Help with leaps

[jsdancer]

So, I have a great difficultly with leaps.

Everyone always expects me to be a high leaper because I have really long legs and really high extensions but the truth of the matter is is that I can hardly get off the floor.

Whenever I leap, I have a hard time remaining in the air and often come down right away whether it be in a saut de chat/grand jete, tour jete or even in jazz class with calypsos and firebirds.

Other dancers (especially male dancers) just float effortlessly and I want to be able to do that too.

 

So basically what I am asking is, how can I stay in the air longer, leap higher, and get my legs up.

 

What can I do to practice leaps on my own time too? Is it safe to practice on a trampoline?

 

Thank you!

 

 

 

Oh and I apologize if I made any errors in posting, this is only my second question so hopefully I followed all rules correctly.

Edited March 4, 2013 by jsdancer

[Clara 76]

Welcome, jsdancer!!!!!!!!!!!!

How old are you, and how many ballet classes do you take per week?

[jsdancer]

Thank you!

I'm sixteen and take 6 hours technique classes of ballet and pointe a week, more during recital and nutcracker time.

I'm a late starter though I don't know if that's important. I started ballet at 13 and pointe at 14.

Edited March 4, 2013 by jsdancer

[vrsfanatic]

Hello jsdancer. There is no crystal ball in ballet, not even for those who began to study at a younger age that you. The best answer I am able to give is, keep working very hard as this is the only way to find out. You know you began late, so at this time, in comparison to others of your age group who began younger, you are behind. Keep working. I did have a 16 year old male student, who had studied karate prior to ballet, succeed in a professional career in ballet. One never knows.

[jsdancer]

Thank you. I'm hoping that within the course of the year (especially over summer), I can be able to catch up to my appropriate level and study ballet in college and see where that can get me. Luckily enough I was born with the elongated body and natural flexibility (it's actually a pretty funny story, when I was born I'd always bring my feet up and behind my head), but the lack of strength and ability is what's holding me back.

 

I've been doing my research on ways to get my leaps higher and one suggests tying a theraband across the lower thighs and leaping with the resistance. Is that safe? Would that assist my leaping or hurt me?

[Victoria Leigh]

I would completely ignore that suggestion, jsdancer.

[jsdancer]

Yeah I was skeptical about that. I guess I'll just keep practicing until someday it clicks for me :\

[Victoria Leigh]

Ooops, a parent wandered into the YD forum by mistake, so a post was removed.

[balletblueblueeyes207]

I had this same problem a few months ago. It took a lot of practice, but now i have a full splits for a long time in my grand jetes. First, to get a feel of how high i should be jumping, i would go outside on the lawn and run 20 feet, then jump. It gets you the feeling of flying and it is easier to do it again. each time run a little less and get the same feeling in your stomach as the very first one. Also make sure that you are "reaching for the sky." don't look like you're reaching for the cookie jar, but more of an up and out, over the horizon reach.

[Victoria Leigh]

Balletblueslueeyes207, I would like to ask you to please introduce yourself on the Welcome Forum, and tell us a bit about your involvement in ballet. For instance, how many classes a week in ballet and pointe you take, how old you are, how long are your classes, and what your goals are.

 

It would also be very helpful to you to learn a bit how we work here by reading the Rules and Policies, and the Pinned topics at the top of all the forums. Another for instance, we write in correct English, using punctuation and capitalization where needed. Please use the upper case for the personal pronoun "I", and sentences always begin with an upper case letter.

[jsdancer]

Luckily, it finally clicked! It was all in battements believe it or not! I found that if I thought of the leap as me doing grand battements in the air rather than me jumping into a split in the air, I was able to get my legs higher (if that makes any sense haha). And of course, a deeper plie helped too.