CENTRE WORK FOR STUDENTS SECOND 6 MONTHS ON POINTE

Teacher Notes:

-Slowly introduce each of the exercises one at a time at the barre before attempting them in the center after the students are warm and have done a full barre in flat shoes first.

- As the students gain strength the exercises can be taken with one hand on the barre and then later on in the center

- Place emphasis on a slow and careful execution of each exercise.

- Ensure a strong posture and alignment in all pointe exercises

- Speed of all the exercises can be increased as the students gain strength

- Make sure the students understand how to rise and lower through the positions of the feet quarter, half and three quarter then to full pointe

- Use the pauses and holds so the students can continue to establish the position fully on pointe in their second 6 months on pointe.

- encourage the students to stay at the barre until they have adequate strength to bring the exercises in the center

1. Walking in pointe shoes

Many students find walking in pointe shoes difficult and can look awkward, so its great to start the pointe work in the center with these simple but hard to do well exercises!

Exercise A

Prepare: upstage prompt in classical pose

Walk en diagonal in pointe shoes from three quater to half pointe through the music. Use various port de bras and patterns.

Exercise B

Walk on pointe in parallel travelling forwards and backwards with port de bras. Legs are picked up to a low parallel retire position.

2. Demi Plie and Rise to Pointe with Releves

Prepare: 1st position feet en face

Introduction; Arms demi allonge to bras bas

1. Slow demi plie

2. Stretch knees

3. Rise slowly to full pointe

4. Lower

5. Slow demi plie

6. Stretch knees

7. Rise to full pointe

8. Lower

1. Demi plie

2. Releve to pointe

3. Demi plie

4. Releve to pointe

5. Hold position

6. Slowly lower three quarter, half to quarter then flat

7. Degage to 2^nd position

8. Lower to 2^nd

Repeat all in 2^nd position, 5^th devant and 5^th derriere

3. Retires

Prepare: En face 5th position

And Slow demi plie

1. Releve to retire devant

2. Retire releve derriere

3. Retire releve devant

4 and 5 Retire releve devant and pass to derriere

6 Plie 5^th

Repeat all starting left foot front

4. Pas de bourees

Prepare: 5th position en face

and 1- 3 Pas de bouree under

and 4-6 Pas de bouree under

and 7-9 Pas de bouree under

and10 -12 Pas de bouree over, under

Repeat all with left foot front

Repeat all in reverse

5. Travelling Pose with Petit Developpe

Prepare; 5^th position upstage prompt

Petit developpe followed by a fast pose to 5^th position on pointe, travelling en diagonal efface. Lower both feet to 5^th.

Repeat travelling corner to corner.

Done with a fast step and low arms.

6. Travelling exercise

Prepare: Upstage in classical pose

Temps leve, chasse, bas de bouree on pointe and releve to 5^th position.

Repeat travelling side to side

7. Travelling enchainment to a three quarter

Prepare: Upstage classical pose

Demi contretemps

Assemble over

Sousou to 5^th

Temps leve

Chasse, pas de bouree

Pas de chat

Releve to retire derriere

Repeat all other side

7. Pas de Bouree Pique

Prepare: 5th position

and 1- 3 Pas de bouree pique with a high retire position and a big step decote through 2^nd position

and 4-6 Pas de bouree pique

and 7-9 Pas de bouree pique

and10 -12 Couru on the spot

Repeat all with left foot front

8. Echappe Releve to 2^nd and 4th

Prepare: 5th position croise

1- 6 3 Echappe releve to 4^th

7-8 1 Echappe releve to 2^nd en face and close 5^th croise

Repeat twice more

Releve to 5^th

Repeat all

9. Pas Emboite

Prepare: 5th position

and 1-3 3 Pas emboite

4 Hold 5^th

and 5-7 3 Pas emboite

8 Hold 5^th

and 9- 11 3 Pas emboite

12 Hold 5^th

13- 14 Spring off pointe to 5^th demi plié

15- 16 Releve to 5^th on pointe with left foot front

Repeat all pas emboite with the left leg.