How to properly execute a tendu with 2nd long toe?

[ChocChip]

Hello everyone,

I am an adult beginner. I've been doing classical ballet for 3 months now but I have a problem that's been bothering me a lot.

I have Greek feet (long second toe) and my second toes are also hammered. They got hammered in my childhood, not because of my ballet practice.

 

I have problems with executing the tendu to the side. I talked to my teacher and now I know the proper way to point my feet is like this:

http://www.wenningpt.com/howtopointyourtoe.html

The maximum point I can do is 180 degrees, this is just my feet limitation. The problem is when I point my feet to the maximum my long second toe is still much longer than the big toe. When I do a tendu to the side the first thing to touch the floor is my second toe. I feel kind of unstable that way. If I want my big toe to touch the floor I have to smash my second toe (it gets even more hammered than it is and a big bump creates where my hammered joint is. It shows clearly on my slippers.)

I still haven't gotten used to the turnout positions of the feet and I put weight on my working leg, which I should not do. So when we do the barre exercises I keep smashing my second toe and it hurts a lot.

I started taping my second toes in my slippers in order to keep them as straight as possible and not smash/squeeze them even more.

 

What my real question is: if a dancer has Greek feet (and probably hammered second toes), already has a stable posture and doesn't put weight on the working leg, WHAT IS THE PROPER WAY A TENDY TO THE SIDE TO BE EXECUTED? WHEN YOU POINT YOUR FOOT (ALL TOES FULLY EXTENDED) AND DO THE TENDU TO THE SIDE IS THE SECOND TOE THE ONLY TOE TO TOUCH THE FLOOR  AND THIS IS THE WAY IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE ?

 

All Greek feet type people please be welcome to post. Men with Greek feet also!

 

 

[Jan McNulty]

Welcome to the Forum ChocChip.  As a watcher rather than a doer, I can't answer your question but I am sure our members will be able to offer some advice.

[LinMM]

There are things you can buy to put over your toes(separately) if you need to protect your second toe for now but am a bit puzzled why it seems to happen when you do tendu to the side....perhaps you are over extending your second position as a beginner...remember the turn out of the legs starts from the hips not the feet! But I think there are others on this forum who are better qualified as it seems to be a physical problem. Glad you are having a go at ballet though....have you spoken to the teacher about your concerns?

[Anjuli_Bai]

I would never advise a student to push that longer second toe into the floor in order to allow the other toes to have contact with the floor.

 

Since there should be no weight on the extended/pointing foot - that foot is not used for balance - there is no reason for pushing it against the floor.

 

From what you write you understand the weight placement concept but have yet to fully incorporate it into your technique.  Doing tendues without holding onto the barre might help.  This would make it clear to you whether you are truly going from a two-footed standing position (like first or fifth position) as you transition to a one foot support for a tendue.  When in full tendue you should be able to lift that tendue off the floor without any shift of weight movement of the body.  In other words - a tendue on the floor has the same weight placement as a tendue off the floor.  Does that make sense? 

 

What does your teacher say?

[ChocChip]

I would never advise a student to push that longer second toe into the floor in order to allow the other toes to have contact with the floor.

 

Hi Anjuli_Bai, I assume you are a ballet teacher?

 

I joined the adult beginners class 3 months after it had started so I had to catch up quickly. There had been new people coming and going so the class hadn't advanced much. And it's been 3 months since I started. We still don't do center exercises. We are still at the barre. Doing the  tendus, jetes from fifth though.

 

I noticed the problem even in the first few classes. I asked my teacher and she said that having long second toes needed padding for the big toe only for pointe shoes. For slippers it shouldn't be a problem. But it was a problem. I always felt that when I did the tendu to the side (second position) my second toe touched the floor and then my foot sinked or slipped down. I don't know how to explain it. When I start the tendu I "lick" the floor with my foot and when I point it only my second toe feels the floor, my pointed foot stays there for half a second and then it "goes down", my second toe gets smashed and I can feel the floor with the tips of my big toe and my smashed second toe. I probably transfer weight to the working leg or my legs are not strong enough and I can't do the tendu without letting my foot all the way down to the point where my second toe gets smashed. This is my assumption.

