In our “Dear Katie” series, Miami City Ballet soloist Kathryn Morgan answers your pressing dance questions. Have something you want to ask Katie? Email [email protected] for a chance to be featured! Dear Katie, What can I do to get my arabesque above 90 degrees? I’m pretty flexible, but I feel like my leg gets stuck […]
After years of watching the incredible feats posted on @worldwideballet, we thought we’d seen it all. We thought we were hard. Jaded. Unable to be moved by even the tornado-iest turn sequence or sky-grazing-est extension. Then, the account posted a video of an unsupported arabesque promenade on pointe, as executed by Los Angeles Ballet’s Abby […]
Arabesque can be one of the most breathtaking positions in ballet. But achieving a long, graceful arabesque requires a particular combination of strength and flexibility. Struggling to get past 90 degrees? We asked Pacific Northwest Ballet School instructor Nancy Crowley for 10 tips to improve your arabesque. 1. Warm Up Strategically Warming up is, as […]
Have you ever seen a ballerina’s arabesque and thought, Wow, her back is so flexible—does she even have a spine? Believe it or not, a bendy back isn’t the only key to a killer arabesque. “Dancers who focus exclusively on stretching often fall into improper alignment, crunching the lumbar spine and splaying the ribs to […]
Picture this: It’s your third class of the day, and you’re exhausted. After a marathon of a barre, you’ve got almost nothing left—but you’re prepared to squeeze out every last bit of energy for center. Then adagio happens. And after promenade number four (bazillion), something awful occurs: Your arabesque begins to droop. (NOOOO!) You’ll probably […]