firmly to the floor. And, spot! Check out the video on inside turns: https://finisjhung.com/shop/pirouette-class-3/

Dance with Your Feet

Posted on by Finis Jhung

Try to dance more with your feet rather than your legs. Do less dancing with your thighs and knees and more with your feet. Your feet should never be passive. Your supporting foot should never wobble if you are working from it, and it should push the floor to move your body. Your free foot or gesture foot should point the free leg where you want it to be. When you make a battement tendu or dégagé, even a developpé, think of where that free foot goes and let it bring the free leg to the position. Try it.