 

After awhile I asked my teacher again. She said I could use some padding temporary like cotton or something. I cut the thumbs of latex kitchen gloves and put cube sponges inside and use these for socks for my big toes. It a half-solution of the problem. We do moderate tempo, not fast, but it is not slow enough for me and even with these socks I smash my second toes.

 

I am getting more stable in time but as a whole I am still quite unstable. I had never done ballet in my life before and I wasn't familiar with either the rotation of the hip thing or pointing my feet when I started the classes.

Do you think my instability can cause this bad tendu? Sometimes on a releve with my hands up in fifth I am so shaking that I hammer my second and third toes, I put so much pressure on them in order to stay straight.

 

I don't know what professional dancers do. Men only wear slippers and Greek feet are common after all for both women and men.

So that's why my question was "What is the proper way a tendu to the side to be executed when the dancer have long second toes?". If the proper execution is to touch the floor only with extended second toe and other toes being in the air this is what I should aim for, shouldn't I? No socks on my big toes, no taping my second toes. Just like that.

 

P.S. I am sorry for writing so long posts but English is not my native language. I am trying to explain things as good as I can and be as short as I can.

[Anjuli_Bai]

I am a retired ballet teacher.  I  taught and danced for 40 yrs.  but I'm still learning.

 

You seem to understand the concept of tendue quite well.  There is to be no weight on  the extended foot.

 

I do suggest you do these without the barre so you can have no doubt that your weight stays on your supporting leg/foot and is not shifting over to the tendue foot.  Then when the tendue is fully extended -  lift it from the floor for a couple of inches.  You should not have to shift your weight at all to lift that foot.

 

When you say:

 

"When I start the tendu I "lick" the floor with my foot and when I point it only my second toe feels the floor, my pointed foot stays there for half a second and then it "goes down", my second toe gets smashed and I can feel the floor with the tips of my big toe and my smashed second toe. I probably transfer weight to the working leg or my legs are not strong enough and I can't do the tendu without letting my foot all the way down to the point where my second toe gets smashed. This is my assumption"

 

I think is a correct assumption that you are shifting your weight to the working leg.  Also, when the foot is extended in tendue you must continued to support the foot through the arch and not allow it to sink.  You may also be sinking into the supporting hip.

 

As for not being stable - this is typical of beginners.  It takes time - a lot of time - to learn where the weight should be, how to align the body, how to engage the body and keep it in balance.  People spend years learning this.

 

As for doing centre work - I always had my beginner students do this from the first class.  It is important for the student - yes, even  at the very beginning - to learn not to depend upon the barre. 

 

I hope I've said something here which helps.

[Anjuli_Bai]

You might want to read this:

 

http://www.balletcoforum.com/index.php?/topic/3618-tendu-always-a-work-in-progress/

[miss.pointe]

Hi ChocoChip

 

I am a new ballet teacher so I am still learning and hope if I say something that doesn't sound right someone more experienced will advise

 

However, from what you said it reminds me of a similar situation I had with one of my students. This student was doing two things - 1) putting too much weight on the reaching leg and 2) allowing her second toe to bend backwards, in a double-jointed way.

 

It sounds like you understand the importance of weight placement but I would suggest perhaps you still need work on this. It could also be your core muscles (your abdomen, back, etc) are not strong enough to keep all the weight off your reaching leg, even if you are engaging your standing leg consciously. Sometimes it feels like your weight is placed correctly but it could also be that you are just tensing or freezing the muscles in the standing leg.

 

I can't tell if you are referring to having a double-jointed second toe, but some of the support wraps/bandages you're referring to could help if that is the case, but again, it could be the weight is balancing too much on your reaching foot. I like Anjuli's suggestion of lifting the tendu off the floor to make sure you can execute the exercise without incorrect weight.

 

Finally, three months is not a very long time and I'm really impressed by the thought you've given this and the way you're thinking intelligently about the challenge you have! Bear in mind your body is still learning to do something completely new and in some ways unnatural and a few months is very short. Keep practicing, keep experimenting with ways to overcome the challenge, keep reading, keep asking questions - you will see progress.

