Category Archives: Dance

Plié … and the life lessons of bending

23 Monday Jan 2017

Posted by in Ballet, Ballet Class, Ballet Steps, Ballet teacher, Dance, Doing a plié, How to do a plié, plié, Uncategorized

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Grand plié in first position. Photo © Sarah Shatz

Bending is the fundamental start of all dance – perhaps of all movement. In ballet, we bend or plié to jump, to turn, to move. It is this action of the legs to recoil like a spring before a jump, or soften the landing out of one, that also prepares our bodies for every other more advanced movement in the entire ballet canon. Pliés are often the first excercise done at the barre.

One could say bending or accepting is a fundamental principle of life, an ability that isn’t always easy. In life the challenges we face force us to confront the inflexibility of the mind (our minds, others minds). As difficult as the physical can be to change, our bodies are often far easier to lengthen, soften, and mold than the rigidity of the beliefs to which we (or others) stubbornly cling. Sometimes it is even the mind that keeps the body from bending! The body, however, can influence the mind; and by bending and opening the body, the mind will often follow. Staying open will help you in life as well as in ballet. A plié is not just a bend, it is an opening too –  the opening of your hips as your knees bend over your toes. Suitably then, it is done at the opening of class.

Demi Plié (Half or small bend) 

Put your feet in first position. Keep your head and shoulders aligned vertically over your hips and heels. Gently lift your belly in and up towards your spine as you bend your knees open over your toes, making a diamond shape in between your legs. Keep your heels on the floor.

You will have reached the bottom or deepest part of your plié at the point where your heels can no longer remain on the floor. Push down into your feet to straighten your knees fully and you will have done one demi plié.

Hint 1: Open your knees over your toes in your plié. If you can’t keep your upper body straight up and down and open your knees wide enough to align over your toes, you may need to bring your toes in a little bit for now. This just means you have more flexibility in your ankles than in your hips. Don’t try to do a 180 degrees first position with your feet at first. Turnout and openness in your hips will come. Having correct alignment is key.

Hint 2: Keep your spine straight and don’t stick out your butt to get more turn out or a deeper demi plié. As your calves and achilles lengthen over time, your demi plié will naturally deepen.

Port de bras: Teachers differ of course, but it is often customary to do a combination with two demi pliés in a row. Your arm starts in second, lifting slightly as you demi, eyes looking out over your fingertips, lowering to preparation or low fifth as you straighten. On the second demi plié, bring your arm up to first position as your head tilts away from your hand, inclined to look into your palm. As you straighten your arm floats back to second position. Alternatively, some teachers will have your arm start in preparation, float out to low second as you bend into plié, and return to preparation as you straighten.

Grand plié (big bend)

To do a grand plié (pictured above) in first or fifth (or fourth), start with a demi plié, then descend towards the floor allowing your heels to lift, until your hips and knees are level. (Your heels will naturally come off the floor, do not lift them more off the floor.) Continue to lift your lower belly in and push your heels down into the ground to recover back through demi plié and then fully straighten your legs.

Grand plié in first and fifth positions are similar. Except in fifth position your feet should remain touching in a grand plié, with the heel of the back foot moving forward, gently encouraging the heel of the front foot to turn out.

Timing: A typical grand plié will take four counts. Keep moving continuously though the movement and avoid sitting at the bottom of your grand plié.

Second position is a little different because in second, your feet are wide enough on the floor that you will not lift your heels at all. In second position descend only until your hips and knees are on the same level (see below).

Grand plié in second position. Photo © Sarah Shatz.

 

Hint: In second as in the other positions, descend as if you have a wall behind you so that you cannot stick your butt out.

Grand plié in fourth position is controversial – some believe it is bad for your hips. I did grand pliés in fourth for years with no seeming adverse reactions but recent tightness in the front of my hip flexors is exacerbated by grand pliés  in fourth and I’ve decided there may be some truth to that belief after all. I’m only doing demi pliés in fourth right now, but you do you. If you are doing a grand plié in fourth, be sure to keep your weight even on both feet.

Port de bras: First port de bras with one arm: Your arm starts in second position. As you lower to demi plié, your arm lifts slightly, then lowers to preparation at the lowest point of your grand plié. As you rise out of your grand plié, your arm lifts to first position in the demi, and then opens to second as you straighten your legs. Sometimes teachers will have you reverse the port de bras. In this case, you will demi plié and your arm will lift to fifth position as you lower into your grand plié, then as you return to demi plié, your arm will lower through first position to preparation and as you straighten your legs, your arm will float back up to second position.

I hope this helps your exploration of pliés. It’s a strange thing to try to describe in words a physical movement that is so engrained, so if you have questions, please ask. Stay open and keep dancing. Encourage others to dance too, that may we all learn to accept each other, accept ourselves, and to bend a little more.

~ Sarah

Believe in the Possibilities

31 Saturday Dec 2016

Posted by in Ballet, Ballet Adagio, Ballet choreography, Ballet Class, Ballet to pop music, Be happy--dance, Believe, Believe you can dance, Believing in your dreams, Believing in yourself, Dance, Dancing to remember lost loved ones, Dare to believe in your dreams, Encouragement, Going to ballet class, How to get better, How to improve at ballet, Inspiration for ballet, Motivation for Ballet

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Every dancer has an angel hovering overhead whispering ‘believe’!

