Anjuli_Bai

One should never push back into a hyper extended knee. The dynamic pull is upward through the thigh and into the hip. Never lock back into the knee. Pushing back on a hyper extended knee will not only weaken the joint, but will also displace your balance which is usually especially noticeable in turns. The knee is a vulnerable joint, being both weight bearing as well as highly mobile. In addition it is a flange joint which is less stable that the ball and socket construction. The answer to the problem of pain is not a gel - but eliminating the problem. A gel is a topical application and doesn't address the underlying cause.

I am looking at a very beautiful picture of Prima Ballerina Natalia Makarova. She is in Odette's swan costume - on pointe - one foot up in attitude derriére. She is in a backbend in which her back is parrallel to the floor. Her face is looking up to the ceiling, but the head is above the arms which are stretched behind her (also parrallel to the floor) like swan's wings. It's a famous picture - perhaps you've seen it. If you go to Google and enter "Natalia Makarova Images" the picture comes up twice in the third row. Interesting things to note: Though her face is looking at the ceiling, the head is still above the arms - like a head on a pillow- if she turned her face sideways she would see her eyes in the mirror above the arms. If you took your hand and covered up her body from the waist up so the backbend is not visible, she is in perfect balance on pointe in attitude derriére - her hips are exactly balanced over her foot. You would never know that above the waist she is in a backbend. But she is in full backbend - her back parallel to the floor.. So where on the spine does her bend occur? Right where her heart is - not at the lumbar spine. She was certainly Vaganova trained and known as a very flexible dancer.

This came up on AOL news...... NYCB rehearsing with choreographer Alexei Ratmansky: http://on.aol.com/show/517887470-city-ballet/518489124?icid=maing-grid7%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl40%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D557280 Since I couldn't add it to the Links thread, I put it here. Moderators: Please move to wherever you think best.

Lovely!

An often neglected - but very important - part of a back bend - either forward or backward - is the arm position. Stand sideways to the barre in fifth position and hold the barre lightly with your inward hand. Lift your outward arm over your head - en haut - and turn your head to the side so you can see yourself in the mirror. Your head should be just in front of your arm and you should be able to see both eyes in the mirror. It looks as though your head is lying on a pillow (your arm). As you bend forward the head faces front and the hand on the barre will need to more forward on the barre. You go "up and out" before going down. Be sure to lengthen your back (it should always be lengthened), now begin to go forward, keep the lengthening of the back, the neck lengthened - head is facing forward. You are bending from the hips, as you stretch dynamically forward keep going down toward your feet, arm is still over the crown of your head. When you reach your maximum, your head is close to your feet - allow the head to fully relax and that will fully stretch out your spine right into the tail bone. That relaxation at the bottom of the bend is very important. Before coming up, stretch down and out a bit more and come up until fully erect. Turn your head - look in the mirror. Your head should be in the same place - in front of the arm. Keep the dynamic stretch in the back, keep the head turned to the side - and begin to stretch back. Watch it in the mirror - your head should look like it is lying on a pillow - your lifted arm is the pillow. Do not allow the head to go behind the arm. As your go back feel the articulation of your neck stretching, then through the thorax, until the major bend occurs just about at the place of your spine where your heart is. Keep watching it in the mirror - your head looks like it is lying on a pillow (your arm). Watch in the mirror that you have not pulled yourself back on your heels. As you do the backbend the hand holding the barre will have had to more back slightly. In both the bend to the front and the bend to the back, you should be able to let go of the barre, just enough to check that you are still well placed over your feet. Make sure that at no time are your shoulders raised. As you come up from the bend to the back, go through the articulation of the back - the head (still turned to the side and still watching in the mirror) and lifted arm come up as one piece - but the back comes up in sections. Each section is lengthened into a flexible whole. I hope something I've said here helps.

An interesting exercise in writing about dance - including but not limited to reviews - is to write the same piece but for different readers. Write it for those who know very little about dance. Write it again for those who are somewhat familiar. Write another version for the truly knowledgeable. And write yet another for a mixed readership. Then decide which group you want to engage. If your answer is "all of the above" - you will have to offer something for each group. If you are reviewing or discussing "Nutcracker," the truly knowledgeable probably won't want - or need - a recitation of the Nutcracker story, whilst those who have little familiarity with ballet would need such a recitation. For instance for those who are knowledgeable you might say: "Dancer Joe Jones gave Uncle Drosselmeyer a new character twist....." But for those unfamiliar with Nutcracker, you will first have to describe who Uncle Drosselmeyer is. I am not suggesting this as part of your blog - but as a private exercise for yourself.