 

Good luck

[Moomin]

Perhaps you could ask the teacher to do some center work? Or at least hover your hand off the barre? It's definitely not the norm here to work purely at the barre, my daughter has been doing ballet for 3 years & is only just now starting to use the barre!

[Anjuli_Bai]

Using the barre correctly is a whole topic in itself - an entire chapter in a book! 

[ChocChip]

Thank you all for your replies. They did help! I hope more are coming!

I think I can write just a few words about me and my relationship with ballet.

I am not an over-achiever and I don't expect miracles to happen in an instant. I'm just a DEVOTED BALLETOMAN. THIS IS WHERE THE FAIRY TALE BEGINS...

 

I was introduced to ballet by a friend of mine 5 years ago (I am 29 years old). He took me to a ballet performance and I got in love with this art instantly. I felt that ballet felt a gap in my soul I was trying to fulfill my whole life. I was interested in music and ... other stuff ... I don't want to get you bored with the history of my life. So...I am living in the capital of a small country in Europe. We do have an Opera and Ballet House which is at average level... surprisingly I may say (Vaganova training all over the Ballet house and schools). I started going to ballet performances once a month and watching lots of ballet videos at home. And last year I said to myself "Why shouldn't I try dancing ballet?" It looked for studios. I was looking for a studio good enough and to be able to pay for, and having adult beginners classes as well. I found one and I started taking classes.

My first disappointment was that most of my classmates were attending these classes for loosing kilos or get some distraction after work. Nobody was there for the ballet itself. I got over it somehow.

 

One thing about why this adult class is wrong and it is not my fault is that the class is 60 min. I've read everywhere a good class should be 90min. All of us go there, have 5 min to change, do ballet, get changed for 5 min afterwards and go home. No time for questions, no time for personal corrections. I overheard a few times some of my classmates talking about aches because of the ballet but nobody asked the teacher any questions. May be the time is too short, may be this is an adult class and this is what is supposed to be, nobody is expecting any prolonging interest from us in ballet classes, so no personal attention to anyone is made. Or may be we don't pay enough to get that attention.

 

All that assumptions I've gotten into about the tendu are a result of reading different topics on different forums. I understand ballet is a high-technical form of dancing. It is not like going to the gym and do some step aerobics or tae bo. I can get serious injuries because of poor technique. I have had this tendu problems since the beginning. I also had some bad aches in my knees. It is because I still don't have a good turnout and on the plies I put my weight over my knees.

 

I don't have enough money for private lessons to get the personal corrections I need. I am thinking of taking only one class a week and practicing the other class at home (slowly and paying more attention on my odds) and saving money for 1 private class per month.
 

I am confused. I lack a complete ballet enthusiasm in my class. I also need personal corrections. I think all of my classmates need a personal corrections as well. From what I've read in these forums 90min is a normal length of class so everybody can get their personal corrections now and then.

 

Please advise

[ChocChip]

2) allowing her second toe to bend backwards, in a double-jointed way.

 

I can't tell if you are referring to having a double-jointed second toe, but some of the support wraps/bandages you're referring to could help if that is the case, but again, it could be the weight is balancing too much on your reaching foot. I like Anjuli's suggestion of lifting the tendu off the floor to make sure you can execute the exercise without incorrect weight.

 

Hi miss.pointe,

I don't really understand what a "double-jointed second toe" should mean.

My feet's second toes got hammered in my childhood.

Do you say that the first joint of the second toe is hammered and the second joint gets curled under in the tendu?

[Anjuli_Bai]

Well let's take this one at a time....

 

One thing about why this adult class is wrong and it is not my fault is that the class is 60 min. I've read everywhere a good class should be 90min. All of us go there, have 5 min to change, do ballet, get changed for 5 min afterwards and go home. No time for questions, no time for personal corrections. I overheard a few times some of my classmates talking about aches because of the ballet but nobody asked the teacher any questions. May be the time is too short, may be this is an adult class and this is what is supposed to be, nobody is expecting any prolonging interest from us in ballet classes, so no personal attention to anyone is made. Or may be we don't pay enough to get that attention.

