turns in motion-help!

[eunheejun]

Dear teachers:

 

I am learning to do double pique turns (en dehors and en dedans) in series. I find them harder than regular static doubles (or even the same double pique turns done after completely stopping and when I am free of momentum which I can do). It seems like when I have to do these pique turns in a seires en diagonal, I just don't know how to deal with the inertia pushing me to the direction toward which I was going and the momentary upright balance I need to pull off a double. What are some of the things I need to keep in mind in order to control this force and do a double? Thank you for your feedback in advance!

 

Eun Hee

[Serendipity]

Oooooh, I ended up on the floor doing those once (and was grateful the floor wasn't all that far away at the time, too!).

 

I did end up mastering them, and can do them fairly well now, but only because when I know I'm going to do the double, I pull up extra hard. I find it helps arrest the "forward" motion given by the pique. I also work harder to make sure I spot specifically for each turn in the double pique tours - stopping at exactly the same place each time.

 

I could be wrong in what I do, but it works for me.

[eunheejun]

Yes, I haven't hit the floor yet-knock on wood! But I have seen other people ending up on their backside real hard. An interesting thing is, those people, when they are doing on-the-spot-regular turns, don't usually actually fall on the floor even then they are messing them up, again, I guess this suggests a totally different dynamics between pique turns in motion and regular turns. Anyway, I will keep your advice in mind and try to be more daring until I get them right! Thanks, Serendipity!

[Victoria Leigh]

Actually, the dynamics are not that different. A double turn is a double turn and all the same things apply, you just arrive at the demi pointe (or pointe) in a different fashion. Because there is momentum and a forward step to the turn, on singles you can step out further. For a double, try not stepping so far away and thinking about just going up. You still step forward, of course, but just not quite so far. Once you are up on the turn, it should feel the same as a double pirouette, especially the en dehors piqué. The en dedans feels different mainly because the retiré foot is in back instead of front.

[Serendipity]

Thanks for that tip. We're not doing these as yet in the intensive I'm currently taking but I know they'll be done in the classes next year. I'll keep in mind not stepping out so far (I tend to like to fly across the floor in pique tours).

[eunheejun]

Thank you, Ms. Leigh! I will keep your advice in mind when I practice.

 

Eun Hee

[ami1436]

Great question Eun Hee... let us know how you get on and what works for you - and if you feel differences between the en dedans and en dehors... Good luck!

[eunheejun]

Hi ami:

 

I can do double pique en dehors pretty easily--I feel like I get more turning force with that one. En dedans on the other hand, is a difficult thing for me to do fast in motion-I seem to run out of my turning force after the 1 and 1/2 turn. Still working on them and I will definitely give you a follow-up report when I have found out what works for me.

 

Eun Hee

Edited July 27, 2008 by Redbookish