Pirouettes - delving into the mechanics and mystery

[Anjuli_Bai]

I have been asked to repost this series of articles on pirouettes on a new thread so they (hopefully) will be easier to find via the search mechanism.

 

 

 

Placing the Pirouette

 

It is a very common occurrence for the student to fall off a pirouette – or any other turn for that matter.  Most often this fall is toward the back.  The very act of turning seems to tip the weight backward.  Yet it is this very movement that will destroy any hope of smoothly controlling and landing the pirouette.  And, the beauty of the pirouette is not merely in the rotation, or number of rotations, but in the smooth finish.  No one will care how many rotations you do, if you fall out of it.

 

The key to the pirouette is in the preparation.  From whatever position you begin or end the pirouette, the weight must be forward.  Let’s take a simple pirouette from fourth position, right foot back, going en dehors (back toward the right foot which will be lifted into retiré).  The natural desire is to “throw” the weight backwards toward that right foot even though it will be the left foot that will be supporting the weight.  In the preparation itself the weight must be forward on the front foot (left).  Even if the weight feels evenly divided, a bit more weight should be on the forward foot, and the ensuing impetus (the push for the pirouette) should be forward. 

 

To test this take the fourth position, right foot back and do a simple relevé, with the right foot coming into retiré (passé).  Don’t turn.  Just try to maintain the balance in relevé on the supporting right foot.  See where your weight is.  Is it over the ball and toes of the left foot?  Can you maintain that balance for a couple of seconds?  If you can’t maintain it in a simple relevé balance, your chances of maintaining it in a pirouette are probably nil.

 

Let’s go back again to the preparation in fourth position, right foot back.  Your left arm should be in seconde and the right arm is curved in front of you (devant).  Just as you prepare to push off for the turn – what has happened to your left arm and shoulder?  Have you twisted them to the left in preparation for the push off?  In other words are you “winding up” for the turn?  If this is the case then already, before you even begin, you are out of alignment.  As a teacher watching you, I already know that the smooth execution of your pirouette is virtually impossible.  Remember it is not your arms that turn you.  You may be asked to keep your arms over your head – or crossed on your chest.  The push for the pirouette is in your leg that is going into retiré, the turnout of that knee, and your spotting head. 

 

After doing the simple relevé balance to see where your weight is, try to do quarter turns – just turn one quarter of the way around, and see which way you fall.  Do you fall toward the back?  Then you were not over the ball of your foot.  Are you falling forward?  That is much less of a problem and it will most naturally correct itself.  But the ultimate aim is to go up to what feels, when you are first trying this, VERY forward, and then just come down to a flat foot of the supporting left leg (right leg still in retiré).  

 

Whenever I had trouble with my pirouettes I would go back to these basic exercises.  A simple relevé up and then just come down on your standing heel (right leg still in retiré).  I knew if I could do that – land on one foot – I would have no trouble at all in finishing my pirouettes on two feet.  And, there are times when the choreography calls for finishing a pirouette on one foot – with the other foot going somewhere else – like into arabesque or attitude (devant or derriére). 

 

The real brake, the real way to stop a pirouette is with the heel of the standing leg coming down.  Another crucial lesson is to learn just how much (and how little) energy you need to turn. It’s like driving a car, if you go faster it takes longer and is more difficult to stop.  The amount of energy you need depends more on the condition of the floor (slippery/sticky) and your shoes rather than the number of rotations.  You have to learn to use the precise amount of energy necessary to bring you to relevé and initiate the turn  and no more - and then let your head do the work. 

[Anjuli_Bai]

I'll try to put in an article every other day or so - there are 7 in all.  This way - they will be easier to discuss if anyone wants to do that.

[Sheila Beelam]

Fabulous advice as always and I'm mentally practicing for class tomorrow! Pulled off a triple last week and not sure how, but I'm going to try to replicate with your advice, thank you x

Sx

[Dancer Sugar Plum]

Anjuli, thanks for posting the pirouette articles on a separate thread.

 

I have a question about the use of the back in a pirouette. I have noticed that I have a habit of landing a pirouette in 5th with the upper back too far back sometimes. I know this is not correct but once this has happened in class, I can't correct it for the following pirouettes. I know I have a habit of not using my back enough anyway (which I am trying to correct). So should the back be doing 'something' to prepare for the turn, and during the turn? Or is there a way of making sure the back is not too 'back'?

 

Thank you.