Much of the activity for small children seems to be confined to the school grounds - a school party or fair. Very few young children on the street and if so - always accompanied by a parent. Many shopping malls have something going for Halloween, too. Some houses have modest displays - spider webs or ghosts, etc. I haven't seen any light displays. Adults are more into it then when I was a child. Now there are lots of adult costume parties especially among the younger set. There are always a few people who take advantage of whatever is going on - not particularly on Halloween. But, as usual, the majority are just having a bit of fun. There's nothing wrong with having a bit of fun -

I've taken the liberty of pasting in some guidelines I wrote for myself many years ago. I also used them when the Dance Critics Association gave me the opportunity to mentor some young dance critics. I hope you find it useful. I am sure others will add many more. GUIDELINES Do I really have something to say? Have I come to the table with a clean plate or do I have a prior bias? Does it have a beginning, a middle and an end? Have I set the stage: time, date, place, event? Am I taking the reader along with me? Am I fulfilling implied promises to the reader? (If I suggested this was going to be an unusual event – is it really?) If I say a dancer or a ballet is different/special - how? why? Am I placing the correct amount of emphasis on each part of the review/story according to its importance to the piece as a whole? Read it out loud and listen to it with open ears. Is it smooth? Jerky? Does the cadence change? Obscurity is not a sign of sophistication. The writing should be pleasing to the eye as well as the ear - paragraphing is inviting to the eye and gives a moment for the material presented to be "digested." Check for long run-on sentences which convey too much information at one time. Check for too many short sentences which chop up the thought picture. Check for repeated words and phrases – and unnecessary phrases or words – such as "like," "very,” “there.” Try eliminating a word or phrase and see if it makes an appreciable difference. Maintain the same voice throughout – passive/active as well as the cadence: informative, conversational, jovial, poetic, or casual. Each piece should have its own cadence, music, voice, sonority. Am I in control of my material? When it is all over will the reader understand what I have said and enjoyed my saying it? Am I writing for the reader or for myself? Have I fallen in love with a phrase I wrote but upon further editing it needs to go? Get all the basics right: check and recheck all spellings of names and accuracy of dates. If this is inaccurate the reader will not trust the rest of what I have to say. Do the paragraphs follow in some logical order - a timeline and/or a process of thought? Try flipping paragraphs. When I offer an opinion, have I explained the "why" of it - and can I back it up? Constantly keep in mind - my opinion is subjective, a review is a snapshot in time - one view of a dancer or a ballet is not the entire picture. If at all possible lay the piece aside for a couple of days - and then reread with open ears.

As part of being careful about a background - also consider eliminating shadows.

Regarding injuries - I agree with the statement above - if a dancer is scheduled to dance, I assume the dancer's injury is healed and the dancer is capable of performing. Issues of confidence should be taken care of in rehearsal. One of the more interesting experiences I've had in years of watching famous Romeos was the evening when a dancer from the corps undertook the role. It was exciting watching him explore the character and begin to make it his own. As for an ageing dancer.......I saw what was probably one of Fonteyn's last performances of Sleeping Beauty, Act III, where she was merely sketching in the steps and yet she was brilliant and brought the audience to a collective sigh of gratitude simply by stepping into arabesque - the proportions so perfect. On the other hand, seeing Nureyev well beyond his time, left me with sadness at the sight. He was by then dancing for himself, not for the audience. So, the dancer needs to make an artistic decision when to stop - not an emotional one. I would like to see more casting against type. As I understand it, Cynthia Gregory was never cast as Juliet. Various reasons were given but I would have liked to see her dance that role. I remember when a major company came on tour with ticket price reflecting "famous company" with not one principal dancing. It was Christmas time and I would guess the principals were out guesting various Nutcracker's. When I buy a ticket I expect at least a principal or two to dance, unless otherwise advertised.

I meant the automatic toilet flushing ....it decides when the user is finsihed and then automatically flushes - has that arrived in the UK?

