“After the in-place alignment, the teacher reviewed the plié and relevé series. The dancers performed the movements radiating out into the dimensions of the room or stage and projected them through the forward wall and out into the imagined audience and further out to the back of the auditorium. Open pliés were pressed out into […]
“To understand the concepts of balance and counterbalance through posture and placement, it is helpful to identify (1) each of the three body planes, which link two of the three dimensions of height, width, and depth, (2) the center of gravity, (3) the central vertical axis, and (4) the base of support.” – Rory Foster, […]
Elements of Dance: The Body, Core “Definite stability is achieved only when the dancer realizes and feels the colossal part the back plays in aplomb. The stem of aplomb is the spine. The dancer should learn to feel and control her spine through observation of muscular sensations in the region of the back during various […]
During my training with Accomplishment Coaching, I read the wonderful book There is Nothing Wrong with You: Going Beyond Self-Hate, a compassionate process for learning to accept yourself exactly as you are, in which spiritual teacher Cheri Huber states: “The simplest example is that if self-hate is hating my body, it doesn’t matter what I […]
“With care, and skill, and cunning art, She parried Time’s malicious dart, And kept the years at bay, Till passion entered in her heart and aged her in a day!”– Ella Wheeler Wilcox Seven Basic Movements of Ballet This week we have been exploring the theme of darting as part of my series on the 7 Basic Movements […]
“Beauty, like ice, our footing does betray; Who can tread sure on the smooth, slippery way: Pleased with the surface, we glide swiftly on, And see the dangers that we cannot shun.”– John Dryden (appointed England’s first Poet Laureate in 1668!) That exhilarating sensation of gliding A soaring hawk, riding thermals high above the mountainside, […]
“Get ready to jump!” states a creepy voice at the beginning of the “Petit Allegro 2 – Bats in the Cave” track for jumping on the “Musical Gems” Halloween Ballet CD by Craig Wingrove. I love to play this silly, spooky, whimsical recording for my dance classes in October and am already looking forward to […]
