How long can dancers hold their Developee a La Seconde?

[Lisa O`Brien]

I`m talking about professional ballet dancers. I`ve always wondered how long they can actually maintain their leg in that position, when their leg is at "six o`clock" or near enough ? You see the famous Giselle Developpe in Act 2 ,but it`s only for a few seconds. Would a female ballet dancer be able to hold it there for say,a minute? More? It`s just something i`ve always wondered about. Thanks.

[Dance*is*life]

Interesting thought!   Actually once the leg is in the 6 o' clock position, it's much easier to hold for long periods than say at 90 degrees, because you've pretty much gone against gravity. 

[LinMM]

One of my current dancing teachers said this!! I found it hard to believe but there is probably some physics involved in it!!

 

Mind you anyone who can get the 6 o clock position is probably pretty strong anyway.

 

I suppose even for a professional holding in second for any length of time could still.be difficult because muscle fatigue would set in eventually. I'd be surprised if more than two to three minutes and you've got to hold your balance too so might start getting the wobbles even before then!!

[Peanut68]

Frankly....who cares? That's my answer to the original Q asked!

Now, was a developpe unfurled with true expression of the music & sentiment of the choreography & any story being told? Was it then tantalizingly extended to convey the completion of that movement with the time held almost like a hover in the air....a promise of something to come....that intangible thing that can make that simple movement a thing of true beauty!!? Now those are questions worth asking! & a developpe extended just at an angle of say 45% can be as stunning & effective if executed with true artistry as a devloppe at 180%....it is not just the leg movement but the way the body may lean, the matching or mismatching of arm line, the tilt of the head...the direction of the eyes...a smile or a flash of anger perhaps even! Whatever is called for in the choreography, by the Dance Director or by the story being told.....or even what is asked for if part of the syllabus if in 'class'. This is one of those movements that can just make you fall in love with a particular dancer's style & indeed with ballet!

Well....that has set me off wanting to go see more ballet soon!

[Lisa O`Brien]

Frankly....who cares? That's my answer to the original Q asked!

Now, was a developpe unfurled with true expression of the music & sentiment of the choreography & any story being told? Was it then tantalizingly extended to convey the completion of that movement with the time held almost like a hover in the air....a promise of something to come....that intangible thing that can make that simple movement a thing of true beauty!!? Now those are questions worth asking! & a developpe extended just at an angle of say 45% can be as stunning & effective if executed with true artistry as a devloppe at 180%....it is not just the leg movement but the way the body may lean, the matching or mismatching of arm line, the tilt of the head...the direction of the eyes...a smile or a flash of anger perhaps even! Whatever is called for in the choreography, by the Dance Director or by the story being told.....or even what is asked for if part of the syllabus if in 'class'. This is one of those movements that can just make you fall in love with a particular dancer's style & indeed with ballet!

Well....that has set me off wanting to go see more ballet soon!

I was actually thinking of a dancer taking a class ,not performing on stage.

[Nicola Moriarty]

Some dancers can hold it effortlessly for a while, sure if they trained it to stay there they could do it for minutes, (like the plank) but we never train to stay there for very long as muscles would start contracting bulking and potentially harming the body and technique!! I think its a the dif between dancing and circus!!!! Dancers are elite athletes but don't really hold records, does this help?????? basically i think a highly trained dancer could do anything if they wanted to hahaha x

[drdance]

Some dancers can hold it effortlessly for a while, sure if they trained it to stay there they could do it for minutes, (like the plank) but we never train to stay there for very long as muscles would start contracting bulking and potentially harming the body and technique!! I think its a the dif between dancing and circus!!!! Dancers are elite athletes but don't really hold records, does this help?????? basically i think a highly trained dancer could do anything if they wanted to hahaha x

 

FYI the only way a dancer could get 'bulking' muscles is by using extremely heavy weights and eating copious amounts of protein. There are athletes who train purely to increase muscle bulk and it is not an easy thing to do, it doesn't happen by accident!

However, I agree with the statement that dancers don't train to hold that position for any length of time and unless it's asked for specifically in choreography, it's not a necessary action for a dancer!