A Guide for Starting Pointe
When should I start pointe work; As a child the minimum age you can start pointe is 11-12 yrs and you should have been studying syllabus...
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michellehiggins279
Jun 5, 20221 min read
SISSONNE FERMÉE DESSUS
Here’s a little ‘how to’ guide on sissonne fermée dessus or as I call out in class sissonne over. Start in fifth position left foot...
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michellehiggins279
Nov 8, 20201 min read
BALANCÉ DE COTÉ (travelling en avant)
You will have seen in previous blog posts that I went into lots of detail about balancé de coté bringing the foot to the back. This...
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michellehiggins279
Oct 31, 20202 min read
POLONAISE
Polonaise a step of polish origin is a slow step which travels diagonally across the stage. It usually uses a 3/4 time signature where...
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michellehiggins279
Sep 19, 20202 min read
ROND DE JAMBE EN L’AIR
Rond de jambe en l’air (in the air) consists of drawing an oval shape with the toe starting out in second position, bringing the leg into...
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michellehiggins279
Jun 4, 20202 min read
ASSEMBLÉ SOUTENU (en tournant en dedans)
HOW TO; Stand in fifth position right foot in front croisé facing DSL (downstage left see stage directions blog) Prepare the right leg...
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michellehiggins279
Mar 31, 20202 min read
LAME DUCK (aka piqué or posé turn en dehor)
A Lame Duck also known as a piqué or posé turn en dehor is aptly named because the up down motion of this step gives the appearance of...
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michellehiggins279
Mar 25, 20202 min read
Pique Turns (aka posé turns)
Called many things such as a posé turn, piqué tour en dehor or posé en tournant. This dynamic step can be seen throughout classical...
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michellehiggins279
Mar 15, 20202 min read
PIROUETTE EN DEDAN (with fouetté preparation)
An en dedan pirouette meaning an ‘inwards’ pirouette involves performing a turn in a retiré relevé towards the supporting leg. Below are...
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michellehiggins279
Mar 8, 20202 min read
5 TIPS FOR GRAND BATTEMENT EN CLOCHE
Grand battement en cloche is an exercise we use frequently at the barre. The swinging action of the leg mimics that of a bell which is...
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michellehiggins279
Feb 26, 20201 min read
ÉPAULEMENT CROISÉ & EFFACÉ
Épaulement meaning ‘shouldering’ or ‘the placing of the shoulders’ (Grant 2008) involves the body facing croisé either to downstage right...
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michellehiggins279
Feb 14, 20204 min read
BALANCÉ
A balancé is a step which rocks from one foot to the other and is usually performed to waltz music of 3/4 time where the music has three...
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michellehiggins279
Feb 7, 20202 min read
CHASSÉ
A chassé involves moving from one position to another. The step can be taken croisé, effacé or acarté and can travel forwards, backwards...
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michellehiggins279
Jan 31, 20201 min read
RELEVÉ
The term relevé meaning ‘to rise’ is a step used frequently throughout the bbodance grades. The step can be performed in first, second,...
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michellehiggins279
Jan 24, 20202 min read
STAGE POSITIONS
DE COTÉ - Traveling to the side. For example in an exercise you could tendu to second, plié transfer to pointe tendu on the other leg....
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michellehiggins279
Jan 17, 20202 min read
PETIT JETÉ
The term jeté in french means thrown and therefore a petit jeté involves throwing the working leg landing onto it in a fondu with the...
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michellehiggins279
Jan 10, 20204 min read
GRAND BATTEMENT COMMON MISTAKES
A grand battement involves kicking the working leg devant, a la seconde or derrière usually from a first or fifth position keeping both...
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michellehiggins279
Jan 4, 20202 min read
TENDU TIPS
A tendu is a step in ballet which involves moving from first or fifth position through demi pointe to a fully extended leg with the foot...
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michellehiggins279
Dec 23, 20192 min read
COUPÉ FOUETTÉ RACCOURCI
Fouetté raccourci is a step which can be executed at the barre or in the centre. At the barre when the leg extends to second en l’air the...
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michellehiggins279
Dec 13, 20192 min read
DÉVELOPPÉ
1. Standing in fifth position right foot forward* (This exercise can be performed at the barre or in the centre.) 2. Commence the step by...
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