fouettes en pointe

[alyssa]

I am able to do fouettes on flat fairly well. I've been working on them a lot and it took me a while to finally get the hang of it. I can now do 32 clean fouettes on flat with a double every fourth one if I'm lucky. The problem is, I can't do them on pointe! I don't know if it is a problem of the strength of my feet or something, but I can't seem to do more than two without falling out of it or losing the rhythm. I can do a clean double pirouette on pointe, I just can't seem to get the fouettes!

[Victoria Leigh]

Alyssa, without seeing you, it's really impossible to diagnose the problem. There could be so many different things involved, or it could be just one major thing. Are your consecutive relevés on one foot strong? When you start the fouettés is the pirouette solid? Are your abs and quads working so that you are all the way up on a strong supporting leg and holding your back? Are you spotting? What are the corrections you are getting from your teacher? Technically, if you are strong on pointe, fouettés should really be easier than on demi pointe. Very often the problem is simply a bit of fear, which holds the weight too far back, and then you lose the ability to keep going because you are not getting up in the right place, totally over your supporting leg.

[alyssa]

You know, I think a big part of the problem is fear. I feel like I am strong enough on pointe, I just tend to tense up after I do a few of them. My teacher tells me to relax my upper body more, but I feel like when I relax my upper body, my legs relax too! Any advice for getting past this fear of fouettes en pointe?

[Victoria Leigh]

Alyssa, the first thing that happens when one has fear is to back up! This applies to things like turns, too, as when you are afraid of them, your weight automatically goes back. There is no magic pill to overcome fear, but my feeling is that the challenge of fouettés make them a lot of fun! If you approach them with attack, thinking of how much fun they are, and really go for it, your chances will be greatly increased.

[alyssa]

Okay, I'll try that at my next class. Thank you so much! I guess I'll just keep practicing and I'm sure I'll get the hang of them and get rid of that fear.

[jen888]

Mrs. Leigh, I have difficulty getting into a full demi plie in between each fouette. Sometimes I find it hard to just get my heel down. I think my weight is probably too far back, which makes me less stable in the plie. Do you have any suggestions?

 

Thanks~

[Victoria Leigh]

If your weight is too far back you will just fall backwards off the turns. As for not putting the heels down and using the demi plié correctly, this comes from practicing consecutive relevés on one foot.