Comments on: What You Can Do To Improve Tendu (and why it is crucial)

By: kim

kim — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:15:27 +0000

Thanks for this very informative description. I am slightly “obsessed” with Eric Franklin’s books and use his imagery all the time. i also find that multiple ways of explaining technique; using imagery, anatomical pictures or explanations as well as how I feel when I perform a step allows students to use the description that best reads to them. Dancers are so smart, but often get into ruts and it is fun to challenge them to think differently about their bodies and their dance technique.

By: Nichelle (admin)

Nichelle (admin) — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 20:55:09 +0000

I know I’m late to respond, Angie, but YES! Excellent description of the simultaneous action and imagery of both legs. Thank you for commenting!

By: Angie

Angie — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 20:50:33 +0000

I encourage energy as much down the standing leg as the tendu-ing leg– so that there is an active “feeling” down through that leg that I encourage students to sense from clear up into the hip and psoas and core. …. allowing for dually active legs as one tendus out and the other opens downward for stability and standing ease.

By: Nichelle (admin)

Nichelle (admin) — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 18:51:48 +0000

Hi Kim, thanks for your comment. I’m wondering if you were present for the “famous” person’s instruction? The weight should certainly be distributed to the standing leg (I mean, if you’re going to disengage the other leg it’s got to be a complete shift). However, making it a particularly noticeable shift (as in leaning) seems like a strange instruction (unless perhaps this was the desired affect choreographically as opposed to technically). Giving benefit of the doubt, I’m just wondering if the advice was somehow misinterpreted. Thanks again, for reading!

By: kim gockel

kim gockel — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 06:04:01 +0000

Thanks for the information especially about the standing leg and even weight distribution on the standing foot. My students were at a convention and were told to significantly shift their weight over the supporting foot. I was trained to do as your article suggests, but since they heard it from a “famous” person, the info is hard to negate. Thanks again for confirming my teaching philosophy.

By: Nichelle (admin)

Nichelle (admin) — Fri, 14 May 2010 03:24:18 +0000

Thanks! It can not be emphasized enough how important tendu is for strengthening the feet! Skimp on the tendu and you are missing a great opportunity!

By: Dancing Branflake

Dancing Branflake — Thu, 13 May 2010 00:47:01 +0000

Great article! I love what you said about the standing leg. It’s so true! Especially to the back when all your hips want to do is sway back. And, your feet get so strong from all the accents and stretching.

By: Nichelle (admin)

Nichelle (admin) — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 04:38:20 +0000

Very true Diana! I love discovering “new” ways of looking at the same old issues. Thanks so much for stopping by!

By: Diana Nicastro

Diana Nicastro — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 15:20:47 +0000

Thanks so much for this article Nichelle. Tendu is one of the the most important building blocks of dance technique – so I love that you have focused on this basic element of all dance forms. I appreciate the suggested visual imagry and will certainly incorporate these in my teaching. Sometimes as educators & teachers, we slip into a rut of explaining a step the same way – over, and over. These fresh and new ideas may just reach out to help a student who has been struggling with the concept. Congrats!

By: Nichelle (admin)

Nichelle (admin) — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 04:49:15 +0000

I would have to agree with Mr. B… and Ms. C Thanks, Catherine!

By: Catherine

Catherine — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 03:57:43 +0000

Balanchine was really big on tendu. So am I! I agree–it is the preparation for everything, and I like to do teach them slow, medium and fast. Learning to do all tempos in all directions will help ready the dancer for the demands of centre work.
Nice piece Nichelle!

By: Nichelle (admin)

Nichelle (admin) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 05:34:09 +0000

I’m glad, Dance Lover! Let me know if there is anything else you’d like to see covered here.

By: Dance Lover

Dance Lover — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 16:40:44 +0000

During battement tendu, my teacher usually tells me to keep my hips forward and squared, so the hips part helped a lot!