[Anjuli_Bai]

Anjuli, thanks for posting the pirouette articles on a separate thread.

 

I have a question about the use of the back in a pirouette. I have noticed that I have a habit of landing a pirouette in 5th with the upper back too far back sometimes. I know this is not correct but once this has happened in class, I can't correct it for the following pirouettes. I know I have a habit of not using my back enough anyway (which I am trying to correct). So should the back be doing 'something' to prepare for the turn, and during the turn? Or is there a way of making sure the back is not too 'back'?

 

Thank you.

 

Always go back to the preparation - that's why it is called a preparation.  You almost never are able to correct things in midturn or mid flight.  It's the preparation.

 

When you relevé on demi-pointe - where is your back?   Stand at the barre - sideways- one hand lightly on the barre - now relevé onto demi-pointe.  Now let go of the barre.  Do you have to make an adjustment in bringing your weight forward before you can let go?  If so, when you did the relevé you did not go up forward but depended upon the barre for your balance.

 

Well, in thee centre - there is no barre and if you do not go up forward over the demi-pointe, it's too late to make that adjustmentt.  Every time you do a relevé at the barre you should lift your hand from the barre to check and see that you do not have to make that adjustment,  You must learn to go up already on balance.

 

Another problem is in the plié in preparation for the pirouette.  Remember, a plié is just a bending of the knees, it is not a time to let go of your center - your core - and that includes your back.  A plié is not a time to rest - it's a time to prepare.

 

If you put a finger on your lowest rib and another finger on the top of your hip bone - you will feel that there are no bones in between - it's all gooey stuff in between.  In that "in between" place you only have your spine and your abdomen and back muscles.

 

If you let go of those muscles - you have nothing - you are just a piece of straw blowing in the wind with no control.  You must rise as one piece, muscles actively engaged, and turn as one piece and finish as one piece.  

 

So, remember - plié is not a time to let go and rest - it is a time to prepare.  And always go up forward.  Practice it in retiré without turning - then do it in quarter turns - when you have that control to go up on balance and come down on the standing foot - do it with pirouettes.

 

I hope I've said something here that helps.

[LinMM]

You have Anjuli!!

 

However when we practise just doing the quarter turns from time to time in class I find that usually I have no problem balancing so with me I'm not sure it's the balance......the same when we practise doing pirouettes without a turn. 8 times out of 10 the balance is there in act very strong sometimes.

However when I actually go to turn I'm now okay for ONE turn regularly .....fairly established especially now my spotting has improved BUT whenever I think I should try for two things seem to go awry! and it becomes a bit hit and miss whether I can do two turns properly.

I think I'm putting too much energy into this as I obviously don't seem to trust that the spotting head will turn me alone!!

 

Ive been told that the back and/or shoulders are involved(as opposed to the arms......which I used to think were more involved)

I seem to either "relax" and then only come off with one or get into my "two turns mindset" and lose a bit of control!

[Dancer Sugar Plum]

That's really helpful, Anjuli.

 

I have a teacher who told me I had a habit - for a while - of preparing in my mind for only doing one turn, and then 'seeing how it goes' for a second turn. She said I can't take-off for a pirouette with a, 'I'll see how it goes' attitude and that the desire for a second (or third) turn has to be there before the releve. I know I need more energy for take-off if I wanted to do a double turn, but then if the placement (or something else) has gone wrong for that turn, then I would lose control for that turn.

[Sheila Beelam]

Yes! Our teacher tells us to aim for a triple and then we end up with decent doubles (sometimes!)

 

Though fouettes were atrocious today I just can't seen to get them into my body. I can move "front, side, in" keeping en face with a releve, but as soon as I bring a rotation into the equation it all goes pair shaped!!

 

I need to master 7 from a pirouette from 4th by Dec to take my exam, so the heat is on...any advice is appreciated please

 

I had some success breaking it down into half turns before Christmas but seemed to have even lost that over the Christmas break

 

Why DO we do this ballet lark?!

[Fiz]

Why, because we are masochists, of course!

[LinMM]

I think that's what my partner thinks Fiz!

[Moomin]

Very basic question I'm afraid but how high should you go up on Demi pointe? I'm sure I was taught to go as high as possible (more like 3/4 pointe) and this is my natural instinct but have been told to do a low demi. it's definitely easier to balance that way!

[Dancer Sugar Plum]

Though fouettes were atrocious today I just can't seen to get them into my body. I can move "front, side, in" keeping en face with a releve, but as soon as I bring a rotation into the equation it all goes pair shaped!!

