Dance Week  1 and 2

Monday: black

Tuesday: pink 

Wednesday: Green 

Thursday: Red

Silver Medal 

1.Warmup exercise

Chins lifted

Shoulders right back

Foot stays on floor

Too close to barre

Hips stay facing the front

Pull up knee caps as we rise

Adding in heads for Devant

Straighten knees 

2.Plies

Preparation

Elbow lifted

Timing of the grande plies:

Flick wrists on 3

All the way down on 4 (arm in bras bas)

Come to demi plie 5 (Arm in first)

Stretch 6

Pointe 7

Lower leg 8

Make sure for our pivot we are turning out our supporting leg

Heads looking out

Looking out to start with

Dont pull the shoulder forward

3.Battement tendu and Battement glisse

Use of Heads:

Devant: Looking out

A la seconde: Looking to the front

Derriere: Tiliting head and looking out

Close with straight legs

Knee stays back for retires

Ankle sharper

Make sure we know where the head

Arm to second straight away as we turn to get read for second side

4. Rond De Jambe a Terre

Head stays facing the front

Lengthen leg out of your hip socket

Leg stays in the exact same position when taking it to different positions

Make sure we are still counting as it is a simple exercise and we can get lost

Head stays facing front 

5.Battement Frappe

Preparation

Arm in first on count 5

Arm and leg go to second on count 6

Lift 7

Bring on 8 

Dont sink

Elbows lifted

Ending part needs more practice 

6.Assemble soutenu

Breathe at the start

And arm comes to bras bas when closing into fifth

7. Devolppe a la seconde and Arabesque

Higher Arabesque

Make sure backs font drop

Hips facing the front

Grumpy green  giraffes 

8.Echappe Glisse

Straighten legs when in echappe

Pull up knees

Both legs out at same time

Dont push hips back

9.Preparation for pirouettes

En dehors:

Dont be so far away from the barre

Retire position coming up faster

Turn with the leg coming up at the same time

En dedans:

Ankle on the supporting leg needs to go faster for releve

Lunge with the back leg straight

Releve comes to the front

10.Grand Battement

No lifting hips 

Silver Star

1.Warm up

Keep toes on floor in tendu

Articulation in the tendu

Pull up the kneecaps (activate knee cap/quad)

No rolling when bringing in the foot to first

2.Plies

Counting in the Grand Plies

I need to see Demi plies when coming up from grand plies

Our backs need to stay straight in grand plies 

Knees back in Grand plies 

Coordination with arms 

3.Battement Tendu and Battement glisse 

Tendu and fondu then glisse

Kneecaps activated

Activate your bottom core as we close

Hip flexors lifted please 

4.Ronds De jambe A Terre and Assemble Soutenu 

Straight leg in Ronds de jambe on first one then a fondu

Going to all leg positions in Rond de jambe 

5.Battement Frappe 

Frappe a la seconde (to the side) make sure its to the side and not towards the front

Articulate foot in frappe

Last ones just a point not a frappe so don’t swish on the ground 

On the other side just lower foot to frappe position instead of tendu

Need to see your leg and foot in the frappe preparation at the end 

Keep the leg out in la a seconde before the double beats 

6.Battement fondu and preparation for Rond de jambe en lair (keep )

Preparation please 

Slow down please 

Timing: 1-2 into front 

3-4 out to second 

repeat derriere 

1-2 lift working leg to second 

3 carry in

4 unfold 

5-6 repeat 

7-8 lower 

8.Développe and attitude 

Straight legs as we close 

Timing at end 

Lower on straight legs 

9.Grand battement 

Centre: 

10.Port de bras 

Bras bas on count 1 then into first 

flying frogs Fourth croise 

from third arabesque go to first 

Lift our core as we walk 

Straight leg as we tendu and fondu 

Smooth transitions no sharpness 

 Arms in first are too high - keep them low 

Purple Eggs 

Make sure the arm in fourth croise is not in bras bas 

11. Battement Tendu 

Arms in second when we transfer our weight 

Prepare straight away for the next side with arms in 

Arms in 3rd position - keep the second arm forwards of the body 

Make sure to pointe second foot when bringing in to 5th Demi pointe - don't drag it in 

