Facial expressions

[Farli]

Hi everyone,

 

I am an adult ballet dancer, I have been at ballet for the past 6 years seriously and training for my Intermediate exam for the past 2 years. This might be an odd question but I am finding it hard to express myself correctly.  I did competitions many years in other areas of dance and danced in lots of amdram stage shows so I have no problem full on smiling but I’m finding it really hard to show the right expression on my face for ballet.    I am trying to ‘feel it’ and show how much I love ballet (which I  really do), however, when I do that I think I end up just smiling and all my technique goes out of the window.   I feel so embarrassed that I cannot get his right and frustrated because I know it is really letting me down.  I work super hard at all my exam exercises especially as I am not a trained ballerina and I really want to reach my full potential and show that I can do it.. I absolutely live for ballet and when I watch videos of other people dancing they are so expressive and you can see how much they feel it and love it.  Can anyone help at all please? I’m at a loss with what to try.  Thank you so much for any help at all 🙂

[Ruby Foo]

When you say you love ballet, what exactly does that mean? 

Expression can come from the storytelling / acting in a Ballet ( such as Giselle or Swan Lake) where you are immersing yourself in a role, or from the music, or generally both. Joy is found in movement especially to music but also incredibly powerful without music. Sometimes it’s hard performing syllabus exercises to understand how they link to all these things but ALL movements in Ballet have an underlying PURPOSE and meaning, which lies in an understanding,(brain) and emotion,from your core (soul). Its going to be unique to you but within a classical technique. So before you begin a movement your brain has connected to what this means for you and how you want to communicate this to your audience. Authenticity is so important, because it’s easy to ‘forge’ ballet expression by copying others, but it is easy for others to see it’s not genuine or believable. 
Maybe start by feeling a sense of openness before the music starts ( preparation) Not smiling, or blankness but really opening your soul, and face and eyes and breath, let the music overcome you, that the expression you are feeling will emanate from you without you trying too hard. Really be aware of your breathing and the music and how they enhance one another. What does the music mean to you? Where are the highlights in the music? How will you interpret that?

Is it calm or dramatic? Where are the breaths going to be taken and the musical phrases? What colours do you see? And textures? Using your whole body to interpret the music, feeling the fluidity or the cheekiness, strength and joy.

All this can be interpreted through the whole of your body, arms, fingers, back, legs, not just in your face. There’s no right or wrong, it’s just how you interpret the space, the music and your love of movement. Obviously your teacher will correct you should your interpretation interrupt your technique and line.

You could always try to practice the exercises at home to music you love instead of the syllabus music if it helps to move you from within. And just listening to music and becoming curious to how you might interpret it in movement will help. Watching Ballets where you recognise some of the syllabus steps you do in class, may help you to see how they can be performed in a wider setting and to become aware of how the steps speak to you.

I would recommend watching several different artists preform the same ballet and becoming aware of how they interpret things differently. I can personally recommend watching Sophie Martin  

of Scottish Ballet perform Swan Lake. I have never been moved so much in my life. Every tiny pore of her body told of her joy and pain. Exceptional.

Some people believe can’t teach expression in Ballet, that you either have it or not. But expressing ourselves it what we all do every day and it’s just the same in a ballet class. Just a case of being more aware, gradual exploration and development. Enjoy!

[Ruby Foo]

Sorry, the post above is very long! Apologies. I think I’m just trying to suggest that your face will quite naturally reflect what’s going on inside of you without you trying too hard ‘ toput on a face’.  Then your face will be ‘open’ and expressive and natural and others ( audience) will willingly engage with it.

Edited November 14, 2021 by valentina

[Anna C]

A ballet teacher once told my daughter that once correct technique is ingrained, is muscle memory, so that you don’t have to keep thinking “pull up/turn out/relax the shoulders/support the elbows, point, long neck” etc ad infinitum, then your mind will be free to express yourself and act.  When you say that you end up just smiling and your technique goes out the window, I think you may be trying to think of too many things at once.  

 

For barre work and syllabus exercises, there’s really no need to have any sort of facial expression, even in exams.  You are concentrating on technique, steps, and the music, and that’s what you are marked on.  Only in the variations might you need an appropriate facial expression such as a small smile, but this can be thought about once the steps and technique are absolutely solid, and you’re moving onto thinking about whole-body expressiveness and musicality, i.e. “dancing” the exercise with your whole body, right down to the tips of your fingers.

 

Remember, when you watch videos of professional ballet dancers performing, this is their career; they’ve usually been dancing from a very young age, had acting and mime classes at school, and their technique is absolutely solid, giving them time to think about telling the story. 

