WARM UP 3/4
The first section of this exercise is exactly the same as the Grade 3 warm up, instead of the foot staying a terre it is lifted en l’air and there is no knee bend. The action is taken on a straight supporting leg.
First section – leg swing
The first action must show a good rotation in the hip to allow the working foot to hit the parallel position. The leg swings across in front of the body and is lifted to hip height while maintaining a good positioning of the leg.
The action of the foot turning into parallel and turning out into the first position, must run smoothly flowing into each other. As the foot pulls back from the en l’air position, the foot should turn seamlessly into the first position and straight into the lift a la seconde.
Second section – Glute exercise
The glute stretch should be taken up in a high demi-pointe position. The knees are going over the toes and the ankles are strong, this action is a demi plié but up on the demi-pointe. There should be power through the legs to hold this position. The upper body is held upright with no intentions of leaning forward. Good core strength is required and the lower back needs to have control not allowing it to move in any direction.
Third section – Instep stretches
The instep stretch is preceded by a pivot. For the pivot, the toe stays in place and the heel moves. Make sure that the pivot doesn’t loose its turnout. The instep press is a lunge taking the weight into the working foot which is on the demi-pointe. As the weight is taken forward the leg should be turned out as the rebound happens, the body weight should be taken back to the supporting leg. Make sure that the body weight is taken back over the supporting leg.
This next section is taken in 3 stages:
1st instep stretch is rebounded back to the demi point.
2nd instep stretch is rebounded back to a degagé devant.
3rd instep stretch is rebounded back into a glissé action.
Forward port de bras section
The arm placement must go through 1st and 2nd position. The back needs to have a slight relaxation which then pulls out into a flat back as the arm is taken to 5th position. From the top of the head down to the back foot should be one straight line. The hips should not twist during this action, strength will be needed in the legs to maintain a good lunge.
Faults to look out for
1. Twisting of the hips in the leg elevations.
2. Hips lifting when the leg is swung either across the body or to a la seconde.
3. Overcrossing the leg when moving across in front of the body.
4. Trying to lift the leg too high.
5. Not lifting enough in the instep stretch when executing the glute stretch.
6. Knees not over toes.
7. Pelvis tipping back in glute stretches.
8. Not pushing over the front foot enough in the instep press action.
9. Not pushing back enough so as to get body weight over the supporting leg.
10. Executing a perfect lunge with a straight back as the action is taken into 5th position. Head must be in alignment with the body.
PLIÉS 3/4
The build-up to pliés is:
Preparatory – Point and close: Start in 1st position.
Primary – Weight transference 3 pliés at end of exercise: 1st position.
Grade One – Pliés facing the barre: Start in 3rd position.
Grade Two – Pliés facing the barre: Start in 1st position.
Grade Three – Pliés sideways to the barre – Start in 3rd position.
The build-up to retire passé is:
Grade Two – Pirouette prep and retire
Grade Three – Grands battement
The build-up for side port de bras is:
Grade Two – Warm-up
Grade Three – Pliés
This is the first time that a demi and full plié has been executed in 5th position. All the lower grades have been either 1st or 3rd position. Below are the plié exercises and what position we start them in.
The plié exercise is combining pliés with stretching and bending into the next position, this is going to take some skill and precision as the legs need to work in harmony with each other starting and finishing at the same time.
We have seen a lot of this bend and stretch action throughout the grades. Listed below are when we have seen this bend stretch action.
Preparatory: Point and close.
Primary: Spring points and Pas de cheval.
Grade One: Grand degagés
Grade Two: Tendus and glisses
Grade Three: Warm – up
Pliés
As mentioned above the plié is performed in 5th position as the plié is coming up out of the action the outside leg is degagéd to a la seconde, the leg is then brought back into a plié in 1st position using the plié action. Feet must stay in contact with the floor demonstrating good use of pressure, with no temptation to lift the foot into the next position.