 

 

Yes, a ballet class should be 90 minutes - except for very young children.  Ballet class is divided up into two segments - one half at the barre and one half in the centre.  You should always be able to ask the teacher questions and you should always be getting corrections.  That's a very important part of the learning process.  The corrections should be both for the class as a whole as well as individually.  Whatever you are paying - it doesn't matter - a good class and a worthy teacher will give corrections in a positive manner.  It also doesn't matter how dedicated - or not - the other students are - you are paying not only for the teacher's time but for the teacher's knowledge and help.

 

All that assumptions I've gotten into about the tendu are a result of reading different topics on different forums. I understand ballet is a high-technical form of dancing. It is not like going to the gym and do some step aerobics or tae bo. I can get serious injuries because of poor technique. I have had this tendu problems since the beginning. I also had some bad aches in my knees. It is because I still don't have a good turnout and on the plies I put my weight over my knees.

 

You should be getting information from your teacher - she/he is the one who can see you and watch how you move.  I am not saying that it is not a good idea to learn from reading, too - but your main source of information should be your teacher. 

 

If you are getting "bad aches" in your knees, I strongly suggest that you eliminate grand (full) pliés in every position except 2nd position and if the pain continues - eliminate grand plié in that position, too.  I eliminated them from my dancing for the last 20 years that I took ballet class and performed and it never interfered with my progress at all.  When you do a demi-plié, you are still getting the full benefit of the stretch in the Achilles tendon.  It will save you from a lot of pain and trouble in your knees.  It's a long story how I arrived at this ....a story for another time.  I used to do two demi-pliés instead of the grand plié so it worked out with the counts in the music.

 

I don't have enough money for private lessons to get the personal corrections I need. I am thinking of taking only one class a week and practicing the other class at home (slowly and paying more attention on my odds) and saving money for 1 private class per month.

 

Practicing by yourself is not recommended.  Ballet has to be learned and supervised by a knowledgeable teacher.  But, I do agree that a private lesson would be a good idea.

 

I am confused. I lack a complete ballet enthusiasm in my class. I also need personal corrections. I think all of my classmates need a personal corrections as well. From what I've read in these forums 90min is a normal length of class so everybody can get their personal corrections now and then.

 

Please advise

 

You are not confused - you understand this very well from what I've read.  Enthusiasm in class is an important component but it is a fact of  life that people sometimes take class (any class) for reasons other than enthusiasm.  You are right - you need the personal corrections as do your classmates - and you can also learn from the corrections they receive from a teacher.  But since the teacher is not giving any corrections - you are missing out on both counts. 

 

It has been my experience that finding a good ballet class for adults is one of the most difficult aspects of studying this art form.  I loved teaching adults and had classes with the same people attending for - well, decades.  Why teachers don't seem to enjoy this wonderful dance population is something I've never understood.  While it is true that they probably won't end up as "stars" and make the teacher famous  - it is also true that it is a singularly gratifying group to teach. 

 

Perhaps some teachers don't enjoy the idea that adults ask questions - want to know why - and bring their own experiences and judgement to class.  The teacher has to be willing to expect accept that.  But the rewards are well worth it.

 

Why?  Because the adults are busy and are giving up time to come to class after working and/or school or other responsibilities.  Their money is often tight because of other responsibilities.  They come completely voluntarily - no parent has enrolled them.  They are also putting their self image on the line - willing to fall once in a while in front of other people. 

 

I think that teachers who don't include this group  - adult ballet students - are missing out on a very gratifying experience. Watching the happy smile of an adult student as she/he begins to see progress and achieve something he/she never thought possible is tremendously gratifying for a teacher.
 

[ChocChip]

Anjuli,

I really want to say a big Thank you for all the time you spent to answer my questions!
I finally got to get understood by someone not only who loves ballet but is a professional ballet teacher as well.

You sympathised with me emotionally and got me through all the issues with my ballet practice I posted here.

You for sure were a very good ballet teacher and pedagogue. It is not easy to step into someone else's shoes and to see the things the way they see them. That's a talent. I know a good teacher when I see one.