Broadening the topic a bit - have the automatic toilets come to the UK? These do present some unique problems best left to the imagination. The automatic water taps can be rather tempermental which has one waving hands about in front of the "eye" trying to attract the attention of an inanimate object. One restaurant had the bright idea of a timed light in the restroom/loo. I was the only one in there when the timer decided it had been on too long and the light went out leaving me totally in the dark (no windows) in an unfamiliar maze of cubicles, sinks, - having to run one hand around walls as I tried to remember where the exit door was among a whole host of doors. The last thing I want to do is run my hands along the walls of a public restroom!!! Some of this "green" thinking needs to be rethought.

I definitely recommend that you consult a medical professional for an evaluation. If nothing else - that will put your mind at ease. If it is something that needs medical intervention you will have caught it early. Do not ignore it.

What a delight to see her!

I did enjoy the writing and offer my congratulations. The only suggestion I would make is - since this is meant to be read online - that there be more paragraphing. That makes it easier to read and more welcoming to the eye.

This sort of thing is not new - just more open and prevalent. I remember many years ago before enrolling her daughter in my class a mother asked me if I could make her daughter (age 9) look sexy. I told her I teach ballet - not sex. After several similar incidents like this, and observing parental/child behavior, I came to the conclusion that there are mothers out there who live vicariously through their daughters. In one case, criminally so. Some dads do too - through their sons - mostly in sports. It's not just a money thing - it can also be a mental/emotion need on the part of a parent/s.

Congratulations! I wish her every success.

Well, I have to disagree with the teacher who says: " "We don't teach "performance". We teach technique until it's so ingrained in the muscle memory that it then frees the mind up to concentrate on the artistry. The "performance" follows naturally." I think technique is performance and performance is technique. They go hand in hand. While it is true that technique does become ingrained and thus the years of training gives the dancer the necessary strength and skills to control what ensues.....performance is never absent from the classroom. Hence, "dancing the barre" is a worthy and necessary goal from day one. Taught that way, the student sees performance and technique as one entity - not two separate things.. If, according to that teacher, one should wait until technique is ingrained before performance qualities are addressed (naturally or not) - how long would that be? Since it takes approximately 8 to 10 years to produce a technically vocationally proficient dancer - should performance qualities be ignored until that time? The audience lives in that mirror. The mirror is not there for the sole purpose of the dancer to see what she/he is doing - but to allow that "audience" to see the dancer. It is not just a mirror - but a window.

I always feel that the child has the right to reconsider, have a change of heart and mind, and plot a different course. If that is what happens, what she has learned will never be gone and will always be of use.

I have read that the percentage of ability to remember and act on a correction in class is approximately 5%. Anyone who is a teacher and especially a teacher of an activity such as ballet had better be used to having to correct the same problem many, many times. Even after a student understands the correction, it is not always possible to immediately respond. I can remember when I was taking class, there were some corrections that it was not until years later that I truly understood what the teacher had said. The correction has to be absorbed in many different forms: while moving, while still, while turning, while jumping, etc. The brain first has to assimulate the correction, it then has to communicate this information to the body and then the body has to develop the wherewithall to respond and only then can the process BEGIN to become part of the action on any kind of a permanent basis. This doesn't happen quickly. It can take years. An impatient teacher and/or one who doesn't understand this process is not a teacher - just someone shouting out corrections. Every student is different - needs a different approach. A shy student is no less precious and the teacher needs to use a different approach. That should be obvious to the teacher. It's called positive teaching. Having favorites is not positive teaching. As for the question "is it normal to have an off day?" Oh, my, yes! I used to call those days "maintenance" days - when I was happy to simply get through it. The body - and the mind - are not machines - they don't run on automatic. On the other hand - there are also incredibly "on" days which are equally unexplainable. As for the teacher already predicting that some students will not be ready for the exam next summer - well, she is certainly full of hope isn't she? If she has no hope for each student - why should the student be hopeful or positive? Ballet is hard enough without dealing with that kind of negativity. It is the task and challenge that each student presents to the teacher and how that teacher responds which makes one a teacher. As someone who was not a syllabus teacher - it reminds me why I chose not to be. Exams are not the be all and end all of the study of ballet. I hope your daughter finds her path to a more positive situation and blossoms in a kinder environment.

