Safe Dance Practice Question 3

[cody.poole]

Choose a dance/body skill (e.g. a pose pirouette, a grande jete [leap], soutenu turn etc.). Write a post discussing any dance technique and safe dance practice considerations in relation to this chosen skill.
​

How would you warm-up for this skill?

What technical exercises help in the development of the motor pathways/alignment/body placement for this skill? (e.g. tendus devant assist with learning correct direction and motor/movement pathway of the foot used in grande jetes).

Identify safe dance practice considerations such as: knees tracking over the middle toe in the plie which cushions the landing of a jump.

[cody.poole]

Choose a dance/body skill (e.g. a pose pirouette, a grande jete [leap], soutenu turn etc.). Write a post discussing any dance technique and safe dance practice considerations in relation to this chosen skill.

A Grand jete is a jump in which you spring from one foot to the other, with one leg forward of their body and the other stretched backwards while in the air. Warming up for this skill is very important so that you don’t hurt yourself or pull a muscles when you are performing a skill. First you need to get your heart racing and your blood pumping. Exercises you can do are: running, star jumps and high knees. After you have done that some exercises you can do to get ready for this skill is:

Plies: plies are important in warming up for a grand jete, when you do a plie make sure that you are fully in alignment, make sure you are not leaning over or leaning backwards and that you have perfect posture.

Grande battement: a movement in which both legs are kept straight and one leg is kicked either to the front or to the back and back in again. Grande battements are important because you have to stretch out your hips and your hamstrings before doing a grand jete.

Tendu: A tendu is an action of stretching your leg and foot out from one position to another, while keeping it on the floor. This is important to do before a grand jete because it stretches out your feet and legs so that you have nice pointed toes and straight legs when you are doing your leap.

When you are doing a grand jete it is important to make sure you are in perfect alignment, things you need to consider are: making sure that your head is facing up and looking forward so that your grand jete can be as high as possible; make sure your shoulders are down and your arms are in a 90 degree angle with one arm pointing to where we are going and the other pointing out to the side; and making sure that your feet are pointed and your legs are straight so that you can perform the best possible grand jete that you can do.

Written by Hollie D

[cody.poole]

Dance/body skill: leap
Leaping is the movement of a jump or spring a long way, to a great height, or with great force. It is a popular and common movement in dance but requires a lot of attention and preparation.

To warm up for this certain dancing movement, there are certain muscles we need to engage and warm up. These include the quadriceps group and the hamstrings group, along with our ankles.

Techniques that help us prepare for doing leaps include lunges, leg stretches and reaches, ankle rotates, frog sits, leg lifts (holding) before then easing into our splits. These technique movements engage, stretch and prepare our leg muscles (hamstring group: biceps femoris, semitendinosus, semimembranosus. The quadriceps group: vastus lateralis and vastus medialis. Other leg muscles include soleus and the gastrocnemius) and our ankles to be ready for leaping.

Proper alignment is key in jumping. Torso and shoulders must be square over your hip to maintain equilibrium. It helps to imagine stacking your body parts on top of one another like building blocks. When one block is out of place it slows the jump, and reduces its height and it will also put more strain on other parts of the body.

Strong core is also crucial. The centre is strong and active so that the rest of the body can stay connected without added tension. It also helps us to maintain/ keep our back and torso straight while in the air. Too far forward or back will take height off the leap.

The ankles should not roll in or sickle before or during lift off and there should be a feeling of widening and lengthening through the feet and toes. For height and power, leap through your feet and always point your toes. As the legs lengthen and the body is leaving the ground, vertical height is greatly increased.

The whole leg should arrive at the floor extended, rather than bent to provide the most cushioning. A deep plie is important for achieving the height you need to properly execute a leap. A plie is simply a deep knee bend, and the last step you do before leaving the ground. The deeper the plie, the more power you will have in your legs to push off. No matter how many steps you take to prepare for the leap, make sure to bend your knees to get as much power as you need to get high into the air.

Be sure to look up as you go into your leap. If you look up, the rest of your body will follow. Looking down will keep you low to the ground. Looking up will not only allow you to jump higher, but will also make for a prettier leap.