All your students must be proud of you!!!

[Aurora]

Of course if the lessons were 1.5 hours long they would be more expensive! Most recreational (not preparing for a career in ballet) classes in the UK are not that length for children or adults. Yes of course it would be better if they were but a lot of dance teachers struggle to squeeze everything into the timetable as it is, many don't manage to fit in an adult class and those that do struggle to make a profit from it because adults usually don't commit to the class the same way as children - just look at Michelle's 'back to ballet' thread, she is travelling great distances to attend decent classes and often there are only 4 or 5 others in the class! Dd's dance school has run adult classes a few times only to end up having to cancel them, yet the children's classes are popular enough.

[Anna C]

Anjuli,

I really want to say a big Thank you for all the time you spent to answer my questions!

I finally got to get understood by someone not only who loves ballet but is a professional ballet teacher as well.

You sympathised with me emotionally and got me through all the issues with my ballet practice I posted here.

You for sure were a very good ballet teacher and pedagogue. It is not easy to step into someone else's shoes and to see the things the way they see them. That's a talent. I know a good teacher when I see one.

All your students must be proud of you!!!

Anjuli is a treasure, for sure! We're so lucky to have several wonderful teachers on this forum. :-)

[ChocChip]

I thought I should probably have done some photos of my feet instead of trying to describe them. So I did some photos. I posted 13 photos because I wasn't sure which ones would do.

Please ignore my bad looking nail on the big toe and the rough skin around it. There was some fungus starting to grow under the nail and I treated it. It's going to take a month for the nail to recover.

 

As you see I have long hammer second toe. And other important thing is that all my last phalanxes of fingers/toes are slightly pointing up and the tips of the finger/toe nails are pointing up. It not something that really shows but it is very distinguishing on my big toes. My big toes' last phalanxes are pointing up. It is not a deformation, it's just the anatomy I was born with.

I think my arches are considered high but my ankles are quite wide.

 

When I point my foot, it may look like that my big toe is not fully pointed, but it is. It is the last phalanx of my big toe still pointing up  (not arching with the rest of the toes) because this is the way my big toe is anatomically constructed. On the last two photos I folded my big toe just to show the difference. I was told not to fold the big toe because this is not the way feet should have been pointed.

I couldn't do tendu photos on my own. I am sorry about that.

 

Any comments, suggestions, advice - please be welcome to post.

Thanks!

[ChocChip]

Hmm I don't see the photos on the post. Do you?

[ChocChip]

I thought I should probably have done some photos of my feet instead of trying to describe them. So I did some photos. I posted 13 photos because I wasn't sure which ones would do.

Please ignore my bad looking nail on the big toe and the rough skin around it. There was some fungus starting to grow under the nail and I treated it. It's going to take a month for the nail to recover.

 

As you see I have long hammer second toe. And other important thing is that all my last phalanxes of fingers/toes are slightly pointing up and the tips of the finger/toe nails are pointing up. It not something that really shows but it is very distinguishing on my big toes. My big toes' last phalanxes are pointing up. It is not a deformation, it's just the anatomy I was born with.

I think my arches are considered high but my ankles are quite wide.

 

When I point my foot, it may look like that my big toe is not fully pointed, but it is. It is the last phalanx of my big toe still pointing up  (not arching with the rest of the toes) because this is the way my big toe is anatomically constructed. On the last two photos I folded my big toe just to show the difference. I was told not to fold the big toe because this is not the way feet should have been pointed.

I couldn't do tendu photos on my own. I am sorry about that.

 

Any comments, suggestions, advice - please be welcome to post.

Thanks!

 

 

It turned out it wasn't possible to attach photos to a post. So here is a link to the photos:

http://s1281.photobucket.com/user/DarkChocChip/library/Ballet?sort=4&page=1

[Anjuli_Bai]

If no weight is placed on the foot during tendue - it shouldn't make a difference.  That longer second toe won't get smashed.

[Anna C]

My dd's teacher often makes students lift the non weightbearing foot just to be sure that they aren't resting on it. She says to just lift it a tiny amount, and she checks that there was no sudden shifting of weight in order to do so.