The full plié in 1st position is demonstrated sideways to the barre, extra control, strength, and core will be required for this action. Don’t allow the body weight to be pulled back into the heels. This also applies to the full plié in 5th position. A good range of movement is required in the full port de bras again making sure that the arm and leg action works together.
The bend stretch action is then performed in reverse and a full plié is executed in 5th position.
Demi assemble soutenu
This is a new step in this grade even though there has been ronds de jambes in grade 2 and 3 which are similar in action.
The demi assemble soutenu is taken on a fondu. As the working leg is degagéd devant, the supporting leg lowers into a fondu, both legs working at the same time. The fondu is maintained as the leg is taken to a la seconde, once in a la seconde the supporting leg is straightened and the working foot is closed in 5th devant. The action is then repeated again continuing in the en dehors direction., taking the leg out to a la seconde and to derriere. A smooth and continuous action which should be seamless is required, showing good coordination of leg and arm movement.
Retire passé
Refer back to past teaching notes for this step.
Side port de bras
This port de bras continues reversing through bras bas and into 2nd position. The head should follow the arm action.
Faults to look out for
1. The legs must work in harmony with each other on the bend and stretch action ensuring the foot has contact with the floor.
2. Smooth action when lowering into and pulling back up out of the full plié, no sitting in the action or pulling backward.
3. Work on turnout in the demi assemble soutenu action and make sure that this is constantly maintained. That the fondu and straightening of the supporting legwork is in harmony with the working leg.
4. A clean execution into the retire passé maintaining turnout. Demi pointe should have power through the supporting leg, a strong base and a high instep stretch. Without this, the action would be weak.
5. When turning to the other side the arms should pass through 1st position keeping a clean arm line.
6. Side port de bras should have a good lift in the side body maintaining this throughout, as the arm circles across the front of the body and through bras bas out to 2nd position. The foundation needs to stay strong and the hips controlled with no movement.
BATTERIE PREP 2/2
This exercise starts in 2nd position, there is no extension of the leg before placing into the frappé position.
This is an exercise with new steps, that have had no build up to them.
Frappés.
Frappé means to strike and should be reflected in the action.
The foot action for a frappé is flexed to point with the foot ending just off the floor (the height of a glissé). The foot is placed either to the front (devant) or behind (derrieré) the ankle of the supporting leg, allow the heel of the working foot to touch the supporting leg.
The foot is taken out to the side, as the leg is extended, the ball of the foot strikes the floor and is released to the glissé height.
The leg should be isolated when working. The hip to knee stays still, whilst the knee to the foot moves. This is very important if the whole leg starts moving the quality of the action will be lost. The working leg must have strength and power running through it.
How to teach a frappé
Start by isolating the leg action.
Demonstrate how the top half of the leg should stay stationary, strong and turned out whilst the bottom half of the leg moves freely.
Eliminate the strike to the floor, place the working foot into the starting position and move the leg in and out with a stretched foot.
Once this has been achieved readdress glissés, as well as the height of the leg and the strength that comes behind the glissé action.
Now add the two actions together. As the foot extends the ball of the foot strikes the floor and ends just off the floor with an extended foot.
Be careful that the foot doesn’t start to flex too soon when returning back to the supporting leg.
The beginning of beating
There is always confusion around where the legs should be beating and in what direction they should be moving in.
The thighs beat together NOT the calves or ankles and the action is out to the side and in NOT forward and backward.
A good starting exercise is getting students to lie on their backs with legs in the air. Get them beating their legs and feeling where the action is coming from. Once this has been achieved take back to the barre and practice. Make sure that all the elevation is coming from power through their legs and not pushing down on the barre with hands.
A good plié is required for this beating action especially when the action doubles up in speed. Without a good plié, it will be hard to get elevation which in turn won’t allow a good leg action in the air. The heels must make contact with the floor in between each action. The body needs to stay facing the barre as there can be a tendency to twist in the hips on elevation.