Head looks away from working foot first in the tendus to second 

12.Arabesque 

Fondu before stepping in our walks and make sure we step onto a straight leg 

No preparation start in a dégagé derriere 

When we transfer to arabesque position our arms go to bras bas, first then on count 4 into first arabesque

Hold the arabesque counts 5,6,7 and lower leg on 8 

Knowing which leg to Rond de jambe on the left side (Left leg) 

Arms are in second when you face the front feet firs position 

make sure you stretch knees when holding the arabesque 

Arms go to arabesque position on &4

Step with a straight leg at the back and lift with the little toe 

make sure to pull up supporting leg and don't move back at all in the arabesque 

13.Pose and assemble soutenu 

No pose turn 

14.Pirouettes A 

Arms need to be slower 

Land the turn with arms in first position

make sure to spot head as you do full turn 

Arms in 3rd position - keep them correct and no twisting in the shoulder 

Contemporary level 1

What we did on Monday:

1.Light A

Hands slide on floor transferring into table top 

Nods need to be lose 

Make sure to hold table top for 8 counts 

4 nods and 4 head shakes 

Head down in squat 

2.Introduction to floor

Hand goes over top to get there 

both feet need to stay on floor for clams 

Tucking our leg in the clams 

Both feet need to stay on the floor so your closest leg to your hands 

Whale worms in a waterfall 

3.Spinal curl 

16 count intro 

Start on the singing 

8 counts going down and up x2 

4 counts going down and up x2

2 counts going down and up x2

4 counts to right side 

4 counts coming up 

repeat left 

right around for 8 counts on right 

repeat left 

Bend as we roll up 

Keep the chin down when bent forwards and hands on the ground 

Keep counting 

4.Articulation legs 

Arm at the end that you move is the one that has been swinging 

Drop your body right down and neck loose 

5.In and out of the floor 

5 jumps then down 6 up 7,8 

hands on knees when kneeling 

Everything is 4 times 

 Come to parallel 

Furry Elephants

6.Turns

one and a half turns 

head turns as we chasse straight away 

no pause in between each turn keep going 

Arms down 

Make sure we know 

7. Triplets 

Slide feet along the ground 

8.Jumps 

Timing at the very end 

Ballet Bronze Star 

Curtsy to start 

1.Warmup

Higher heel in pointe from demi pointe, no scrunching of the feet don’t go fully over the toes

2 counts in the rising section for each movement

No looking at each other 

3.Plies

Heels coming off on count 4

Heels go onto floor on count 3

Activate knee caps

Transfer weight when we tendu

Heels naturally come off in grand plie

Piece of string on your heads and someone is pulling you as you plie

Counting for the rise 

don't come up too quickly from grand pile in 2nd 

4.Battement Tendu

Sharper in glisse with foot

Make sure we move our head not just our eyes

Keeping eyes up so it doesn’t look like you’re copying 

Transfer the weight over the hip especially in glisse

don't forget heads

5.Demi assemble

Only goes to a la seconde (to side) not a full ronde jambe

Smoothly with our movements not robot like

Arm opens out to second as we plie arm comes down in bra bas as we straighten

 Shoulders are too far forward 

Legs need to be straight 

Releve to 5th - don't pop the heels before the Releve and make sure you have tight 5ths with no gaps

when you turn to the other side from 1st Demi pointe, move the foot you're going towards to make sure its turned out 

6.Preparation for assembles

Slow stretch legs after assemble

Swish foot along ground when doing assembles

Press heels down into the floor and swish

Use inner thighs in assemble  

Don't use the barre when we jump 

Press heels down into the floor when landing from the assemble

7.Preparation for retire positions

Temps lie keep foot on floor

Lower with the knee caps lifting

No sickling of the foot in petite retire positions 

Flying carrots 

Keep working on the petit retire passes positions - toes on leg at front - ankle bone on leg at back

8.Grand battement

Weight needs to be transferred onto supporting leg

I need to see a crease in the hip when you lift leg to a la seconde (to side)