Your goal for the landing will be to hit the floor as softly, and quietly, as possible. Never come out of a leap with straight knees, as doing so will almost always cause an injury. Alignment should also stay intact on the landing (do not crumple or bend on landing)







Bibliography

http://www.unitehealth.com.au/an-overview-of-dance-injuries-and-rehabilitation/

http://hscdance.weebly.com/warm-up--cool-down.html

https://www.thoughtco.com/tips-to-improve-your-leaps-1006597

Written by Madison F

[cody.poole]

Choose a dance/body skill (e.g. a pose pirouette, a grande jete [leap], soutenu turn etc.). Write a post discussing any dance technique and safe dance practice considerations in relation to this chosen skill.
A Grande jete (leap) is a classical ballet term where the performer throws one leg into the air at 90 degrees, whilst pushing their supporting leg off the floor into the air creating an arabesque and then landing back onto their first leg.
To prepare for this leap it is key to firstly warm your body and increase your heart rate by springing, running, sautés and grapevines. You would then conclude your warmup with dynamic se fc stretching as this gives you a greater range of motion in your hips and core, some examples of these are; body rolls/swings, lunges, hip and leg swings and salute to the sun.
Some technical exercises that will help to aid your body placement for this leap are:
Plies – This technical exercise is important as it will aid the landing of the leap. Whilst doing this exercise you should pay particular attention to your foot and ankle alignment to balance and ensure a safe landing.
Tendus – By practicing this exercise you are not only strengthening your muscles but you are also stretching from your hips down to your legs to help aid the firing action you make into the leap.
Grands battement – this will Help with the alignment of the leap ensuring it is correct and confirming that your leg is in line with your hip your shoulders are square your chin is pointing upwards and your arms are square at a 90 degree angle.
Planks – This exercise will help with your core strength and the alignment of your body which will allow you to move through the air seamlessly so all of your energy can go towards the power of the leap.

Written by Ashleigh B

[cody.poole]

Choose a dance/body skill (e.g. a pose pirouette, a grande jete [leap], soutenu turn etc.). Write a post discussing any dance technique and safe dance practice considerations in relation to this chosen skill.

Grand Jete:

To execute a grand jete properly, you need to prepare your body so you don’t injure yourself. To warm up for a grand jete, you would need to stretch your leg muscles, specifically hamstrings, glutes and hip flexors as a grande jete requires a lot of movement and flexibility at the hip joint. You also need to increase your heart rate and mentally prepare for the leap. I would do a combination of static stretching, dynamic stretching and core work. I would do straddle stretches to stretch my groin, inner muscles of the legs and hip flexors, split stretches such as lunges which will also stretch the hips and leaning back on one leg, bent, with the other out straight in front to stretch the back of my leg, and down-ward dog to stretch the calve muscles. To stretch the glutes, I would sit with one leg out straight with the other bent over the top and push it the other way to feel the stretch in your glutes (also known as a seated spinal twist) I would also do leg swings, arm swings, body swings, and roll-ups to warm up and stretch my legs, arms and core.

Some technical exercises that help in the development of the alignment of the body and legs in a grand jete are tendus devant, because they assist with learning correct direction of where your feet follow through with the preparation before the leap and the movement of the feet used in a grand jete. Plies are also helpful, because to get enough energy to get up in the air you need a deep plie to get yourself up into the air. Plies also help with the landing of the leap, making sure your foot and ankle don’t roll inwards. A lot of bar work helps with the alignment of your legs, feet, hips and body whilst in the air of the leap.

Safe dance practices to consider for a grand jete are making sure your plie is not too deep but not too small before the leap, if it is too deep you could land wrong, and if too shallow you may not get the height needed for the leap. Another consideration is the alignment of legs, hips and shoulders whilst in the air. Making sure your front leg and back leg are in line with your hips, also making sure that your hips and shoulders are square, and having your chin up high in the direction in which you are leaping. Also ensuring that when you land from the leap, the knees are tracking over the middle toe in the plie with bent legs, which will cushion the landing of the jump, making the sound of the landing less noticeable.

Technique and considering safe dance practice is very important when performing a grand jete because it will prevent you from injury and knowing correct alignment/technique will help you execute a perfect grand jete.