Here we are at that magical time of year when gifts are exchanged with wishes of peace on earth and the hope of a better new year to come. What a difficult year it’s been and not just politically. I have geared too many ballet classes around the music of singers who have passed on – an adagio to Prince’s Sometimes in Snows in April stands out, one among several great musicians who are gone (David Bowie, George Michael). We’ve lost several amazing actors too – just on Monday I was watching Singing in the Rain with my mother and marveling at the lovely Debbie Reynolds. This year has also been a very difficult year for many of us personally as well.

Then recently at a friend’s suggestion, I read an amazing book called Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl in which he talks about his experiences surviving brutal Nazi concentration camps, how he survived, and why others did not. He explains how the torturous conditions became bearable only when one found meaning outside of oneself – when he could focus on his love for his wife, or work to recreate his manuscript that had been confiscated. Only then, by focusing on and reaching for something beyond himself, could he bear his own suffering. If you have never read this book, give yourself this gift! 

I found great solace and hope in his book, not just for my life, but for ballet as well. (Dance is life after all). As much as Ballet is about the body and the physical, and can be very difficult, it is also very much about the mind – what we perceive to be our limitations, versus what we imagine is possible. 

What I wish for us all in the new year is that we Believe. That we leave in 2016 the doubts, the “I’ll never get my leg high”, the “I’m not a jumper”, the “I’ll never be flexible”, letting all of that go. Instead, I wish for us to take hold of our dreams, like grasping the string of a giant magic red balloon. At first dangling, then embracing, and finally steering our dreams like we own them, and that they may be realized. That we greet each pirouette or pas de chat with a deep knowing that we are fully capable of the execution always focusing on the bigger picture even while we hone our skills more finely one at a time. It scares me to do this too – it feels safer to hang on to the familiar crutches of self-deprecation. But the adventures of 2017 are as yet unchartered territory. Dare yourself to believe it is all possible, and have a very Happy New Year. 

~Sarah

Feel free to ‘like’ or comment or share this post if you liked it. Join me for ballet on Tuesday, 7-8 pm. 380 Broadway, buzzer #5. $10. 

Let’s Talk About Balls

06 Sunday Nov 2016

Posted by in Back pain relief, Ball massage, Ballet Class, Breathing to release tension, Dance, Hip pain relief, Holding on to Tension, How to improve at ballet, How to Massage with balls, How to roll on balls, Keep Dancing, Letting Go of Tension, Moving with Ease, Plantar Fasciitis, Relaxation, Releasing tension, Releasing tight muscles, Rolling on balls to release tension, Sciatica relief, Shoulder pain relief, Uncategorized

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These are my balls

I want to talk about balls. Not the kind you can get away with grabbing when you’re a celebrity. Not the kind of balls it takes to call your political opponent ‘nasty’ or the kind you want to hurl at your television on occasion – or three occasions, or lately every time it’s on. I’m talking about the antidote to all the stress of life, dancing, and this political season – massage balls! (Only 3 more days, world, we can do this!)

Seriously though, self-massage using massage balls is great at releasing tight areas. Balls are inexpensive, portable, and easy to work with. You probably already know that massage increases circulation, and brings blood and oxygen to muscles allowing them to relax. What you may not know is that releasing muscles and ligaments that are gripping can also help them perform better, allow the correct muscles to engage, and enable your body to function better! While getting a massage is a wonderful treat, using balls whenever and wherever you need is easy on your wallet and your schedule.

Where to get Balls:

You can use tennis balls, though I prefer a slightly harder ball like the Pinky Hi Bounce balls pictured above that I got in the toy aisle at my local drug store. (In Harlem the balls even come in iridescent shades!) Google says you can buy them on eBay for $4.78. They are three inches in diameter, slightly smaller and firmer than tennis balls. Some people prefer the harder lacrosse balls which are the same size but I find those balls are a bit too hard for me.
A word of caution: if you are experiencing serious pain that is not going away, please go to a doctor! Also, for my type A friends, go easy with the balls, and don’t roll over bones, or any sensitive areas. Don’t confuse sensation or tenderness with out and out pain, and stop if you feel any weird (bad) zinging sensations indicating you may be irritating a nerve. Be gentle with yourself, always. 
Here are five ways you can use balls for massage:

  1. Back Massage: (For those of us with long hair, tie your hair up before doing this one so you don’t get your hair caught under your balls). Lie on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Press your feet down and lift your hips high and put the balls together in the middle of your back so the balls are on either side of (not ON) your spine. If your balls want to roll away from each other you can put them in a little ball sack. Heh. But, yes, I’m being serious. Press your feet into floor to roll yourself down (and the balls roll up) until the balls are near where your shoulder blades are. This area carries a lot of tension and may feel tender at first. Breathe into the sensation and allow yourself to relax and sink into the balls. If you want more pressure, press your feet into the floor and lift your hips. If you need less pressure, you can do this same thing with the balls against a wall instead of the floor, bringing your feet close to the wall for the least amount of pressure. Once the initial area of tension has dissipated, roll the balls slowly up towards your neck or down your back, stopping to breath and relax into each new area of tenderness. 
  2. Hips: Stay on your back but open one knee to the side so you’re halfway rolling to your side. Put one ball under the fleshy area of your butt. You may find some tender areas in there to release especially as you roll towards the side. Prop yourself up on your elbow for more pressure. You are releasing your gluteal muscles and as you get more on your side, your piriformis, a muscles that runs between your outer hip bone and your frontal hip point. This muscle gets sore with a lot of walking or when you do a lot of frappes – your standing leg, that is. When you find a good spot, you can get deeper into the muscle by slowly straightening and bending the leg you tilted to the side, or moving the leg in any way that feels good. Recently I was having some pain in the front of my hip and when I used the balls to release this area in the back of my hip that was gripping, the pain in the front of the hip lessened remarkably. Don’t forget to breathe as you are doing this. When you finish rolling out one side, switch to the other hip.
  3. Hamstring massage: Sit on the floor with your legs bent. Straighten your legs out in front of you as you place one ball under each thigh. Press down into the ball and turn your leg in and out from the hip to roll across the muscles of the hamstring as opposed to up and down. Move the  ball up or down your leg to the next area and then go back and forth across the muscle fibers.
  4. Shoulder blade: Lie on your back and and put the ball under your shoulder blade. Move your arm straight up and shug your shoulder up and down to get into the muscles there. Gently open your arm to the side to ‘cactus position’ and you may feel a stretch across the front of your shoulder.
  5. Foot Massage: Step on your balls to massage the arches of your feet. Place one ball under your foot in the arch near your heel. Add some pressure and then release and move to a different spot and repeat. This maybe particularly beneficial if you have plantar fasciitis. You may find it helpful to roll gently adding pressure as you can tolerate it. Or roll the ball lightly underfoot with less pressure. 

I hope this helps ease the tensions in your body if not in the political scene. Those tensions can only be solved one way. Vote. See you on the other side, and see you at the barre. 

~ Sarah

Asking How to Get Better at Ballet (or anything) vs. Asking Why 

13 Tuesday Sep 2016

Posted by in Ballet, Ballet Class, Ballet teacher, Be happy--dance, Correction from ballet teacher, Correction in ballet class, Dance, Encouragement, Going to ballet class, Holding on to Tension, How do I concentrate in ballet?, How to get better, How to improve at ballet, Inspiration, Keep Dancing, Letting Go of Tension, Motivation, Motivation for Ballet, Motivation to go to ballet, Releasing tension, Showing up for class, Uncategorized

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Comic genius Lucille Ball at the barre

When I’m not doing well at something in life or dance, I inevitably ask myself ‘why’. Why am I not getting this?, Why does everyone seem to get this but me? Or in ballet: Why can’t I get my leg higher?, Why do I always fall out of my pirouettes?, What is wrong with me? It feels so frustrating and self-defeating. 

In a gym class the other day at Mark Fisher Fitness, Michael Littig, Fitness expert, encouraged us to instead ask ourselves ‘how’. We went around the room, each saying how we wanted to feel – accomplished, motivated, energized, successful, strong. Each of our desired outcomes could be ours, he said, if we asked ourselves how do I get there instead of why can’t I get there. Asking “why” keeps you stuck, spinning your wheels and not moving forward, while asking “how” allows you to see the possibilities, encourages you to problem solve, and allows your mind (and body) to start changing. I told a friend about ‘how vs. why’, and we applied the concept to an idea she had, and pretty soon we had talked out an exciting plan to make her idea a reality! 

With this concept in mind, I decided to apply it to ballet. How can I get better at ballet? Let’s make it more manageable. How can I get 1% better at ballet? (We’re not talking ABT, just 1% better!)*

1. First it might help if I show up regularly to ballet class. I can work on that by looking ahead at my calendar, and blocking off the time. I can help myself stay on course by letting friends know I have a previous engagement at that time but I’d be available afterwards or on another night. I don’t have to tell them what the commitment is! Don’t feel bad for your friend, like that person is less important than ballet. No, you are doing this for you, and aren’t you just as important as your friend? Yes you are! 

This also applies to work. If you had tickets to a show for which you already paid money, and your boss asked you to stay late, you’d say, “I won’t be able to stay late tonight, I have plans.” Why should ballet be any less important than Hamilton tickets? 🙂  You don’t have to explain your personal commitments. 

2. Next I make sure I have something clean to wear and I pack my bag the night before so in the morning rush I don’t forget my shoes or pants or something. 

3. During class, I stay present, and focused, continually bringing my mind back into the room and not worrying about work or something outside  of class. 

4. I listen to all of the corrections given in class, and apply them to myself even if they aren’t specifically given to me. Any correction in ballet class can potentially help, so I pay attention.

5. I scan my body during class. Is my head held high, extending the back of my neck? Is my chin parallel to the floor? Are my shoulders down and back and is my back wide? Are my elbows lefted and my fingers reaching out as if they had LED lights radiating from my fingertips? Is my tailbone lengthening toward the floor as my belly lifts in and up? Can I maintain this tall, wide, expanded posture with grace and without tension? Are my legs extending out and away from my body, are my feet reaching long with all the toes reaching and stretching long when I point my feet instead of scrunching up my toes? 

6. I watch the other dancers in class. Everyone has their gifts and abilities, no matter what their level and watching the other dancers can allow me to learn more than if I only focus on myself. There is also some research that suggests watching others dance creates a kinesthetic response. It’s as if neurologically you are doing the movement when you watch others do a movement, particularly one with which you are familiar. Pretty cool!