There have been numerous threads on this forum on the interaction of strength and stretch - here is a repost of some of them: One way that I have found worked really well for me - I am rather more tight than flexible - is either at the end of barre work or after class entirely: Stand with one hand on the barre developpé your leg onto the barre to the front. Make sure your leg is definitely aligned correctly, hips/shoulders and leg squarely in the front where it should be. Now, lift the leg off the barre as much as you can, even an inch or two will do. Then after a count or two lower your leg back down to the barre. Repeat several times and then repeat with the leg in second position. I found this extremely efficacious. Even though I am retired, I still do this regularly and my extensions are still shoulder high. But they originally were barely hip high. It must be done religiously. Progress will not be speedy but it will occur. Another thing: Do your developpés (front/side/back) in fondu, then when fully extended, straighten your supporting leg. Usually we are able to develop the leg a bit higher when in fondu and so taking advantage of that, try to keep the leg at that height as you straighten the supporting leg. Another thing: Rise onto either demi-pointe or full pointe, standing at the barre and do your developpés, after fully extended slowly come down to a flat foot. Since this was done on a demi or full foot the extension was a bit higher, and now as you descend try to keep that extra bit of extension. Another thing: When you do grand battements don't allow the leg to drop back down, - lower it with control. This will take advantage of the stretch through the back of the leg on the way up and build strength to keep it there. Brush up quickly with a strong push off through the toe, then retard the descent as much as possible. Another thing: This is a visualization - and visualizations can be important. As you develop your leg picture a hand lifting the thigh from underneath and another hand pulling up your foot right where your shoe ribbons cross on top of your foot. Another thing: When you start your extension lift the knee as high as you can, and then develop the rest of the leg from there. Another thing: If you can do the stretch where you take your heel in your hand and extend to second position, try to slowly let go of your foot and maintain it in the air. If you can't do it holding onto your heel, then hold onto your ankle or calf. A good stretch/strengthener for arabesque: Stand at the barre in fifth position, sideways, with one hand on the barre. Tendu your outside foot to the back. Now, do your very best back bend, remembering to obey all the rules of alignment and with ABSOLUTELY no weight on your back tendu foot. Now at the depth of your backbend, lock into that back leg with your back muscles, come up bringing your tendu back leg with you into arabesque. Don't come up one inch without bringing your arabesque leg with you. Keep it coming up, up, up, and then go into penché without unlocking that arabesque leg from your back. When you've hit the extent of your penché, come back up to arabesque - leg still locked in your back. None of these things will work over night - but with dedication and work - they will help. STRETCH AND STRENGTH Some Basic Concepts There are basically two types of bodies – those that are strong and those that are flexible. We are all, however, a bit of both – leaning slightly more to one side or the other. Each type of body has an advantage and a disadvantage. Usually people who are very flexible tend not to be as strong – or let’s use the word “stable”. They can bend in all directions and have a high and easy extension, but have trouble maintaining the extension or their stability (balance), for any length of time. These people tend to look like they are going to fall around. At the other end – are the strong people – they are very stable – can hold their extension “forever” but it’s just not high and doesn’t have a light look. These people tend to look like they are so stiff, that they can’t move. Most of us are somewhere on that scale – slightly to one side of the scale or the other. You can work on both stretch and strength with specific exercises to improve both. It takes time. It takes patience. And, it takes dedication, working on it steadily, not just once in a while. There are rules that the dancer must follow when working on either stretch or strength, in order to accomplish what you want to accomplish and not get injured in the process. You must be fully warmed up. This does not mean walking into a warm room wearing sweat clothes. It does not mean rubbing on a topical ointment and feeling it warm your skin. It DOES means working slowly through the ballet barre (or other dance warmup) completely. The internal temperature of the muscles, tendons and ligaments has to be raised so that both stretch and strength can be realized and increased, safely and efficiently. Ideally medium stretching should be done after the exercises at the barre are completed and the larger stretches done after the entire ballet class. After that, again ideally, the dancer should walk around instead of getting right into a car and driving, because as one sits the muscles contract again. Neither stretching nor strengthening should be forced in any way. Pain is indicative of a problem and is a warning to stop. STRETCH – Basic Concepts - more First a repeat: Always be well warmed up. Never force anything. If pain occurs stop. Keep it simple. Relax into the stretch. Be patient. Do it regularly. Don’t put your body into any position from which it can’t easily escape. Don’t endanger one part of your body to stretch another. I have purposely picked the simplest of stretches in each category. I believe that all stretches can be divided into three basic categories: The body alone – stretching against itself. The body against the floor. The body against an object. In my opinion the body against itself is the safest. When the body is not braced against an immovable object, such as a barre or the floor, or a wall it is the least likely to get hurt. The following are a couple of the many, many examples of the body stretching against itself. If you really fulfill the demands of grand battement you are stretching toward a split. By maintaining the correct alignment of the torso and the standing leg, with a strong push off for the battement, you are not only kicking but also stretching with little danger of injury. For stretching the spine and back of legs, hold the legs, knees and feet in proper alignment and simply bend forward. Keep one hand on the barre for balance – in case you get dizzy. It is CRUCIAL that the head be fully relaxed so that the spine can also relax. Now simply allow gravity to lower the body downward (give it a few moments) until your hands can touch the floor. This is a passive stretch, safe and effective. ……………………………. The body against the floor: Be sure when you are on the floor you sit on a towel so you are not on a cold surface. Cold contracts muscles. Though the floor is an immovable object against which you are bracing the body, if used passively there is little danger. Only a couple examples follow of many, many floor stretches: Sit on the towel, legs stretched out in front of you and bend forward hands reaching toward your toes – relax into the stretch – hold a few moments and try to go a bit further and relax again. Never proceed in furthering a stretch without the interval for relaxation. A relaxed muscle stretches – contracted muscles do not. Without relaxation you will be working at cross-purposes. Another example: Still sitting on the towel, bring the bottoms of your feet together. With your hands GENTLY press your knees down toward the floor. Never pull your feet with your hands. Now bend your upper torso forward and relax over your legs. Again relax, and proceed – relax and proceed. When this same stretch is inverted – when you lie face down on the floor with the bottoms of your feet touching, this is now a much less benign stretch because your weight is bearing down on your hips and knees in a much more forceful way, and so the possibility for injury is increased. ………………. The last type of stretch and more dangerous is bracing your body against an object such as a wall or barre. If you do stretch on the barre remember – you are asking your body to hold you on one leg and stretch too. Never lose the alignment of the shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles of either leg in order to stretch on the barre. You gain nothing and lose much. A simple split on the floor is as effective as a split on the wall and far less dangerous. Avoid showy stretches. Simple ones are equally as efficacious. Never put your body in an untenable position from which is cannot easily escape should something untoward happen. An example of this is hanging your heels over the edge of a stair step in order to stretch Achilles tendons and calves. Simply placing your feet together facing forward and leaning into the barre, with derriere in, is as effective and not nearly as dangerous – as a slip off a stair step. I hope somethhing here helps.