Bibliography:

· https://www.popsugar.com.au/fitness/Stretches-Relieve-Tight-Glutes-31088827

· https://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/pdf_doc/dance-marking-guidelines-2010.pdf

· http://hscdance.weebly.com/body-awareness--limitations.html

· http://www.danceadvantage.net/grand-jete/

· https://www.painscience.com/articles/heating.php

Written by Caitlyn V

[cody.poole]

My chosen dance skill is a Grand Jeté (type of leap), this is a classical ballet term but many other dance styles have adapted this movement in order to best suite there style of dance. A grand jeté is the initiation of a dancers legs at 90 degrees and immediately the back leg (supporting leg) throwing itself in a similar movement, it creates what’s known as either an attitude or an arabesque that is suspended in mid-air. In order to succeed this movement you must always do the four parts of a warm up and make sure you stretch effectively and efficiently.

A warm up for this skill would be; scissor kicks- transverse abdominis and hip flexor, clams- gluteus medius and gluteus minimus, touch your toes- hamstrings and erector spinae, hamstring stretch with strap- hamstrings, high knees- hip flexor and quads, straddle- hamstrings and obliques, split squats- quadriceps and gluteus maximus, leg swings- outer thigh muscles and quadriceps, splits- iliopsias and hamstrings, plié- quadriceps and gluteal muscles. This warm up focuses on the hamstrings, gluts, obliques, quadriceps and gluteal muscles which are a main focus point on improving and succeeding in a grand jeté.

Technical exercises that will help with the development of the motor pathways, alignment and body placement are pliés, tendus and sautés. The importance of these are that they prepare the body for the grand jeté. The use of the foot when taking off in a grand jeté, which is a tendu representing the movement pathway/placement. The plié helps with alignment and landing of the jump. Whereas a sauté helps with strengthening the calf muscles and all the muscles of the lower leg.

Safe dance practice considerations made with a grand jeté are – make sure the knees are tracking over the middle toe in the plié that helps cushion the landing of the jump, the shoulders and hips should be square and level, the head centred and parallel and your shoulders are relaxed and down.

Written by Chloe C

[cody.poole]

Grand Jete:

A grand jete (leap) is a jump technically associated with Ballet but also used in many other dance styles such as contemporary and Jazz.

Preparation is key for a grand jete and will require a thorough warm up. Firstly, increase your heart rate by running and sautés. Concluding with dynamic stretching such as; body rolls/swings, lunges, hip and leg swings.

Some technical exercises to increase the quality of the leap include:

Plies – plies will help with the landing of your leap, during this exercise focus should be on turnout, pointed feet, proper alignment and balance to ensure a safe landing.
Tendus – tendus strengthen your muscles and stretch from your hips all the way down the leg to support the firm fast action of the leap.
Grand battements – grand battements help with the alignment of the leap and confirms that the leg is in correct alignment with the hip, square shoulders and an upwards chin.

On the right leg for example, with a pointed foot execute a ball change from right to left then right again. On the next step bend the leg and point upwards until your foot is vertical with your hips and bring the back leg up to perform a split mid-air. During landing bring the right leg down and bring your left leg behind and land in a fondue then tondue and finish in 5th position.

Written by Molly S

[cody.poole]

GRANDE JETE- a leap in which you spring off one foot and extend one leg in front like a split and landing.

How do you warm up for this skill? When warming up before doing this skill a good way to start stretching so you prevent hurting yourself is, sitting on the floor and extend your legs out in front of you and reach forward and touch your toes, hold this for about 30 seconds for a more effective stretch. During the grande jete you must do a leap, a stretch for this is kneeling on both knees and extending one leg forward and leaning forward onto that leg to stretch, but make sure you know your limitations otherwise injurie will occur. If you already know how to do the splits you still have to do stretches before attempting this leap. You will also have to warm up your muscles, muscles that need to be warmed up include

· Gluteal

· Quads

· Abdominal muscles

Also make sure you know this jump and how to do it and if not get an experienced person to teach and show.

Exercise’s that will contribute to the grande jete leap can be,

Développé

A movement in which the leg is lifted to cou-de-pied or retiré and then fully extended outward, passing through attitude. It can be done to the front (devant), to the side (à la seconde), or to the back (derrière). This helps with the extension of the split in the leap.

Grand plié

Throughout the movement, the pelvis should be kept neutral, the back straight and aligned with the heels, the legs turned out, and the knees over the feet. From standing to bent this should be fluid. A purpose of the grand plié is to warm up the ankles and stretch the calves. The movement is good for strengthening the ankles for a good landing from the grande jete.

Safe dance practice considerations –

· Bending before we jump to get a more effective height reached.