7. Finally, after ballet class is over and while you’re still warm, commit to doing 5 minutes of simple stretching to take care of your  body before changing your clothes. 

8. What about homework?  Dancers ask me this all the time. The thing is, you can’t cram for ballet class. If you overstretch, you risk injury. Ballet is something at which you will improve slowly over time. When you are first learning, it’s better not to practice at home anyway because you don’t want to practice it wrong. The good news is that means you don’t need to do anything extra! You went to class, so give yourself a hug. No guilt for today! 

Keep asking yourself ‘how’. I’m going to see what other areas of my life I can improve using ‘how’. Until then, I’ll see you at the barre. 
~Sarah
Looking for a ballet class? Come join mine! Tuesdays 7-8, and Saturdays 12-1:30. 380 Broadway, Buzzer #5, two blocks south of Canal street. Classes are only $10.

*Getting 1% better at anything is also a Mark Fisher Fitness ism. 

On Remembering the Combination

21 Monday Mar 2016

Posted by in Ballet Class, Ballet combinations, Dance, Encouragement, How do I concentrate in ballet?, How to improve at ballet, How to remember choreography, How to remember combinations, How to remember steps in ballet, I can never remember combinations, I can't concentrate in ballet class, Learning dance combinations, Marking steps in ballet, Messing up in Ballet, Uncategorized

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Photo Courtesy of Joe Duty

Zach: “Sheila, do you know the combination?” Sheila: “I knew it when I was in the front!”                                                                ~From A Chorus Line

Imagine this: you’re at an audition. You learn the combination, even though it’s really long. They split everyone into groups and your group is near the end so you have lots of time to practice it. You go over it with every group that goes up. When they call your name, you go up with your group, get in the formation, the music starts, you notice the casting team watching you, and suddenly your mind goes blank. How does it start? Is it a glissade? There goes the first beat, and you missed it. The moment is gone, but you remember that feeling forever. How could you have done things differently?

Maybe for you it’s not so much nerves as concentration. The teacher is explaining the combination and all you can think about is what you want for dinner or that horrible thing that happened at work. I used to have a teacher with such a beautiful point that when she explained combinations I would just stare at her feet and then have no clue what we were doing!

If you’re a beginner to ballet, you may be still struggling with the vocabulary of the moves. Learning ballet is like learning a language except that besides just words and their meanings, there are also moves that go along with them! Here are some thoughts on each of these issues.

Trouble picking up combinations:

  1. When you are learning a combination, move so that you can see the teacher. Most people are visual learners so don’t make it harder for yourself. Move to where you can see. If you can’t see, raise your hand and ask. You’re in class to learn, and your question may help others too!
  2. Getting it into your body may help by doing it with your hands, or marking it with your feet. This goes along with how you learn – if you are a kinetic learner you learn through movement. Mark it with your body and you may see a marked improvement. 🙂
  3. Sometimes the explanation of a combination doesn’t make sense. Actually doing it may make more sense. Sometimes we spin things and they seem more difficult in our heads. When you just do it, you realize oh, it wasn’t all that!
  4. Always anticipate the next steps that will be coming up. Anticipating is a great skill that can help you avoid that dreaded feeling of “oh no, what’s next?” Practice thinking of the next thing even while you are doing the previous thing.
  5. Hang on and keep trying!  Do as much of the combination as you can. Follow someone who knows it and do it as well as you can. The movement will start to get into your body. Don’t give up!
  6. Start slow. Forget the tempo to start and just work on getting the movement. If you can do the movements and remember them slowly, you will be able to build up speed and do them up to tempo.
  7. If the combination is really long, try breaking it into sections and learning it peice by peice. If you have time between learning parts of the dance, write it down. Practice it again after a good night’s sleep.
  8. If you are struggling and the teacher gives you an easier option, do the easier option! For now. Getting correct alignment in the beginning is going to go a long way to helping you advance later on. Take advantage of being a beginner!  There’s plenty of time to be advanced. You’ll get there!  Leave your ego outside.
  9. Ballet is a language made up of big steps like verbs and nouns and connecting steps like pronouns and prepositions. If you learn the “connecting steps”,  like tombe, pas de bourre, glissade, it can help you join the “big steps” like sauté de chat, tour jete, sauté fouetté. If it sounds overwhelming, don’t worry, it will come.
  10. When you nail the combination it’s going to feel so good!

Trouble concentrating in class:

  1. Leave the world outside when you step into dance class. That way, your troubles with your mother or boyfriend or whatever doesn’t hinder you when you’re trying to dance. Step out of your world and into the studio. It’s like a mini-vacation in the middle of your day!
  2. If you are distracted by someone in class, or your spot in the room, move to a different spot. If that isn’t possible, redirect yourself from that distraction. Concentrate more on what you’re doing and do your best to stay focused on the teacher as much as you can. Breathe.
  3. Notice if you are getting distracted and bring yourself back to what the teacher is saying or doing.  Sometimes it’s as simple as noticing when you’re not focused, and bringing yourself back.
  4. Use your hands, mark it with your body. I said it before, and I’m saying it again. It can really help.

