Question Home

Position:Home>Dancing> What do you do with your eyes in ballet?


Question: What do you do with your eyes in ballet!?
I am a beginner and my teacher often tries to correct my eyes in ballet class!.!.!.look here when you do this, look here when you do that!.!.!.I never really seem to get it right!.

Is there a general rule for what to do with your eyes!? Should they follow your hand or foot or what!?Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Your eyes are a part of your epaulment, the carriage of your head, arms and shoulders!. Your eyes and head are an important part of your pose!. There are many different variations in epaulment, and choreography could change it too!. but basic epaulment at the barre is, ( assuming you're working, say, your right side) When working to the front:head looks slightly to your right side, very slightly over your right arm!. working to the side: head and eyes look directly ahead!. working to the back: head looks to the side again, but gaze is slightly underneath your right arm, like you're looking a little bit behind you!.

your head also can follow your hand, especially during port de bras!. It depends on what your teacher wants!.

hope this helpsWww@QuestionHome@Com

It depends on what you are doing!. I know that in barre-work like in Plies you are to watch your hand and sometimes you will follow the directions of the room and other times you will work following your feet!. I think you mean the direction of your head though!.!.!.you can strain your eyes trying to look another direction without moving your head!. lol!.

Over-all it depends on what you are doing and who your instructor is!. Many of them vary!. Just ask!.

EDIT: also there are positions to the head!. Up, down, left, right, tilted left, tilted right and forward!. But it ultimately depends on the instructor!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I've always heard from my teachers that you should follow your arm in plies and such!.

In tendus, battements, etc, there are the specific arms for front, side, and back, and specific head placements to go with them!. There are different rules for barre verses center, too!. Most people pick up on those eventually, if they take enough classes, but I know that it was really hard for me!. If you get really confused, just ask your teacher for help!. Unless they're one of those really mean teachers who HATES questions!. Then ask a fellow student!. But preferably not during class!. Ask at the end or just before class starts!.
Www@QuestionHome@Com

Unless your head is facing down or extremely to the right or left, Your eyes should be straight ahead as if there is an audience!. Ballet is a performing art!. It is to BE performed in front of people!. SO unless your head/face placement prohibits this, you should be looking down stage (which is straight ahead unless your back is to your audience) torwards an audience!. Out of all the answers I was surprised nobody thought to tell you that!Www@QuestionHome@Com

At the barre your eyes should face forward unless told otherwise by your teacher!. sometimes when you have finished and exercise you should look to the front of the room!. Each movement has different eye positions and also it depends on what ballet method your teacher uses!. the head positions are as follows erect, raised, lowered, tilted, and turned!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

when u do anything w/ yur foot to the back tilt yur head to the outside [on left it would be the left side] and turn your head to the outside as well same with when u do stuff to the front, when you do something to the side keep your head frontWww@QuestionHome@Com

You kind of just have to learn where your head goes as you go along!. Like usually when your arms in arabesque, you align your head w/it!. When facing en fas & your arms are in 2nd I look striaght ahead!. It's gets somewhat complicated, so just try to remember where your teacher said your head's supposed to go and eventually you'll probably know where it should go, although in some positions it can depend on what the choreographer prefers!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

well when you are at the barre, the general rule is as follows!.

when you tendu to to front, your eyes and head are tilted back looking into the hand!.

to the side, your head should remain to the front!.

to the back it should tilt foward looking into the palm of your hand!.

sorry its hard to explain!. its something more to show!. ask your teacher and im sure she can help!. good luck!!Www@QuestionHome@Com

Actually, you don't move then when you move your head, because, well, your eyes are on your head!. You follow your hand or arm with your eyes, like if you your hand/arm was in front of you, your eyes are in front of you!. If your arm was up, your eyes are up!. If your hand is down, your eyes are down!.!.!. that sort of thing!. Hope I helped!Www@QuestionHome@Com

generally, look past ur hand!. not exactly on it!. look at ur fingers, then just look past it and follow it where ever ur hand go!. there are different rules for how to tilt ur head when u move ur hand and such, but thats basically it for ur eyes!. And when u balance w/ 5th high arms it helps to look past ur hands too!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

moving your eyes with your body is something that takes a long time to learn!. when you're doing turns!.!.!.you move your head/eyes in the direction that you're spotting!. But for other exercises you might be moving them with your hands!. It just completely depends on what you're doing!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

well move them when you move your head!. never move your eyes and not your head, that would look silly!.
and generally, your head should be inclined toward the foot that is in front, or following your hand!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Ask your teacher - that's what you pay for!.
Remember, the only stupid questions are the ones you don't ask!. If you are asking, it is NEVER a stupid question and don't ever let anyone make you think otherwise!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Most of the time, when doing port de bras, your eyes/head follow your hand!. Other times they might look out to the audience!. That is really all I can think of besides not looking at the floor!.
Hope I helped!Www@QuestionHome@Com

It depends really!. My ballet instructor always says to keep your eyes up or forward or following your head!. When you do turns, the eyes are up!. You move your head with your arms most of the time!.

Hope this helps :)Www@QuestionHome@Com

your head should usually be in the direction of your foot and your eyes will follow!.!.but if your hands and feet are both in the same direction look a bit out past your hands!.!.never look at the ground!.!.you'll get it =]Www@QuestionHome@Com

It really depends on exactly what your doing but a good rule is dont look at the floor!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Usually it's off of the ground but to me i look at the Direction the dance move is taking me!. DO your best!!Www@QuestionHome@Com

always keep your chin up!. never look down!Www@QuestionHome@Com