Pre-Improvers Handout: Lesson # 5

CONTENT: Barre & Centre: Echappe’ Releve’ | Coupe’ Fouette’ Racouci Allegro: Coupe’ Fouette’ Racouci Saute’ | Grand Jete’ en avant

Echappe’ Releve’ = a releve’ where the feet move from a closed position to an open position and return to a closed position; may be taken to 4th and 2nd with or without an additional plié in the open position. This is a step performed en pointe but we are learning it on demi-pointe first to understand how to coordinate sliding the legs away from eachother evenly and quickly.

Echappe Releve’ in 2 counts Plie in 5th position, slide both legs evenly with a releve’ to finish in 2nd or 4th position (1) and close to a plie in 5th (2)

Echappe Releve’ in 4 counts Plie in 5th position, slide both legs evenly with a releve’ to finish in 2nd or 4th position (1) plie’ in the open position (2) releve’ again (3) and close to a plie in 5th (4)

Things to Watch: - don’t jump onto demi-pointe; the feet shouldn’t leave the floor Ensure: - slide the feet along the floor pointing them to their releve’ position as you would a tendu from a plie’ - keep the legs turned out with heels forward

Coupe’ Fouette’ Racouci Fondu in cou de pied derriere on the right leg, replace it with the left leg (coupe’) onto demi pointe stretching the right leg to the side at 45° (one movement) and fondu on the left leg quickly bringing the right leg into cou de pied (one movement). This is another movement often used en pointe.

The arms usually start from 3rd position (front arm same as supporting leg), they move to 2nd with the leg and change to the other 3rd on the fondu

Things to Watch: - no bent legs on demi-pointe - don’t drop the thigh as you bend the leg - don’t lift the hip of the raised leg Ensure: - the movement is sharp - arms and legs coordinate Here’s a link to the exercise we did incorporating a pas de bourree’ pique’ under and a releve’ in 5th: http://bit.ly/pre-imp-coupe-fouette-racouci-pdb-pique

Coupe’ Fouette’ Racouci Saute’ Here you replace the pose’ onto demi pointe with a jump, so the left leg which is in the cou de pied derriere position will plié behind and quickly push off the floor as the right leg opens side

Things to Watch: - the heel is down before taking off for the jump Ensure: - fully pointed underneath foot in the saute’

Here’s a video link: http://bit.ly/pre-imp-coupe-fouette-racouci-saute S.Cundari 1 of 2 www.balletforyou.co.uk Pre-Improvers Handout: Lesson # 5

Here’s the sequence from the Act 1 Waltz from : Classical pose on the outside leg in a semi circle & a 1 & Temps leve’ in 3rd arabesque diagonally US 2 & a Balance’ en arriere diagonally DS 3-4 repeat 5&6&7&8 Coupe’ fouette’ racouci saute’ x 3, releve’ 5th At 13 mins 25 secs you’ll see this sequence in American Theatre’s stunning production of Giselle starring Carla Fracci and from 1969: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbYlMnFgp3c

Grand Jete’ en avant = a large leap travelling forwards from one leg to the other splitting the legs In this kind of jete’ the front leg almost swishes along the floor before it is thrown high in front like a grand battement; the body follows the leg travelling forwards and you land on the front leg en fondu. Grand Jete’ Developpe’ en avant = the front leg does a developpe’ devant rather than a grand battement The arms are usually in a high position most commonly in 5th, 2nd arabesque or 3rd arabesque

Preparations for a grand jete’ can be 3 runs, a glissade, a chasse’ or a pose’

Things to Watch: - don’t let the back leg bend Ensure : - land on a good plie’ so as to not jar the back - fully stretch the feet - push from the back leg

S.Cundari 2 of 2 www.balletforyou.co.uk