Back on track with breaking some of our overlooked components of dance. Like I said last week while reviewing the dégagé, great dancers are made at the barre, not in hours of rehearsal. Classes and choreography is where we are able to APPLY the techniques we focus on in our barre exercises.
Shortly after warming our joins and legs with pliés, standard flow of barre exercises takes us next to a battement tendu. The tendu is a very important aspect of everything we do. It should be the starting and ending point of our grand battement. It is the main component of a dégagé.
The battement tendu falls under the category of petit battements, alongside dégagés, frappés, and tendu relevés. Battement translates into ‘beating,’ and tendu translates into ‘stretched.’ When performing a battement tendu, start from a stabilized first or fifth position, making sure not to roll in on the instep or arch of the foot. Also, be sure to rotate within your means in said positions. In similar fashion to the dégagé, when sliding your foot out, lead with the heel of your foot – also within the means of your rotation and not winging of the ankle or foot. In your solid, swift motion, be sure that the foot is in line with the hip alignment, the leg straightens completely and you present the instep of your foot to the dance gods. When pointing and stretching your foot, be sure not to crunch the toes, but allow the toes to release the energy through the foot and to the floor. Remember that the battement tendu is a non-weight bearing move – meaning no weight should be transferred to the working foot. When coming back to first or fifth, lead with the heel again, maintaining your personal amount of rotation, with no winging of the foot or ankle and closing to a nice tight fifth or first position. If you have to bend your working leg to close in your foot position, you are forcing more rotation that the dance gods have given you. On your supporting leg, be sure to stabilize in the trunk or torso, keeping a neutral spine position and do not sink in to your supporting hip.
Now that we have reviewed the importance and relevance of the battement tendu, get your hair in a bun, tights and leotard on and get in class! Focus on what you have now to ensure your proper growth and training!
XO,
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