Straight legs at the back keep knees activated 

Pointe feet hard and use them to help get leg off the floor

9.Port de bras 

Looking into arms in first position 

Smooth with your arms you only just get to the position 

Please smile 

No movement of the shoulders 

Remember where to look for the eyeline - not at he hand - at the mirror/frames

10.Battement tendu 

Tendu rotating the leg 

Heads turn as we open the leg 

Transfer of weight 

Hips are not staying still 

remember where we need to look for the heads and eyeline

11.Coupes 

Down with the leg up on fondu (COUPE) not a balance 

Keep the 5th positions tight with no gaps on Demi pointe 

look towards the pointed foot as you close to the other side 

12. Pas de chaval 

Need to close in third with straight legs 

Flick out fast with legs but arms need to be soft 

Get to demi pointe (peeling off the floor) 

Wrist goes down and up (small) 

13.Poses 

arms are too high 

Squeeze to hold arabesque 

First position when we rise 

rise don't relieve 

squeeze bottoms to help with balance 

and make sure to turn out the foot as you step forwards

Promenade 

push the hips up and forwards as you walk 

drag foot along the floor at the back with each walk 

Plie pointe at the end before running Away to the other side 

Changements 

pull up the string when you land from the jumps 

press heels into floor 

make sure you go one at a time - everyone on the right then everyone on the left 

glissades 

make sure you bring the legs in snappy from the glissade 

Sausage roll on a flamingo

keep the body lifted and pull piece from string as you land and do all plies 

Jetes 

make sure to swish through the floor and pointe toes

Jazz Bronze star 

1.Cardio warmup

Punch the arms when you bring legs to second

Punches be strong on the way in as well

get body low in the side to sides after grapevine 

pointe toes in high knee runs 

go over the jumps into the grapevines 

2.Side flat back and hip stretch

Hold your rise for 4 extra counts

Arms are bent when we go to the side like an S

Arm around the back of the ankle when holding ankles

Hands are on the ground when you are in the middle

Flat backs don’t curve

Move heels in for the rise 

shoulders down in the stretch in second 

keep hands flat - not floppy at end of arms 

noses on knees in  leg stretch

3.Forward split and strengthening exercises

Turn out feet

Timing off

Straight back leg in splits and keep body upright

Shoulders back and necks straight

Toes together when we stretch our backs

Standing up with the front leg

Make sure to go forward 

toes together in cobra stretch

pointe toes in v sit 

push to get more split 

stand up with the front leg 

stand up straight not like a worm or an old lady 

4.Isolations

Arms stay glued to side at start little circles on your legs

Dont move hands keep them placed on hips

Start straight away on next side

Be precise with your back 

KEEP YOUR HANDS ON WAISTBAND AND DONT LET THEM GO FLOPPY

5.Turn combination

2 Chasse turns

2 chaine turns

One Chasse turn

3 chaines

Turn head on count 2 

MAKE SURE YOU START STRAIGHT AWAY AFTER THE PERSON BEFORE YOU 

6.Kick combination

Walks are on flat feet 

Get the legs up with your kicks at the start 

Pointe your toes

keep arms still in the jump kicks - don't be a bird 

only do this exercise on the right side 

7.Warmup jump

Wait 8 counts then start

Spring up into the air and pointe toes

Toes together when landing

From the corner instead 

small spot jump after the big jumps and make sure to kick bottom in the big jumps 

8.Preparation for forward jete

Hips facing corner don't twist 

Even height for legs 

Stretch back knees 

Flicks not a swish 

Not about the height of leg its about straight legs please 

Orange olives 

Pointe toes - gumboots 

stretch back leg heaps in jumps 

9.Travelling 

Travelling to the corner 

Step kick before then flick 

Travelling as further as you can 

Demi pointe at end for end pose 

After you finish your second kick put foot down straight away to do the chasse turn 

Big kick big arms - little kick little arms 

make sure you drag the foot in drags and pause to show off the leg before doing the next one 

Pointed toes!

