Dance Advantage » dance companies

Guest Post: Dancers Connecting to Their Faith and Enriching Their World

Guest — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 06:30:22 +0000

The following is a guest post by Randall Flinn, director of Ad Deum Dance Company in Houston, TX.

The Relationship Between Faith and Dance

Dance is born from the heart and soul of people and cultures. Long before the polished refinement of classical or contemporary dance movement, dance lived and thrived in personal expression and communal relationships within a society. Dance was also a highly important and viable means of worshipful devotion, as worldviews of faith were visually demonstrated through offerings of dance. It may seem that as dance evolved more to a stage performance art form that these sacred expressions of faith began to disappear.

Perhaps not completely recognized or documented, dance as a form of worship or as a means for visually incarnating one’s faith is one of the oldest and perhaps richest offerings of dance. Although it is clear that dance and faith have always maintained a dynamic interaction throughout history, it is in this present age that dancers are finding a fresh significance in regards to integrating their beliefs with their artistry.

Dance in Worship and Fellowship

There are now many worldwide expressions of what may be called liturgical or sacred dance forms. In the past few years, even several dancewear companies have begun designing entire lines of worship and dance ministry performance wear. Organizations such as the Christian Dance Fellowship maintain an extensive networking of fellow dance worshippers and sacred movers.

Dance it seems has finally made its comeback as an acceptable and welcomed form of worship in many churches of various denominations throughout the world. There are now many workshops and conferences that are organized with the sole purpose and vision of expressing faith through diverse forms of dance.

Artists Articulating Faith

While the liturgical forms or church oriented praise dance expressions are wonderful displays of freedom in worship, there are other dance artists that are traveling more on the cutting edge, engaging culture with relevant and contemporary works of dance that are derived from their faith and supported by their worldview of life. These dancers and choreographers may not be gracing the altars of the local church but they are nonetheless articulating their faith where art meets the whole of life, and not just the familiar floors of sacred or religious spaces.

Over the past twenty years there has been a worldwide networking and fellowship of these Believer artists. Professional companies and dance movements have sprung forth from these relationships including ProjectDance.com which conducts international arts festivals, The Culture House in Kansas City, Creative Arts Europe, Xaris Dance Company-Europe, Word in Motion –Los Angeles, Inlet Dance Theatre in Cleveland, and Hosanna Sacred Arts in Alabama. All of these dance arts organizations are directed by professional artists who hold fast to their faith while exercising their gifts in the marketplace. Dancers from around the world have been drawn to these companies due to the integration of “keeping the faith” while engaging the culture with artistic excellence.

Reconciling Faith and Art

The gulf between faith and art is finding needed reconciliation and a more holistic view of what it truly means to create art that is informed and supported by one’s personal faith. As many artists during the time of the Reformation knew, the gift of art is a gift of God to mankind who has created us in His image. The artist therefore can understand themselves as servants of God to humanity, enriching life and upholding its’ truth and beauty through their offerings and servitude. The artist then finds freedom from the pull of celebrity appeal to the higher call of a creative servant, meeting this world in its’ need. The arts were meant to bless and enrich our world.

As artists reevaluate their journey, maybe more healing will be poured upon the soil of life through their work. Dance and expressions of faith truly belong in relationship to each other. For dance was born from such expressions, as a celebration of life and the validity of its joys, sorrows, journeys and discoveries. It may be true that indeed all artists create from the great need and passion to speak, as it were, from the inside out.

Perhaps the arts really do reveal, more than we may realize, what lives on the inside of who we are and what we believe. As the artist finds freedom to live out their faith within this world, then we can hope to see more light shine over the darkness and injustice of our times. The arts are indeed one of the richest gifts to humanity. May the arts bloom and blossom in this new year through the faith and belief of those granted such an incredible gift.

Photographs of Ad Deum Dance Company by Visage Photo Studio

Randall Flinn is the founder/artistic director of Ad Deum Dance Company in Houston, Texas. He is a professional choreographer and teacher who has worked with Houston Ballet Academy, Cirque Du Soleil –Alegria, Houston Met Dance Company, Project Dance Times Square, Hong Kong Ballet, Ballet Magnificat and the dynamic Lakewood Church of Houston and Hillsong Church-Sydney.

