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Question: Calling all dancers!!!!?
k so on may 31st and june 1st i have a recital i have been practicing and stretching 4eva any last minute tips on the following items or dancing in general (i take ballet, pointe, modern, jazz, fosse)(i kno the whole smil b urself stuff but tips on actually dancing)!.!.!.
axels
double stag
fouttes
spiltz( ic an do on side but im really close on the other)
form
balance
ponche
i kno it sounds like alot 4 having a recital in 2 weeks but im really close to perfecting all of them any ideas 4 stretching and/or strengh builders would b soooooo much helpWww@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Axles:
In jazz dance, you start off doing a single fouette turn, and then, you do another fouette turn ending with the free leg crossing over the supporting leg so both bend as you make your turn with an extra turn!. You cross your legs during the turn so that the legs seem like an axle on the car!.
When you do an axel turn make sure that your knees are tucked in equally, meaning that they're at the same height!. also make sure that your whip is quick and that you get your leg (that's whipping) all the way around!. Try to be very clean about your whip and dont miss a position!. also, make sure your arm is whipping around your head too so that you have enough momentum to get around, because if your arm was just floating there, then the air would mess it up (or something like that!.!.!.i dont really know!.!.!.!.but just make sure its there)!. Lastly, makes sure if you do a chaine turn (or whatever your momentum is!.!.!.) before the turn, make sure that you get enough plie to get you all the way aorund for your axel!. And as for your turns, your definatly gunna have to get maximum momentum to get around (to pull and double, triple or maybe single!.!.!.!.)It helps so much more if you have your hair in a bun so its easier to spot (you probably knew that already!.!.!.)!. But just by spotting can help so much, make sure that right when you plie right before your turn that your in proper position and your pelvis is tucked down and your arms are out!. Pick your leg up right away instead of just letting it come up into posay in the middle of your turn!. That helps so much more by doing those things!.
Double Stag:
It depends on what the problem specifically is!. Do you have trouble with the height of the jump!? Do you have trouble with the position of the legs!? Or is your upper body out of place!?
If height is the issue, you must condition your legs for jumping!. A jump uses different muscles than a leap!. Often dancers who leap well are challenged by a jump!. Make sure you are doing lots of jump work like sautes, echeppes!.!.!.!.!.!.in case you don't take ballet, do straight body jumps off both feet, and take turns off one foot!. Do these repetitively to improve the height of your vertical jump!. It is difficult to do a double stag if your jump is not high enough off the floor to have the time to get your knees in place before you land!.
If your leg position is the issue, make sure you do lots of battement work at the barre!. You extensions should be pretty high if you expect to get both legs up while in the air!. Do repetitive battements (kicks) with both legs front and back!. also work on battements in attitude (kicks with knees bent) both front and back!. The stronger you legs and kicks are from a standing position, the stronger they can be when you are in the middle of a jump!. Make sure that you are turning your legs out when the are in the stag position!. This would be like when you sit on the floor and cross one leg in front and then cross the other leg behind, sometimes referred to as a swastika position!. Often the look of the jump can improve just by turning the legs to this 'more turned out' position!.
If the upper body needs improvement, make sure you are looking in the mirror during your jump and keep your chest up and opened!. Use your arms to help get your jump off the floor and then extend them (unless choreographed differently) over head at the height of the jump!. Keep your back up straight and your abs tight!. Don't sink in your upper body while you are pulling the legs up!.
I hope that helps you out to break the jump down into its parts so you can focus on improving which part needs the most work!.
Keep working and jumping!. Not every one is a natural jumper and you may just have to work at it over and over!. But you will see improvement if you don't give up!
Fouettes:
If you know the correct way to do a fouette turn, start by going into the "up" position (right big toe touching inside left knee, right knee facing front, arms in first position, balancing on left toes) and hold for a while!. Then go to the "down" position (left foot on floor, left knee bent, right foot/leg out to side, arms in second) and hold for a while!. Keep going back and fourth between positions for a while in 2 second incroments until you can do this in good balance!. And do not turn yet!!