 

I need to master 7 from a pirouette from 4th by Dec to take my exam, so the heat is on...any advice is appreciated please

 

 

I am the same as well. I can do the fondu with develope devant, bring to second and releve bringing the foot into retire. But I find it difficult to fit all that in with an actual turn. When I have tried it, I'm sure I've felt my body twist so that the shoulders and hips aren't always aligned with each other. So I would appreciate any advice on fouettes too.

 

Sheila - Are you doing Advanced 1 RAD?

[Sheila Beelam]

Moomin - I was always taught to turn on your highest possible releve?

 

Sugar Plum - yes I have the same feeling, the momentum of the moving leg seems to send the opposite side off balance and arms go haywire! Really frustrating, as my core is quite solid, all be it well insulated under a layer of "padding"!

 

And yes, RAD Adv 1 in autumn 14, last sitting before syllabus change - so I have a deadline!! I think the rest of syllabus is ok-ish, or enough to scrape a pass, apart from fouettes!!

 

Anjuli! Help us please! xxx

[LinMM]

Moomin if you are referring to pirouettes then I ve been taught to go onto full demi pointe as it were!

But it is possible to turn without being right up .....the only thing I will say is that I think you are more likely to injure your foot if only partially up it is stronger if in full demi pointe position.

[Anjuli_Bai]

You have Anjuli!!

 

However when we practise just doing the quarter turns from time to time in class I find that usually I have no problem balancing so with me I'm not sure it's the balance......the same when we practise doing pirouettes without a turn. 8 times out of 10 the balance is there in act very strong sometimes.

However when I actually go to turn I'm now okay for ONE turn regularly .....fairly established especially now my spotting has improved BUT whenever I think I should try for two things seem to go awry! and it becomes a bit hit and miss whether I can do two turns properly.

I think I'm putting too much energy into this as I obviously don't seem to trust that the spotting head will turn me alone!!

 

Ive been told that the back and/or shoulders are involved(as opposed to the arms......which I used to think were more involved)

I seem to either "relax" and then only come off with one or get into my "two turns mindset" and lose a bit of control!

 

 

However many rotations you do - you do have to plan to do it.  You can't do one and see how it goes and then if all's well go for the second.  You have to start out with intent to do that double.  The more confident you are the better it goes.

 

 

Energy is a very important ingredient and will to addressed in an upcoming article.

 

That's really helpful, Anjuli.

 

I have a teacher who told me I had a habit - for a while - of preparing in my mind for only doing one turn, and then 'seeing how it goes' for a second turn. She said I can't take-off for a pirouette with a, 'I'll see how it goes' attitude and that the desire for a second (or third) turn has to be there before the releve. I know I need more energy for take-off if I wanted to do a double turn, but then if the placement (or something else) has gone wrong for that turn, then I would lose control for that turn.

 

Actually you don't need more energy for two pirouettes then you do for one.  Why we are so fearful of a second turn is a mystery.  If you think about it - what's the worst thing that will happen?  Have you ever seen anyone truly fall down doing pirouettes - except in the Billy Elliot movie?  I never have.  So take fear out of the equation.

 

 

 

Yes! Our teacher tells us to aim for a triple and then we end up with decent doubles (sometimes!)

 

Though fouettes were atrocious today I just can't seen to get them into my body. I can move "front, side, in" keeping en face with a releve, but as soon as I bring a rotation into the equation it all goes pair shaped!!

 

I need to master 7 from a pirouette from 4th by Dec to take my exam, so the heat is on...any advice is appreciated please

 

I had some success breaking it down into half turns before Christmas but seemed to have even lost that over the Christmas break

 

Why DO we do this ballet lark?!

 

If it goes pear shaped you have lost your back and abdomen - those muscles must stay engaged.  The energy for the fouetté comes from pressing the knee back when it is in retiré.  It it is at all allowed to slip forward then those back and stomach muscles have slipped.  If the muscles all are engaged then the knee is to the side.  Also - as in pirouettes don't leave your second shoulder and arm behind you - take them with you.

 

Very basic question I'm afraid but how high should you go up on Demi pointe? I'm sure I was taught to go as high as possible (more like 3/4 pointe) and this is my natural instinct but have been told to do a low demi. it's definitely easier to balance that way!

 

I have always been taught to go in your very best demi-pointe - that means you are well forward over your foot. If you are in a lower demi-pointe then some of your weight is behind the foot.