Trouble picking up combinations in an audition setting

  1. If you are nervous, if you are in an audition setting or it’s your first time in a new class, go easy on yourself. Take some deep breaths. Don’t give yourself a hard time. Make a plan of where to stand in class, where to look when you are auditioning, like above their heads. The more you audition or take class, the more comfortable you will feel, and that is part of the equation.
  2. The more fun you can make it for yourself, the less nervous you will be. Team up and audition with your friends or make new friends with the people you audition with! Focus, but enjoy the process. Auditioning is about showing them who you are as well as what you can do, so as much as you can, smile and show them beautiful you!
  3. Concentrate on the beginning and the end, and when to start with the music. If you begin strong and end strong, those are powerful moment. If you miss something, keep going as much as possible. In one audition I blanked out and I kept going and made it up. I was in front, and did it with such conviction, everyone behind me copied me! (Heh!)

When all else fails:

  1. Forgive yourself like you’d forgive your best friend. You did your best. I know it feels horrible to mess up but it’s going to be okay. Be kind to yourself.
  2. Check in with yourself on the basics. Did you get enough to eat today? Did you eat fruits and vegetables and healthy snacks? Did you get any protein? Did you get enough rest? Are you hydrated? Are you getting sick? If something might be off in one of these areas then it very well could be affecting your ability to concentrate and pick up choreography. Go easy on yourself. Get a good nights sleep. Tomorrow is another day.
  3. Don’t be so serious! Laugh at yourself. I have to bring my sense of humor when I take (any class, but partiularly) a hip hop class, because that is a different language for me and I struggle with it – so I try not to take myself too seriously doing it.

I hope this helps you! Any other ideas? Tell me in the comments!

~Sarah

 

 
Looking forward to ballet class? Me too! Tuesdays 7-8pm and Saturdays 12-1:30pm at 380 Broadway buzzer #5. Two blocks below Canal Street, on the NE corner of White street. Only $10! Brand new beginner workshop coming up! First four Sundays in May: May 1, 8, 15, 22 from 2:30-4pm, $60. Email liberatedmovement@gmail.com for more information. 

Finding Grace: the Art of Port de Bras

09 Tuesday Feb 2016

Posted by in Arabesque arms, Ballet, Ballet Class, Breathing to release tension, Dance, Encouragement, Fifth position arms, First position arms, Grace, High Fifth, Holding on to Tension, How to improve at ballet, Inspiration, Letting Go of Tension, Motivation for Ballet, Moving with Ease, Port de Bras, Relaxation, Sarah Kaufman, Second Position Arms, The Art Of Grace, Uncategorized, Unnecessary Tension

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Grace: the mysterious element that makes a dancer irrisistible to watch. It is her elegant, controlled smoothness, a simplicity of line that catches the viewer’s eye. It is perhaps more important than high extensions and multiple turns. When a dancer has fluidity and ease, we are mesmerized by her astounding effortlessness, her harmony of freedom and control. We are pulled into the magic of her movement, by the warmth of her polished poise.

I recently read The Art of Grace, by Sarah Kaufman, dance critic for the Washington Post for the last 30 years. A dancer herself, she is an expert on the topic of grace and in true journalistic style, she explores its every iteration. Her book (that sometimes reads like a poem) deliciously discusses grace in a range of contexts from dance to acting, stage to screen, tennis court to Supreme Court. I was inspired by the vast variety of her interviewees and the many ways she related grace in movement to grace in life. Like her, I also learn life lessons from ballet. In her introduction she offers an open invitation “But Grace is within reach of us all….hopeful news for the klutzes among us. Grace is wonderfully democratic. The potential is there for everyone. With practice, grace is a skill we can all develop.”

Last week I wrote about positions of the arms. Now I want to explore one step further. Dance, after all, is not a series of static poses, it is the movement that joins positions, the grace that flows in between. How then do we harness that grace to improve our dancing?  

  1. Awareness.  The first step in bringing grace to your arms is awareness. Start by paying attention to your arms. Watch them in the mirror during class. Is your hand above the line of your shoulders? Where are they in space as you read this? Is there tension in your shoulders? Can you allow your breath to soften and melt any tension there?
  2. Long neck. Along with allowing breath to soften your shoulders, keep your neck long, and ears away from shoulders as you balance as much as when you move. Imagine you could slide your shoulder blades down your back. Think of the grace of a swan’s long soft neck.  
  3. Posture. Reach the crown of your head to the ceiling lengthening your spine as your feet push into the floor. Head is over your relaxed shoulders which are over your hips, which are lengthening towards your feet. Expand yourself. Take up space. Keeping that up-and-down expansive energy in your body, let go of any overt effort.
  4. Arms. Your arms are just an extension of your elongated posture, though always slightly rounded into a gentle oval curve, and elbows usually slightly bent, just enough to create a smooth line. Elbows lift away from the floor, and away from each other.
  5. Wrists and Fingers. Continue the line of your upper arms with your lower arms. Keep your wrists supple without being droopy, and your fingers energized without being stiff like the supple branches of a willow tree. One thing that can help droopy-wrist syndrome is energy in your fingers. Imagine you have tiny laser beams coming out your fingertips. You could also imagine that your fingertips are gently brushing something incredibly soft, like feathers or a bunny.
  6. Breath. There should be breath in moving your arms from one position to another. When moving arms from fifth to second, arms open and palms gradually turn to face forward. When moving your arms from second down to preparation, your arms should “breathe” and lift slightly, and fingers float up as if encountering a slight resistance, a wind, or as if moving through a thick substance. 

