what will your goals be this year

[Guest mic31]

I want to master pirouettes, well at least get better at them and start to be able to do some 4's and 5's, en dehors especially

[dido]

I have three big ones: to actually USE my arms and epaulment ALL the time; to clean up my petite allegro and to get my extension above 100 degrees.

[skaballet]

Learn to spot......I have just never really been able to do it! Also to really work on and increase my turnout.

[missvjc420]

I'm not sure if I can post here yet- so feel free to delete. I want to work on my turns, balancing my turnout, and cleaning up my technique.

[DreadPirateRoberts]

My goal? To actually turn out my turnout.

If I do, my leg will twist and I will shout

For joy! If not, oh boy, I will groan and pout

Because it turns out turnout's what ballet's about.

[camdancer]

My goals for this year are to make sure my back leg is straight and my foot pointed, feel secure on pointe, and stop sickling in jumps.

[skip]

my goal for this year is getting back into ballet and back to the level i used to be at.

 

i had my surgery 2 days ago and besides sitting with my foot elevated, i also flex it and walk with my crutches....

 

i hope to be able to start ballet within 6 weeks (along with the recovery-scheme the doctor gave me)!

 

~SKIP~

[hart]

ALIGNMENT, ALIGNMENT, ALIGNMENT!!!

 

I was having a conversation with one of my teachers about my frustration about not getting the fundamental corrections I needed at the beginning of my training a year ago. I'm now in physical therapy to respond to several dancing related injuries because of this. She said that there are two very distinct philosophies regarding teaching dance. She said that the American style is generally more inclined to the sink/swim method; in other words, let the student jump into dance, and then make the corrections later. By contrast, the European tradition is more inclined to the "learning to walk before you run" philosophy.

 

If this heuristic dichotomy has some truth in it, I am realizing that I prefer the "walk before you run philosophy." I don't want to look like I belong in basic ballet when I have been dancing for three or four years because I never was taught the fundamentals. So this year, having found a teacher willing to teach me how to walk, I am going back to the fundamentals. With respect to goals, I want to (1) be able to point my foot consistently without sickling it, especially in pirouette position and in jumps, (2) have my weight distributed appropriately over my feet, (3) manage my tibial torsion, (4) really pull-up and use my abs to prevent my back from swaying.

 

On a more aesthetic level, I really want to improve my understanding of line, learn how to use epaulment to enhance line, and learn how to more smoothly connect steps so that my dancing looks more fluid. Metaphorically, I want to learn how to dance in complete sentences instead of two word phrases.

[2 Left Feet]

I'd like to get to the point of doing clean, consistent double pirouettes. It's taken me nearly three years to get to the point where I do good singles nearly every time so I'm not expecting miracles on the doubles any time soon.

[koshka]

I'd like to get to the point of doing clean, consistent double pirouettes

 

Me too!

Last summer's project was to do them at all, and I made good progress (as I may have mentioned, one tough thing about adult classes is that there aren't a lot where things are taught progressively--I just had to decide that I was tired of doing only singles...).

 

For this year, I'd like to make them more reliable on both sides, and en dedans too. The en dedans are coming along quite nicely on my stronger side.

 

Also...more pointing of the foot without sickling. Better phrasing. Better use of warmup time for systematic stretching.

[lampwick]

Making it through a year without major injury is my one big goal, so long as I see improvement every month. I can't give myself any definite goals, or I'll drive myself insane (more so).

[Marjolein]

I want to improve my pirouettes, and increase my turnout. Also, by next summer, I want to be able to take class at the pro division at my school.

[ashatNYU]

I'd like to get to the point of doing clean, consistent double pirouettes. It's taken me nearly three years to get to the point where I do good singles nearly every time so I'm not expecting miracles on the doubles any time soon.

You took the words right out of my mouth!

[Mr Robin]

Pirouettes for me too - after three years, I'm finally getting to the point where clean singles are looking like a distinct possibility... I'd also like to increase my turnout and extension by a few degrees, and get my front splits down through the last, stubborn six inches!

[bandee]

My strong side - clean double pirouettes en dehors 'with spotting'. On good days I've been doing doubles but only with momentum! Spotting is extremely difficult with double turns..

And for my weak side, clean and consistant single en dehors (wouldn't mind occasional attempts for doubles )

 

double pique turns

double en dedan

better chaines

 

and stretch everyday!