 

Think of a child's spindle - spinning top - as soon as it begins to lean off its point it starts to wobble and then falls over.

 

The arms for pirouette are an "adornment"  - they do not aid in your energy input.  However, they can impede your turn if you leave one or both behind.  Do a pirouette with arms in 5th front - then when you finish look in the mirror and see if they are still absolutetly in front of you or if you let them slip back a bit.  If you did - then they are a drag - just like something dragging over the side of a sailboat.  You should be able to turn with your arms crossed on your chest or over your head -  you don't use them for energy.

Edited January 19, 2014 by Anjuli_Bai

[Anjuli_Bai]

Pirouettes: It's all about Energy

 

Conservation is not only good for the environment it's also good for pirouettes.  Pirouettes are like driving a car, the more energy you put into it the harder it is to control and stop.  You need to learn the "speed limit" necessary to complete the trip - and no more.

 

There are some variables to take into account:

 

How many rotations are you planning to do? (the distance you need to drive)

 

How slippery is the floor? (condition of the road)

 

How slick or sticky are your shoes? (condition of the tires)

 

How fast is the music? (how soon do you need to be at your destination)

 

How to stop smoothly?  (can the "brakes" handle it smoothly)

 

The weather (wet/dry/humid) can affect the stickiness of floor and shoes.

 

Taking all of that into account you now must learn how much energy (gasoline/petrol) you need and then use just that amount and no more.

 

The problem of using too much energy starts at the very beginning because that will enhance the inclination for winding up in the arms and shoulders.

 

If you put too much energy into the push-off it enhances the probability of propelling the body out of alignment.

 

However, even with no windup and the body remains correctly aligned, too much energy will test the brakes and they might either fail or not operate without a great deal of skidding marks, screeching or other unsightly (and unballetic) embellishments.

 

So, one of the things to practice and learn is just how much/little energy you need to accomplish the task at hand.  This concept is true of all the segments of ballet vocabulary including jumps, beats, etc.  Try it with a simple entrechat quatre.  Do this beat with as little energy as possible and you will find that you can jump higher, open and close the legs with a great deal more clean precision - getting rid of any flurry that comes of investing it with too much rampant energy.

 

Since pirouettes are delicately balanced too much energy is a useless and harmful ingredient in the recipe.  So, try your pirouettes by subtracting energy rather than adding it.  Consider the "road conditions" (floor, shoes, etc) and find the exact amount needed to accomplish the number of rotations - and no more. The body will eventually learn this and it becomes much more automatic.  

 

It also changes your mental perceptions about the difficulty of performing pirouettes.   When we are uncertain we tend to compensate by adding useless energy.

[Sheila Beelam]

Fabulous Anjuli! Off to MOT my pirouettes

[LinMM]

That was a great post Anjuli.

I'm determined to allow pirouettes to work for me.....just the two consistently produced turns with good finish I'd be happy with!!

 

But I think this too much energy thing is what is defeating them at the moment. The mindset is crucial too. Instead of thinking "heck Ive got to produce two every time now....everyone else is" I'll try for "I can do two pirouettes everytime now because I love doing them"

 

I will report back on how my pirouettes go in the next week of classes!

[Dancer Sugar Plum]

Hello Anjuli,

 

Your posts have been very useful, thank you.

 

I was wondering if you had any advice for en dedans pirouettes. Is there a difference in approach and energy for the version with a fouette and the one without a fouette? I have been told that the one without a fouette is easier, but with this version I find it hard to get the foot to pirouette position quickly.

 

With both versions, I find it's easy to be 'leaning' off to the side, or my body or hips are not central on the releve, or after the releve. Then once this happens I can only do a single turn at the most,

 

Any advice would be appreciated. I think I find en dehors pirouettes easier so I have wondered why it's said that the en dedans pirouettes are easier.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Guest chinafish]

We were dancing in a warm studio yesterday. In quite a hard class. Quite cold outside (probably around 5 degrees celcius? So not crazy cold...) There were about 15 of us.

 

Resulted in very sweaty studio. The mirrors were fogging up.

 

And when I even tried to turn a double, I felt my foot + tights were moving independently to my shoe. I.e. the shoe stopped but I tried to keep going.

 

I tried and tried and just wasn't able to finish a double. In these situations, do we truly have to de-fog? Or is it just a matter of more energy?

 

(And it is time I stopped blaming the shoes / floor / humidity?)