Simplicity is key. Graceful arms are challenging because they are so specific and so simple. We almost want to make dance harder than it is by adding arm embellishments or wrist movements or drooping hands that only detract from the line, and break the flow. Keep it smooth, easy, fluid, relaxed, unhurried, gentle and simple.

The artistry involved in port de bras takes awareness and practice, but your dancing will improve as you find and develop this grace. Look for grace. Read about it in Sarah Kaufman’s book, watch dance as often as you can, discover grace in unlikely places – in the falling snow, or the warmth of a stranger’s smile. The invitation to finding grace is open to us all.

Ballet Arm Positions ~ as easy as cake?

01 Monday Feb 2016

Posted by in Arabesque arms, Ballet, Ballet Class, Dance, Fifth position arms, First Arabesque, Fourth Position Arms, High Fifth, How to improve at ballet, Low fifth, Moving with Ease, Port de Bras, Second Arabesque, Second Position Arms, Third Arabesque, Third Position Arms, Turns, Uncategorized

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This gorgeous wedding cake was made by my best friend Abi Langlas who is a pastry chef in Honolulu. All the flowers are also made of pastry magic! http://www.cakeworkshi.com


Maybe ballet arms aren’t as easy as cake (and is cake really easy?) But it would seem that arm positions are to a dancer what frosting is to a cake. Just as it wouldn’t be a cake without the icing, a dancer isn’t complete without port de bras, or carriage of the arms. Here is a run down of the basic arm positions. {Bear in mind that ballet historically had three main schools, French, Cechetti (Italian), and Russian. Each of these schools had slightly different names and styles for various positions. As a result, some arm positions are called different names by different teachers. In general, these are the arm positions that are most helpful to know and if your teacher calls it by another name, let me know!}

  1. Preparation, also called Low Fifth or En Bas: Let both arms to hang at your sides. Then round your arms slightly like you are holding a beach ball towards the floor in front of you. Bring your fingers to almost touch each other and tuck your thumb in towards the center of your hand so as not to break the line of your arm and fingers. Allow space between your arms and your body (“as if you didn’t want to squash your tutu” my teacher used to say.) Preparation is where most combinations start and finish.
  2. First Position: From preparation or low-fifth, bring your imaginary beach ball in front of you so that your palms are facing you and your hands are in front of the lowest part of your rib cage. This is first position. Keep your shoulders plugged into your shoulder girdle, and engage the muscles along the backs of your uppers arms to lift your elbows and keep a nice round shape with your arms. Allow your wrists hands and fingers to continue the curved shape of your ams, and tuck your thumbs in. Hands should always be lower than your shoulders. First position is particularly important for turns, but it is also important because it is the ‘gateway’ position, like the Times Square subway stop in New York which is a major train switching station, when you move your arms to another position, arms go though first position.
  3. Second Position:  From first position, grow your arms open so that your arms are extended straight out from your shoulder as if your beach ball had turned into a big giant redwood tree (there’s an image!) Although your arms will be extended out from your shoulders to the sides, keep your arms rounded and slightly in front of you as if you were actually hugging a tree. Like first position, keep elbows lifted.
  4. Low Second: Between second and preparation is a position called Low Second. It is sometimes used as a preparatory position.
  5. Fifth Position, or High Fifth: Fifth is far more used than fourth or third, so I’m going in order of appearance in the cast, as it were, not numeric order. Fifth position mirrors preparation or first position, but overhead. Simple in concept, if not in practice. Like second position, keep your arms a little in front of you–over your forehead, not over the crown of your head. You should be able to see your arms above you by raising your eyes, and without raising your head.
  6. Third Position: Third position is when one arm is in fifth position, and the other arm is in second position.
  7. Fourth Position: Fourth position is when one arm is in fifth position, and the other arm is in first position. This position is not used very often, honestly. A more common fourth position used quite frequently is one arm in second, the other in first. Sometimes this is called third or low third, depending on the teacher. If you already know first and second and fifth, you’ll be able to roll with whatever the teacher says.
  8. First Arabesque arms: Although arabesque arms are not considered part of the five arm positions, it seems important to include them here because we use them pretty frequently. When you are in arabesque, standing on one foot with the other leg extended straight behind you either in tendu or any height off the floor, and you have the same arm forward as the leg you are standing on, this is first arabesque. The arm that is forward should be directly in front of you, and the other arm is extended behind you and to the side. Palms of both hands face the floor.
  9. Second Arabesque: (Again names differ.) Usually what teachers call an arabesque when the opposite arm is forward than the leg you are standing on.
  10. Third Arabesque: Third arabesque – when you have both arms in front of you, palms down, but one arm is straight out from your shoulder, and the other is higher, at a 45 degree diagonal. Each arm extends from the shoulder, so the arms are shoulder distance apart. Again, names can vary.

Let me know if you have any comments or questions about arms in ballet, or if I need to clarify any of this. Thanks for reading!

~Sarah

Ballet class every Tuesday 7-8pm and Saturday 12-1:30pm at 380 Broadway Buzzer #5. All classes only $10. 

