LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
School of Communication and the Arts | Theatre Arts Department
THEA 108-001: DANCE I
(Ballet/Modern)
Professor: Michelle Thomas
Email: [email protected]
Office Phone: (434) 582-7078
Cell Phone: (434) 942-1574
BALLET
(Exploration 2)
1.) What is the Theory of correct body alignment? Alignment refers to the relationship of the
body segments to each other. The spine must be held erect, hips placed directly over the feet, shoulders
squarely over the hips with the head held straight over the top of the spine. The pelvis should be
centered over the feet and must be held without tipping forward or backward. The abdominal muscles
or core should be firm, toned and held in erect alignment of the spine. The feet must bear the weight of
the body centered towards the balls of the feet. Avoid pronation or supination (rocking the weight
inward or outward on the feet)
2.) What is Turn-out? Turn-out is the ability of the dancer to turn his/her legs and feet out from the
hip joints. This turn-out is one of the essential principles of the classical dance, giving the dancer
freedom of movement in every direction. ballet, turnout is rotation of the leg at the hips which causes In
the feet (and knees) to turn outward, away from the front of the body. This rotation allows for greater
extension of the leg, especially when raising it to the side and rear. Turnout is an essential part of
classical ballet technique. (See diagram page 4)
3.) Common errors found in the work of ballet students.
▪ Poor body alignment
▪ Legs not turned out
▪ Weight back on heels
▪ Foot turned in at the ankle (sickling)
▪ Not articulating through the foot (rolling through the ball of foot before pointing)
▪ Moving arms from the elbows
▪ Arms held too high, stiffly or loosely
▪ Bent knees when not appropriate
▪ Lack of use of plie when appropriate
▪ Feet not stretched
▪ Poor musicality
▪ Rolling inward or outward on feet (pronate or supinate) (See diagram page 3)
CLASSROOM & STAGE DIRECTIONS:
4.) The fixed pints of the practice room (Cecchetti Method).
Beginning with the corner to your right, going counterclockwise, the corners are Corner 1,
Corner 2, Corner 3 & Corner 4. Continuing with the Audience as 5, the Walls are, Wall 5, Wall
6, Wall 7, Wall 8.
a.) Corner 1
b.) Corner 2
c.) Corner 3
d.) Corner 4
e.) Wall 5
f.) Wall 6
g.) Wall 7
h.) Wall 8
5.) The Directions of the Stage. Stage directions are written from the perspective of the dancer or actor as
he or she is facing the audience. A performer who turns to his or her right is moving stage right, while a
performer who turns to his or her left is moving stage left. (This is the opposite from the perspective of
the audience.)
The front of the stage, called downstage, is the end closest to the audience. The rear of the stage, called
upstage, is behind the performer's back, furthest from the audience. These terms come from the
structure of stages in the Middle Ages and early modern period, which were built on an upward slope
away from the audience to improve viewer visibility. "Upstage" refers to the section of the stage that
was higher, while "downstage" refers to the area that was lower.
a.) DSR – downstage right
b.) DS – downstage
c.) DSL – downstage left
d.) SR – stage right
e.) CS – center stage
f.) SL – stage left
g.) USR – upstage right
h.) US – upstage
i.) USL – upstage left
AUDIENCE
2 5 1
6 8
3 7 4
AUDIENCE
C B A
F E D
I H G
PRONATION | SUPINATION
6.) What is the difference between a Pronated, Supinated and Aligned Foot?
These two terms refer to the foots natural rolling movement while dancing, walking or running. This motion is
sometimes called the running gait, and can be described as a unique set of actions and reactions that your foot
performs while motion support, cushion and balance your body. in to
a.) Pronation:
Pronation refers to the inward roll of the foot during normal motion and occurs as the outer edge of the heel
strikes the ground and the foot rolls inward and flattens out. A moderate amount of pronation is required for
the foot to function properly, however damage and injury can occur during excessive pronation. When
excessive pronation does occur the arch of the foot flattens out and stretches the muscles, tendons and
ligaments underneath the foot. The picture in the middle shows a view of the feet as if looking at it from
behind. As you can see in the picture the ankle is over-pronating or rolling inwardly.
b.) Supination:
Supination (or under-pronation) is the opposite of pronation and refers to the outward roll of the foot during
normal motion. A natural amount of supination occurs during the push-off phase of the running gait as the heel
lifts off the ground and the forefoot and toes are used to propel the body forward. However, excessive
supination (outward rolling) places a large strain on the muscles and tendons that stabilize the ankle, and can
lead to the ankle rolling completely over, resulting in an ankle sprain or total ligament rupture. This time, in
the picture on the left you will see the foot is over-supinating or rolling outwardly.
c Proper Alignment of the Foot: .)
