Movement Analysis: Classical Ballet - Assignment Example

ical Ballet Order No: 183744 No: of pages: 9 Premium – 6530 Introduction: The Eighteenth century was an era of great advancements in relation to Ballet. This was the period when this dance form was taken quite seriously and put on a pedestal on par with the Opera. Many reforms were brought about by different composers and other and finally Ballet came to be divided into three main categories” which were seriuex, demi – caractere and comique. In the 19th century a great radical change was brought about, where there was a shift from the prior aristocratic sensibilities that used romantic ballet. Pioneer ballerinas such as Marie Taglioni and Fanny Elssler crafted new techniques which became a rave in those days. In Classical Ballet, the composer is the person who designs the steps for a performance or choreography and no one has a right to change it because the steps are choreographed according to the music that is composed and the character that has to be played. Ballet students are required to learn not only the dance form but the names, meanings and the exact technique of every movement they are taught. Movement: Movement in Ballet is simply graceful and flowing and is sheer pleasure to any connoisseur’s eyes. It is relaxed and soothing even while exuding so much energy. A ballet dancer has specific formalized actions along with specific rules to be followed. These rules cover the various components of Ballet with regard to the position of the body, head arms and feet. The choreography done in Ballet is a combination of these movements. In order to give strength and flexibility to the body, certain training exercises are so designed which include dance movements like the “Plie” and “Battement”. The Plie: In French it means “bent” and while dancing the performer bends the knee and jumps and turns to execute or even absorb shock. This exercise helps them to loosen their muscles and to maintain good balance. The Plie is used in all of the five basic foot positions. A demi – plie is when the dancers feet remain on the floor, while the grand plie is when the heels of the dancer are raised from the floor. The Battement: “Battement”, in French means “beating”. This movement is used in Ballet and allows the dancer to extend their leg forward, backwards or sideways. This could be just a single movement or can be made up of repeated consecutive movements. Among the different Battement movements are the “tendu movement” (stretched beating) where the dancer extends the leg and the pointed toe barely touches the floor and the “Grand Battement” (large beating) where the dancer lifts the extended leg to either hip level or even higher and holds the leg in position. Besides these movements there are other movements that help to enhance or beautify the overall performance of the dancer while trying to engage her audience. These movements include the Adagio which are slow and flowing movement that brings out the lyrical value in the performance, the Allegro which are made up of fast movements, the Arabesque where a dancer stands on one foot with the other foot extended towards the back and the hand positions may vary. Then there is the Ballon where the dancer adds a light spring while leaping or jumping. Rhythm: It is much easier to convey rhythmic movements using the body than by just communicating or counting. Such movements include side to side swaying of the torso or head, swinging and knee bends. Strength: Great emphasis is laid on the strength and stamina of a dancer before being allowed to wear the ballerina flats for dancing. The tendons, ligaments and muscles have to be very strong in order to use these technique shoes for dancing. A lot of emphasis is laid on gaining strength in the lower limbs such as the legs and the abdomen. Periodical check ups are undertaken and physicians are called in to check the strength of the dancer’s muscles and bones. Premature use of these pointe shoes or poor and insufficient training could lead to serious injury or irreversible disabilities later on in life. Strength is a major factor developing strong feet and good flexibility in order to be more light and graceful. Physiological Analysis: Ballet movements have a direct and deep physiological impact on a dancer’s brain processes as well as for the audiences viewing it. This impact could be in the form of visual perceptions, or through musical concepts or narrative influences. The sensory motor neuroscience can enlighten us on how dancers dance and how audiences view the dance performances. In order to enhance a professional dancers health and over all performance, the dancer first of all needs to understand the physiological aspects of dance training and correlate it with the physiological status of the dancer. By doing this, it would not only help to enhance the health of the dancer but also boost the dancer’s performance. By carrying out a “match analysis” of the dancer’s performance, the dancer can have a better understanding on the demands being placed on him/her. They not only come to know of their physiological demands but also come to know of their own capabilities and how much more they have to learn or achieve. “Studies have used standardized lab testing techniques, adopted from sport rather than use dance specific methods of measuring (2) (Cohen, J.L, Segal I.W, & McArdle, W.D., 1982) and such tests are shown to be unreliable”. (3,4). (Rafferty S, Redding, E., Irvine, S. & Morant, R. 2006) The very first step, in addressing this issue is the DAFT i.e. Dance specific Aerobic Fitness Test. But however, till date there is no clear cut dance fitness test to measure this. Cognitive Perception: Excellence in a dancer’s repertoire depends on various factors, which include injury, stress, anxiety and low self esteem or self confidence. The psychological aspects of dance have taken a back seat with very little or no research being carried out in this aspect, despite its many benefits. But even so, the few researches that have been carried