On Dancing ‘Across the Floor’ (and Making Mistakes)

05 Saturday Dec 2015

Posted by in Across the floor in Ballet, Ballet Class, Dance, How to improve at ballet, How to remember choreography, How to remember steps in ballet, Keep Dancing, Make glorious mistakes, Marking steps in ballet, Messing up in Ballet, Motivation for Ballet

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You are in a ballet class for the first time–maybe your first ballet class in a long time–and suddenly the teacher says words you dread: “from the corner”. You realize you will be traveling from one corner of the dance studio across the center of the room in front of all the other dancers in a small group with only two two or three other dancers (to hide behind). Some of the dancers in your group may know the combination–in which case you can follow them; others may not–in which case if you follow them, it will be certain death. It can be completely terrifying. I’ve been there. I understand. No one wants to be judged or to publicly make a mistake! The thing is, dancing through the center of the room with the space to really take off and move can be a totally exhilarating experience and some of the best dancing of your life! Here are a few tips to help you get out of your head and dance.

1. Know when to start. Usually (not always) the teacher will play the music so you can hear it before you start dancing. Listen for the downbeat in the song. If it’s four beats to a measure, the teacher may count you in with a “5, 6, 7, 8!” Sometimes you may feel when to start. Trust that excellent instinct!

2. Find someone to dance with who you can follow. Maybe you have a friend in class who is slightly better at remembering steps than you are. Place yourself upstage of her so you can copy her AND still spot the corner. Find people you like and dance with them-it makes dancing much more fun. If you don’t know anyone, smile at someone. Congratulations, you just made a new friend!

3. Be extra confident about the first step. Even if you know the combination, if you have trouble getting into it, you can trip yourself up at the start. Ask the teacher questions, or ask a fellow dancer. If you aren’t sure, it is really ok to ask. It’s far, far better to ask in the beginning when things are still being explained than when everyone else is dancing and you are standing at the brink feeling terrified. Also, if you know the first step, even if you mess stuff up in the middle, you know how to start, and that’s great.

4. Everyone has different ways of learning. A lot of us are visual learners. Watching can be an amazing tool to learn how to do a particular move, or see how steps fit together. When you are not dancing, pay attention to the dancers who are, you can learn a lot whether they do the step correctly or not.

5. ‘Marking it’ is doing the steps but not fully. When the teacher is going over the steps, do it with your body, even if you are only half doing it or just doing it in place–you can even do the steps with your hands! Doing it physically in some way will get the movement into your body and actually make remembering the steps easier. As you are watching and waiting to dance, mark the movement with your feet or hands in your own little space.

6. It’s scary to get out there, I know! But don’t wait to be last, that puts added pressure on yourself. Sometimes you have to force yourself to go–like forcing yourself into cold water at the beach–but once you are in, you may find it exhilarating!

7. Attitude is everything. Even if you aren’t able to do the first step of the combination, and you aren’t at all sure of any of it, go for it anyway! (Unless you feel you may hurt yourself!) Like anything else, mindset is key. Keep a positive attitude about the situation–yes, you may mess up, and that is okay, that is why we go to ballet class–to learn and get better! Think of it this way, when a baby is learning to walk and she tries to stand and then plops down, you don’t say “Well that was horrible, obviously you’ll never be able to walk at that rate!” No! Of course not! You applaud her and say “Good job, that was awesome, do it again!” And you will try and next time your dancing across the floor will be better and pretty soon you’ll be the dancer everyone wants to follow–so stay positive!

I think the biggest fear in going across the floor is the fear of making a mistake. The truth about mistakes is, everyone makes them. Every. Single. Human. Even that ridiculously amazing dancer who looks like she was born doing triple pirouettes.

I asked a violinist friend about making mistakes. She said “Don’t let it get to you. Acknowledge the mistake and then put it away and move on.” Regarding making mistakes in life, an acting friend observed: “Mistakes are some of the best parts of my life! If I cut out all the mistakes, the rest would be pretty boring.” And about making mistakes in art, a writer friend gave me this quote by writer Neil Gaiman: “Go and make interesting mistakes, make amazing mistakes, make glorious and fantastic mistakes. Break rules. Leave the world more interesting for your being here.” I mean, that almost makes me want to screw it up! The fact is, you will make mistakes, there is no avoiding them. You cannot improve without them. Therefore, there is no point to beating yourself up over them! So what is stopping you? Nothing. Get out there and Dance!

~Sarah

Join me for open level ballet classes at Liberated Movement Tuesdays 7-8pm and Saturdays 12-1:30pm at 380 Broadway, buzzer #5. Everyone is welcome. We’re learning Snow from Nutcracker this month. See you in class!

Thank you Jay Z or How To Break The Ballet Blues

24 Saturday Oct 2015

Posted by in Ballet, Ballet Blues, Ballet Class, Ballet to pop music, Dance, How to improve at ballet, Inspiration, Jay Z, Jay Z rode the subway to a concert, Keep Dancing, Motivation, Motivation for Ballet

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The gorgeous Misty Copeland, first African American principal dancer with American Ballet Theater.

Thank you, Jay Z! That’s right, I am a ballet teacher, thanking Jay Z for how his music rocked my ballet class and inspired me too!

