developpes in plie

[Guest 321dance]

hi-

i've noticed that when i looked from the side today in dance when we were doing developpes in plie that one of two things happen:

 

in a developpe to the front, as much as i try to stand straight and pull up, there's is always a bump somewhere in my back, and i'm never pulled up completly-is there any special trick that will get me standing complety up straight or will that just take time?

 

in a developpe to the side my pelvis seems to drop and rotate out taking the top part of my leg with it so i'm only turning out from the knee down and then to make it worse i'm afraid my working leg isn't very truned out either. how can i fix this?

 

all of your help and advice would be so greatly appreciated!

[Mel Johnson]

You've just learned the first evil trick of teachers. Looking from the side is the very least flattering angle for anybody. You have to learn to maintain your placement and alignment while working, so what you do is lower the working leg in developpé, and make sure that you are maintaining rotation from the hip in both the supporting and working legs. They sort of work against one another to produce the desired turnout. In à la seconde, don't put the working leg straight to the side, but let it edge forward a bit, so that you can keep your hips under control. You have to lift out of the supporting hip, so that you can make the most of the rotation you do have, and advance it gradually. It's a slow process, getting everything under control.

[Guest lowedancestudioroxmysox5]

I personally find that if you practice your posture at home while doing things like brushing your teeth etc. , you're body will naturally go to that postition.

 

Also you could also try lowering your leg a bit just to get the posture then once you regained your posture, raise your leg up again.

 

-Jenna

[dance91]

Hey 321dance!

 

I have found it helpful to really feel lifted up and even to think of developpe as a positive step. It helps to think of it that way instead of dredding it. It is just a thought, hope it helps.

[tutucute4u37]

My dance teacher always recommends to imagine that you are "arching your tailbone" this really seems to do the trick and it makes your lines nice and straight, at least for me.

[duhitsnicolette]

Just think up! My teacher at the rock put a chair behind me and if I touched it then I would know I wasent pulling up enough!(i hope I answered your question right :/)

[aletheia146]

I had a similar question about going into retire and then doing a plie while still in retire. If I keep my foot attached, my hips tilt up toward my supporting side, but I don't think it's right to let the leg "float" when you plie...right? What are you supposed to do with your leg?

[Mel Johnson]

Academically, you really don't ever have to do this. You should ask your teacher what she wants you to do.