Ad Deum (which means “towards God”) Dance Company began their full time work in January 2000, with a clear mission of integrating their Christian faith with relevant and redemptive artistry. Ad Deum has been honored to perform the works of other professional dancer/choreographers from around the world whose art is also informed by their Christian faith. Choreographers who have regularly set works on Ad Deum include Hope Boykin of Alvin Ailey, Steve Rooks –ten year principal dancer for Martha Graham, Caleb Mitchell –former Houston Ballet company dancer, Stephen Wynne –Talk Dance Company, and Bill Wade –Inlet Dance Theatre and Freddie Moore –former Ailey II dancer. Ad Deum maintains an international touring schedule and offers spring and summer intensives and a nine month pre-professional training program.

Special Thanks To Our Feed Sponsors

Your link here! -- Find out more

“Being Together” Not a Misnomer

Nichelle (admin) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 05:28:00 +0000

Earlier this evening, I had the privilege to watch and host Misnomer Dance Theater’s live broadcast of Being Together on Dance Advantage Interactive. It was truly an event and provided an opportunity for many viewers to “be together,” gathering to watch dance from their prospective parts of the world. The online audience outnumbered the capacity of the Joyce SoHo where the dancers performed, providing both greater exposure for the dance company (many of the online audience were unfamiliar with their work) and an opportunity to expose even young online viewers (kids as young as seven and eight years old tuned in for the show) to dance that they may never have seen otherwise. In addition to simply viewing the performance, online audience members were able to participate in a live chat, sharing their thoughts and general excitement over the opportunity to engage in such an event.

Aside from some technical difficulties during the last half of the performance, the video feed, camera work, and sound were of good quality. The experience was altogether different from attending a live performance in the traditional manner. I didn’t dress up, I didn’t have to find a place to park, I didn’t have to find a babysitter, and people, who could talk throughout the entire performance, came and left when they wanted! I look forward to a future in which more dance companies take their show online even if they can’t take it on the road.

As for the dancing, Misnomer’s performance was excellent. With a mix of Greg Brown, Chet Baker, and others, the musical score for Too Late Tulip was very enjoyable, as was the dancing and partnering work. As a fan of improvisation (especially in performance), I was particularly fond of Rock.Paper.Flock., details of which are written about here and here. I was a bit distracted from the final work Zipper because of a technical glitch that resulted in an obstructed view of the dancers, however I will have another chance to see the work at Misnomer’s website once the archived footage is posted. I encourage you to check it out if you were not able to see the performance live tonight. Teachers, please share this with your students and encourage them to visit as well! It is my understanding that the footage will be available soon and remain through December 31st.

Thanks to those of you that joined me at DA Interactive!

Special Thanks To Our Feed Sponsors

Your link here! -- Find out more

Houston Ballet’s Got The Nutcracker Covered

Nichelle (admin) — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 21:20:14 +0000

Ballet: The Nutcracker; Choreographer: Ben Stevenson; Dancers: Katharine Precourt & Linnar Looris; Photograph: Amitava Sarkar

In the music industry artists often release new renditions, called covers, of previously recorded and released songs. Often these are explorations and reworkings of the original material, designed to pay tribute to the original, reach a new audience demographic, and/or encourage the listener’s interest in the artist by hooking them with a familiar tune. For similar reasons, dance companies worldwide add their versions of The Nutcracker to the fray, making it the most “covered” ballet narrative in the dance world. In this sea of re-hashed material, how does a dance company create a variation that will be a stand-out and beloved at the same time? While there may be no concrete answer to this question, Ben Stevenson’s choreography, as performed by Houston Ballet, is an excellent model of this elusive formula.

From the opening scenes, the ballet promises a traditional take on the classic story. Characters file across the stage in 19th century costumes indicative of the tale’s setting. Men, women, and children gather at the Stahlbaum family home, complete with a large tree sheltering imagination-powered gifts and toys, for a Christmas party. Where many established versions have failed in making these scenes come alive for a contemporary audience, Stevenson’s take on the familiar scenario offers an engaging and action-packed opening that resonates, in particular, with families who’ve come to see the show. Long segments of courtly dancing are not to be found, traded instead for vignettes that capitalize on familial interactions and have a look and feel of authenticity, despite a heavy use of slapstick. Children, all from Houston Ballet’s Ben Stevenson Academy are a joy to watch, and wriggle and squiggle as they’re tossed about by uncles or cousins. Elder relatives guzzle ale, from which comedy ensues. And, with his reserve of slight-of-hand and theatrical magic tricks, even Drosselmeyer, played here as more eccentric uncle than mysterious (and creepy) conjurer, is strikingly genuine.

