Tips on balancing?

[Swiss_Chard]

I'm having the hardest time finding my balance when in passe on releve. Aside from just practicing it, is there anything else I can do? Thank you.

[Victoria Leigh]

There could be a lot of reasons for that, Swiss Chard, and it's really hard to know without seeing you, so I'll just list the things that generally go wrong. The first thing is always alignment. Find your correct alignment, balance point (weight place where you are centered), and control zone on flat. Using the abs, back muscles, gluteous muscles, and leg strength, feel that center standing on one foot in retiré position. Holding the barre lightly, press downward to rise to demi pointe, making sure your weight remains centered and does not move backward. The arm on the barre should be slightly forward, not directly side or behind you. When you feel centered on the relevé, you should be able to easily let go of the barre and maintain the position.

 

Remember that the arms and shoulders do not hold you up! It's the legs, the abs and the back, plus the muscles at the top of the thigh and into the glutes. The arms, hands, neck and head must remain free and "random" in feeling. Do not grip anything! Stay focused.

 

If this does not work, start over and correct everything from ABC....alignment, balance point, control zone (which is the place where all is centered, the arms are supported by the back and placed correctly, and you are in control of where you are in space).

[Swiss_Chard]

Thank you, I will try that. I tend to tense up my arms and shoulders and then everything goes.

[angel_lissa_91]

I was just trying what Ms. Leigh said it really works!! My teachers tell me to pratice but they never tell me what to work on... Thank YOU very much Ms. Leigh Edited October 10, 2004 by angel_lissa_91

[Garyecht]

Swiss Chard I can empathize with you. I vividly remember thinking that balancing in passé-releve was impossible for me when I first tried it. I also remember avoiding it in my home practicing because it was so difficult. I think I could only balance for something like .01 seconds. That was a long time ago and now I can say that with respect to my overall ability, balancing in passé-releve is my absolute strength. The only thing that stops my balance now is pain in the calf of my supporting leg, pain from contracting so long. I don’t mean that as a boast, but rather as an indication that with time and practice, you really do get a whole lot better.

 

In my own case, alignment as Victoria speaks of was everything. I do think three things helped me a lot. First, I spent a lot of time balancing in sousous, concentrating on every correction I had heard and thinking of nothing but alignment. A second thing that I think helped was to practice passé-releve balances facing the barre (or chair or counter top). That seemed to make it easier for me to get in reasonably good alignment right away as opposed to when I just held on with one hand. It also made it easier for me to keep my weight forward, which has been my dance Achilles heel from day one. Third, I just kept practicing regularly and slowly found myself being able to balance longer and longer until as I said it became a relative strength.

[balletowoman]

Have a leg of steel and a stomach of wood, and you will feel like you're as light as a feather... No, it's not contradictory.

[Swiss_Chard]

Thank you all. I've been practicing in the computer lab when no one is looking. The tips have definitely helped. Not that I'm balancing much longer, but I can at least my brain understands what I'm supposed to be doing now.