How can I improve plies?

Question:in ballet?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: in ballet?

make sure that you stretch your achilles and calves a lot. plies are pretty much stretching your achilles, so when its tight, its going to be much harder to do a plie. when doing plies, try to go down as far as possible keeping proper posture, technique, alignment, etc. and making sure your heels stay on the ground (in demi plie). in a grande plie, try to keep your heels on the floor as long as possible and try to have your heels touch the floor again as soon as possible (think of your heels pushing towards the floor as whats bringing you up, not just coming up again...if that makes sense (?) )

if you're unsure of how to stretch your calves and achilles...
http://tms.ecol.net/Fitness/calfstr.htm

With ballet there is only one thing that helps you improve doesn't matter if it is plies or paux de jour. dedication to practise.
Remember to do your stretches and limbering up exercises. Really "feel" the moment when you execute it and remember to follow your hands with your eyes,making sure you are maintaining a central line of balance.
Keep that picture of an imaginary central line fixed in your mind.
Changes in the positions of your feet should be done deftly and without too much elaboration or excentuation, the whole movement must kept be fluid.

In my class our instructor is always reminding us to take plies slowly, taking advantage of every movement to get a good stretch, and to be sure we're always moving. It's really helped me to get the most out of my plies.

I think you should just keep practicing, remember Practice makes Perfect! Dont worry, i do know about ballet so dont think im just some random guy answering random questions, i do ballet aswell as jazz and tap. Just keep practicing and you'll get better over time.

keep your knees over your toes, turn out!
keep your body straight like a plank down and up
your head should stay up the whole time you go down, like a spring you stretch it both ways
perfect practice makes perfect, plies are preparatory steps so technique is important,

sit with the bottoms of your feet touching in front of you. keeping your back straight, bend over as far as you can and then curve your back so that your nose is reaching out and towards your toes. your plier should now be deeper.

-Try stretching in your frog and butterfly stretch before class. It loosens up your hips.

-Stand Up. Pretend like you are going into a grand plie without the barre. Lean forward (still in grand plie) and put your hands on the front of your legs and push your legs back with your hands. (this also loosens up your hips)

Demi Plie or Grand Plie:

-Make sure you keep your knees over your toes and tuck your butt under. Make sure you use you butt muscles to turn out.

-Keep your back up tall and make sure you do not have an arch in your back. And make sure that your head is straight and following your hand in the demi plie.

-You have to resist to come down. And resist to come up. when you are going into a grand plie make sure that when you come up your heels are pressing down into the floor.

Just Practice them around your house and you will get them soon.

Do stretches and froggies before class. Don't overstretch. EAT LOTS OF POTASSIUM-- that comes from bananas. Potassium helps to make your muscles more stretchable and moveable, as well as help with muscle soreness.

Elpalma is important when trying to make an elegant plie en centre, as well as at the barre. Look at your hands when going down and look right as you tondue front, en face as you tondue al es egon, and back into your hand (but only slightly, not too much) as you tondue derrier out from your plie. It makes for a beautiful plie.

When doing grand plies en centre, pick a spot to look at and stare. Try not to look too focused, though. When doing these, don't use elpalma at first, especially in your pointe shoes. It's hard to do them en centre because it's hard to balance, especially in fifth. The only way to perfect these otherwise is to practice. Be careful, please.

When coming up and preparing for a plie, keep your legs straight or it looks messy and disorganized. To keep it elegant and light, elonges help as well. Make sure to keep your poise even if you mess up. It's supposed to look pleasant even if it isn't.

Hope I helped,
E

okay so this happens to the best of us
you have to CONCENTRATE not only on the plies,
but on your posture.
you need a straight back, push your pelvis forward and stay turned out.
feel that your back and your spinal cord are perpendicular to the floor.
it takes determination and concentration but by simply straightening up and pushing forward instead of staying loose, you'll have a perfect plie.
you HAVE TO HAVE TO HAVE TO tuck in your tummy, and contract all the muscles in your butt and back.
good luck!

Cheers and have a nice week ahead :)

practice makes perfact but here are some tips and exercises to help you...
1. always remember when doing a plie you arn't just bending down but you also must "grow"
2. every day practice 2 demi plies and 2 grad plies in first, second, fourth, and fith (on each side)
3. pull back you legs when you plie down
4. please email me if you have anymore questions kroninson94@gmail.com Happy Dancing

Hi! =)
Make sure that your back is straight at all times and that your hip/pelvis is correctly placed.
Be sure to use all the counts in the music to do your plie, do not "sit" in your plie when you get "down". Y
ou should be moving the whole time.
Quoting my teacher: "a plie is a movement, not a position!". Maybe try to work on the co-ordination of your head, eyeline and hand...