[LinMM]

I agree DSP I find en dedans harder than en dehors!! And only ever manage to do one pirouette en dedans!

 

Ive been told by a couple of teachers that the fouetté action is considered "old fashioned" .....that is in the context of learners not advanced pupils. So it is usually taught without the fouetté now and I think this is RAD etc.

Whether its brought back in again at Advanced level I'm not sure. I certainly find it easier without the fouetté but on the other hand that way is so ingrained that even when I intend to not do one I find I sometimes do!!! My brain is doing it rather than me so to speak

[Anjuli_Bai]

Hello Anjuli,

 

Your posts have been very useful, thank you.

 

I was wondering if you had any advice for en dedans pirouettes. Is there a difference in approach and energy for the version with a fouette and the one without a fouette? I have been told that the one without a fouette is easier, but with this version I find it hard to get the foot to pirouette position quickly.

 

With both versions, I find it's easy to be 'leaning' off to the side, or my body or hips are not central on the releve, or after the releve. Then once this happens I can only do a single turn at the most,

 

Any advice would be appreciated. I think I find en dehors pirouettes easier so I have wondered why it's said that the en dedans pirouettes are easier.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

I, too, was told that en dedans was easier than en dehors - but each has its challenges.  In en dehors we are sending energy out (away from us) while in en dedans we are sending energy in.  En dehors is aided by pressing the retiré knee outward which also keeps it in second position.  In en dedans we have the problem of keeping the knee in second position - but at the same time turning in from that knee.  So, we have two opposing actions - pressing/keeping the knee outward in second while turning in toward the supporting leg. 

 

In en dehors we can use that lifted knee as a sail to get us around, in en dedans we are fighting to keep the knee outward while trying to turn inward.  For that reason, I always found initiating an en dedans pirouette with a fouetté easier.  

 

The faster you can get the foot to the supporting knee, the better - and the less energy you will need.  Picture an ice skater doing a spin.  When they want to go faster what do they do?  They pull their arms in.  The more pieces of your body that stick out like arms or a leg - the slower you will go.  And, the more difficult it is to control.  

 

As for leaning to one side - well, that's the problem isn't it?  That's why we have to learn to send our energy up - not to either side.  If you send energy up you make your profile smaller (like the skater). 

 

We were dancing in a warm studio yesterday. In quite a hard class. Quite cold outside (probably around 5 degrees celcius? So not crazy cold...) There were about 15 of us.

 

Resulted in very sweaty studio. The mirrors were fogging up.

 

And when I even tried to turn a double, I felt my foot + tights were moving independently to my shoe. I.e. the shoe stopped but I tried to keep going.

 

I tried and tried and just wasn't able to finish a double. In these situations, do we truly have to de-fog? Or is it just a matter of more energy?

 

(And it is time I stopped blaming the shoes / floor / humidity?)

 

 

You have to check the "road conditions."  We are taught not to blame things like our shoes or the floor - but sometimes it is really our shoes and/or the floor.. As part of my warmup, I used to do a few pirouettes to check out my balance that day as well as the 'road conditions."  However, road conditions change and we have to be aware of that.  This is especially true with a sticky floor.  If we are turning and the sticky floor is inhibiting the turn - the knee will suffer.  So, it's an important thing to be aware of.

 

I hope something I've said here helps.

[Dancer Sugar Plum]

I, too, was told that en dedans was easier than en dehors - but each has its challenges.  In en dehors we are sending energy out (away from us) while in en dedans we are sending energy in.  En dehors is aided by pressing the retiré knee outward which also keeps it in second position.  In en dedans we have the problem of keeping the knee in second position - but at the same time turning in from that knee.  So, we have two opposing actions - pressing/keeping the knee outward in second while turning in toward the supporting leg. 

 

In en dehors we can use that lifted knee as a sail to get us around, in en dedans we are fighting to keep the knee outward while trying to turn inward.  For that reason, I always found initiating an en dedans pirouette with a fouetté easier.  

 

The faster you can get the foot to the supporting knee, the better - and the less energy you will need.  Picture an ice skater doing a spin.  When they want to go faster what do they do?  They pull their arms in.  The more pieces of your body that stick out like arms or a leg - the slower you will go.  And, the more difficult it is to control.  

 

As for leaning to one side - well, that's the problem isn't it?  That's why we have to learn to send our energy up - not to either side.  If you send energy up you make your profile smaller (like the skater). 

 

 

This is very helpful, I'll focus on sending energy up the next time I do en dedans pirouettes.