Not just in this opening scene, after which the ballet’s plot inevitably comes to a halt, but throughout the remainder of this version of The Nutcracker, Stevenson has woven humor and inventiveness into the fabric of his choreography. From the ridiculousness of rotund mice scurrying en pointe, to the nostalgia of Clara chasing snowflakes embodied by dancers in flowing skirts, to the originality of flying chefs with angel wings in The Land of Sweets, this Nutcracker keeps viewers entertained. Even in Act II, which has the potential to become for the audience a seemingly endless parade of divertissement and pas de deux, captivating partnering and whimsical innovations make each section memorable.

Houston Ballet’s performance of this endearing rendition of The Nutcracker is strong and polished. The cast fluctuates, sometimes rotating corps members into principal roles, yet from the level of performance it is clear that audiences will see a top-notch show on any given evening. For many dancers, myself included, The Nutcracker is typically an event worthy of evasion, regarded as a song that’s been covered one too many times. However, Houston Ballet’s The Nutcracker, delivers a worthy reinvention of a classic that could melt anyone’s wintry heart.

Performances of Houston Ballet’s The Nutcracker will continue now through December 28th. See their website for details.

Ballet: The Nutcracker; Choreographer: Ben Stevenson; Dancer: Oliver Halkowich; Photograph: Amitava Sarkar

What are your thoughts on The Nutcracker versions that you’ve seen? Have there been any that particularly captured your imagination or are you “over it?”

Click here for BalletMet’s detailed history of The Nutcracker.

AND DON’T FORGET!

Ovation TV’s Battle of The Nutcrackers: Grudge Match is on! Watch, vote, and weigh-in on the six versions being shown on this arts network. Polls will close on December 19 and the winner will be broadcast on Christmas Eve!

Special Thanks To Our Feed Sponsors

Your link here! -- Find out more

Bloggers Unite: Something Out of Nothing

Nichelle (admin) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 05:54:50 +0000

I do not consider myself well-versed in international or global affairs, policies, politics, wars, or history. As a dancer, an artist, and citizen of the world I am curious about these things. However, probably like many of you, I am easily overwhelmed by all there is to learn and understand as I try to sift through the vast amount of information available to me. As an American, I find it easy to become engrossed in the multitude of distractions available to me in my life of privilege and relative security and, as a result, “tune out” the world. My heart, my conscience, and my curiosity, however, reminds me that there is a larger world out there and encourages me to investigate cultures and experiences beyond my own. As a blogger fortunate to have at least a few of you paying attention to what I say, I would be remiss of a certain responsibility if I never encouraged you to do the same. Therefore, despite my lack of knowledge on the subject, I have chosen to participate in the Bloggers Unite event, Refugees Unite. To do so forces me to explore and research a topic I could have otherwise “tuned out” and by sharing what I find, it is my hope that you, too, would “tune in” and be willing to investigate the issues for yourself.

Young Boy at rehearsals by the Idbaa dance troop from the Dheisheh Refugee Camp in Palestine. Since being founded in 1994, the Ibdaa Cultural Centre has served more than 1,200 children and youth annually and provides employment and income for more than 70 families in the refugee camp. ©Dave Wyatt All Rights reserved http://www.davewyatt.com

Ibdaa Dance Troupe

As this is a dance blog, I do my best to stay true to my mission of educating and sharing through articles that enhance your experiences as a dancer, student, teacher, and/or parent. I attempt to find stories and subjects with which you can connect. In researching the subject of refugees, I quickly discovered the Ibdaa Dance Troupe, a group of girls and boys that are residents of the Dheisheh Refugee Camp near the city of Bethlehem in the occupied Palestinian (Israel’s) West Bank, who share their experiences and message through dance. According to their website, the dancers “perform Palestinian traditional folkloric dance, or debka, as an artistic way of preserving and sharing their culture and history while simultaneously voicing the rights and struggles of the Palestinian people.”

The dance troupe is just one of the arts programs offered to children and teens at the Ibdaa Cultural Center, which is a grassroots program that seeks to empower the women, children, and youth of the Dheisheh camp. Opportunities to explore art, dance, drama, and music are rare among the 59 refugee camps in the occupied region. The programs provided at the center offer young people the chance to express themselves and develop creativity in a positive and peaceful manner. It is a stark and refreshing contrast to the violence and uncertainty that surrounds them. Ibdaa, which in Arabic means “to create something out of nothing,” reflects the hope that survives among this community of people despite the tumultuous environment in which they live.