I often enjoy incorporating all kinds of music into ballet class. I used an Irish Jig on Saint Patrick’s day and Billy Joel’s New York State of Mind in spring. One dancer requested a waltz, so I looked on line, and was surprised when a Jay Z song came up. Sure enough, “My 1st Song” is in 6/8 time–the man is rapping to a waltz, it’s very cool. It has this earthy undulating rhythm.

After hearing the song, when I really listened to the words, I realized the other cool thing about this song. It made me understand why Jay Z landed on the front page of Time Magazine’s top 100 most influential people of 2015. By the way, my sister was also on that list, just not on the front cover.

In the song, Jay Z talks about how he asked Puff Daddy how to keep going, how to keep things fresh, how to keep his head above water. I did some googling and learned that in 1995, Jay Z was selling CDs out of the back of his car, and by 2003 when he wrote this song, he was a superstar megatalent and was planning to retire, just 8 years later! In the song, Puff tells Jay Z you have to keep things fresh, like when you first started, like back when you were an intern, like it’s your first song.

I realized this applies to ballet too–and probably every other passionate endeavor. It’s so easy to get caught up in the idea of success that sometimes you lose touch with the joy of simply creating. It’s vital to keep working, keep moving, and remember why you started dancing in the first place. Connect with the simple pleasure of learning your first steps, of feeling your body move in space, of turning or sailing across the floor in a leap. At first, when you start ballet you’re learning a lot of new steps, things are fresh and new and exciting. After awhile that learning starts to level off and you don’t see yourself making such big strides as you first did. It can be frustrating going to class and thinking you aren’t getting any better. What happens is the changes become more subtle as you begin a deeper learning of putting your expression into the movement, which is more nuanced. It can’t be measured so definitively. Whatever you do, don’t give up – do like the song says – keep going, keep moving – and remember the joy. Yes, it’s pain and struggle but it’s also the laughter it brings you. And that is where the gold is, that is your everything – it’s your life.

~Sarah

If you want to see what it’s like to dance ballet to Jay Z, we’ll be working on it today 12-1:30 at Liberated Movement. 380 Broadway buzzer number 5. Only $10.

Check this out: Jay Z took the train to his concert and he sat next to this woman. It’s very sweet.

All the things I meant to say

16 Thursday Jul 2015

Posted by in Ballet, Dance

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Photo courtesy of 45SURF Hero’s Odyssey Mythology Photography

It seems that every class I say some of these things but there’s never time for all of them. Here they are again, and a few more. 

 1. The hardest thing you did today was to come to to class. You made it. Congratulations. Everything else is extra credit. 

 2. The second hardest thing you did was to climb the stairs. 🙂 

3. Welcome! This is an open level class. There may be brand new beginners and people who have been taking ballet a long time. Don’t be intimidated. In ballet, no matter how long you’ve been dancing, we are all beginners. You will build on the foundations of dance your whole life. Welcome to a beautiful journey. 

 4. Ballet is about expressing. Don’t hold on too tightly. Even in a dance form as structured as ballet, there is also a letting go. Within the structure there is freedom and that is where the expression comes. Don’t be afraid to enjoy it or maybe even smile! 

 5. Breathe. All of dance is about breath. Even flexibility is about bringing your breath into the muscle fibers. Don’t hold it in-let it out. 

 6. You may have heard that ballet is hard. “Oh Ballet–that’s so hard!” It isn’t though. Ballet is built on principles of physics, and how bodies move in space. Ballet is easier than you think–so don’t think, just dance. (It’s sometimes more about play.) 

 7. Sometimes you get in your head and all you can do is judge yourself–I understand. I do it too, it’s the nature of the beast. Go easy on yourself. If this is your first class or your first class in years–celebrate that! Celebrate being here. 

8. Listen to the music. It will help you get out of your head and you will dance better. 

 9. If you get a correction, it doesn’t mean you are a bad dancer. On the contrary, it means the teacher sees something that can be corrected that will make you a better, safer dancer. In old-school ballet, it is considered a compliment. If you don’t get a correction, it doesn’t mean you’re a bad dancer. Don’t take any of this personally. 

 10. Celebrate every win. Don’t focus on the stuff you didn’t get in the last combination, focus on what you did get! I don’t care if all you got right was the first walking step. Keep your chin up and keep hanging on. Next class your mind will be more focused, and after that you’ll find a little more balance, and pretty soon you’ll find that the things that once challenged you are coming easier. That rocks! 

 11. Improving is about building one win on top of another in baby steps. And sometimes it seems to take SO long to get to the next level. I get it. But don’t despair or kick the wall. (One of the most beautiful dancers in my studio when I was growing up kicked a big hole in the wall!) We all get frustrated. That amazing dancer next to you was once a beginner too. Instead put your focus into reaching your leg longer than you think is possible. Balance a little longer than you think you can. Lift your leg a little teeny bit higher every time. Stand tall, lift your chin, show yourself. You are a dancer! 

 12. Finally, be kind to yourself. I can’t say it enough. You are beautiful. I am so glad you are here. On with the dance! 

 ~Sarah 

Can’t wait for another ballet class? Me neither! I’m teaching next week Tuesday 7-8 and next week Saturday, July 25th 12-1:30. 380 Broadway Buzzer #5. I also teach privates and semi-privates. Contact me at Scdoudna@gmail.com