 

Would you mind I ask you how you would approach finishing a turn in attitude derriere? It would be helpful to know where I should focus my thoughts and energy to get the working leg to attitude, but not end up doing an extra (unwanted) half turn after an en dehors pirouette. Am I right to think this follows on the theme of controlling energy properly? I find it especially hard to finish in attitude with control after an en dehors double turn. So it would be good to have someone explain how it feels to do it properly.

 

Thank you.

 

[Anjuli_Bai]

This is very helpful, I'll focus on sending energy up the next time I do en dedans pirouettes.

 

Would you mind I ask you how you would approach finishing a turn in attitude derriere? It would be helpful to know where I should focus my thoughts and energy to get the working leg to attitude, but not end up doing an extra (unwanted) half turn after an en dehors pirouette. Am I right to think this follows on the theme of controlling energy properly? I find it especially hard to finish in attitude with control after an en dehors double turn. So it would be good to have someone explain how it feels to do it properly.

 

Thank you.

 

 

You have two issues here - how to stop where you want to stop and how to end in attitude derriére (or any other position).  Let's take them one at a time.

 

From the first article:  "The real brake, the real way to stop a pirouette is with the heel of the standing leg coming down."

 

That's your brake.  Just like driving a car you don't stop at an intersection or a traffic light by jamming on the brakes.  You begin to slow down a bit before.  Depending how fast one is going - that determines when to apply the brake.  So, approximately 3/4 of the way around put your standing heel down, and spot the rest of the way - sliding the heel along the floor that last 1/4 of the turn.

 

As for ending in attitude derriére (or any other position) - first finish the pirouette and then lift the leg into attitude.  You make it two parts - part one is  finish the pirouette and part two is lift the leg in the attitude.  If you do this smoothly it will look like one motion - it wo't look like two separate parts.  As that standing heel is sliding to a stop, leg begins to lift into attitude.  That will also slow the turn to a controlled stop.

 

Once you have learned to stop by putting the standing heel down you are in control of your turn and you can end in any position.  Even if you are supposed to end in fifth position with both feet down - still the standing heel comes down first a tad before the other heel.

 

Hope this helps. 

[Dancer Sugar Plum]

This is really helpful Anjuli, thank you. I was trying to stop the pirouette and go into attitude at the same time and now I understand I was trying to do too much at once, which made me unable to control the pirouette finish.

 

Would you mind me asking how I would put this into practice for pirouettes in attitude. I feel like I get 'stuck' half-way round and I wondered if it was to do with placement, energy, trying to do too much/little at once or a combination of all of this.

[Anjuli_Bai]

This is really helpful Anjuli, thank you. I was trying to stop the pirouette and go into attitude at the same time and now I understand I was trying to do too much at once, which made me unable to control the pirouette finish.

 

Would you mind me asking how I would put this into practice for pirouettes in attitude. I feel like I get 'stuck' half-way round and I wondered if it was to do with placement, energy, trying to do too much/little at once or a combination of all of this.

 

 

You put this into practice by doing a single pirouette, lower your standing heel 3/4 of the way around (depending upon the floor conditions and the speed of your turn) and then open the lifted leg into attitude.  

 

Keep it simple.

[dollyry]

Thanks Anjuli! I tried out your tips this evening after reading this thread and it has really helped me become more consistent in my execution of my pirouettes. Really helpful.

[Anjuli_Bai]

Thanks Anjuli! I tried out your tips this evening after reading this thread and it has really helped me become more consistent in my execution of my pirouettes. Really helpful.

 

I am really glad to hear this!  Good for you!

[Dancer Sugar Plum]

Hello Anjuli,

 

Sorry I didn't make my last post very clear. Your description of how to approach finishing a pirouette in attitude was very clear. In my last post I meant to ask, as a follow-on question, how to approach doing a pirouette in the attitude position. From what I have come across so far, it looks like these usually start in the same way as an en dedans turn in a lunge position, arms in third. Then you releve into the attitude postion so the actual turn is in this postion. It's this type of turn where I get 'stuck' half-way round. I also find it hard to stay in a proper attitude position and not feel the back knee dropping or the body twisiting.

 

Any advice on how to approach these turns would be much appreciated.

[VBee]

 

To test this take the fourth position, right foot back and do a simple relevé, with the right foot coming into retiré (passé).  Don’t turn.  Just try to maintain the balance in relevé on the supporting right foot.  See where your weight is.  Is it over the ball and toes of the left foot?  Can you maintain that balance for a couple of seconds?  If you can’t maintain it in a simple relevé balance, your chances of maintaining it in a pirouette are probably nil.

