Positions in dances: choreography lessons. The position of the feet and hands in classical and modern dance

Positions in dances are the basic position of the body, hands and feet, from which most movements begin to be performed. There are not so many of them. But with the mastery of these provisions, and begins to learn any dance - both classical and modern. In this article, we will take a closer look at the main points.

Pose in classical dance: prehistory

The school of classical ballet, like any dance direction, is based on the basic positions, which are the beginning and the base of the basic pas.

And it was born in the 17th century in the French school of ballet at the Royal Academy of Music. Here the terminological base began to be created, as well as the first dance positions, which later became classical. The founder of all this is Pierre Beauchamp, choreographer of Louis XIV. All developments were written by P. Rameau in the book "Master of Dance".

The position of the legs and hands in the choreography has not changed since then. And the publication of Rameau became classical and was translated into almost all European languages.

Why is it necessary to master positions?

The correct performance of dance pas directly depends on how well the classical positions are learned, since all movements start from them.

The pose in classical dance is the most important. There is one rule for the execution of all the provisions - a dancer or a dancer must stand upright, the stomach is drawn in, the muscles are gathered, the posture is straight, and the buttocks are picked up.

The mastering of the starting positions is considered the beginning of the beginning in the choreography for the last two hundred years in all ballet and dance schools. No matter how easy the description of these positions seemed, they are not as simple as at first glance. The technique of execution is complex and requires physical readiness.

Leg positions

The basic positions in dances are limited. They are few - only six for legs and three for hands. We will talk about them in more detail later. However, in various textbooks, information about this may be somewhat different. For example, in some publications, the positions of the legs are five, not six, but we will stick to the classical version. Let us explain why there are discrepancies. There are six basic positions, but only five.

Initially, positions are studied in the middle of the hall and attention to the reversal of the legs does not apply. Especially if the pupils are small children or unprepared people. It is necessary that the students are firmly on their feet and do not swing, otherwise they will not be able to repeat any action.

The recommended procedure for studying the poses is the sixth, first, second, third, fifth, fourth (since it is considered the most difficult to master).

The first

In another way it is also called "heels together, socks apart". The legs are on the same line, the center of gravity is distributed evenly throughout the foot. Very stable position, in which socks should be turned out as much as possible, ideally - be with a heel on one line. However simple the position may seem, it will not be possible to repeat it from the first time without preliminary preparation.

The second

Positions in the dance should be brought to automaticity. They can be compared to the alphabet of those who decided to dedicate their life to choreography or chose it as their hobby. But back to the description.

In order to get into the second position, you need to put your feet on the width of your foot, and then turn them out as in the first position. That is, the socks are apart and on one line with the heels. The main thing here: to watch for the fact that the body weight was evenly distributed between the two legs, otherwise the position will be unstable.

The third

Positions in the dance - a universal thing. This is the main advantage. Having mastered them once, you can study different types of dance and directions, from classical to modern. All of them will be based on these simple poses.

The technique of performing the third position: the legs, as always, are straight. The heel of the right foot is attached to the middle of the left, the socks at the same time look to the sides. Quite a difficult position, in which it is easy to lose balance, so it is better to bring the students to the machine and allow him to hold on.

Fourth

Our choreography lessons continue. We pass to the most difficult to master and execute the position correctly. You need to start by placing your right foot in front of your left foot at the distance of your foot. Then both legs are turned with socks outwards so that they become parallel to the heels. The most difficult pose to perform, therefore, is mastered after the rest.

There are two options for this position. In the first heel of the right foot is located opposite the middle of the left foot. In fact, we are doing the third position, placing our feet. In the second case, the heel of the right leg should be parallel to the toe of the left, and the right sock is parallel to the heel of the left foot. The latter way of performing is somewhat more difficult. It should be started only after mastering the first option.

Fifth

Your lessons in choreography will necessarily begin with the study of these positions. Therefore, you can first get acquainted with the theory, then to facilitate the practice.

So, to correctly get into the fifth position, you need to press the right and left feet tightly, the socks of which are directed in different directions. That is, the heel of one leg closes with the toe of the other. In this position it is easiest to move from the third. And do not forget about the distribution of weight and maintaining a stable position. The position should be free, as it is only the beginning of the dance movement.

Sixth

The easiest to perform the pose, which can easily be repeated even by beginners. To perform it, you just need to close your feet. In this case, the socks will look forward and snug against each other. Also the pose is called "legs together."

When carrying out all the above described actions, follow the position of the body - the shoulders should be opened, the legs are extremely tight, the weight is distributed over the entire foot. You can not just focus on your thumb. Otherwise, keep the balance and execute the position correctly will not work.

Pay attention to the hands

The school of modern dance, like the ballet, includes the study of the basic positions of the hands. This is necessary because all modern lines of choreography are based on the foundations that were laid back in the 17th century.

So, it is believed that there are only three positions for the hands, and all the others are their variations. This is the most common, though not the only, version.

Let's start with the description of the basic position. The shoulders are straightened, the arms are lowered down, both hands are looking inward, close to each other, but not in contact. Elbows should be slightly rounded and located a short distance from the body, that is, they should not be pressed against it. The hand should not fit to the torso even under the arms. The fingers should be closed, but free in the joints and soft. The thumb applies necessarily to the middle finger. The brush should continue the rounded line that begins at the shoulder, in any case not look like a broken one (bent at an acute angle).

If at the beginning of the movement the thumb and middle are open, then in the process of starting the movement, when attention is switched to the work of the feet, they will disperse even more, and the brush will become spread and ugly. The location of the hands is very important. Make sure that the tips of the index fingers and little fingers are rounded. In this case, the hand should not be reduced from tension. At any time it should be ready to change, so do not strain your muscles.

The first ballet position for hands

First you need to take the basic position described above. Hands need to be lifted forward so that they are just above the waist. The elbows remain slightly bent, the rounded shape is preserved. No sharp corners. Keep as much as possible and freely. You must be prepared for the next minute to start moving. In this case the muscles of the hands should be strained.

The second position for the hands

The school of modern dance is also based on the basic positions. Therefore, any serious occupation by choreography will begin with a study of the basics.

So, as with all the poses, the muscles must be tightened, the body smooth. It is important to keep an eye on the shoulders: they should not go up, down or move back. Hands are in front of him, as in the position of "two", but slightly divorced in the sides. Elbows are bent, but do not fall, muscles should keep them well in one position. The forearm is with one elbow on one level. In this position, the brush usually falls and becomes impaired, so it must be maintained.

This pose is one of the best for the formation of a proper dancing posture. Initially, the position will have an artificial look, but gradually you will bring your actions to automatism, and the figure will look very natural. You no longer need to think about whether you support the wrists and elbows, the hands themselves will respond to the slightest movement of the hull, gaining maximum expressiveness.

The third position for the hands

And finally the last ballet position of the hands. Begins, as usual, from the statement in the basic pose. Then the arms go up, the elbows remain round, the brushes are at eye level, close to each other, but do not touch. You must see your hands without raising your head for this.

Usually the poses of the hands are carried out in motion. First you need to stand in the base position, then go to the first, then to the second, third and return to the base position. Train the shifting of the poses better in dynamics, since the students from the very beginning learn to work in motion, which is required in the choreography.

It is possible to break them into separate movements only at the beginning, when the first steps on the way to mastering are taken.

So, we learned that the basic positions of the hands and feet are very important for choreography. In addition, you must always monitor the position of the limbs, especially the hands and fingers. Dance is not only an art, but also a sport that requires persistent and long work out of the most seemingly simple movements. Without this, it is impossible to achieve success, let alone professional development.