Who is up for some Mother Daughter fun? We are holding a short demonstration for mothers and daughters in B3 - B6 and up, on Saturday, Sept. 27 from noon to 1 pm.
This seminar is to teach both dancers and parents what we look for when placing dancers, and the slight nuances that determine the levels in ballet. Understanding these slight nuances will allow dancers to learn what to focus on when they want more than anything to progress. It will also allow mamas to see how hard their dancers work, and exactly what they need to achieve in order to reach their dreams!
To further explain the slight nuances that make or break a dancer's technique in placing dancers for summer intensives - Some ballet companies just ask for two photographs. One photo of tendue a la seconde (pointing the foot to the side) and one of arabesque (the leg lifted behind). These photos tell a well-trained eye so much about every aspect of a dancers training, so they are able to confidently place students with only those two photographs. How can a photo tell us so much? Because while everyone can point to the side, it is HOW they point to the side that determines their level. Is the leg rotated from the hip? Is the supporting knee over the supporting foot and in line with gesture/working leg? Are the toes pointed while lengthening instead of scrunching? Is the line of the ankle also in line with the second toe and with the knee? Is the weight over the correct part of the supporting foot? Is the thigh pulled up? Is the supporting hip extended? Are the elbows curved forward and in front of the ribcage? Are the arms in line with the wrist and the fingers? Is the back spread wide from the spine, in order to support the arms properly? Is the necked extended without arching? Are the shoulders held properly, and the spine extended (not tucked or arched), for beautiful posture in every movement? Whew! It's a lot, and in fact at one point we asked our upper level to list everything they could focus on in a tendue, and one dancer came up with...47 different things to focus on. Forty. Seven. Crazy...but...as Miss Janine says...How you tendue (good or bad) is how you dance (good or bad) because everything emanates from tendue. The foot shape, the energy, how the leg is held, everything!
We won't even go into all the elements of arabesque, as we are sure you get the idea.
If you would like to join us for this (no cost) seminar for B3 and up, please message us here! While mamas won't be dancing, you will be standing occasionally and working on understanding how the foot and leg should be held (with your own daughter helping you - what a confidence boost to teach mom!). We promise you won't end up on Tik Tok!
In addition to dancers and mamas attending, we do need 5 mostly upper dancers to demonstrate, and we may pull a few dancers out of those watching as well. Cookies and punch will be served afterwards...:)
Janine Fraser,
INB Artistic Director