Good extensions?

[Serendipity]

This is a topic on one of the teen boards that I've been reading, but, of course, can't post there. Haven't seen one here, unless it's VERY old.

 

I have about a 95-100 degree extension at the moment - to the side and to the front when doing developpe (sorry, don't know how to do accents in any language on this thing). I have a higher one to the back (and am very proud of that line - the best of the three!).

 

My goal at the moment is to do at least shoulder height, and I'm nearly there on the side, not quite there on the front and pretty much there in the back.

 

My turnout isn't great, though - only about 120-140 degrees, I think (I'm estimating, btw, as I'm not really good with geometry!! Certainly it's not 180 in any position.). When I extend to the side, at the moment, the leg is forward of the body, as it is extending from my real turnout, and to me it looks awful no matter how high it is. The body is in correct position, hip down, etc. or so I've been told. In "froggie" position, my hips are down (or so I've been told!) and my feet are very close to the floor. Again, not perfect but I'm not actually hoping for perfection.

 

As an adult, I know there's little scope to improve, but I'd like to give it a try. Any ideas? I'm not extensively flexible anymore, although I do stretch every day and have improved considerably in splits. Middle split continues to be an issue, however - no matter how much and what I do, it's not really getting much better. Is this due to just the atrophy that comes with age?

 

I am just sort of looking to find not just ideas but also others' experiences with working with these liabilities (as I call them), as adult students who are not professionals.

[Mel Johnson]

How to make accents and other special characters

[Serendipity]

Thanks!

[jimpickles]

Well, I'm not sure if I'm the right person to contribute, from my beginner status - but since you were asking for responses from other adults, and a senior Mod has replied without addressing this particular point, I thought I'd put my 2c in.

 

At first I read it as "how much is enough"? I think this is an interesting question for an adult amateur, since you dont have to be judged in competition with professionals, and can go purely by aesthetic standards. I'd like to hear the view of the Mods on this. It seems to me that extension below 90 degrees does not allow much expression, extension towards shoulder height allows a good range of expression and variation, and much above head height is getting into the "astonish and amaze" category which may or may not have aesthetic value*, depending on the situation, though I cant see much value for adult non-performing amateurs. (However in saying this I certainly take the point that Ms. Leigh has made many times, that line and control of turnout are more important than number of degrees of elevation).

 

"As an adult, I know there's little scope to improve.." I think you can be much more positive. It is possible. I started stretching in my early 50s, and am still improving in my early 60s, and didn't have any sign of natural flexibility before I started (all my life I couldn't easily touch my toes with knees straight). Forward splits easy now, and I just managed side splits (first and only time?) a few weeks ago (bit of a brag about the latter, since I thought it would be impossible). So it can be done. The people who know most about (leg) stretching as adults are martial artists, since they are dealing with the most difficult group (muscular adult males). There are many books and websites with their techniques.

 

Jim.

 

*At some point the direction goes from "outwards and upwards" to "inwards and just a bit upwards" which is saying something different.

[Claude_Catastrophique]

I'd say that a good extension is the one the choreographer is asking you to do. Mostly they have got something to tell the audition (whatever it is) and a good dancer should be able to follow what they want you to do.

 

For reacreational dancers I'd say good extension is that extension you can get with your limited classes but always trying to give the best (I don't know how I can formualte this better in english but I hope you understand).

[handan]

There is always room for improvement! I find that when I approach an exercise like developpé with the mental picture of getting my leg up higher, I can usually squeeze another centimeter out. It takes time though.

My teacher has said that after a certain age ‘there can be a very good life at 90 degrees’ to make it more acceptable when we all sort of hover around that level. But she notices the little improvements that we do make, and encourages us to keep trying for more.

Personally I find it frustrating too sometimes. As a girl my leg was next to my ear, and now I am struggling to keep it turned out and up at around 90 -100 degrees. At the same time though I am really happy when I am doing ballet, very happy to have re-discovered it, and just try to give it my best shot. And what I sometimes do is simply ignore the mirror, and pretend that that leg is actually really up there, and then close the exercise with the most perfection I can. Works for me...

[olddude]

... and can go purely by aesthetic standards. I'd like to hear the view of the Mods on this. It seems to me that extension below 90 degrees does not allow much expression, extension towards shoulder height allows a good range of expression and variation, and much above head height is getting into the "astonish and amaze" category which may or may not have aesthetic value*, depending on the situation, though I cant see much value for adult non-performing amateurs....

Here's merely an observation as a fan of ballet. Lately I've been watching videos of La Bayadere, and recently had an opportunity to see a studio rehearsal of the "entrance of the shades," reproduced from the Stepanov notation in 1903. This is where the corps comes in with a step to arabesque, repeated as they file in. In the old choreography they step to a clean 90 degree line; in most modern productions it's nearly a penchee, at least 135 degrees. Aesthetically, to me at least, the 90 degree line is much more effective and beautiful. They look like they are together as a unit rather than a collection of show-off individuals. I'm not a critic and others are welcome to different opinions, but that's what I see.

[Laschwen]

If I was in charge... And I know I am not...

I would not ask anybody to raise a leg above their own head. I think, excluding a lovely vertical penchee, the lines are lovely and contortion free at the hips without going past ones own head.

I like clean shoulder to head height extensions and I am still working on that for myself.

I get 90 degrees in front, shoulder height to the side, and something less than 90 degrees to the back.

I may be biased because I have never been able to do really high extensions. I managed a split once when I was 14, but It was forced for a performance and I walked funny for a few days afterward. I am currently as flexible as I ever was (excluding to the back) but I hope there is more if I keep working on it.

[Boots]

Forward splits easy now, and I just managed side splits (first and only time?) a few weeks ago (bit of a brag about the latter, since I thought it would be impossible). So it can be done.

 

jimpickles, allow me to say that I'm jealous! Side splits are even more of a distant dream than ever for me (of course, I gave up on them a few years ago after a hip injury, and have insisted ever since that splits aren't a prerequisite to good dancing, so that might have something to do with it... but I'm still jealous!)