 

Hope that makes sense!?

[Anjuli_Bai]

That's always a good idea throughout the barre work.  No white knuckles at the barre! 

[ChocChip]

That's always a good idea throughout the barre work.  No white knuckles at the barre! 

'no white knuckles at the barre' means...?

[Anjuli_Bai]

Holding onto the barre too tightly.

[ChocChip]

Thank you all guys!!!

I made a list with all the suggestions, assumptions and corrections given to me in this topic. I grabbed a chair for support and did a lot of very slow tendus to check if I was doing those mistakes. I don't need to stretch the topic with tendu and long 2nd toe anymore for myself.

I make many mistakes because I am very very beginner. Ballet is hard. I understand it takes a long time to cover the very basics.

 

This is a brief list with my mistakes. If others have similar issues it maybe helpful for them.

1. I sink into my supporting leg. Sometimes I even bend it. This is a result of not having stable posture. Rotation of the legs from the hips and the ballet positions of the legs and feet are still very new to my body.

2. I tend not to step on all my toes. I toss the weight of my body towards and sometimes I step mainly on my big toes. Especially when the tempo is quicker than I can do.

3. I sink into my working leg. That's why I smash my second toe. My working leg is not strong enough and I put weight on it. ("My dd's teacher often makes students lift the non weightbearing foot just to be sure that they aren't resting on it. She says to just lift it a tiny amount, and she checks that there was no sudden shifting of weight in order to do so." - this exercise will help for that for sure!). Other reason for sinking into my working leg is that when I have already sunk into my supporting leg correspondingly all the body "slips down".

4. Holding onto the barre too tightly. I even lean towards it. In my first classes I was a disaster. I was almost lying on it. My teacher corrected me not to "grab the barre" like a crutch, all five fingers of the hand slightly lying on top of the barre.

5. In 1st position my feet do a straight line. When I do the tendu to the side my heel is still pointing backwards. The pointed working leg in tendu position is not in a straight line with the supporting leg. Still not good enough turnout.

6. The idea of taping my second toe didn't come to my mind until last week. It does help to keep the second toe straight. Two layers of medical tape do the job. Also I decided to keep wearing the supporting socks for my big toes until my legs get stronger. I need that support for now.

7. All the exercises I do I do them better with the left side/leg. It didn't make sense. I am right-handed and my right leg have more coordination. Some weeks ago I spent a few days at home trying to figure that out. My right leg works much better as a supporting leg than the left. That's why tendu to the left is easier. And the jete and the rond de jambe... all of it.

 

I'm thinking of restarting the beginners class in the fall. I am not ready to advance further. I missed the first 3 months of the beginners class and I need to catch up. There is no need to hurry. I believe everybody will agree with that.

At home I do the 'Frog stretch' (http://dance.about.com/od/stretchingflexibility/ss/Splits-Stretches_5.htm). It helps me to improve my turnout.

 

When I go to the studio I want enjoy the class. Now it's 90% pain and 10% fun. That's not right. I barely hear the music. I am so focused on the exercises.

[Anjuli_Bai]

Thank you all guys!!!

I made a list with all the suggestions, assumptions and corrections given to me in this topic. I grabbed a chair for support and did a lot of very slow tendus to check if I was doing those mistakes. I don't need to stretch the topic with tendu and long 2nd toe anymore for myself.

I make many mistakes because I am very very beginner. Ballet is hard. I understand it takes a long time to cover the very basics.

 

This is a brief list with my mistakes. If others have similar issues it maybe helpful for them.

1. I sink into my supporting leg. Sometimes I even bend it. This is a result of not having stable posture. Rotation of the legs from the hips and the ballet positions of the legs and feet are still very new to my body.

2. I tend not to step on all my toes. I toss the weight of my body towards and sometimes I step mainly on my big toes. Especially when the tempo is quicker than I can do.

