Striving for Grace Posted October 13, 2006 Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 My little cousin (age 11) recently started pointe and the other day in a phone conversation she said she couldn't wait to be able to do a "spider" en pointe, and decared that she was going to do one for her ballet photos this year. She went on about other things and I forgot to ask here what that was. I've never heard of the term "spider" before- well, not in the context of ballet, anyhow! Does anyone know what she may have meant by this? Quote Link to comment
citibob Posted October 13, 2006 Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 Never heard the term, but maybe it's a forced arch en pointe in second position. Quote Link to comment
Myfairlady Posted October 13, 2006 Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 I've never heard of it either. Quote Link to comment
Guest kacy Posted October 13, 2006 Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 I've also never heard that term, but citibob's description is what popped into my mind.... Quote Link to comment
skyish Posted October 13, 2006 Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 A spider is this : http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h190/spe...azingspider.jpg Quote Link to comment
Striving for Grace Posted October 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 Thanks skyish! Is that basically just a pose, or has anyone seen it used in actual choreography? I've seen that pose and similar ones oodles of times, but can't recall having ever seen it in a ballet. Quote Link to comment
jddancingqueen Posted October 13, 2006 Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 We're working on a jazz ballet to "Hey Big Spender" right now, and there is one in it. But I've never seen one in a classical ballet. Quote Link to comment
Mel Johnson Posted October 14, 2006 Report Share Posted October 14, 2006 Roland Petit used it in his "Malordror" which I have to catch myself from spelling "Malodoreux". Quote Link to comment
Administrators Victoria Leigh Posted October 14, 2006 Administrators Report Share Posted October 14, 2006 This (referring to the photo linked above) is NOT something normally taught in a ballet class, and definitely NOT taught to an 11 year old. Quote Link to comment
citibob Posted October 14, 2006 Report Share Posted October 14, 2006 It's not classical because it does away with verticality of the body (torso). Quote Link to comment
Jaana Heino Posted October 14, 2006 Report Share Posted October 14, 2006 Citybob, to play the devil's advocate, so does e.g. the arabesque penché. (Not that I do not agree the spider thingy not being classical.) Quote Link to comment
Claude_Catastrophique Posted October 14, 2006 Report Share Posted October 14, 2006 Oh, I love the spider. I think it is called spider because if you look at the picture and the pose the dancer has a shape like a spider (body in the middle of the legs and arms lol) Quote Link to comment
Administrators Victoria Leigh Posted October 14, 2006 Administrators Report Share Posted October 14, 2006 It's a fun pose, but just not something named or taught in the classical vocabulary. Not sure I agree with you, citibob, about ballet poses having to be vertical, though. There are lots of poses, especially supported positions, that are not vertical and still definitely ballet! Quote Link to comment
Farrell Fan Posted October 14, 2006 Report Share Posted October 14, 2006 I'm not sure about this. but aren't there similar movements in Robbins's The Cage and in something by Christopher Wheeldon (Liturgy?)? Quote Link to comment
Administrators Victoria Leigh Posted October 14, 2006 Administrators Report Share Posted October 14, 2006 Definitely in The Cage. Have not seen the Wheeldon, but would not be surprised Quote Link to comment
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