The people currently living in the Dheisheh Refugee Camp include some of those originally displaced in 1949 by the Arab-Israeli war, as well as their second and third-generation descendants. The camp currently houses around 12,000 people in an area less than a quarter-mile squared (under half a square kilometer). Many of them have and will live their entire lives in the camp. The Ibdaa Dance Troupe, however, has had the opportunity to tour throughout the world. They stopped in several United States cities in 2003 and 2005 , and have performed for members of the United Nations, world leaders, and the Pope. They dance their stories and they dance with purpose, hoping to bring awareness to the Palestinian perspective, culture, and sometimes brutal realities. The story of this dance troupe was documented on film and is available for purchase here (This review contrasts The Children of Ibdaa documentary and another film which highlights youth from the Dheisheh camp).

Neither the Israeli or Palestinian governments have been free of blame throughout the many years of fighting in this war-torn area of the world. In response, we are often asked to take sides. The Idbaa troupe presents their perspective through dance. They remind us of the innocent lives that are sometimes caught between sides, of human beings born into and trying to survive within a land in turmoil. These dancers are young people who have chosen not to “tune out” the hope for peace in their own hearts and to fight their battle with creativity not violence, despite all that they live through. Regardless of one’s individual beliefs or our government’s policies regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, these are voices that deserve attention.

Additional Reading about Ibdaa Dance Troupe

Palestine Embodied is a news article featured in the Dec 2003 edition of Dance Magazine.
Dancing for Peace
Dancing the Spirit of Palestine
Freedom Dance
Middle East of Eden

More Information on the Dheisheh Camp and Palestinian Refugees

Refugees Unite

The cause which is the focus of today’s event is Refugees Unite, however, as the core initiative of both Bloggers Unite and Refugees Unite is information, I chose to highlight the Ibdaa Dance Troupe instead. Refugees Unite is a non-profit that is worth checking out.

(from the Bloggers Unite homepage)

Refugees United is a non-profit organization that helps refugees relocate family and friends through the use of the internet.

Refugees United provides refugees with an anonymous forum to reconnect with missing family. By registering with nick- names, scars, former locations and other markers only identifiable to family and close friends, everyone can remain ‘invisible’ to all but relatives.

All refugees are welcome, regardless of conflict, place or time.
Refugees United is an independent, non-political, non-religious NGO.
No third party is involved. No official papers need to be filled in.
The service is free of charge, easy and safe.

The Refugees United search engine is the first of it’s kind. Visit Refugees United to see how it works and to learn more about the work that Refugees United is doing.

If you have something to add that will further educate or inform myself or my readers on this sensitive subject, I encourage your response. I just ask that you try to do so in a positive manner rather than an inflammatory one. Thank you.

Special Thanks To Our Feed Sponsors

Your link here! -- Find out more

Get Behind the Texas Ballet

Nichelle (admin) — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 03:22:23 +0000

Dance organizations in the United States are nearly always struggling. There are lots of complicated reasons for this – government belt-tightening on arts funding, poor management of non-profit finances within the company, or an uncertain economy forces audiences to stay home and watch dance on tv rather than attend a live performance. In addition to yearly pledges and donations from generous supporters, dance companies rely on funding and attendance to continue their mission, and many are falling short of their goals.

One such dance organization in Texas is in desperate need to raise funds. The Texas Ballet Theater calls the Dallas/Fort Worth area home and their mission is to provide “unprecedented talent, beauty and artistic expression, as well as the highest levels of dance education, training, and appreciation to North Texas and surrounding areas.” Although I live about 5 hours away in Houston, I would hate to see this organization go under.

The company apparently needs to raise over $300,000 in cash alone (not pledges) by September 10 or face bankruptcy or closing its doors. To do so, Texas Ballet Theater is holding two major fundraisers. The first is a giant fundraising sale, silent auction, and raffle this weekend at their studios and the second, is an event called Rock the Ballet featuring dancing, food, and bands to be held September 19 in Fort Worth. For more information on these events, please visit Get Behind Your Ballet. Also, Texas Ballet Theatre will be presenting new and traditional works at The Majestic in Dallas for their annual Gala on September 12 and have planned performances for October and beyond, assuming they are not forced to close their doors. As always, the company accepts donations – none are too small (particularly now), and you can even download a printable contribution form for your tax-deductible offering.