out are quite enlightening as they are informative. For example, in a study carried out by Brassington and Adam (2003), it was found that “soloist dancers could be distinguished from corps de ballet dancers by their greater use of mental skills”. In yet another study carried out by Nordin and Cumming (2006) they found that “higher level dancers reported more frequent imagery experiences, than their lower level counter parts”. These studies suggest that by improving their various psychological attributes, they would be in a much favorable condition in boosting their self confidence and at the same time make rapid progress to a much higher level of dancing. Therefore for a more systematic approach, certain criteria are very necessary – Understanding how a dancer makes use of his/her mental skills. Reliable tools of measurement to make a clear assessment of the psychological aspects of the dancer’s performance. Testing the effectiveness of a dancer’s skills at different levels. Perceptual demands and Motivation: Excellent perception and high motivation is what indicates the well being and confidence of a ballet dancer. These are some of the most necessary tools that help the dancer to reach greater heights. They not only contribute to good health and a better level of personal growth but the also contribute to the optimal functioning of the performer. In order to achieve such a status, the dancer needs to focus on “Motivation” which plays a great part in enhancing the perception and skills of a dancer. Contemporary motivation is of two types – The first one is what is termed as “Achievement Goal Theory” (Ames, 1992; Nichols, 1998) and the “Self Determination Theory”, (Deci and Ryan’s, 1985, 2000) Significant research carried out on these two theories showed that the dancers exhibited a much higher quality of engagement and commitment and hence felt more competent to meet the challenges ahead of them. The dancers were found to have more specific reasons for engaging in this dance form and also to be associated and surrounded by people in the same atmosphere. The present research also indicated that these institutions were autonomous and lent full support, care and training to those who commit themselves to this dance form. This sort of setting lends an apt platform for healthy and constructive participation. Rehabilitation Therapy: In both dance and sport one could easily anticipate injury at any time and anywhere. If the dancer is not a seasoned or experienced person, then there is all likelihood of facing injury and sometimes it may be very severe. “Precaution is better than cure”, is a famous saying and should necessarily act as a guide for such professionals. Tendon and ligament injury is the most common kind and there is no sure shot way of getting cured immediately. Research is being carried out in this field but still there is a long way to go. Various imaging techniques which include the Ultrasound and MRI scanning are still trying to improve and understand how such injuries occur and how to cure them. The management and treatment of acute or chronic tendinopathies are using loading exercises which have found to be very effective in the recent research undertaken. Another important factor in rehabilitation is the use of stem cells which was found to yield good results. General Fitness and Training: Fitness training has a direct impact on a dancer’s musculoskeletal system, making it stronger and well prepared for tough rehearsals. There are various training programs that use different techniques for fitness training such as the Russian Vaganova, Cecchetti, and Royal Academy of Dance, (RAD), programs. Each of these fitness programs has their own advantages and disadvantages. Acrobatics: Acrobatics play a major role in a dancer’s life because it helps to develop stamina, muscle strength, agility, flexibility and good body alignment through stretches, contortions, tumbling and bending and gymnastics. The dance teacher puts together all these components and sets it to music for the training program. Besides this, there are other formal training programs which help the dancer to keep fit and gain strength and confidence. Agrippina Vaganova is the pioneer who had brought out the Russian Vaganova technique which emphasizes on the hands of the dancer. In this method, the hands of the dancer are extended behind, that creates a kind of “flapping look”. In this technique, the teacher is the person who choreographs her own style and steps unlike the other two techniques. The famous ballet master Enrico Cecchetti, has designed a full syllabus to be used for training professional dancers. In this training syllabus, the dancer uses her hands in a flowing manner from position to position. In 1920, the Royal Academy of Dance, the RAD was established by a group of enthusiastic ballet teachers who had formed a specific training program which has become world famous and is the most widely used form of training today. All said and done, each kind of training has great value in terms of inducing health, strength and flexibility to the performer. These techniques help to enhance their skills, visual and cognitive perceptions, dynamics of movement, stamina, breath, style, elasticity and a whole lot of confidence to the dancer. The main dancer in a ballet troupe is called the Prima Ballerina who has to train not only extensively but intensively to reach such a position. Only after years of hard work can a good dancer reach the position of a Prima Ballerina who is always the centre piece in any performance. Sometimes there could also be two Prima Ballerinas in a single troupe. Therefore in order to become a top notch Ballerina, good training and exercise is of utmost importance. References: Ballet movement / Britannica Online Encyclopedia. www.britannica.com/eb/article-9012001/ballet-movement Ballet Training Techniques www.the-ballet.com/techniques Elevation Dancentre Studio www.elevationdancentre.com/dance_styles.htm Ballet Terminology www.messiah.edu/org/acclamation/BALLET/Terminol.htm Read More