penchee

[Guest beckster]

In an arabeque, I know my hips should be level, although sometimes they aren't . Does this also apply to a penchee? Are you ever allowed to lift the hip?

[Victoria Leigh]

Beckster, if you expect to have any rotation in the arabesque leg, that hip is going to "open"! Not lift, but open. It's not physically possible to maintain perfectly square hips and get the leg up in the back in a turned out position. But it is only the hip that opens, NOT the shoulder, and the opening of the hip should be as minimal as possible.

 

That said, once you have established your best arabesque position, that position goes to the penché. The hip should not change any further and you must keep the shoulders square or you will tilt off to the side.