· Proper alignment, having a vertical spine, stacking body parts

· Strengthening muscles in our feet for taking off and landing a jump

· Keeping our legs straight in a leap and not bent




By Josephine O’Brien

[cody.poole]

Q3 - GRANDE JETE
A Grande Jete is a leap from one foot to the other with great height and force with a split in mid air. Before executing a Grande Jete you should always go through a proper warm up. A good warm up for a Grande Jete should include stretches that increase your flexibility like sitting on the floor with both legs extended straight out in front of you and you leaning forward to reach for your toes with your arms outstretched all the way until you feel a burn and holding it for 30 seconds. You should also include stretches that help with your splits as when you are in the air during your Grande Jete you are in the split position, to help with your splits you should kneel with both knees on the ground, but don't sit back. Extend your right leg forward until it is completely straight in front of you, with your heel on the ground. Lean down and place your hands on the floor to either side of you. If this burns, hold this position. If not, scoot your heel forward until it does, and then hold. Repeat with the other leg. You should also include some technical exercises to assist in the motor / movement pathway used in Grand Jetes like:

Plies – by adding plies into your warm up you are preparing for the landing of your leap, when doing plies you should always pay attention to your foot and ankle making sure they are properly aligned to balance and ensure you land safely and properly.

Tendus – by practicing your Tendus you are stretching out your feet to make sure that your toes are pointed properly and you are becoming familiar with where your feet are to go in preparation for the Grande Jete.


Grande Battement – by using a Grande Battement in your warm up you are stretching out your hips and hamstring and you are also practicing the alignment that you would use during your Grande Jete
A safe dance practice consideration for you Grande Jete is making knees go over the middle toe in the plie so that you are cushions the landing of your jump and minimising the risk of injuring yourself during the landing of your jump. Another safe dance practice consideration is making sure that during your jump your body is properly aligned so that you can perform a Grande Jete at the best of your ability, make sure that your torso and shoulders are square over your hips.



Bibliography

http://danceart.com/profiles/blogs/deconstructing-the-tour-jet

http://www.fitforafeast.com/dance_lessons_jete-dance-move-how-to-split-jumps.htm

http://capitolcitydance.com/perfect-that-grand-jete/

Written by Hannah P

[cody.poole]

Body Skill: Pirouette

A pirouette is a turn where the dancer executing it is on relevé (spinning on one foot) with the foot held near the knee either turned out or parallel. This body skill is one of the most common type of turn seen in ballet, contemporary, lyrical and jazz.

To perform this body skill, there are very important technique components towards performing this body skill such as strength mainly core/ankle, balance, body placement/body weight, spotting, placement of the foot near the knee and if the dancer is doing a turned-out pirouette they need to focus on turnout as well. There are many ways to warm up for pirouettes but in my personal opinion I like to warm up by doing ballet exercises at the barre which includes plies, tendus, adage, grand battement and developpe just to name a few exercises. For some technique tips, help and some great exercises for improving your dancing like pirouette check out these YouTube channels https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV43qzNSGuQ1taW2XCy4dFQ and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3DwuaUuFPbv9gq5wypEyqQ/videos which I personally recommend. Safe Dance Practice is very important for pirouettes as you are at risk of possible injury and from personal experience hurting from falling out of the pirouettes.

When preparing for and performing a pirouette it is very important for the dancer to focus on all the tiny details that are required. Which are:

Spotting: When turning, a dancer will get dizzy unless they use spotting. To spot, the dancer turning will need a lot of focus so they will focus on a specific point on the wall and keep your eyes there at all the time when you are turning this will allow the dancer not to get dizzy and is overall safer.

Balance: For the pirouette, the dancer will be balancing on one leg on releve which with the momentum of the turn can be very difficult but by building up the dancer’s strength in the core, ankle and calves. When turning make sure your body is strong enough for the amount of turns you are attempting as you can cause injury.

Body Placement/Body Weight: This is very important to pirouetting and to ensure that you do not fall out of your turns, you will need to place your weight correctly on the on foot on releve. If your weight is placed too far back you will fall backwards and if your too forwards you will fall forwards.

Plie and Arms: The plie is important at the beginning/preparation for pirouette as it allows you to push onto one foot and helps with the required momentum for the turn as well as arms. For plie into turn, you will need to make sure your weight is evenly distributed in the centre, knee is in line with the foot and not to swing your arms wildly but to control them.

Written By Jess D

[Sponsored content]