Controlled Landings in Grande Jetes

[hart]

I have always been able to soar in grande allegro because, as a former runner with long achilles tendons, I just know how to exploit momentum. I am now taking an intermediate class where we often do a contratemp (sp) to change directions in tombe-pas de bourree-glissade-jete. My problem is that my body just cannot absorb the landing in the jete to switch directions and my momentum continues to move forward. I know I need to work on my plie, pulling up, and getting my weight over that landing leg, but man, is it hard. Are there any pre-jete steps that are used with children to get the feeling of what the landing should feel like? Any other suggestions would also be appreciated.

[Victoria Leigh]

The best way to teach your body to feel what must happen on the landing, in order to continue to whatever comes next, would be to do it very small, like a very petit grand jeté, feeling the cushioning of the landing into the plié along with the weight over the front leg but the body resisting upwards. When your body understands it small, gradually make it a bit bigger.

[dancing_dentist]

work on your plie. When it comes about landing, it's always about plie. Make sure you do your plie isometrically. Pull your body upwards, when the gravity pulls you down. Make sure you bend your knee in the correct alignment, to get the weight distributed correctly over your supporting leg, to prevent injuries.

[Garyecht]

Though I could be wrong, my feeling is that softer and more controlled jump landings come from increased mobility in the foot (tendu, degage, pas de cheval, and so on) as well as doing the simple jumps more as a foot exercise than a jumping exercise. Better use of the feet seems to me to automatically result in a deeper plie.

[hart]

Garyecht,

 

 

I think your right. Just thinking about my feet seems to improve control, even if I don't make any conscious physical changes. My feet just get ignored so much.

 

I am going to have to work on the landings for awhile, but they are coming along.

 

Thanks for the help,

 

Hart