I have no affiliation with the company or with professional ballet, for that matter, however as a fellow artist and dancer I particularly empathize with the dancers and dance students in this situation. Faced with losing their jobs in an already unlucrative career, the company members have taken their campaign for donations door to door to help raise money for the organization. Little has been said of what will happen to the school which operates within the TBT organization but it may be safe to assume that these kids could also be without a dance home if company debts are not paid. It seems that a series of events that had little to do with these dancers led to the current situation in which the Texas Ballet Theater finds itself. If you can show your support in some small way, I would encourage you to do so.

Here are some additional articles in which you can find more detailed information on Texas Ballet’s financial woes and on their upcoming fundraising events:

UPDATE!!

Ballet’s deadline extended until Oct. 15

Special Thanks To Our Feed Sponsors

Your link here! -- Find out more

The Back-to-School Teach-a-thon is here!!

Nichelle (admin) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 04:38:54 +0000

Welcome! Thanks for checking out the Teach-a-thon. We’re going to blog our way into a new dance season with some great information from dancers and instructors across the web! Dance students, I know you will find some valuable information here. New posts and links will be added each day of the thon, so keep checking back!

Bloggers, there’s still time to get posts in, just contact me and send the link!

Ok, here goes!!

Tuesday, August 19

Organize Your Life and Nurture Your Spirit: Dianne from Ballet Shoes and Pointe Shoes offers tips on dancewear, visualization, journaling, and getting back into class!

Scholarships for Dancers: Heading to college? Seniors, now is the time to start working on applications for school and financial aid. DanceHere offers great advice!

Strengths and Weaknesses: Everyone has them. Here are some tips and encouragement as you attempt to master your strengths and overcome your weaknesses!

Wednesday, August 20

Sarah at What a Wonderful World! writes about one of her favorite belly dance students. A heartwarming reminder that you’re never too old to learn something new!

Challenges In Professional Dance: DanceHere offers the first in a series about dance careers. If you are thinking about a career as a professional dancer, don’t miss this post!

Why The Competition?: A post about the reasons dancers compete. Carl, a lindy hopper, competes in partner dancing but his post is applicable to all forms of competitive dance.

Thursday, August 21

Start The Year Off Right: Leslea, assistant director at Uptown Dance shares with students how to be prepared and productive in the coming year of classes. Written as though you were right there in her classroom, she hits all the highlights of the first month of classes.

Jobs in Dance Companies: Considering or researching a career in dance? Performing professionally is not the only option open to dancers. Check out this post from DanceHere.

What to expect from your first ballet class: If you are taking ballet for the first time, Selly from Dance Outlook offers a thorough article on how to prepare and what to expect, complete with some great video.

Negativity: Could your complaining, insecurities, and negativity affect others in your dance class? My experience with a student whose negative attitude was turned around with positive reinforcement.

Friday, August 22

Careers for Dancers in Media and Communications: Continuing their series, DanceHere highlights careers in film, photography, and more that combine an interest in or knowledge of dance.

Improve Dance With Your Eyes Closed: Sanna, a performance specialist who blogs with dancer, Janie at DanceMind, expresses the importance of sleep for dancers who want to be at their best.

Vertically Challenged: My own tips and suggestions for improving your technique, height, landing, and musicality in vertical jumping (or, sauté).

Saturday, August 23

Do You Have Your Splits?: Treva, the dance guide at about.com, wants to know. Check out her blog for posts on a wide range of dance topics.

Jobs for Dancers in Medicine and Health Care: DanceHere gives us another great post for those with a passion for dance that want to explore alternative (but related) careers.

The Core or Center: I’ve updated this post (one of my first) from Dance Advantage. Understanding what exactly your core is, the muscles involved, and why its important to know and use your center in dance

Students, there’s lots more here at Dance Advantage!

Check out these posts, written with you in mind

Tell us what you think of the Teach-a-thon and the participating posts in the comments below!

Special Thanks To Our Feed Sponsors

Your link here! -- Find out more

Pilobolus

Nichelle (admin) — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 06:21:50 +0000

There is much I could write about Pilobolus, a dance company that’s been around for over 35 years. If you’ve been fortunate enough to see them live as I have, you probably understand their appeal and popularity with audiences. The company’s artistic directors and dancers have managed to create “a profoundly serious artistic enterprise that has successfully reached out to a popular audience.” They inject humor, acrobatics, wit, and awe-inspiring partnering work into their dances.