 

Anjuli, a really useful bit of advice. I've tried doing this and I can barely balance for more than a second or two. My weight is off, but not consistently off either forward or backwards. This may explain why I always feel out of control in pirouettes, so I guess I need to go back to basics until I can balance in releve confidently before I attempt turning again. Other than repeating this over and over do you have any other tips to help with this balance? Or is repetition the best option?

[Anjuli_Bai]

Hello Anjuli,

 

Sorry I didn't make my last post very clear. Your description of how to approach finishing a pirouette in attitude was very clear. In my last post I meant to ask, as a follow-on question, how to approach doing a pirouette in the attitude position. From what I have come across so far, it looks like these usually start in the same way as an en dedans turn in a lunge position, arms in third. Then you releve into the attitude postion so the actual turn is in this postion. It's this type of turn where I get 'stuck' half-way round. I also find it hard to stay in a proper attitude position and not feel the back knee dropping or the body twisiting.

 

Any advice on how to approach these turns would be much appreciated.

 

Don't make that preparatory lunge position too large - you need to make it a bit smaller so you don't have so far to go to get well forward over the toe of your supportig foot.  You must turn as one piece - like a statue and this means opening (not tilting the leading shoulder and you must bring the second shoulder with you.. If you keep the leading shoulder tight and/or the following shoulder is allowed to drift behind - either or both of those occurences will stop the turn.

 

Try this in aa simple pirouette.  As you go around squeeze both shoulders together and you will stop almost instantly.  This is good to know for an occasion when you really need to stop and the floor is slippery.  Lowering the heel of the supporting foot is your brake but the shoulders are the emergency brake.  Thus you must be aware of what they are doing as they can definitely hinder you such as in attitude turns.

 

Try the turn going en dedans to the right (left leg will be up in attitude), right hand is stretched in front of you, left hand is in second.  Now as you turn switch hand positions so that the right is now in second (which means you've opened the leading shoulder) and the left hand is now in front of you (which means you haven't allowed the following shoulder to fall behind).

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

 

Anjuli, a really useful bit of advice. I've tried doing this and I can barely balance for more than a second or two. My weight is off, but not consistently off either forward or backwards. This may explain why I always feel out of control in pirouettes, so I guess I need to go back to basics until I can balance in releve confidently before I attempt turning again. Other than repeating this over and over do you have any other tips to help with this balance? Or is repetition the best option?

 

I would say the problem begins at the barre.  Everytime you rise to demi-pointe check to see if you are using the barre to pull you up.  Also, before, during and after EVERY exercise at the barre, lift your hand to check your balance - both when you are working on flat as well as demi-pointe.

 

This lifting of the hand must be immediate - not wobbling around and then lifting the hand.  Don't wait for the message to come from the body that it is ok to let go the barre - the message goes the other way - from the mind to the body.  This is an important turn around of instruction - the mind to the body not the body to the mind.

 

Repetition is good only if one repeats correctly.

 

Also,, all through the barre work, not only is the constant checking for balance essential - but the hand rests lightly on the barre with the thumb on top - not wrapped around.

Edited January 23, 2014 by Anjuli_Bai

[Dancer Sugar Plum]

Don't make that preparatory lunge position too large - you need to make it a bit smaller so you don't have so far to go to get well forward over the toe of your supportig foot.  You must turn as one piece - like a statue and this means opening (not tilting the leading shoulder and you must bring the second shoulder with you.. If you keep the leading shoulder tight and/or the following shoulder is allowed to drift behind - either or both of those occurences will stop the turn.

 

Try this in aa simple pirouette.  As you go around squeeze both shoulders together and you will stop almost instantly.  This is good to know for an occasion when you really need to stop and the floor is slippery.  Lowering the heel of the supporting foot is your brake but the shoulders are the emergency brake.  Thus you must be aware of what they are doing as they can definitely hinder you such as in attitude turns.

 

Try the turn going en dedans to the right (left leg will be up in attitude), right hand is stretched in front of you, left hand is in second.  Now as you turn switch hand positions so that the right is now in second (which means you've opened the leading shoulder) and the left hand is now in front of you (which means you haven't allowed the following shoulder to fall behind).

 

Hope this helps.

 

Thanks Anjuli, I can't wait to try this out.

