Basic Principles of Classical Ballet by Agrippina Vaganova Page B
Authors: Agrippina Vaganova
Ads: Link
expressiveness to every movement of the leg in dance.
GRANDS RONDS DE JAMBE JETÉS
This exercise is done at the barre.
En dehors. In class this rond de jambe is usually preceded by rond de jambe par terre, which contains an impetus for the following forceful cast of the leg.
From 4th position back, the leg, is forcefully thrown forward, passes 1st position, flies up with toes pointed into a half-bent position at 45°, stretches out, describing a circle backward on the height of 90° by rotating the hip joint, and returns to 4th position. The circle should be made as wide as possible, the leg describing the widest arc it can.
24. Grand rond de jambe jeté
It should be done so that the leg works independently, without involving the body in the movement. This is possible when the muscles are fully developed and are subordinate to the will. In proper execution the body remains still, the tension of all the muscles supporting it is unnoticeable, and the leg works intensively from hip to toe.
En dedans. This movement is in the opposite direction.
The leg, passing from 4th position forward, through 1st position, should be thrown back into a half-bent position, firmly held at the thigh. This gives power and a wide girth to the whole circle described.
Grand rond de jambe jeté is a pure exercise movement. Expert dancers may occasionally allow themselves to begin their lesson with it: this movement at once brings the entire body into intensive work. But pupils and immature dancers should approach grand rond de jambe jeté through preliminary exercises, for the tension of the tendons and muscles of the hip is very great.
IV
THE ARMS
POSITIONS OF THE ARMS
IN MY terminology of ballet I use only three positions of the arms; all other positions I consider variations of these initial three, and I feel that it is superfluous to introduce special names for them. And anyway, as soon as the teacher approaches a complicated exercise or a dance, the movements of the arms must be shown and not described.
The initial position of the arms is the preparatory position: the arms are dropped; the hands with palms inward are close to each other but not touching; the elbows are slightly rounded, so that the arm does not touch the body from the elbow to the shoulder and does not come in contact with it under the armpit.
25. Positions of the arms
The manner of holding the hands in the preparatory position, as well as in the subsequent positions, can be shown only in actual demonstrations. It is very difficult to describe. To a certain extent the accompanying illustration will help. I shall add the following explanation.
All fingers are grouped freely and they are soft in their joints; the thumb touches the middle finger; the wrist is not bent, but the hand continues the general curved line of the arm from the shoulder.
If at the beginning of an exercise the thumb is not pressed firmly on the third finger, all the fingers will become spread out, because the attention during the exercise will be transferred to the legs and the body. This grouping of the fingers may be modified as the pupil progresses.
First Position. The arms are raised in front of the body on a level with the diaphragm. They should be slightly bent, so that when they open into the 2nd position, they unbend and open to their full length. On raising the arm to the 1st position, it is held up from the shoulder to the elbow by the tension of the muscles in the upper part of the arm.
Second Position. The arms are opened at the side, very slightly rounded in the elbow. The elbow should be well held up by the same tension of the muscles of the upper part of the arm. The shoulders should not be drawn back or raised. The lower part of the arm, from the elbow to the wrist, is held on a level with the elbow. The hand, which due to this tension falls and appears to be hanging, should also be held up, so that it, too, takes part in the movement.
By holding up the arms in this
GRANDS RONDS DE JAMBE JETÉS
This exercise is done at the barre.
En dehors. In class this rond de jambe is usually preceded by rond de jambe par terre, which contains an impetus for the following forceful cast of the leg.
From 4th position back, the leg, is forcefully thrown forward, passes 1st position, flies up with toes pointed into a half-bent position at 45°, stretches out, describing a circle backward on the height of 90° by rotating the hip joint, and returns to 4th position. The circle should be made as wide as possible, the leg describing the widest arc it can.
24. Grand rond de jambe jeté
It should be done so that the leg works independently, without involving the body in the movement. This is possible when the muscles are fully developed and are subordinate to the will. In proper execution the body remains still, the tension of all the muscles supporting it is unnoticeable, and the leg works intensively from hip to toe.
En dedans. This movement is in the opposite direction.
The leg, passing from 4th position forward, through 1st position, should be thrown back into a half-bent position, firmly held at the thigh. This gives power and a wide girth to the whole circle described.
Grand rond de jambe jeté is a pure exercise movement. Expert dancers may occasionally allow themselves to begin their lesson with it: this movement at once brings the entire body into intensive work. But pupils and immature dancers should approach grand rond de jambe jeté through preliminary exercises, for the tension of the tendons and muscles of the hip is very great.
IV
THE ARMS
POSITIONS OF THE ARMS
IN MY terminology of ballet I use only three positions of the arms; all other positions I consider variations of these initial three, and I feel that it is superfluous to introduce special names for them. And anyway, as soon as the teacher approaches a complicated exercise or a dance, the movements of the arms must be shown and not described.
The initial position of the arms is the preparatory position: the arms are dropped; the hands with palms inward are close to each other but not touching; the elbows are slightly rounded, so that the arm does not touch the body from the elbow to the shoulder and does not come in contact with it under the armpit.
25. Positions of the arms
The manner of holding the hands in the preparatory position, as well as in the subsequent positions, can be shown only in actual demonstrations. It is very difficult to describe. To a certain extent the accompanying illustration will help. I shall add the following explanation.
All fingers are grouped freely and they are soft in their joints; the thumb touches the middle finger; the wrist is not bent, but the hand continues the general curved line of the arm from the shoulder.
If at the beginning of an exercise the thumb is not pressed firmly on the third finger, all the fingers will become spread out, because the attention during the exercise will be transferred to the legs and the body. This grouping of the fingers may be modified as the pupil progresses.
First Position. The arms are raised in front of the body on a level with the diaphragm. They should be slightly bent, so that when they open into the 2nd position, they unbend and open to their full length. On raising the arm to the 1st position, it is held up from the shoulder to the elbow by the tension of the muscles in the upper part of the arm.
Second Position. The arms are opened at the side, very slightly rounded in the elbow. The elbow should be well held up by the same tension of the muscles of the upper part of the arm. The shoulders should not be drawn back or raised. The lower part of the arm, from the elbow to the wrist, is held on a level with the elbow. The hand, which due to this tension falls and appears to be hanging, should also be held up, so that it, too, takes part in the movement.
By holding up the arms in this
Similar Books