Often photographed, images of the company have been everywhere and for the last year they’ve been all over television with a series of shadow dances in which dancers tumble, dive, and morph into everyday objects, people, and animals. Most recently, they’ve appeared on Conan O’Brien’s late night talk show. You can learn more about the Creative Services division of Pilobolus responsible for these commercials, spots, and segments here. Outside of these projects, the company maintains a rigorous performance and workshop schedule and create inventive choreography that goes beyond the simplicity of moving silhouettes. Yet, in a humorous Q&A for the Seattle Times, Jonathan Wolken, a Pilobolus founder and choreographer touches on what these opportunities have done for the company since their stint on the Academy Awards last year.

Let’s face it, in a single set of couple-of-minute skits … more people saw what Pilobolus could do than had seen us onstage for the entire lifetime of the company. The effect of that was nothing at first, and then the phone slowly began to ring, and now it’s quite an impressive thing. We get invitations to do all kinds of things from all over the country and all over the world. And it may not be an exact correlation, an exact result really of the Academy Awards, but frankly I would say there’s a pretty close relation.

You can check out the videos below but, here are some fun Pilobolus books to add to your home or studio library:

Special Thanks To Our Feed Sponsors

Your link here! -- Find out more

Big Boi not an OutKast at Atlanta Ballet

Nichelle (admin) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 15:25:05 +0000

I wanted to report of an interesting collaboration that has taken place between Big Boi (a member of the rap duo, OutKast) and the Atlanta Ballet. Titled “Big”, the performance seemed to live up to its name in spectacle. Read a review, here. And, it seems that Atlanta Ballet is hoping that the attention received in the wake of the endeavor will have a big effect on the rejuvenation of their company, ballet as a relevant art form, and in bringing ballet to a wider audience.

This is certainly not the first time that dance companies have sought to juxtaposition two art forms that seem vastly different from one another, or update ballet with current musical trends. However, I thought the notion could be just the creative spark that some of you out there are looking for. Perhaps you’d like to join your advanced hip-hop and ballet classes for an instant crowd-pleaser at this year’s performance. Or if this has been overdone in your area, maybe there are new ways to bring ballet into the 21st century that are yet to be discovered!

Share your ideas!

Special Thanks To Our Feed Sponsors

Your link here! -- Find out more

Plié

Nichelle (admin) — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 18:04:50 +0000

I’ve heard somewhere that the beginning is a very good place to start. Therefore, since I’m just beginning our exploration of dance vocabulary, I figured it was best to start with the alpha and omega of all dance movements – the plié. Here is the definition according to the ABT (American Ballet Theatre) ballet dictionary. Even young dancers can tell you that plié means ‘to bend’ and that one must begin and end a jump with this action. However, it seems the longer one studies dance, the more he/she comes to realize that plié is one of the most sophisticated and nuanced movements in dance. It’s applications are endless, not only appearing before and after jumps, but in glides, hops, turns, running, walking, leaps, and more. All while moving forward, backward, upward, sideways, or downward. No plié is exactly alike, but without it we appear awkward, stiff, uncontrolled, or shaky. Like dance itself, plié is a never-ending story. There is always more to learn and developping a strong understanding of plié will help dancers build a strong foundation for other movements.

I read an article in this month’s Dance Magazine that I wish I could link you to. Pick up a copy if you can. In it, Risa Steinberg, a Limon teacher at Julliard, states that **”a good plié is an action, not a position. A plié is a ‘Whaaaaaah.’ It is not an ‘Eh.’ ” I love this description. Try vocalizing ‘Whaaaaaah’ while you plié and see what happens! This simple action serves as a reminder that plié is a smooth, continuous, and widening motion. It also implies that control is needed to create and direct the action, in contrast to an “Eh,” which suggests little effort or control. Fluidity, width, and control in plié is required whether executing an explosive jump or a shift of weight.

Some things to remember when executing plié:

Weight should be equally distributed between both feet. Try not to lean toward one foot more than the other or rest in the heels.
Lift the arches of the foot – avoiding pronation, or rolling in.
Maintain turnout (rotation at the hip joint), keeping the knees over the second and third toes.
Maintain alignment in the torso, partiularly the pelvis – tailbone points downward. NOT
Use opposition in the movement – resist as the body lowers and as it goes goes upward.

Consider the study of plié a lifelong pursuit! Plié are only boring if you stop discovering new things about them.

**The cited article is by Rachel Straus a freelance writer based in NYC and appears in the April 2008 issue of Dance Magazine.

Special Thanks To Our Feed Sponsors

Your link here! -- Find out more