The picture on the right shows the feet, ankles and legs aligned properly to withstand the pressures put forth on
the dancer’s body. Proper alignment is essential for the safety and health of the dancer’s body as the art of
dance can put large amount of strain on the body. It is important to understand the alignment and shape of
your feet as an individual so that you can compensate accordingly and remain an injury free dancer.
THE TRUTH ABOUT TURN-OUT
Turnout - a combination of rotational flexibility and the
strength to properly hold that rotation- the foundation of is
ballet. But it's also a source of frustration for many dancers.
After all, not everyone (actually, hardly anyone) is born
with 180-degree rotation. By strengthening your hip
flexors, you can improve your turnout and dance beautifully
with less-than-perfect rotation.
Myth #1 - If your feet are turned out 180 degrees, that
means you're using your turnout. Turning out requires
rotating your legs from the inside of the hip all the way through to your feet which requires flexibility, strength
and placement. All the flexibility in the world will mean nothing if you don't have the strength to control it.
Turning out correctly uses the lower abdominal and lower back muscles, the glutes and the thighs. It requires
proper placement, as well. In order to get the most turnout, you actually have to pull up to create room between
the bones. In other words, if you sink into your hips and legs, tuck under and grip your turnout, you won't be
able to maintain your rotation as you move from one position to the next.
Myth #2 - Walking turned out in your day- -day life will improve your turnout. Some people are naturally to
inclined to walk with their feet turned out, and some are not. Forcing yourself to walk with your feet outward
all the time will not improve your rotation. In fact, it can actually lead to ankle, knee and hip pain.
Myth #3 - If you want to avoid injury, don't push your turnout. If you're not pushing it enough, there's a
deadness—you feel nothing—and you won't improve. From the first plié to the final jeté of class, challenge
yourself to correctly use your maximum rotation. Then be sure to stretch for a few minutes after class when
your muscles are warm and pliable. A second position split, bending forward at the waist and keeping the legs
rotated outward is a great stretch. Just remember that pushing your turnout isn't the same as forcing it. Never
turn out to the point that your hips, knees and ankles aren't aligned in plié, your hips are tucked under, your feet
are rolled in or your back is swayed. (The best way to tell if you're faking your turnout at the barre is when you
step into the center, you won't be able to maintain faux-rotation.) Not only will you risk injury to your hips,
knees and ankles, but sacrificing placement for a “perfect" fifth position won't serve you in the long run, either.
Eventually, you'll find that you can't move efficiently or change weight easily from one leg to the other.
Myth #4 - Cross-training activities with your feet in parallel can negatively impact turnout. It's actually
important to turn in every now and then. If you just turn out, turn out, turn out all the time, the rotational
muscles can get tight. In your free time, do exercises that turn in like swimming or yoga because their low-
impact activities that won't overdevelop muscles.
Myth #5 - You have to turn in to complete certain ballet steps. Many dancers lose turnout during challenging
steps—in the front foot in fourth position just prior to a back attitude turn en dehors, for example, or during a
fast-petit allegro combination. But that's due to a lack of strength or placement, not because the movements are
physically impossible to do turned out.
Myth #6 - You can't be a professional dancer unless you have 180-degree turnout. Most dancers don't have
perfect turnout they just have the muscle control to make the best of their rotation. The stronger your turnout, —
the easier all the steps will be because turnout gives you a greater range of motion. It allows you to move faster
and bigger.
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
School of Visual and Performing Arts | Theatre Arts Department
THEA 108-001 DANCE I :
(Ballet/Modern)
Adjunct Professor: Michelle Thomas
Email: [email protected]
Office Phone: (434) 582-7078
Cell Phone (434) 942-1574
BALLET
(Vocabulary & Terminology)
(16-30)
16.) Batterie - beats
17.) Battus - beaten
18.) Bourre – to cram or stuff –a 17 century dance
th
19.) Bras – arms
20.) Brise – to break or shatter
21.) Cabriole – to caper (a goat like step), Frolic
22.) Cavalier – knight or gentleman
23.) Cambre – arched, bent or curved
24.) Chaine – chain step or links
25.) Changement – to change
26.) Chasse – to chase
27.) Cinq – five
28.) Cinquieme – fifth
29.) Cloche – bell
30.) Contretemps – against time – off beat rhythm
