#6: Stuck in a rut, or getting in the groove?
Nov 06, 2019We all know that we gravitate to the familiar. Thereâs something comforting about doing something youâve done before because you know it works. My challenge to you for this week is to stop âgetting in the grooveâ and instead, decide that youâre âstuck in a rutâ of ease.
Every ballet teacher has their favorites. Maybe itâs a tango for your fondu exercise. Maybe itâs a 6/8 for your plies. Maybe itâs a horn pipe for your sautĂ©s. Letâs talk about what we can do differently for those exercises.
Rather than a tango for your fondu, what if you did a barcarole? A saraband? Or maybe a minuet? Or, maybe you want to have your fondu moving a bit quicker so you go with a waltz. Be careful with those waltzes though, the rhythm tends to lead your dancers to arrive quickly on the count rather than going through the movements thoughtfully and using all of the music!
As far as that pliĂ© discussion, rather than using an adagio 6/8, maybe you could be crazy and use a 4/4! I know, thatâs super hard for some of you, but with a little bit of practice, I know that you can do it! Pli e down & slow ly press up, etc. You can do it! It will definitely challenge your students if you donât usually use a 4.
Finally, hornpipes for sautés are great, but what if you could use something.. greater? My suggestion is to try a rag if you gravitate to horn pipes. They are typically the exact same speed and can be interchanged fairly easily. The benefit is, your exercise can be more syncopated in its design, and, it just feels fun! After a long hard ballet class, it will feel like a treat for your dancers.
So, rather than âgetting in the grooveâ, I challenge you to not let yourself stay âstuck in a rutâ!
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