 

Why do you feel you *need* to show how much you love ballet?  Is this for auditions for amateur adult dance companies/performances?  Because the whole point of learning ballet as an adult is surely for enjoyment/a hobby/personal satisfaction - if you’re overthinking it to the extent that you’re worried about it, it doesn’t sound terribly enjoyable.  I wonder if you relax a bit, and enjoy learning, your face will relax too and form its own expression?

[LinMM]

I think dancing to pass an exam is different to dancing for enjoyment say as in an amateur performance. So perhaps they need separating first. 
Usually an exam has the emphasis on technique so one is trying hard to execute correctly ....though of course some marks are given for presentation and musicality etc. In an exam situation I’m sure just the animation of your concentration ...so nothing too hysterically joyous or dramatic.... is all that’s required! 
However when performing for a paying audience that’s different. Because in this scenario your main emphasis is not on technique ( though it’s not abandoned either) but on getting across the enjoyment or expression of the Piece you are dancing so you will be freer to let yourself come through as it were. Dancing a Piece to John Taverner music will be very different from dancing to the music for Don Q for example. How you express yourself here will be related to how you feel the music and of course the choreographers intent and input. 
Some of the most joyous moments for me  in the class situation that I’ve experienced ....though not in exam class situations where the same music is used over and over again ...is where an enchainement has been set....so new on the day...and music for it played....new on the day.. and there’s a bit of a struggle to fit it all together in the few minutes you actually have (and without  falling over your own feet) and then there will be lots of natural spontaneous smiles as this is achieved and the recognition in the moment of both yours and others in the groups achievement to express the choreography to the music. 
I love it when watching Company classes...especially ENB ones.... in the allegro section when a little bit of competitive spirit comes in and you can see the dancers trying to “out do” each other for the sheer hell and joy of it!! Then there’s lots of smiles and spontaneous clapping of each other as one dancer or another happens to achieve something special in that moment. 
You certainly don’t need to “prove” to anybody else that you love ballet! By continually turning up for class after a hard days work is proof enough!! 
Has somebody been questioning you attending your ballet classes and why you are doing it? 

[Farli]

10 hours ago, valentina said:

Sorry, the post above is very long! Apologies. I think I’m just trying to suggest that your face will quite naturally reflect what’s going on inside of you without you trying too hard ‘ toput on a face’.  Then your face will be ‘open’ and expressive and natural and others ( audience) will willingly engage with it.

Thank you so much. This is very helpful. I'm just trying to understand so I can become more natural. I think that's what I do...I try too hard! I just wasn't sure how I should present myself as I am so used to performing, this is very different for me. really appreciate you trying to help. Thank you ☺️. 

[Farli]

1 hour ago, Anna C said:

A ballet teacher once told my daughter that once correct technique is ingrained, is muscle memory, so that you don’t have to keep thinking “pull up/turn out/relax the shoulders/support the elbows, point, long neck” etc ad infinitum, then your mind will be free to express yourself and act.  When you say that you end up just smiling and your technique goes out the window, I think you may be trying to think of too many things at once.  

 

For barre work and syllabus exercises, there’s really no need to have any sort of facial expression, even in exams.  You are concentrating on technique, steps, and the music, and that’s what you are marked on.  Only in the variations might you need an appropriate facial expression such as a small smile, but this can be thought about once the steps and technique are absolutely solid, and you’re moving onto thinking about whole-body expressiveness and musicality, i.e. “dancing” the exercise with your whole body, right down to the tips of your fingers.

 

Remember, when you watch videos of professional ballet dancers performing, this is their career; they’ve usually been dancing from a very young age, had acting and mime classes at school, and their technique is absolutely solid, giving them time to think about telling the story. 

 

Why do you feel you *need* to show how much you love ballet?  Is this for auditions for amateur adult dance companies/performances?  Because the whole point of learning ballet as an adult is surely for enjoyment/a hobby/personal satisfaction - if you’re overthinking it to the extent that you’re worried about it, it doesn’t sound terribly enjoyable.  I wonder if you relax a bit, and enjoy learning, your face will relax too and form its own expression?

Hi,. Thank you so much! You make a lot of sense.  I should probably just concentrate on learning my technique and steps etc at the moment.   I think you have hit the nail on the head...I agree that perhaps my focus needs to be more relaxed and it will come naturally.  I will give that a go! Thank you ☺️

[Farli]

50 minutes ago, LinMM said:

