How to achieve that enchanting quality of lightness.
This is a quality we all need to work on all the time. So how do you acquire that appearance? Lightness is an elusive quality that makes a dancer seem to float across the floor. As with all dance, these things take an enormous amount of work behind the scenes. Then it looks effortless on stage. Whether you are striving for that fast on your feet look or lightness in your arms, here are some tips to help you.
Contrast: – Contrast gives the illusion of lightness versus heaviness. You have to go back and forth between heavy & light. This is what the two are, both visible elements. The key to this is being grounded. You have to push from the floor. This gives you the easiness to lift. Once you have found oppositional energy, which comes from the legs, the core, the back, then you can lift up and move into lightness. If you are already lifted it is hard to go higher. How do you achieve this? Learn how to plie properly Strengthen those legs! The bottom half of the body is more rhythmical.
Strong, Light Arms: – The upper body is more melody. Arm placement, holding the carriage correctly with endurance not, compensating gives you better strength and control. This will make your arms and hands lighter. Will also aid in shoulder stability. Hold your arms up with ease. Soften the elbow as you exhale. Never let it hang on the bottom. The arm is held shoulder down, elbow next facing back wall and lower than shoulders. then hands float down from there. The elbow leads the port de bras. This achieves a look of synchronicity with the body rather than the arms looking separate from the body. Or, moving on their own.
Learning to Float: – Coordinate the breath with what you are doing. Hold your breath a moment at the top of the move and then exhale when finishing. Have a clear picture of the picture you want to create. Then take a little breath at the end. Do not drop the arms down immediately. Try this with small weights, then put the weights down & try without.
Breathe Through It: – Breath control is so important to your moves. You never want clenched or stiff hands, a tense jaw, or muscles that are tense. Gripping muscles is a sign of core weakness. A good cardiovascular system and strong core go hand in hand. Practice breathing! Having a better use of breath & pressure (plie) management gives a better sense of ease and lightness.
When dancers use their breath onstage you can feel the energy and dance with them.
Morwenna Assaf
Dance Director of Art/Dance Academy
New Market, TN
760-715-2276
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