Faults to look out for
1. Not enough flexion of the working foot in the frappé action.
2. The foot lifts too high after the frappé, keep it at glisse height.
3. The foot starts to flex too soon when returning to the supporting leg.
4. The weight doesn’t carry back over the supporting leg, the body weight must be completely over this leg.
5. On the stretch and bend movement don’t let the knees lock out.
6. Plié is too wide in 2nd or not wide enough, refer back to demi pliés in 2nd. Put markers on the floor to encourage a good 2nd.
7. In the beating foot action, the wrong part of the leg may hit together.
8. The legs don’t beat to the side but forward and backward.
9. Heels don’t place down on landing.
10. Pushing on the barre to get elevation rather than it coming through the plié action.
11. Hips twisting in the beating action.
BATTEMENT FONDU AND DEVELOPPES 3/4
The build-up to chasses is:
Grade Two – Adage enchaînment
Grade Three – Set adage
The build-up to chasse passé en avant is:
Grade Three – Ronds de jambe à terre
The build-up to corus is:
Grade Three – Battement and attitude prep
Over the grades, there have been a lot of exercises where the legs are working in harmony with each other.
Preparatory – Point and close.
Primary – Step and point with balance and spring points and pas de cheval.
Grade One – Grands degagés.
Grade Two – Tendus and glissés.
Grade Three – Battement fondu and attitude prep.
Battement fondu
The first action in this exercise is the same as in the battement fondu in the Grade three Battement fondu and attitude prep exercise but facing sideways to the barre.
This needs core control and balance. The legs work together to get the smooth action of the battement fondu.
On the battement fondu en l’air, the leg height is only 45 degrees (as stated in the syllabus). There is great temptation to take the leg higher especially if someone is flexible. The working foot must still fondu in by the ankle of the supporting leg even though it is being lifted en l’air. Both legs working in unison with each other.
Developpé
The developpé is a new step to the syllabus. Developpé means to unfold and hold, this should reflect this in the movement.
When performing a developpé devant the working foot is drawn up the front of the leg to under the knee, developpé to second is up the side of the leg to the dip in the knee and a developpé derrieré is up the back of leg to knee height.
A developpé in any position requires the leg to extend from the knee downwards, the top of the leg should stay firmly in place and not drop in height. On the extension a feeling of the hip rotating as the leg unfolds, will help to encourage turnout.
At this level in the syllabus it can be hard to sustain turnout, strength is needed in the hip to keep rotation.
Chasse passé en avant
Don’t allow the leg to drop out of the arabesque when going into the chasse passé. The leg positioning must stay in the arabesque position before it passes through to devant and into attitude. Make sure that the heel is placed down, the knee doesn’t drop inwards and the foot doesn’t roll as it is leading through from derriére to devant.
Corus
The corus position should be a precise releve position. The back foot always leads and a high instep stretch should be achievable.
Faults to look out for
1. Legs not working together.
2. Arm action not working in time with the legs.
3. Lifting the leg too high on the battement fondu en l’air.
4. Making sure the placement of the leg is correct for each developpé.
5. Strong body alignment in the developpés.
6. Good leg positioning in the attitude derrière.
7. Precise courus when turning making sure the feet don’t come apart and that the instep stretch is high.
GRANDES BATTEMENTS 2/4
The build-up to grands battememts is:
Primary – Step and point with balance: the lift being the introduction to a grand battement.
Grade One – 3 prep grand battements devant, 3 prep grand battements derriére.
Grade Two – 1 prep grand battement followed by 2 grands battements taken en criox.
Grade Three – 3 grands battements with retire passé with echappé relevés to 2nd.
There is an increase in speed in this exercise the supporting leg must stay secure and be a strong foundation. The working leg can now be taken higher. The action should be accent up and control down.
In grade four there is a combination of battement tendus, battement glissés and grand battements. This should show a progression through the action from a terre, to a glissé to grands battements.
The new step in this grade is a full assemblé soutenu. A demi assemblé soutenu en dehors has been seen in the grade four plié exercise. The full assemblé soutenu is a continuation on from the demi assemblé soutenu and is taken en dedans.