I think dancing to pass an exam is different to dancing for enjoyment say as in an amateur performance. So perhaps they need separating first. 
Usually an exam has the emphasis on technique so one is trying hard to execute correctly ....though of course some marks are given for presentation and musicality etc. In an exam situation I’m sure just the animation of your concentration ...so nothing too hysterically joyous or dramatic.... is all that’s required! 
However when performing for a paying audience that’s different. Because in this scenario your main emphasis is not on technique ( though it’s not abandoned either) but on getting across the enjoyment or expression of the Piece you are dancing so you will be freer to let yourself come through as it were. Dancing a Piece to John Taverner music will be very different from dancing to the music for Don Q for example. How you express yourself here will be related to how you feel the music and of course the choreographers intent and input. 
Some of the most joyous moments for me  in the class situation that I’ve experienced ....though not in exam class situations where the same music is used over and over again ...is where an enchainement has been set....so new on the day...and music for it played....new on the day.. and there’s a bit of a struggle to fit it all together in the few minutes you actually have (and without  falling over your own feet) and then there will be lots of natural spontaneous smiles as this is achieved and the recognition in the moment of both yours and others in the groups achievement to express the choreography to the music. 
I love it when watching Company classes...especially ENB ones.... in the allegro section when a little bit of competitive spirit comes in and you can see the dancers trying to “out do” each other for the sheer hell and joy of it!! Then there’s lots of smiles and spontaneous clapping of each other as one dancer or another happens to achieve something special in that moment. 
You certainly don’t need to “prove” to anybody else that you love ballet! By continually turning up for class after a hard days work is proof enough!! 
Has somebody been questioning you attending your ballet classes and why you are doing it? 

Ah thank you so much! No, nobody is questioning me...only me !!   I think maybe I was getting muddled with performance and exams and seeking out the difference in expression. I probably didn't write very clearly what I was trying to say. Your post makes a lot of sense. I think I just need to relax a bit and just naturally enjoy it.  I just really wondered how I should express myself in an exam since I have only had experience of performing so I was unsure.. Thank you so much  😊

[Peanut68]

Valentina I think sums it all up brilliantly!! I think she has outlined what I fear here’s missed often in syllabus teaching as precious weekly time slots are technique driven (& probably rightly so for achieving highest marks) It’s the extra curricula stuff you can add in yourself (even if it’s just listening to ranges of ballet & other music in the car on the school run or whilst washing up…allowing yourself to get swept up in the emotions of the music may engender emotions or natural reactions like joy/tears/anxiety etc

A well known phrase? ‘Think & therefore I am’  Something like that anyway! 
Further research on syllabus may reveal music used is actual snippets from certain ballets which may help suggest the style/characterisation etc that inspired a specific exercise. I’m pretty sure that RAD inter has some Coppelia…. Well, if that’s an exercise say like a frappe with sharp precise movements, well perhaps it is based on when the real Coppelia is trying to mimic the clockwork doll! So this might a) help explain & give reason for the movements & desired technique but may also put you into a cheeky & coquettish frame of mind… as whilst Coppelia (now I’m questioning my names of characters…??) is trying to appear to be the clockwork inanimate doll to the old man, she is at the same time trying to flirt & be all woman with the younger dude!! A very base level telling of the story there but I’m sure you get my drift!! 
I’m sure the teacher (or RAD website) can help identify the various sources of the music I’m sure most exam bodies & syllabuses draw on classical ballets/opera/musical theatre & other for their musical inspiration which I’m sure in turn inspired the Choreo of barre/centre work & dances etc. Good luck & enjoy your journey! 

 

 

Edited November 14, 2021 by Peanut68
Typo

[Farli]

3 hours ago, Peanut68 said:

Valentina I think sums it all up brilliantly!! I think she has outlined what I fear here’s missed often in syllabus teaching as precious weekly time slots are technique driven (& probably rightly so for achieving highest marks) It’s the extra curricula stuff you can add in yourself (even if it’s just listening to ranges of ballet & other music in the car on the school run or whilst washing up…allowing yourself to get swept up in the emotions of the music may engender emotions or natural reactions like joy/tears/anxiety etc

A well known phrase? ‘Think & therefore I am’  Something like that anyway! 
Further research on syllabus may reveal music used is actual snippets from certain ballets which may help suggest the style/characterisation etc that inspired a specific exercise. I’m pretty sure that RAD inter has some Coppelia…. Well, if that’s an exercise say like a frappe with sharp precise movements, well perhaps it is based on when the real Coppelia is trying to mimic the clockwork doll! So this might a) help explain & give reason for the movements & desired technique but may also put you into a cheeky & coquettish frame of mind… as whilst Coppelia (now I’m questioning my names of characters…??) is trying to appear to be the clockwork inanimate doll to the old man, she is at the same time trying to flirt & be all woman with the younger dude!! A very base level telling of the story there but I’m sure you get my drift!! 
I’m sure the teacher (or RAD website) can help identify the various sources of the music I’m sure most exam bodies & syllabuses draw on classical ballets/opera/musical theatre & other for their musical inspiration which I’m sure in turn inspired the Choreo of barre/centre work & dances etc. Good luck & enjoy your journey! 

