I’ve found a new part of my body to obsess about: the lats. I had a teacher who used to say “hold your back” when we were trying to balance in passé and I think she must have been talking about activating the lat muscles. I didn’t really understand it then but I’m starting to now and it makes a lot of difference - especially for balance, any arm movement, and most happily - for turns and quick direction changes.

Try using the lat muscles to pull your shoulder “wings” down while remembering to knit together the front of your ribs so you don’t pop your chest. It really helps to maintain the “compactness” that you need in ballet especially for pirouettes! Planks and tricep pushups (with your elbows bending parallel to ribs) are good for strengthening these often neglected muscles.

Pilates has changed everything. It has improved my coordination, balance and turns…everything! I found some “free” instant streaming ones on netfix - these are my favs.

Penchée : So you’re in the center and your adagio includes an arabesque penchée.

Horrors! But do not fear…

Try imagining the working leg reaching up toward the sky instead of worrying about the ground becoming closer. Yay for penchée!

Arabesque - instead of straining your back, hip and thigh to try to get your leg higher, think of lifting from the foot.

Also, pull that shoulder back for a perfect line and beautiful epaulement.

Cambré back and up again:

Think of letting the armpit be the first thing to go back - let it go back before your head (no twisting!). Don’t lean - think of stretching or elongating the top of the ribs (like bending a slinky) while the hips stay pressing down into the floor.

On the way back up, initiate from the stomach muscles - it’s way easier on your back and gives a nicer look to the movement.

Hey thanks for the note! I DO have a lot of tips to share and promise I will get them all up here asap - you’ve inspired me! :)

Finally had our performance-now I can concentrate on uploading more tips! Here’s me getting warmed up backstage :)

edit: and here’s a quick tip - my arm shouldn’t be that straight!

just sayin’

This tip made such a difference for me: when raising the arm to high fifth, think of lifting from beneath your hand instead of from the shoulder (my crime). The arm goes up so much easier and it looks way better!

I’ve been so busy and I have a lot of tips to post but I need to draw some pictures. In the meantime, here’s a fly that met an untimely end underneath all the bags in the corner of the ballet studio. 

ew.

Think of rotating the top part of your arm inward while rotating the bottom part outward. This opposition/resistance creates a nice curve.