 

3. I sink into my working leg. That's why I smash my second toe. My working leg is not strong enough and I put weight on it. ("My dd's teacher often makes students lift the non weightbearing foot just to be sure that they aren't resting on it. She says to just lift it a tiny amount, and she checks that there was no sudden shifting of weight in order to do so." - this exercise will help for that for sure!). Other reason for sinking into my working leg is that when I have already sunk into my supporting leg correspondingly all the body "slips down".

4. Holding onto the barre too tightly. I even lean towards it. In my first classes I was a disaster. I was almost lying on it. My teacher corrected me not to "grab the barre" like a crutch, all five fingers of the hand slightly lying on top of the barre.

5. In 1st position my feet do a straight line. When I do the tendu to the side my heel is still pointing backwards. The pointed working leg in tendu position is not in a straight line with the supporting leg. Still not good enough turnout.

6. The idea of taping my second toe didn't come to my mind until last week. It does help to keep the second toe straight. Two layers of medical tape do the job. Also I decided to keep wearing the supporting socks for my big toes until my legs get stronger. I need that support for now.

7. All the exercises I do I do them better with the left side/leg. It didn't make sense. I am right-handed and my right leg have more coordination. Some weeks ago I spent a few days at home trying to figure that out. My right leg works much better as a supporting leg than the left. That's why tendu to the left is easier. And the jete and the rond de jambe... all of it.

 

I'm thinking of restarting the beginners class in the fall. I am not ready to advance further. I missed the first 3 months of the beginners class and I need to catch up. There is no need to hurry. I believe everybody will agree with that.

At home I do the 'Frog stretch' (http://dance.about.com/od/stretchingflexibility/ss/Splits-Stretches_5.htm). It helps me to improve my turnout.

 

When I go to the studio I want enjoy the class. Now it's 90% pain and 10% fun. That's not right. I barely hear the music. I am so focused on the exercises.

 

 

Sinking into the supporting hip is a common error for beginners.

 

Sinking into the working hip is also a common error for beginners.

 

Everyone is a "disaster" in their first classes.

 

#5 - I would suggest that you turn out less on your supporting leg.  It is more important that the turnout in both hips/legs/feet match, rather than have one side turn out more than the other.  If one side is turned out more - then the hips are not in line and the body is skewed.

 

#7 Everyone does things better to one side than the other.  Being right handed doesn't mean you are also right footed.  We all do things differently one side to the other - hands, feet, eyes, smile, chewing, stepping up or down, putting on clothes. turning, ete.

 

Doing the beginner class again is a good idea.  In the ballet the first few years are "beginners."

 

It is entirely normal for beginners not to "hear" the music - that gets better with time.

 

I would suggest that you might want to allow yourself space and time - this is a slow process.  Allow yourself the space and time you need.  Analysis is good - but ballet class is also about discovering a new dimension - and it doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderfull.

 

Enjoy the journey.

[miss.pointe]

Hi miss.pointe,

I don't really understand what a "double-jointed second toe" should mean.

My feet's second toes got hammered in my childhood.

Do you say that the first joint of the second toe is hammered and the second joint gets curled under in the tendu?

Hi ChocChip, sorry I took a while to respond. After seeing the photos you have posted I can't actually see if your second toe is bending backwards as you said it's difficult to get a photo of you doing a tendu. However, I can see you've gotten more really helpful suggestions and wish you all the best in making progress. I also would hazard to suggest that as you make progress in other areas, this issue may resolve itself as balance, turn out, weight placement, etc, also improve.

 

Good luck!

[ChocChip]

Hi miss.pointe,

I considered using a mirror for a tendu picture but I couldn't find large enough at home.

Since I wasn't given any personal corrections in my ballet training I though the main problem was the long second finger.

It turned out I have a poor technique, I make mistake after mistake and nobody corrects me. You can see the list above. LOL

 

I have to work on my technique and be patient. It was not a good thing that I missed the first three months of the class.

I've never been to another ballet school but I've seen their schedules online. Where there are adult classes - there are two groups - beginners and intermediate. It is not correct to be called that way as Anjuli replied. It's actually "adult beginners 1st year" and "adult beginners 2nd year". My school has only one group - "adult beginners 1st year".There should be two ballet groups in the fall and I am going to join the 1st adult beginners group.