Assemble soutenu
This action is taken on a fondu and is en dedans (inwards). As the supporting leg fondus, the working leg is extended out to derriére and taken through 2nd position to finish devant. This action is the same as a ronds de jambe the only difference being is that it is performed on a fondu.
Turnout is essential throughout this action, with the heel leading round from back to front. Pull up out of the supporting leg, all the body weight should be lifted upwards.
Faults to look out for – also refer to previous grands battements notes
1. Strength in the upper body during the grands battements.
2. No rocking of the upper body.
3. Supporting leg to stay in alignment.
4. Maintain turnout throughout exercise.
5. Don’t sink into the hip on the supporting leg on the grands battements and the full soutenu.
6. That the arm works in conjunction with the working leg during the full soutenu.
PIROUETTE PREP 6/8
The build-up to full retires is:
Grade One – Foot exercise
Grade Two – Pirouette prep and retire
The retire position is toe beside knee, the pirouette position is instep under the knee.
The pirouette position is now performed on the demi-pointe adding in another aspect to the exercise. In the relevés, the feet should pull tightly together and the toe replaces the heel. A high instep stretch is required giving a secure platform allowing stability. Body weight is lifted upwards, pulling up out of the hips. The pirouette position should be well turned out with no sickling in the foot, Be careful of the foot placement make sure that the foot isn’t overshooting the knee in the pirouette position or not quite reaching the knee for the relevé position.
Strength and power is required in the ankles when the relevés devant and derrière are danced from two feet to one with the working leg going straight into the pirouette or relevé position. This is good preparation for pointe work.
Faults to look out for
1. Not a high enough instep stretch.
2. Misplacing the foot in the retiré or pirouette position.
3. Not enough strength in the working leg to maintain a good action.
4. Legs not locking out and knees bending.
5. Upper body not staying static throughout the exercise.
6. Shoulders not relaxed.
7. Pushing on the barre as not enough power in legs.
8. Not enough bend in the plié which is the springboard into the relevé action.
PORT DE BRAS 12/8
The build-up to walks is:
Preparatory – Walking and running
Grade Two – Port de bars with walks
Grade Three – Classical walks with port de bras
The build-up to coupés is:
Grade Two – Set enchainment
Grade Three – Girls allegro enchainment.
In the syllabus, the arms are taken to attitude a deux bras this is 5th position.
This is a complexed exercise introducing pas de basque glissé. We have seen some legwork throughout the grades that introduce the leg action for this movement. We have seen ronds de jambes and demi assemble soutenus.
This exercise will need balance and control
Pas de basque glissé
The legs are taught first, then add the arms once the legwork is secure. Degage on a fondu to begin. The fondu should be deep, strength is needed in this leg as it needs to maintain the fondu as the working leg takes a demi assemble soutenu action to 2nd. The foot action must reach each position, don’t cut off any dimensions.
The body should turn with the demi assemble soutenu leg action, the weight is transferred to the working leg, this is a glisse action. The fondu leg will extend and both legs adopt a plie position passing through first position as the step turns into a chasse passé into the croise alignment.
Weight must be fully over the supporting leg allowing the back leg to release into a tendu ready for the lunge.
Circular port de bras
Not too much back movement is needed in this action, power through the legs and the core is engaged. The arms pass through 3rd, 3rd and 4th. The weight should be directly on the front leg with a stable turnout. There is a great tendency to throw the arms behind the body line when passing through 4th position then arching the back. Strength needs to come into the front leg as the weight is pulled back up into the attitude position. Keep the weight out of the back foot.
3 walks into coupe over and under
Walks en arrière must have good weight transference, by taking the weight out of the front foot making sure that it is stretched before passing through from devant to derriere. The arms must work in time with the walks arriving at 1st arabesque as the final step is executed.
A coupé under is the same action as a coupé over but in reverse.
The breakdown of a coupé over is:
Relevé in 5th and lower onto the front foot with the back foot in a petit jeté position. The fact that we are lowering onto the front foot makes it a coupé over.