 

 

Thank you so much! I was just thinking about the other day so I thought I would start exploring the subject! Many thanks for your kind words and thoughts. Very much appreciated 😊

[Dancers Dad]

What an interesting thread - great question and responses. 

[Dance*is*life]

On 14/11/2021 at 02:56, valentina said:

Sorry, the post above is very long! Apologies. I think I’m just trying to suggest that your face will quite naturally reflect what’s going on inside of you without you trying too hard ‘ toput on a face’.  Then your face will be ‘open’ and expressive and natural and others ( audience) will willingly engage with it.

Valentina - your post was excellent!  Do not apologise for its length!  I couldn't have put it better myself 🥰  One thing I would add, Farli, is to always use your head and eyes with your arm movements.  That always makes you feel as if you're dancing even when you're doing a simple barre exercise!

[Farli]

56 minutes ago, Dance*is*life said:

Valentina - your post was excellent!  Do not apologise for its length!  I couldn't have put it better myself 🥰  One thing I would add, Farli, is to always use your head and eyes with your arm movements.  That always makes you feel as if you're dancing even when you're doing a simple barre exercise!

Oh thank you! That's great advice! Definitely something  I can relate to and I will try! Thank you so much! This a great 😊

[Tulip]

I have just watched a video of my daughter’s showreel. She is classically professionally trained, so movement’s and steps are drilled into her. When I watch her face, it’s like she’s one with the music, she moves and breathes it. I can’t explain it, but it’s natural to her. One thing she can deliberately do is to use her eyes in a natural way, she can naturally connect with her audience without looking at them. I think she was naturally born with the ability to feel music. So my advice is, just feel and breath the music. Your training will support beautiful expression. 

[Farli]

Thank you so much! Your daughter sounds amazing! That is great advice. I will definitely take that onboard and try to apply it. Thank you again 😊

[Viv]

While technique is obviously the focus of syllabus training and exams, you also get 10 points for performance and 10 for musicality. So they shouldn't be neglected!

 

I think the difficulty comes from focusing on technique and only trying to perform a few weeks before the exam. it feels unnatural and distracting and weird. The first time you did a pirouette it felt weird and scary, but you kept working at them until they felt natural and you could do them with technique and dynamics. It's the same with every correction I've ever had the first time I've tried it, it throws everything else off! But once I've practice it, I find everything comes together and the correction really does help. Performance can be like that. Of course your technique fell apart the first time, you've never practiced doing it like that before. Now you need to practice performance WITH your technique so you don't sacrifice one for the other. Performance should start at the barre and be carried all the way through class, every class. Plus it makes things more fun!

 

The other thing to remember is that performance isn't just facial expression, but also projection to the audience an understanding and appreciation of line and fluidity. Read the RAD marking scheme: performance marks are given for Expression (face, body and dynamics of the music), Projection (ability to project expressions, feelings and emotions to the audience), Interpretation (dancing with understanding and intelligent response to what one is dancing about ie the motivation for the movement), and Communication (appropriate engagement with audience and partners) - the acronym is EPIC!

 

What I do for syllabus music is listen to it separately from the steps. Just lying down in bed, eyes closed, listening to the music, not moving. How does it make you feel? Is it a mood, or do you see a picture in your mind? I remember one port de bras I felt like a I was on a boat floating down a calm river, dappled sunlight glittering on the lapping of the water, everything calm and clear above the surface. And I guess I tried to dance that feeling...or showcase that feeling to the examiner. For Intermediate Variation 2, the choreography is based on being a storm goddess, beckoning and sending forth your wind and rains. Imagine yourself as the storm goddess while listening to the music and try to feel the thunder building and the clash of the lightning and then at the end, the stillness as the storm passes on. Listen to the music, connect to the feeling first, and then start to dance the steps. And practice, practice, practice!

[Ruby Foo]

Amazing post Viv. 
The whole point of ballet exams is to prepare you for something bigger, which is sharing your passion, technique and self expression with an audience. Exams are not a means to an end, they are a helpful way ( but not a necessary way) towards the development of the ‘dancer’.  This is why, in the exam marking system, so many points are awarded for expression, line, musicality etc. Whether you do it for fun or more seriously, you can’t separate the technique from the expression or sacrifice one for the other. The two weave integrally from the start to make ‘a dancer’.

[Peanut68]

So well put Viv! Too often it’s focus on technique for classes with performance almost as an afterthought with perhaps some teachers in run up to exam saying ‘now perform it’ etc.... 

The journey should be mutually travelled with performance a key element....I loved your method for finding the mood/the motivation....and hasn’t heard the EPIC acronym before....well worth knowing! Thank you