Grande Battement arms

[Hopefuldancer]

I(and a lot of my other peers) have been having trouble with my grande battements to the side and holding my arm properly in second. I haven't been able to kick my leg higher than about 100 degrees without moving my arm up up up and out of the way. If you can get the picture, its almost like a reflex reaction. My leg goes up, my arm goes up to avoid being hit by leg, leg goes down, arm comes back to place. I have been corrected on this quite a bit now and I was wondering if anyone has any personal tips to help me keep proper placement.. Should I reposition the arms somehow so they are more curved and forward? Is it just a trick of keeping the shoulders pressed down? Help...?

[balletboyrhys]

hey, if you grande battement behind your arm this shouldnt be happening, i guess just think of keeping you arm in a proper second maybe a little forward until you get used to it.

[Mel Johnson]

Rhys is rhight. Grand battement should go behind the arm in à la seconde. If your seconde is too far back, though, you will end up losing turnout and rotation in extension. If your arm is in the way, don't move it up, move it forward on the same horizontal plane.

[balletboyrhys]

Rhys is rhight. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

haha play on words or typo?

[Mel Johnson]

I had a great-grandfather named Dafydd Nelson Lewis ap Thomas, so you can guess that I'm pretty familiar with Welsh names. Just a play on the sounds.

[balletboyrhys]

I had a great-grandfather named Dafydd Nelson Lewis ap Thomas, so you can guess that I'm pretty familiar with Welsh names.  Just a play on the sounds.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

very cool. i guess that means you know that my name isn't rice or riss.

[ppixie]

I am hoping this thread isn't totally forgotten. I have trouble doing side battement, I don't raise my arm up but it seems no matter how far forward I move it my leg still hits above the elbow. Its like my arm is almost in front it is so far forward.

 

I always thought I should be following my natural second but I am now thinking I am wrong in this and I should just be aiming straight side?

[Victoria Leigh]

You need to talk to your teacher about this. It is possible that your leg is too far forward, however, if you really do not have much rotation, you need to find the right place for both your leg and your arm.