 

In class I took your advice about thinking of the energy going up for en dedan pirouettes and that seems to have stopped me leaning to one side. Your help is much appreciated.

[Anjuli_Bai]

Spotting Lends Coherence to the Turn

 

The major components of turns, in my opinion, are the following:

 

Preparation:  takes place in any of the numbered foot positions.  First, second, fourth (broad or narrow - open or closed) or fifth position (with or without tendu as part of the preparation)

 

Impetus: the push off from the floor

 

Stability: balance while turning

 

Rotation: the turn itself

 

Spotting: gives the turn coherence

 

Finishing:  with control (which is the highlight of the turn - if one falls out of the turn the rest doesn't matter).

 

One soon learns spotting will keep the dancer from getting dizzy, will keep the dancer informed where he/she is, can add rotations to the pirouette and will aid in the balance of the turn. 

 

Certain rules have to be followed:  the head has to revolve on a level plane.  It cannot be held too high nor dip down.  It should not deviate from that level plane during the entire turn. And, the head should never wind up to initiate the turn.

 

I think that the most important thing the student has to learn about spotting a turn is to truly "see" what is being spotted - not just look - but really "see."  If one stands in front of a mirror one can spot one's own eyes  If the dancer is spotting on a diagonal it is not enough to simply look at the corner - an object must be chosen.  This object should be eye level and  truly seen.  It must make an imprint on the brain.

 

An interesting exercise to help achieve this is to have a friend stand downstage on the diagonal and as the student does a traveling turn, such as chainés or piqués/posés, have the friend flash up fingers.  As the dancer turns, she should be able to call out how many fingers are raised each time.  That way one can tell if the dancer is truly "seeing" the spot.  I used to do this regularly with my students in class.  Everyone needs a reminder now and then.  Practice it with the easier turns first.

 

I have read that the initial impetus for a pirouette is usually only enough for about 3 rotations, after than other dynamics some into play.  If a dancer maintains his balance, then he can produce additional rotations simply by spotting his head.  I have watched this done in class and found it fascinating.  I have a tape of Baryshnikov doing this for twelve rotations.  Since no other movement can be allowed to happen, as it would destroy the balance of the pirouette, only the head is free to move and continue the rotations.  The entire thing is very rhythmical.  The head does: look - snap - look - snap.  Where the head goes the body will follow.

 

When we travel, whether walking, driving a car or dancing, the body has a tendency to go where we are looking.  If we look off to the side while driving a car, we tend to go to the side.  This is true of pirouettes, too.  The student has to learn to spot where she wants to go and where she wants to end up.  If she is asked to do a pirouette with one and a half rotations, which finish upstage, then she begins the pirouette, and as her eyes pass upstage, she leaves the head there, and then snaps the head around ending the spot upstage, where the pirouette also ends.  She has to truly "see" that upstage spot as she passes it.

 

Doing moving turns, such as chainés or piqué/posés, in a circle (which is spotted as a square) the student has to find a spot for each change of direction.  This is also true for turns done in a figure 8.  Plan ahead, know how many turns you will be doing before you change spots.  So, the message to the brain is:  three turns, change on the fourth, three turns, change on the fourth - until the square of figure 8 is completed.

 

We can divide turns into various categories:

 

en dehors - (outward) away from the supporting leg

 

en dedans - (inward) toward the supporting leg

 

Moving turns -  chainés, piqué/posé, etc.

 

Sur la place - (in place) - pirouette, etc.

 

from one foot to one foot (piqué/posé)

 

from one foot to two feet (piqué soutenu)

 

from two feet to two feet (détourné, soutenu sur la place)

 

from two feet to one foot (pirouette)

 

and a turn done on no feet  (tour en l'air.)

 

There are also turns that are large jumps like sauté Basque.

 

Turns can begin and end in all the numbered foot positions as well as end on one foot such as attitude (derriére and devant), a la seconde and arabesque. 

 

But all turns have one thing in common - the spot of the head.  It is the "brains" of the turn.  The only exception I can think of is a slow arabesque or attitude turn.

 

An interesting way to feel the change of spot depending upon which turn is being done is to set a combination of two moving turns such as piqué/posé turns and  two sur la place turns such as fouetté turns en diagonal.  The two piqué/posé turns will be spotted into the corner of the diagonal and the two fouetté turns will be spotted to the front of the room.  This is a good way to learn how the spot changes for different turns.

 

The spot lends intelligence to the turn - the student must control the spot.