flic-flac turns at the barre...

[Belle of the ballet #1]

the last few lessons at ballet, we have been doing advanced two barre (RAD) to give us something new to try (we are an advanced one class)

most of the time, i pick up a new excercise relatively easily, but the flic-flac turns just don't seem to work. our teacher doesn't seem to be to worried, and doesn't spend much time explaining because she wants to get into the centre work, but it is really annoying me that i can't get it.

can anyone give me any hints for this (like at what point do you rise and turn.)

i would appreciate any help.

thanks

[Mel Johnson]

Flic-flac turns date from the very earliest syllabi of the RAD. They are a battement fouetté relevé done both en tournant and terre à terre. The relevé and the first half-turn come on the "in"-stroke of the working leg. After the first half-turn, the "flac" happens, and complete the movement, which terminates in a degagé à la seconde. The relevé can be either at quarter- or demi-pointe.

[Victoria Leigh]

Well, first I think you need to recognize that in ballet, it is barre, not bar.

 

Flic flac turns are executed with one turn, either en dehors or en dedans, but the working leg is doing two things, a flic and a flac. It comes in and out twice in one turn. En dedans is the easier one, and the working leg goes from a dégagé second, in plié on the supporting leg, and flics to a cou de pied front during half of the turn. It then opens to the side again and does the flac, which would go to cou de pied back, and then finishes back in the second dégagé. There is an easier version where the flic is just a brush forward and does not come in to the cou de pied.

 

For en dehors, just reverse the action of the working leg, meaning brush from side to back on the first half of the turn and then side to front on the second half, again finishing second.

 

The tip of the toes does the flicking and flacking action, and you remain on the relevé during these two actions.

[Mel Johnson]

On the other hand, if you do a flic-flac in a bar, nobody will mind, unless you're sitting on a stool and kick somebody!

[Belle of the ballet #1]

woops... embarassing typo, must have been preoccupied. i'll be more careful next time.