Are My Legs Straight?

I personally struggle with a very specific problem... I swear my back leg is straight in my leaps and arabesques when it in fact not straight. If your dancers are experiencing this, there might actually be a medical reason. According to the editor of Dance Teacher Magazine, Deborah Vogel, meniscal tears, swelling, trauma, or arthritis might all be the culprit. There is also the possibility your dancer is not properly working their turnout. If your dancer's kneecap of their leg is dropped towards the ground in arabesque, the leg will appear bent if it is in fact straight. Lastly, your student's body type may be the reason. If the student has a naturally knobby knee that protrudes forward, it could appear bent while they are trying to straighten it.

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Teacher Reactions

While we as instructors are so passionate about seeing our dancers improve, it is important to sometimes take our experiences with a grain of salt. From excuses like "I didn't have time", or "my Mom didn't tell me," we have heard them all. This article , is full of dance teacher reactions that we are all-too familiar with.

Harvard Law Dancers

In this awesome piece of news, renowned director of the Martha Graham Dance Company, Janet Eilber, teaches Harvard Law students an excerpt of "Lamentation". After teaching choreography to the students of law, she continued to inform them about copyright and other legal issues in the dance world. If you would like to see this this awesome article, click on this link.

The Secret Message

Is there a secret message to make all your dancers turn like Sophia Lucia? Sorry, I don't think so. However, reminders that build muscle memory are the key to having consistently strong turners. Below are bullet points to remind your dancers of every class as to what to think of while turning. One of my favorite tactics is asking my class what they need to think about while they are turning. My dancers will raise their hands and we won't stop until all of the bullet points have been checked off. High relevé Straight supporting knee High passé Shoulders down (out) Strong spot (spot your own eyeballs or a point in the room) Strong arms (like holding oranges under your armpits) Utilizing your closing arm In second turns, turning out both your supporting leg and your working leg Closing into a high, strong croisé and not swinging your leg Leading with your heel and not gripping your turnout muscles Not dropping your heel too hard in second turns or fouettes Pulling

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