Alignment principles

Body skills continued

Falls/control

A fall is a when the body gives into gravity. In this technique any part of the body can fall. For example, the head may fall but the shoulders remain upright, or the upper torso may fall but without affecting the pelvis. There is always a part of the body that acts as supporter or stabiliser, except selectively with falls that end in full contact with the floor.

Falling requires skill and coordination in order to be performed safely, and like in all dance actions, it requires practice. There is a moment when the pull of gravity overtakes and the dancer intentionally gives in to it. During this descent, the abdominal muscles must pull-up; and landing on the knees, elbows, shoulder tip or sacrum should always be avoided.

There are two types of falls.

A collapse: a relaxed, successive giving-in which happens over the centre of gravity and tends not to recover
An off-centre fall: the centre of gravity shifts off centre, making falling unavoidable as the pull of gravity takes over

Various actions may pre-empt a fall (jumps, swings, turns) and at the end of the fall action, recovery may involve stillness, a roll or a rebound to continue.

Activity

Answer the following questions:.

What does gravity do?
What does it mean by recovery?
Identify two examples of types of falls. Describe these in detail. What muscles do you need to engage during the fall and when you are recovering from the fall?
Select one of the falls and discuss what role kinaesthetic awareness plays in controlling falls safely?
Select one of the falls and discuss what exercises/warm up activities you could do to prepare for a fall?
In one of the above falls discuss the coordination used in this fall. You may need to reference the movement that occurs before and/or after.
Write down phrases or visual images that would assist you in class to improve your skill in fall and recovery.

Ensure that you are using annotated pictures or sketches with correct anatomical and dance language.

Elevation/control

Elevation involves rising from the floor, in a jump or in relevé on demi pointé. Every jump has three phrases:

Preparation: bend knees (patellas), lift centre, rib cage and head
Action: extend feet and legs strongly and suddenly to take off – lifting arms may assist in upward thrust; breathe in; lift focus
Recovery: for safety and the protection of the achilles heel, always articulate through the feet (toe, ball, heel or phalanges, metatarsals and tarsals), bend the patellas, maintain alignment and lift from the centre on landing. Extend legs to standing

Muscles also contain so-called fast-twitch and slow-twitch fibres. Rapid, explosive dancing requires fast twitch-fibres.

Activity

Answer the following questions:

Why is the preparation and landing a jump so important?
What is the last body part to leave the floor and the first body part to return to the floor in a jump?
What role does dynamic alignment play in an elevation?
What warm up activities could you do to increase the height in your jumps? Describe in detail including photographs/illustrations.
How could the breath assist you when you are jumping?
Think about some words or visual imagery that could assist you when you are jumping. Choose 3 specific types of jumps and discuss in relation to these jumps. You may include drawings or pictures.
How is stretching important in executing a jump safely?
Select one of the elevations above and discuss the coordination used in this jump. You may need to reference the movement that occurs before and/or after.

Ensure that you are using annotated pictures or sketches with correct anatomical and dance language.

Image credits

Dancer Liron Kichler at Photofreak image from https://www.flickr.com/photos/37873897@N06/7821524558/ , date accessed 2/04/2020

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