Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Semaine 25

After a long long time away from the barre, I finally slapped on those pink tights and ballet slippers back on Wednesday, February 27th! I tried out a class at the Metropolitan Fine Arts center in Springfield, VA which was recommended to me by Saki whose friend Melissa took Advanced Beginning Ballet II and Intermediate Ballet III and dances pointe with the Intermediate class. It's such a great deal! Online registration was a $30 3-class package for new students, so I took that opportunity asap. After the three are finished, classes are $13/ea for a 10-class card for $130. Not shabby since BalletNova's 10-class cards are $180.

The class I took was Advanced Beginning Ballet (Ballet II) for adults. The class was small, 8 of us. About 60% of the class usually takes the Intermediate III class (they grew up dancing pointe). I'll have to admit, I was definitely intimidated at the beginning of class - I mean, it's reasonable right? It's always a little nerve wracking at a new studio not knowing how the class' level will feel compared to the comfort of an old studio. I got through it though and was terribly sore afterward. Good sore!

I learned a lot of moves that night!

At the barre: 
* petit battement - look at the video below, I don't know how I can make my foot move that fast, maybe it involves a higher level of hip control!
* double frappes to the front and back - we only did double frappes to the side at BalletNova, so watching this video is helpful to find out where the heel is placed during the movement.

In center: 
* sissonne (pronounced "see-sone")
* pique turns (I'd shown pique turns in a previous video but we hadn't formally done them)
* chaines turns (pronounced "shuh-nay")

Our floor exercises (I'll try and videotape next week) were:
A) Pique turns x6, with chaines turns to finish
B) From Fifth (right foot front), sissonne to the right, sissonne to left, plié to (back) right leg extended back into a dégagé, plié to (front) left foot dégagé, plié fifth, assemblé. Repeat opposite side.
C) Inside turns - From Fifth left foot in front en croix (to the corner), chassé to passé (right foot) on relevé close Fifth, plié. Chassé to a 1 1/2 pirouette to finish en croix to the opposite corner, repeat other side. I miss outside turns, it always seems like it's easier to balance that way.

For reference:

Sissonne:

Chaines Turns:

Pique Turns:

Petit Battement (en pointe, obvies):

That's all for this week!