The breakdown of a coupé under is:
Relevé in 5th and lower onto the back foot with the front foot in a petit jeté position. The fact that we are lowering onto the back foot makes it a coupé under.
Unlike Grade Two and Three in Grade Four, your coupes are finishing with an extended front or back leg on a fondu. also working arms in 3rd into the action.
Faults to look out for
1. Not getting a smooth transition during the pas de basque glissé.
2. Adding in a sauté instead of a glissé action in the pas de Basque.
3. Not working the arms in sync with the leg action.
4. Weight being taken too far back in the port de bras and arms to being placed correctly.
5. Weight not being transferred back far enough in the 3 walks en arrière.
6. Lack of ability to coordinate arms and legs.
7. Not having a smooth transition between the coupé over and under.
8. Lack of balance and control during the whole exercise.
SET ADAGE GIRLS 3/4
The build-up to retiré passe is:
Grade One – Foot exercise
Grade Two – Pirouette prep and retire
Grade Four – Pirouette prep
The build-up to attitude en l’air:
Grade Three – Battement fondus and attitude prep
The build-up to corous is:
Grade Three – Battement fondus and attitude prep
This exercise is going to require control, strength and balance. It consists of retiré passes, attitude en l’air and courus turning. All of these steps have been covered before in the lower grades but at the barre.
Retiré passe
The supporting leg needs to be held firmly in place, having a feeling of lift out of the hips. It is very tempting to sit in the hips and not pull up through the body. There now needs to be greater control as the retire passé is executed. The foot needs to work through the instep and peel off the floor drawing up the side of the leg to the retire position. Maintaining turnout is essential and a good balance shown before the foot passes and is placed derrière. As the foot places down it should again work through the foot with the heel being the last part to reach the floor.
Attitude en l’air
The weight must project forward out of the chassé into the attitude en l’air position. Before the leg is lifted a degage should be seen, with no weight in the back leg. The leg is lifted up into attitude remembering the leg position hip, knee, ankle, foot. The hip doesn’t lift due to the leg lifting, nor should it rotate hence resulting in a twisting of the hips.
Courus
The courus so far in the syllabus haven’t travelled, now they are travelling en avant and turning. The back foot always starts the action. The feet should be placed into a tight 5th as the back foot joins to the front foot in the en avant action and tightly placed in behind the front foot on the turn. The turning action must not move off the spot, there can be an inclination to move this step.
Faults to look out for
1. Lack of balance and core strength.
2. No turnout in the retire.
3. Weak supporting leg.
4. Not enough weight on the front leg coming out of the chassé.
5. Incorrect leg positioning in the attitude.
6. Hip lifting in the attitude en l’air.
7. Footwork on courus isn’t tight enough.
8. Incorrect leg leading on the courus.
BOYS SET ADAGE 3/4
The boys set adage is identical at the beginning. They have a pirouette en dehors and a demi assemble soutenu with change of direction.
How to start teaching a pirouette – Turning should be fun!
1. Practise releves and the pirouette position at the barre, once this is secure bring into the centre.
2. Teach the concept of spotting. Look at a stationary spot, standing in one place and turn to the right whilst keeping looking at a mark over the left shoulder. When the turn can go no further the head whips round to look over the right shoulder still focusing on the spot, keep moving the feet to complete the turn.
3. Take a simple stepping turn from the corner of the studio across the room. Concentrating on the spotting action.
4. Practise the preparation into the 4th demi plié position. Weight is central with a 3rd position of the arms. The arm plays an important part of the turn and helps assist the pirouette action. The front arm starts the action and the arm in 2nd catches it up so both arms come into 1st position.
Body weight must be kept central, don’t allow the arms to lift too high as this will take the upper body backwards making the pirouette off balance. The fact that the pirouette is finishing in a lunge will help with the ending as this is a strong base and easier to achieve. On ending the pirouette the body weight should be over the front leg.
It is easy for the retire leg to loose turnout and not lift high enough.
