Dance positions: choreography lessons. The position of the legs and arms in classical and modern dance

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Dance positions are the basic position of the body, arms and legs, from which most movements begin. There aren't many of them. But with the development of these provisions, the training of any dance begins - both classical and modern. In this article, we will analyze the main positions in detail.

Classical dance pose: backstory

The school of classical ballet, like any dance direction, is based on basic positions, which are the beginning and base of the main steps.

A still originated in the 17th century in the French school of ballet at the Royal Academy of Music. Here the terminological base began to be created, as well as the first dance positions, which later became classical. The founder of all this is Pierre Beauchamp, ballet master of Louis XIV. All developments were recorded by P. Rameau in the book "Master of Dances".

The position of the legs and arms in the choreography has not changed much since then. And Rameau's edition became a classic and was translated into almost all European languages.

Why is it necessary to master positions?

The correct execution of dance steps directly depends on how well the classical positions are learned, since all movements begin from them.

Position in classical dance is the most important thing. There is one rule for performing all positions - the dancer or dancer must stand straight, the stomach is pulled in, the muscles are collected, the posture is straight, and the buttocks are tucked up.

Mastering the initial poses is considered the beginning of the beginnings in the choreography of the last two hundred years in all ballet and dance schools. No matter how easy it may seem to describe these positions, they are not as simple as at first glance. The execution technique is complex and requires physical fitness.

Feet positions

Basic dance positions are limited. There are not many of them - only six for the legs and three for the hands. We will talk about them in more detail later. However, information about this may differ slightly in different textbooks. For example, in some editions, the positions of the legs are five, not six, but we will stick to the classic version. Let us explain why there are discrepancies. There are six basic positions, but there are only five reversible ones.

Initially, the positions are studied in the middle of the hall and no attention is paid to the eversion of the legs. Especially if the students are small children or unprepared people. It is necessary that students stand firmly on their feet and do not sway, otherwise they will not be able to repeat a single action.

The recommended order of learning the poses is as follows: sixth, first, second, third, fifth, fourth (becauseit is considered the most difficult to master).

First

In another way, it is also called "heels together, toes apart." The legs are located on the same line, the center of gravity is distributed evenly throughout the foot. A very stable position, in which the socks should be turned outward as much as possible, ideally in line with the heel. No matter how simple the position may seem, it will not work to repeat it the first time without prior preparation.

Second

Dance positions should be brought to automatism. They can be compared with the alphabet of those who have decided to dedicate their lives to choreography or have chosen it as their hobby. But back to the description.

In order to get into the second position, you need to put your feet on the width of your foot, and then turn them out as in the first position. That is, socks apart and in line with the heels. The main thing here is to make sure that the weight of the body was evenly distributed between the two legs, otherwise the position will be unstable.

Third

Dance positions are a universal thing. This is the main advantage. Having mastered them once, you can study various dance types and directions, ranging from classical to modern. They will all be based on these simple poses.

Technique for performing the third position: the legs, as always, are straight. The heel of the right foot is attached to the middle of the left, while the socks look to the sides. A rather difficult position in which it is easy to lose balance, so it is better to bring the students to the machine and let themhold on.

Fourth

Our choreography lessons continue. Let's move on to the most difficult position to master and perform correctly. You need to start by putting your right foot in front of your left foot at the distance of your foot. Then both legs turn toes outward so that they are parallel to the heels. The most difficult pose to perform, therefore mastered after the rest.

There are two variations of this position. In the first, the heel of the right foot is located opposite the middle of the left foot. In fact, we perform the third position, spreading the legs. In the second case, the heel of the right foot should be parallel to the toe of the left, and the toe of the right should be parallel to the heel of the left foot. The last way to do it is a bit more difficult. You should start it only after mastering the first option.

Fifth

Your choreography lessons will definitely start by learning these positions. Therefore, you can first familiarize yourself with the theory, in order to facilitate practice later.

So, in order to correctly stand in the fifth position, you need to firmly press the right and left feet, the socks of which are directed in different directions. That is, the heel of one foot closes with the toe of the other. This position is easiest to move from the third. And don't forget about weight distribution and maintaining a stable position. The position should be free standing as it is only the beginning of the dance movement.

Sixth

Easiest pose to do, easy to repeat even for beginners. To perform it, you just need to close your feet. In this case, the socks willlook forward and hug each other tightly. The pose is also called "feet together".

When performing all the above actions, follow the position of the body - the shoulders should be open, the legs should be extremely stretched, the weight is distributed over the entire foot. You can not focus only on the thumb. Otherwise, you will not be able to maintain balance and perform the position correctly.

Pay attention to hands

School of modern dance, like ballet, includes the study of the basic positions of the hands. This is necessary because all modern directions of choreography are built on the foundations that were laid back in the 17th century.

So, it is believed that there are only three positions for hands, and all the rest are their variations. This is the most common, although not the only version.

Let's start by describing the basic position. The shoulders are straightened, the arms are lowered down, both hands look inward, close to each other, but not touching. Elbows should be slightly rounded and a short distance from the body, that is, they should not be pressed against it. The arm should not be adjacent to the body, even under the armpits. The fingers should be closed, but free at the joints and soft. The thumb must touch the middle. The hand should continue the rounded line that started at the shoulder, in no case look like a broken one (bent at an acute angle).

If at the beginning of the movement the thumb and middle finger are open, then in the process of starting the movement, when attention switches to the work of the legs, they will dispersemore, and the look of the brush will become splayed and ugly. The position of the hands is very important. Make sure that the tips of the index fingers and little fingers are rounded. In this case, the hand should not be reduced from tension. At any moment she should be ready to change, so do not strain your muscles.

First ballet position for hands

First you need to take the basic position described above. Hands need to be raised forward so that they are just above the waist. The elbows remain slightly bent, the rounded shape is maintained. No sharp corners. You need to stay as collected and free as possible. You must be prepared for the fact that the next minute you will need to start moving. At the same time, the muscles of the hands should be tense.

Second hand position

School of modern dance is also based on the basic positions. Therefore, any serious choreography lesson will begin with learning the basics.

So, as with all poses, the muscles should be tightened, the body should be even. It is important to watch the shoulders: they should not rise, fall or move back. Hands are in front of you, as in the “two” position, but slightly spread apart. The elbows are bent, but do not drop, the muscles should keep them well in one position. The forearm is at the same level with the elbow. In this position, the hand usually falls and becomes dangling, so it must be supported.

This pose is one of the best for the formation of the correct dance posture. At first the position will havean artificial look, but gradually you will bring your actions to automatism, and the figure will look very natural. You will no longer need to think about whether you support your hands and elbows, your hands will respond to the slightest movements of the body, gaining maximum expressiveness.

Third hand position

And finally the last ballet position of the hands. It starts, as usual, with setting in a basic pose. Then the arms rise up, the elbows remain rounded, the hands are at eye level, close to each other, but do not touch. You should be able to see your hands without looking up.

Usually hand poses are done in motion. First you need to stand in the basic position, then go to the first, then to the second, third and return to the basic position. It is better to train changing positions in dynamics, as students learn from the very beginning to work in motion, which is required in choreography.

You can only break them down into separate movements at the beginning, when the first steps are taken towards mastering.

So we learned that the basic positions of the arms and legs are very important for choreography. In addition, it is imperative to monitor the position of the limbs, especially the hands and fingers. Dance is not only an art, but also a sport that requires hard and long practice of the most seemingly simple movements. Without it, it is impossible to succeed, let alone professionally improve.