Then begin to add turns!. Prepare for your turn however you were taught!. Turn while in "up" position and go into "down" position in one turn and hold!. (So down one turn and stop)!. Then go on by adding turns as your getting better!. If you start to lose your balance, go back to just going from one position to the other WITHOUT turning!.
To get some ideas, you can watch these:
If you're in jazz, or ballet shoes:
http://www!.youtube!.com/watch!?v=4XOzyWtYF!.!.!.
Good luck!! Fouettes are a hard thing to master and very frustrating!! Don't give up and use the following pointers:
-Stay tall, pull up from head
-Always spot something
-"Suck in" your butt
-Being tense actually helps
-PRACTICE
Splits:
These stretches will help your flexibility and tone your muscles!.
Sit on floor and spread your legs as wide as possible!. Lean forward, lean to the left, and lean to the left hold each for 30 secs!.
Pull legs together into a Pike stretch!. Lean your head as close to your knees as possible and point your toes; hold this for 30 secs!. Repeat with flexed toes!.
Lay on your back and do 10 kicks!. On the 10th kick, hold it and pull it close to your head; hold for 30 secs!. Pull leg, to the left and then to the right!. Repeat with opposite leg!.
When doing a split, put a book or pillow underneath your front leg to help you get lower!.
Form:
That's an easy one!.!.!.just practice the positions and balancing!. (See Fouettes above) also, go into positions as fast as possible switching from one to the next, and still getting in the correct position!.
Balance:
I would stand at the barre and work on combinations that practice balance in many positions especially ones that include releve!. also, balance in releve passe with arms in first and fifth!. If you are taking ballet classes, consider asking the instructor to help you "find your center" so that you can "stay on your leg!." Ultimately you have to find it for yourself, but the instructor (if well trained) should be able to show you the correct posture, port de bras, etc!. to attain good balance!.
P!.S!. Balance also depends a lot on the inner ear fluid!. If you have allergies or are sick a lot, this is a probable reason that your balance is off!.
Ponche:
Here is a little unusual arabesque stretch exercise!.!.!.!.!.
Using a chair!.!.!.!.!.!.!.
Stand on both feet in ballet second position (but it would also be best if it is in first position), and hold both hands on the top part of the chair!.
Using the hands as sort of a "barre", bring your free leg into a simple arabesque!. Don't "releve" your supporting leg yet!!
At first, when the arabesque leg is raised, the arms are bent!.
Now!.!.!.!.
Slowly straighten your arms, and at the same time, letting the chest nearly touch the chair, bring your supporting leg into demi-pointe or releve, and try to stretch that arabesque higher!.
Hold that stretch for 10 seconds!. If you are better at it, hold it for 15-20 seconds!.
But it will take time!. It will take 21-28 days doing this exercise every day to get results!.
Hope this helps!! And, good luck with your recital!!Www@QuestionHome@Com
-for spilts try over extending ur splits and putting ur foot on a stair step!. it really streches out ur legs and will make ur bad spilt side go all the way down!.!.!. but u have to keep practicing!.
-ponche is a lot of ur back muscles and flexibily so do some back exercises and work on ur center split!.
-balance should come from the ballet bar!. if u want to practice that try holdig ur leg in posse for as long as u can!. try to pull up and tighten ur stomach!.
-fouttes need a lot of practice!. just keep praticing them!. rememeber to turn out ur leg and straighten ur leg!. also never forget to point ur feet!Www@QuestionHome@Com
Well, what I do for competitions is work on your turn out, stretch alot, practice your pointe[[try to hold it as long as possible]]!. Practice leaps, turns, and anything else!.
Practice your dance over and over!.
Work on gracefulness and things people will be murmuring OOh and AHh!. Stuff that will really make your eyes sparkle!. Or, make you stand out!.
Axels and (attitudes) will improve by practice!.
Hope I Helped!Www@QuestionHome@Com
practice makes perfec or very close to itWww@QuestionHome@Com