hip position in arabesque

[Tango Dancer]

I can't comment on the technical issue but Joseph Sissens is a beautiful dancer. I saw him rehearsing the Neapolitan dance in the Swan Lake insight event last week and he's a lovely dancer to watch. 

[LinMM]

I’m always a bit puzzled by this hip alignment thing though as I thought the hips can only stay very square until the legs hit 90 degrees 

After that I’m sure there has to be some hip displacement to go above this height. 
Obviously when you are young and training it will be a while before the leg can be held perfectly at 90 even ...so not an issue. 
obviously your body lowers if doing a straight forward penche ...only once you’ve reached 90 though...to get the extra height but something like a pique arabesque is different because you have to keep the upper body up as it were. 

 

[LinMM]

Beautifully extended leg by Jo Sissens .. difficult in some photos to tell exact angles etc .. but I’d say his leg is behind him ....perfect or not in this picture he is a lovely dancer who stands out on stage for the purity of his classical dancing in most performances 🌹💖🌹

[Meetmeatthebarre]

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but could I ask about the hip position of the *supporting* leg when en pointe? Conventional wisdom suggests that a turned out leg is correct, but I have seen so many pictures of even high-level professionals where the supporting leg appears barely turned out, if at all. 

 

PS I've always thought of the arabesque with the opened hip/turned torso as a very Balanchine move - it certainly appears a lot in his choreo. 

[FionaM]

On 24/02/2020 at 17:34, Meetmeatthebarre said:

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but could I ask about the hip position of the *supporting* leg when en pointe? Conventional wisdom suggests that a turned out leg is correct, but I have seen so many pictures of even high-level professionals where the supporting leg appears barely turned out, if at all. 

 

PS I've always thought of the arabesque with the opened hip/turned torso as a very Balanchine move - it certainly appears a lot in his choreo. 

The supporting leg in arabesque ‘should’ be turned out whether on flat foot or en pointe.  In a performance a dancer is obviously moving from one position to another and so a photograph might catch an arabesque where the supporting leg appears not as turned out as it should be.  In reality it is very difficult to hold an arabesque en pointe with both legs turned out.

[Meetmeatthebarre]

5 hours ago, FionaE said:

The supporting leg in arabesque ‘should’ be turned out whether on flat foot or en pointe.  In a performance a dancer is obviously moving from one position to another and so a photograph might catch an arabesque where the supporting leg appears not as turned out as it should be.  In reality it is very difficult to hold an arabesque en pointe with both legs turned out.

 

Thank you so much - I should have said that it's also in performances when I've noticed that, but in short - it's an "acceptable" cheat for extension when just holding lines?

[ArucariaBallerina]

I would say (unless it's just me) that it's nearly impossible to maintain a fully turned out supporting leg in arabesque without lifting the hip a little. Of course you still have to turn out but mine is more of a 45 degree angle. I love a pure arabesque like the pros do though ❤️

[Pas de Quatre]

This is the difference between academic technique which is what a dancer should be striving for in the classroom, and acceptable "modifications" in performances.  It is another reason why professional dancers who haven't undergone teacher training are not always suitable for teaching students.