Your boyfriend - or anyone else except your teacher - should not be helping you to stretch.

He was a fantastic talent. Rest in Peace.

Historically men have dominated dance. In some cultures women are forbidden to dance. All performing dance (of which I am aware) has roots in folk dance. Hip hop is a good example of a dance form which is now done as a performance but is still very close to its roots both in structure as well as time. Thus, it is more acceptable for males to dance. The further a dance form moves from its roots the more unacceptable or unable to as readily attract male participants. It becomes "rarified" and so is seen as feminine. The argument that ballet requires athletic ability will never overcome the perception that it doesn't. It's how it "looks" not how it "is." Reason seldom overcomes perception.

I do believe that tights (made from silk) were worn by the upper classes and at court. Picture in your mind the various kings of France, or the Three Musketeers. A man was judged by the elegance of his legs and in fact "making a leg" was another way of saying "bowing" or "a reverence" before royalty. It is true that the upper portion of the leg was covered by a jacket and/or doublet - but still the legs were clothed in tights. It was a sign of wealth - who but the wealthy could afford such a wardrobe made of silk? In fact, the entire "grand reverence" was designed to show off the various aspects of clothing indicating wealth as the hand held a hat adorned with ostrich feathers - the arm moving down the front of the body to emphasize the lace at the throat and cuffs, jeweled butttons and fasteners, silk tights on the legs, jeweled shoe buckles. The ballet has preserved this reverance. Many of the movements of the ballet are a living museum of the movements from centuries ago. The petit batterie such as "royale" is another. Through the years different parts of the male leg were left uncovered beginning with the ankles, then the calves, and on up the leg with the very top covered by the ballooning doublet. The same with the female leg.