Alignment principles
Body skills continued
Turns/control
It is a known fact that dancers who are smaller and more compact, whose muscle mass is spread over shorter lever arms, have an easier time turning. Their centres of gravity are lower and they are wider in relation to their heights than are taller dancers.
Pivot turns
The pivot turn is a progressive turn that is half of a rotation with each step. These can be chained together to produce a series of half turns. In the pivot turn, the feet stay oriented in extended third dance position. While turning in this fashion, the thighs should stay close together to the midline of the body. It’s important to avoid spreading your legs to a wide second position during the turns. It is essential that the shoulders, remain over the hips over the knees over ankles and that the weight is forward over the balls of the feet rather than back as this will affect the balance. The core muscles effectively should be engaged.
Chainé Turns
The chainé turn is also a progressive turn that is a full rotation for every two steps taken. The turn begins with a forward step taken to extended third dance position. Next, bring the back foot forward while turning one-quarter of a turn, landing in first dance position (feet closed). Without stepping, change weight as you rotate another three-quarters of a turn to complete the full 360-degree rotation. Step forward to extended third dance position with the original foot. Thus the turn is one-quarter, then three-quarters.
Spin turn
Also called platform turn or pencil turn. It’s a stationary turn on one foot with the other foot in un-weighted first position. The alignment of the supporting leg is crucial in this position. In order to maintain balance on the supporting leg the core muscles must be engaged. On the working leg the adductor muscles need to be engaged to ensure the leg is close to the midline of the body.
Pirouette turn
A pirouette is at least one full turn on one foot with the other foot in a raised retiré position. The alignment of both the supporting and working legs are important in this turn. The leg in retire, the knee and hip is flexed and the foot is pointed and is positioned just below the working legs’ knee. Rotation needs to come from the hip joint in this position and alignment needs to be maintained with shoulders over hips. The supporting leg is turned out from the hip joint and the weight needs to be forward, engaging the core muscles of the body will assist in maintaining balance.
Activity
Answer the following questions:
- What types of shapes will turn (or spin) effectively?
- How can this type of principle (meaning creating an effective spinning shape) be applied to the body?
- What role does spotting play in a turn?
- What role does alignment play in turns?
- What role does kinaesthetic awareness play in controlling a turn?
- Identify a type of turn. What warm up activity could be done to prepare for this turn?
Ensure that you are using annotated pictures or sketches with correct anatomical and dance language.
Locomotor and Axial Movement
Locomotor movement is when you actually move from one place to another and non-locomotor movement is moving on the spot without going anywhere. Example movements are walking, running, galloping, hopping, jogging, skipping, jumping, sliding, etc. Your centre of gravity shifts over the base of support in locomotor movement to maintain correct dynamic alignment.
Axial movement is defined as, 'non-locomotor movement occurring above a stationary base involving the spine. Any movement organised around the axis of the body. Any movement that is anchored to one spot by a body part using only the available space in any direction, without losing the initial body contact. Movement is organized around the axis of the body rather than designed for travel from one location to another.'
Dance 11-12 Syllabus copyright NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2009.
In dance, this category may encompass a number of joint actions, level changes, rotations/spirals, and gestural movements. All these actions may occur within an infinite number of spatial planes.
Non-locomotor/axial movements are listed below.
- Twisting - the rotation of a selected body part around its long axis
- Bending - moving a joint
- Swaying - fluidly and gradually shifting the centre of gravity from one body part to another
- Stretching - moving body parts away from the centre of gravity
- Turning - rotating the body along the long axis
- Swinging - rhythmical, smooth motion of a body part resembling a pendulum.
Activity
Answer the following questions:
Select a locomotor sequence from your Core Performance dance and answer the following questions in relation to this sequence.
1. When performing your locomotor sequence, where should your weight be placed?
2. What role does alignment play in this locomotor movement?
3. How does kinaesthetic awareness assist in achieving correct alignment within locomotor movement?
4. Discuss the coordination used in this locomotor sequence. You may need to reference the movement that occurs before and/or after.
5. What core stabilising muscles do you need to engage when performing axial movements?
6. What role does alignment play in axial movements?
7. Identify an axial movement. What warm up activity could be done to prepare for this axial movement?
Ensure that you are using annotated pictures or sketches with correct anatomical and dance language.