Faults to look out for
1. Lack of balance and core strength.
2. No turnout in the retire.
3. Weak supporting leg.
4. Not enough weight on the front leg coming out of the chassé.
5. Incorrect leg positioning in the attitude.
6. Hip lifting in the attitude en l’air.
7. Bad foot positioning in 4th position and weight not central.
8. Body weight off centre on the pirouette.
9. Retire leg loosing turnout in the pirouette.
PIVOT TURNS 2/4
This is a practise step for turns and pirouettes. The pivot sur la place is like a small ball change action. The back foot is on the ball of the foot and the front foot is placed flat. Recap over the importance of spotting.
The hands are on finger belt and shoulders should be relaxed throughout.
When performing the pivot action the back knee should be turned out. The action should be light, bouncy and weightless.
It is important to get the correct number of pivots per turn, as this speeds up as the exercise progresses.
As the action gets faster the loss of turnout may occur and the movement may start moving around instead of staying in one place.
Things to remember when teaching this step are:
Good head action.
Placement of the turn making sure the correct number of steps completes a turn.
The step should be light and bouncy.
Be able to change direction quickly.
Good balance is essential.
ALLEGRO WARM UP 6/8
The build-up to echappe sautes is:
Primary – Sauté and echappe exercise
Grade One – Allegro warm up
The build-up to soubresauts is:
Grade Two – Allegro warm up
The build-up to pas de bourree under is:
Grade Three – Set adage
Recap of the echappe action, by now these should be happening without any problem. The pas de bourree in this exercise is faster and represents more of the running action. The foot action is up, up, down. The arms should now be working in unison with the foot action.
Pas de bourree under
The weight transference action out of the echappe into the pas de bourree must be smooth making sure that the dégagé foot doesn’t come off the floor too high, nor does the body tilt unnecessarily with the action. The dégagé leg must come straight into 5th position on a relevé, as it starts off the pas de bourree avoiding an unnecessary bend.
The picture below demonstrates a pas de bourree under. The leading foot is placed derriére and finishes devant.
Soubresaut
A soubresaut is when the feet are in either 3rd or 5th position.
The soubresaut footwork must be tight and because the steps are travelling slightly forwards in this exercise be careful the feet don’t come apart. A good elevation is required. The feet should be working hard going through the instep and pushing off the floor. No upper body rocking to help get elevation.
Demi Detourne
This has only ever been performed at the barre. The action will need core strength, a strong secure instep stretch and the use of spotting. The feet and legs need to stay tightly pulled up with no relaxation on the half turn.
The head should be leading on the half turns. There is a demi plié which breaks up the turn to the back and the front. This will help with body control. Make sure that the demi plié has some depth to it as this will help with controlling the body when coming out of the turn. Avoid the pelvis tipping outwards.
Faults to look out for
1. The pas de bourree not having control.
2. Poor footwork on the pas de bourree losing the up, up, down action.
3. Too much body movement when coming out of the echappe into the pas de bourree.
4. Losing the tight footwork in the soubresaut.
5. Not enough elevation in the soubresaut.
6. Lose of balance in the demi detourne.
7. Legs losing strength in the demi detourne.
8. Arms not coordinating well with the leg action.
GIRLS BALANCES 3/4
The build-up to balances is:
Grade Three – Balances de côte
Please refer to your Grade three balancé teaching notes. In this exercise the balancés are now en avant and en arriere.
The structure of the step is exactly the same as the de côte balance.
Balances
The accent is down and on the first count of the bar.
When taking the balancé en avant and en arriere the body must stay in alignment and face the line of dance. Make sure there is a good foot extension leading into the step. Avoid arching the back when travelling en avant or letting the back foot drag into the petit retire position. When taking en arriere the front foot will be placed behind the leading leg. Making sure that the position is in a tight petit retire position.
Assembles
Recap over assembles Explain that the only change for this grade would be a quarter turn on landing. This small change of direction can make the legs swing over rather than the tight action that should be seen in an assemble. Be careful the assemble doesn’t move sideways, it should always elevate upwards.
The picture below is of an assemble over as the back leg is being taken to the front.
