by Natalia Boesch | Nov 20, 2019 | Technique, Training
Michelle Martin, associate artistic director of Ballet Austin, says that pirouettes en dehors from fourth position allongé are full of “traps” for dancers. Whether you trained with a straight back leg or have never tried it before, Martin’s...
by Natalia Boesch | Jul 18, 2019 | Instagram, Technique, Training
“Hopping on pointe is a bit of a weird feeling,” says Karin Ellis-Wentz, head of pre-professional programs at the Joffrey Academy of Dance in Chicago. But, she adds, it’s a skill advanced dancers need “because it’s in so many...
by Natalia Boesch | May 23, 2019 | Dance Teacher, Technique, Training
“People have so much fear associated with arabesque turns,” says Peter Boal, artistic director of Pacific Northwest Ballet. Here, he shares images and ideas to help you confidently master this advanced pirouette. “It’s a real accomplishment...
by Natalia Boesch | Feb 28, 2019 | Technique, Training
Xiomara Reyes, head of The Washington School of Ballet, describes grand battement as “a very important base step that helps with flexibility, jumps and stability. It’s the beginning of a grand jeté, the farthest push of your body in space and...
by Natalia Boesch | Dec 13, 2018 | Technique, Training
“In Cuba, everybody turns,” says Caridad Martinez, a ballet faculty member at The Ailey School and a former principal with the Ballet Nacional de Cuba. Here, she walks us through the exercises and techniques that comprise “the Cuban secret” of...
by Natalia Boesch | Oct 15, 2018 | Technique, Training
It’s the complex transfer of weight that makes piqué turns en dehors—commonly called “step-overs”—so tricky. Maria Torija, director of the BalletMet Dance Academy, shares her ideas on how to successfully navigate these inevitable...
by Natalia Boesch | Aug 23, 2018 | Technique, Training
The waltz turn, says Ballet Academy East teacher and Dances Patrelle artistic director Francis Patrelle, must be distinguished from a dainty balancé en tournant. Here, he shares how he encourages his students to bring “American largesse” to this luscious,...
by Natalia Boesch | Jul 8, 2018 | Technique, Training, Viral Videos
Married couple and former American Ballet Theatre principals Irina Dvorovenko and Maxim Beloserkovsky share their advice for an essential partnering element: fish dives. For Men Handle with care: Holding the ballerina in the wrong place can cause her a lot of pain....