10.Pony Step 

From back over the top all the way down with your arms (Swimming arms) 

lift both knees up in our footwork 

Pointe toes 

Dance notes 

back front genie, up down, up down, cross in, cross in, roll, clap 

elbow then arm - go away part 

show the crouch part and push back on 'work'

Rainbow grapes

sharp elbows and punches 

chaine turns are towards the corner 

arms don't go below shoulders in the step jump claps 

Ballet Gold Medal 

1.Plies

Keep hand to lyre and leave

Heels together in first

Pull up kneecaps

Transfer weight

Don’t lean in grand plie just your head

4 counts down come up 5,6 arm down 7, rise 8

2.Battement tendu and glisse

Heel forward first in tendu

Make sure hips aren’t moving when moving leg

3.Rond De Jambe

Timing a bit fast

Transfer weight when lifting leg from derriere/devant to a la seconde

 You need to transfer weight when coming from derriere to a la seconde 

Dont drop the leg from derriere to second has to stay same height 

4.Battement fondu

Foot on floor in fondu at first

For the coupe fondu extend in the air

Basic port de bras for the fondus at the start (bras bas to first to second)

Rotation in the demi rond de jambe and the coupe to fondu 

Coupe timing 

Preparation needs to wait in second before lifting 

5.Battement Frappe

Cross beat to back

Hold leg out to second before you do your double beats 

Thigh stays completely still same as petite battement 

Derriere needs to be behind you 

6.Petite Battement

Arm in bras bas

Thigh stay still in petite battement only lower leg moves

Turn head

LIFT YOUR FOOT INTO INTO COU DE PIED

Arm and leg coordination at the start (leg and arm open at the same time)

7.Develope

Rotate leg as you extend 

Higher legs 

Hip stays back in devant 

Retire passe lift a little higher before passing over 

Lift leg up when we go from second to derriere 

8.Releves

Retire needs to snatch up 

9. Grand Battement

Transfer weight over as soon as you start 

Close for Dégagé on count 4 

Different dynamics within the grand battement UP FAST SLOW AND CONTROL COMING DOWN 

10. Port de bras

Move head not whole body for walks

Don’t lean back in tilt 

Body on thigh for the grand port de bras 

All through the arm positions in the port de bras third -fourth-fifth-third-fourth 

Fourth position is too low in second 

Dont lean in 5th position 

Open fourth position tendu needs to go out on count 4 and sharper 

Eye line lifted 

11.Battement tendu

Arms are too high in allonge 

Side arm in third is twisting 

Core not engaged 

Use of head 

Up down arms bras bas, pointe and go to first, close and go to third 

Working through the feet 

Stretched legs 

Transfer weight onto front foot while releasing back leg 

13.Attitudes 

Back arm in fourth at the start 

Which ever way your going that arm goes up or what side your going towards so if you were going towards the left the left arm comes up first and vice versa 

Lifting on 'and' 

12.Pirouettes A 

Need to lift supporting leg 

Your coming down and your sinking into supporting hip 

13. Pirouettes B

Land with arms in first 

14.Pose coupe pirouette 

Keep arms in first for chaines

Step for your prep 

Chasse with a turned out front foot 

15. Pas de bourree 

Plie between each one 

Fifths 

16.Dance enchainement 

From the pointe pull up to fifth straight away 

Eyes up 

Travel in pas de valse

 Eyes up at the start 

17.Poses 

Hips and shoulders stay facing corner 

Looking over our arms in first 

Petite allegro 

Sharper glissades 

Higher arabesque 

18.Petite allegro 

Snap leg in faster for glissades 

Close on the count, down on the count 

Eyline 

19. Sissones 

Close into fifth faster 

Faster with changement 

20.Entrechat Quarte 

Set Dance 

Ballet:

National Character: 

Jazz Test 3

1.Cardio warmup:

Swinging arms underneath

Remember star jumps before grapevine

Jumping onto right leg for leg curls first 

3.Side stretch in second 

Pointing our toes 

straight backs 

4.Thoracic and lumber spine

Stretching our backs 

ankle bones together 

5.Ribcage

Just moving the ribcage 

Reaching from side to side 

6.Kick combo 

Dont lift leg too high 

turn leg out 

7.Step hops 

Karate chop with arms 

pointe toes in the hops 

8.Kick ball change with sugars 

Kick, back, stamp 

Show ankle bone on sugars (jazz hands) 

Disco crabs 

9. Jump with turning grapevine 

No arms for the first two heels 

Freeze with your arms 

Pick your feet up when we jump from side to side 

10.Girls combination 

Stronger arms 

Your your face expressions 

Move the hips 

Ballet Bronze Medal

1.Positions of the feet 

Lift chin

Toe does not lift in tendu

Posture

2.Plies

Holding our posture 

Knees open straight away in grand plies 

3.Battement tendu battement glisse

Transfer weight hip needs to be on top of your toe and your shoulders need to be on top of your hips 