PROGRESSIVE ENCHAÎNMENT 2/4
This is a long exercise and one of the hardest seen so far in the syllabus. It uses a lot of steps that have already been seen in Grades Two and Three.
The complexity with this exercise is the speed and change of directions – it is fast and the footwork is changing all the time. The exercise needs to show good elevation, a feeling of lift and energy. The steps need to show speed in a controlled manner.
This exercise needs stamina as it is repeated 4 times.
Boys and girls have a different ending.
Travelling to RDF Arm in 3rd position
Glissades over and under – Good placement on closing. Leading and closing foot stretched. Secure plié.
Jeté devant – The extending foot to push through the floor with a full extension from the plié position. The second leg pulling into a jeté devant position, strong turnout, extended foot by the ankle.
Travelling en avant to LDF. The front arm slowly extending up to 4th position.
Temp levés – The temp levé is performed with the foot in the jeté devant position.
Chasses moving en avant – As the chassés are being executed from either the temps levé position or the coupé position there is a tendency for the foot to not be placed tightly into 5th position. The heel on the front and back foot can also come off the floor as the action is performed quickly.
Coupés – Get a good cutting under action with the heel placing securely down.
Travelling en avant to LDF with a half turn to face RDB. On demi detourne arms to bras bas and up to 5th position
Pas de bourree – As the last chassé is completed the back leg would be extended ready to go into the pas de bourree under. This leg should be placed firmly in a relevé position behind the supporting leg remembering the up, up, down action of the foot placement. The pas be bourreé finishes facing croise.
Demi detourne – Good instep stretch on the demi-pointe. Use the head to spot to the RDB.
4th group travelling to RDB with quarter turn on coupes. Same arm as leg opening to 2nd for the Polka and taking arms into 3rd position leading arm in front on the coupes.
Polka en avant – Recap over the Grade Two polka exercise. The arms should work in sync with the polka action.
Coupé over and under – Take a look back at the coupés in Grade Three. These should be in place and have no movement. The action is taken under the body.
Girls ending
The retire passés we have seen in the set adage. In this exercise, they are taken on the demi point needing control and core strength to be able to hold the action with a placed turnout.
The ending arm position is the teachers choice.
Boys ending
This is the first time that the boys have attempted a tour en l’air. It is not a full turn but a 3/4 turn. It still needs to get height and a precise head action. The demi plié and power through the legs is the foundation to getting height in this action.
Practice in the centre getting quarter turn jumps building up to half a turn to three quarters and eventually to a full turn.
The legs stay tight in the air in 5th position, feet together and the arms staying in a firm 3rd position. Don’t allow the arms to lift up or swing off centre to the body alignment. Spotting is essential.
The ending arm position is the teachers choice.
GRANDE ALLEGRO 3/4
The build-up to arabesques is:
Grade Two – Adage enchaînment (1st arabesque)
Grade Three – Set Adage (1st, 2nd and 3rd arabesque)
The build-up to pas de chat is:
Grade Three – Allegro enchaînment
The arm lines are the teachers choice.
In the video the arms are left in a neutral position.
This exercise is made up of a sequence of pose temps leves. The first one is with the leg up behind the knee and the second one is in arabesque position.
The action is taken from one diagonal front corner to the other. Make sure that the shoulders and hips stay in alignment.
Good elevation is expected with the underneath foot stretched. Avoid the back from arching on the elevation and in the arabesque position avoid the back leg being thrown upwards. The power needs to come from the working leg.
The pas de chat is taken with the foot alignment open, be careful that the placement isn’t lost because of this.
This exercise requires overall stamina, control and core strength.
GIRLS AND BOYS REVERENCE 4/4
This is a more complexed reverence incorporating chassé en arrière. All the chassés we have seen so far have been en avant. The same principles apply en arrière as they do en avant. Make sure that the pelvis doesn’t tip as the movement travels backwards. That both feet stay firmly on the floor with no rolling in the ankles.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
If you would like to have a go at some questions regarding this grade click the link below.