1.) When you tombe pas de bourree (as in your grande allegro combination) do you have your hips square to the mirror or to the direction you are traveling (typically on a diagonal to the corner)?

2.) I had a student ask me how to not use the quad in an extension. I told her this, I am paraphrasing..."because of the type of movement it is, the quad has to work in some capacity, however there are ways to lessen the tension in the quad by rotating through inner thigh to the back of the thigh and by using the hip flexor and holding your center. In a grande battement, using the floor to brush the foot is important as well as the above." What else could I have told her? Are there any images that you use for you students?

Thanks:)

Unless your using Pas de Bouree en avant then I would say hips square to the front.
I think the only thing I would add about the Grande Battement is to keep lengthening the leg away from you as it lifts off the floor, but if she's using the floor properly then that happens anyway.

I try to just stress rotating from the hip as much as they possibly can to avoid lifting with the quad..
I stay square to the mirror on the tombe pas de bouree....unless of course you are actually facing the corner

tonydanza wrote:

1.) When you tombe pas de bourree (as in your grande allegro combination) do you have your hips square to the mirror or to the direction you are traveling (typically on a diagonal to the corner)?

Hi,

It depends on the combination. Both can be used depending on what you are doing.It makes sense if you are going into a grande jete en avant you do your tombe, pas de bouree, glissade through 4th not 2nde. Agan, depends on the combination.

I agree with all comments so far. For my tombe pdb, I vary it depending on the following step. When I do tombe pdb glissade saut de chat, my tombe stays in efface while my glissade faces en face. Then I face efface for the leap again. If I am doing a tombe pdb into a pirouette, then I tombe facing en face and face the corner for the turn. Hope that makes sense?!

As for the battement, I agree with lengthening away from the body, supporting the pelvic region and lengthening the spine to decrease tension in the quad. Shift some of the work to the gluts, hip flexors and psoas muscles. Also, pay close attention to the supporting leg muscles and that the supporting foot is not rolling or gripping the floor to take up any slack

Great questions!!