Glisse too high

Dont drop your arms 

Flying cars 

4.Preparation for releve

Remember to go to fifth

Lifting up don’t bring the hips back 

Lift our chins 

Dont lean back when we take our balance 

5.Preparation for petite jetes

Hips are too far back

Dont push off from the barre 

Attach foot to leg 

Stay in their plies 

Heels are pressing down into floor before you take off 

6.Grand battement

Inner thigh turned out as we lift leg

Careful of arm on the barre

Hip stays back as we lift leg

No sickles when we turn around 

Don't be too close to the barre 

7.Port de bras

Use of head

Smile with teeth please

Dont drop arm in second 

8.Battement Tendu

Too much demi pointe make it smooth

Arms in second and make sure you hold them

Transferring weight 

9.Preparation for coupes

Pointe back foot

Knees shouldn't touch in fondu 

Follow the arm at the end 

Close in third at the end 

10.Sautes

Plies before your jump

Arms still

Mcdonalds M 

11.Petite Jetes

Lift leg before you bring in your leg

First in the air between each one 

Melt into supporting leg 

jump in the air instead of side to side 

First ones go to the front 

No leaning, nice and still 

Frosty flakes 

12.Temp leve 

Need to see first before extending the leg 

The leg you bring in does the work 

Arms still 

No knees touching in the fondu 

Opposite arm to leg 

Hops your arms are in third 

Arms through first to second 

3 HOPS 

13. Gallops and spring pointes 

Same leg for the spring pointe as the way your going (if you are travelling to the right, right leg goes out first)

4 gallops 

Plie in second, both legs turned out 

14.Gallops 

Running around into the middle 

Ballet Test 3

1.Positions of the feet

Go to the side first

Make sure we bring our arms in front of us when we go the side 

2.Demi Plies

Knees open 

Dont move the hips as we close 

3.Battement tendu

Tendu derriere make sure your hips stay still

Keep foot on floor

Fully stretch the feet 

Dont twist our hips getting to a position 

4.Demi pointe

No banana backs

High demi pointe 

5.Preparation for petite jete

Knee back in petite jete

Pointe toes

No sickle with the foot 

Plie

6.Preparation for polka

Counting

Pointing toes

Lifting chins

Running nicely

Higher demi pointe 

7.Port de bras

Remember the end movements

No robot arms

fluffy flamingos 

Make sure we are using our head as we learnt today (ear to shoulder)

8.Battement tendu and spring pointes

Dont move the shoulders when jumping

Only 6 spring pointe 

Pointing our toes fully 

Deportment walk 

Tippy toe turn with straight legs 

Sautes 

Knees turned out in second jumps not facing the front 

Poin te toes in jumps 

Dont move arms when jumping 

Gallops 

Jazz Bronze Medal

1.Cardio

Legs go to second for the one leg curl

Leg curl in grapevine

Punches need to be fast in

Higher knees 

2.Side and flat back stretch

Arms need to make an S

Keep a gap as we go to the side

Robot movements when turning

Toes stay facing the front

Pull yourself to your knees

Keep counting in your heads not mouthing it 

3.Leg extension

Right hand on the bottom and left hand at the top when holding leg

4 counts down 4 counts up at the end

remember how we sit down 

4.Ribcage isolation

Chicken, side, back, side

Sharper movement 

Work on the left side 

5.Hips isolation

Bend our legs 

Fingers held, thumb at the top of waist band 

Too fast in the 4 counts 

6.Single retire positions

Hold balance for longer

Activate your kneecaps so your legs are straight

Not too much force as its only a single turn

Turn half leave head behind then flip when coming around for full turn

Roll through the feet as we come down 

7.Kick combo 

No hips moving 

Pointe toes in the air 

Legs need to be 90 degrees or higher 

Red roosters covered in chocolate icecream 

8.Warmup jump 

From the corner 

Running arms 

Knees up in the tuck jumps 

Dont drop hands when you land 

Dont do same arm as leg for running 

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS AND LEFTS 

9. Funk combination