Basic Principles of Classical Ballet (33 page)

In our language, that is like performing a rond de jambe en l’air with one leg while standing on the toes of the other (that is, with the leg supported sharply on the tips of the toes). But perhaps it is not a rond de jambe en l’air that is being performed, but a grand rond de jambe at 90° traced by the leg—since the poem says “slowly circles.” Further:

And suddenly a leap, and suddenly she flies.

Where is she flying—upward or impetuously forward? It is beautifully described, but unfortunately it is difficult for us to depict these lines of Pushkin in terms of actual movements. Everything is in the realm of imagination.

In order to preserve all our achievements for posterity it is necessary to resort to the aid of the motion picture, which will be a great contribution to the immortalization of our art. The years are passing by, and we hope that our achievements, registered on film, will aid future generations to learn and perfect themselves.

In the not too distant future our first experience in this field will be shown to a wide public: pictures of the methodology of classical ballet at the Moscow and Leningrad Ballet Schools. This film will be a scientific aid in outlying districts as well. [At the present time this film is located at the Leningrad State Theater Museum (Russian editor’s note).]

NOTE 4. When we speak of the position en face, we mean that the body remains straight, in contrast to épaulement, when the body turns.

NOTE 5. Before beginning to do the exercises at the barre, the arm opens into the 2nd position.

NOTE 6. When the name of a pas or pose is accompanied by the word
grand
(big), it means that in this pas or this pose the leg is lifted to a height of 90°.

NOTE 7. When placing a foot sur le cou-de-pied, from the very first steps it is necessary to be sure that the foot has not taken a doubled-up position, but that the above-mentioned rule is observed.

NOTE 8. The arms accompany the movement as follows: in the développé forward the arms are in ist position; in the turning of the body the arms open into 2nd position. In the développé backward the same arm position is maintained.

NOTE 9. Those who belong to workshops of “plastic” dance, which was practiced on a particularly wide scale in the twenties under the influence of Isadora Duncan. The “plastic dancers,” in opposition to classical ballet, championed barefoot dancing and “free” plasticity of movements representing a basic stylization of the pictures on ancient painted vases (Russian editor’s note).

NOTE 10. In this case it is called pas de bourrée suivi.

NOTE 11. Flic-flac as a connecting movement may also occur when performing the adagio, sometimes, even, in a combined exercise, not from the 2nd position, but from any other position. Then its first movement should be executed in the direction in which the foot happens to be in the given case, without drawing it into 2nd position.

NOTE 12. When jeté en tournant is done finishing in attitude effacée, then the sissonne tombée is done again in efface and the finish is in attitude effacée.

Very often in men’s dancing jeté en tournant is done circling the stage, and if this method of performance is incorrectly learned, one’s energy is excessive at the moment of leaping off. Perhaps this may even create an effect, but the absence of the necessary accent on the leg which fixes the attitude effacée position in which one finishes makes the performer unable to even out his body and finish the attitude properly.

NOTE 13. There is also a saut de basque in the opposite direction which is not used much in ballets; it is performed in the following manner: it differs from the previous description of saut de basque in that one leg, at the beginning, is bent in front of the knee of the supporting leg, and at the conclusion of the pas the other leg replaces it, also in front of the knee, then the legs will be in the opposite position. Stand in 5th position, right foot front. Do a coupé with the left leg, lifting it behind the knee and placing your right heel on the floor in demi-plié; move your left leg slightly to the side with walking movements; turn your back to the right; leap off in the same way, carefully throwing your right leg into 2nd position at 90°; turn with a jump (with outspread knees); transfer your weight to the leg, so that you do not finish in place at the time of the jump, but move on in the direction of the outthrown leg. When finishing, fall on the right foot in demi-plié, bending the left leg behind the knee of the supporting leg.

NOTE 14. When just beginning to learn ballonné, it is necessary to do it in place, without moving to the side; that is, from 5
^th
position demi-plié glide the right foot sideways along the floor into 2nd position at 45°, then jump with the left foot—and the withdrawn leg is bent sur le cou-de-pied, the left leg in demi-plié.

NOTE 15. This [“préparation dégagée” in Russian text] is an old-fashioned term seldom used now. I employ it only in my discussion of tours.

NOTE 16. When doing the exercise on half-toe, in order not to disturb the turn-out of the leg, which is so necessary in the classical exercise, one must not raise the heels high off the floor (see the accompanying figure). Only in a strenuous movement—for example, a tour in which you lift yourself off the floor by a strenuous push of the heel—is the leg raised high on half-toe. If turn-out is well developed on the low half-toe, it is less likely to be lost during greater efforts on the high half-toe.

Low and high half-toe

NOTE 17. In the preparatory stages of learning the tour, hands in 1st position; but in a finished performance (a performance of two or more tours, especially with a partner), the arms must be held somewhat lower (see figs. 109 through 112).

NOTE 18. At the instant of the rise the arms take the same position as for the execution of tours from the 4th and 5th positions. (Replaces last sentence in first paragraph on p. 126.)

NOTE 19. At this point we have digressed a little from the theme of the book, since it is not our task to write about support by a partner.

NOTE 20. This pas, which up until quite recently seemed like the last word in difficulty and virtuosity, is now performed easily by good dancers.

NOTE 21. At the same time that fouetté at 45° is performed in one count, that is, on one quarter-beat, all varieties of grand fouetté are performed in two counts, that is, on two quarter-beats, one of which falls on a plié. Grand fouetté saute is also done on two quarter-beats.

Grand fouetté en tournant is also done from 2nd position. In appearance this recalls fouetté at 45° but it is performed in two counts. It should be begun along with the musical bar, throwing out the foot with a short movement into 2nd position at 90° on half-toe, opening the arms also to 2nd position.
On the first quarter-beat,
do a plié on the supporting leg; then do a tour, passing the foot behind and in front of the knee. The movement is ended
on the Second quarter-beat
in plié. the foot in front of the knee (the arms simultaneously united in the preparatory position).

Like fouetté at 45°, this pas is done only on the toes, without jumping, and is performed by women.

INDEX

Adagio

battements

développé

for female dancers

grand

petit

tours

Allegro

Aplomb

Arabesque

arms in

turns in

Arms, positions of

Arms in

arabesque

assemblé

attitude

ballonné

ballotté

brisé

croisé

écarté

effacé

entrechats

glissade

grand fouetté

jeté

jumps

pas ciseaux

pas de basque

pas de bourrée

pas de chat

pas emboité

pas failli

plié

relevé

renversé

rond de jambe

saut de basque

sissonne

temps lié

turns

Assemblé, pas

battu

soutenu

Attitudes

croisée

effacée

Balancé, pas

with développé

grand battement jeté

Ballon

Ballonné, pas

as preparation for jumps

Ballotté, pas

Barre, exercise at the

grands battements jetés balances

grands ronds de jambe jetés

lessons

plié

pointes

turns

Battements