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Task 8: Understanding a battement tendu

This task will ask you to focus on how different authors describe a battement tendu.

This is a photograph of a mature ballet dancer in a studio. He is stretching his right leg to the side with his toes touching the floor. His right arm lifting upwards to the side and his left arm reaching out to the left. His looking up to his right diagonal. He is wearing a blue t-shirt, white trousers and ballet shoes.

You will also have to demonstrate in practice the ballet concepts that you have engaged with during this semester.

Activity 8.1

For this activity you are going to describe with your own words a battement tendu.

1

Write a paragraph describing a battement tendu from the 5th position to the front (en avant) in the following terms:

  • body parts involved,
  • actual movement in space,
  • distribution of weight,
  • engagement of inner body structure and muscles.

This is an open answer. In the texts that you will read next you will find descriptions of other authors about this movement.Check your answer

Activity 8.2

Now read how Paskevska describes a battement tendu from the 5th position to the front and compare her description with yours by answering the questions below.

"[...] we know that the leg will end in an extension to the front of the body with the toes touching the floor. From the initial fifth position, the thigh begins to open outward and forward, and the toes gradually point until the instep is fully engaged. In order to remain placed over the supporting leg, a weight shift onto that leg is necessary. Further analyses leads [sic] us to question [...] how the movement is facilitated by the rest of the body. Initially, we nurture these connections by keeping an elongated spine and an aligned pelvis. By engaging the spine and maintaining an upright pelvis, we ensure that the trapezius and the iliopsoas are optimally position to do their work.

[...] As with the legs, the arms require an engagement of the musculature without coercive tension. The arms, in addition to their expressive uses, act as stabilizers. They can also be distracters if they are not connected to the center. The muscles of the arms are designed to control the shape of the arms (with some exceptions, like the biceps, for example). The upper torso muscles control their raising and lowering (abduction and adduction). When this distinction is recognized, the arms can move without undue tension. [...] in shaping the arms to the correct classical position by rotating the humerus inward and the lower arm outward the role of the arm in maintaining the shape can be isolated from the task of holding them up.

[...] The location of the center initially helps dancers to achieve connectedness"

(Paskevska, 2005, pp. 27-29)

2

  1. Have you included in your description the movement of the body parts mentioned here (body, spine, torso, arms, pelvis, thigh, leg, toes)?
  2. Have you made any references to the concept of control, tension, alignment, expression?
  3. Have you included any details that are missing in Paskevska's description?
  4. How do you understand where the weight is placed when the tendu is as full extension?

This is an open answer. Responses to these questions will vary.

Paskevska says that a shift of weight on to the supporting leg is indicated in the tendu. When you complete the next task, note what Tully teaches about the feeling of weight placement. Bring your questions and reflections about how to feel the weight in the tendu to class.

Check your answer

Activity 8.3

In this activity you will test your knowledge of a battement tenduen croix.

This is a photograph of a mature male ballet dancer in a studio. He is wearing a blue t-shirt, white trousers and ballet shoes. He is posing with his left arm lifted upwards and his right arm elongating to the side. He is standing on his right foot with his left leg stretched to the front and touching the floor with his toes. He is facing towards his left diagonal front.This is a photograph of a mature male ballet dancer in a studio. He is wearing a blue t-shirt, white trousers and ballet shoes. He is posing with his right arm lifted upwards and his left arm elongating to the side. He is standing on his left foot with his right leg stretched to the front and touching the floor with his toes. He is looking down with his head turned towards his right diagonal front.

3

Battement tendu en croix

Tully describes a battement tendu en croix from different positions of the feet. He identifies movement from the fifth position as "more complex" due to the crossing of the legs around the line of aplomb which can disturb the body's placement.

Read carefully his description of this movement and type the appropriate body part for each gap: back, body, diaphragm, heel, leg, limbs, toes

"It is essential to grasp that the impetus for battement tendu comes from the top of the , and connects with the . It is the that leads into each en croix direction; the then stretches out, with the maintaining contact with the floor for as long as feasible. The action continues until only the remain in contact with the floor. The is now at a maximum extension from the centre. (...) At no point during the battement tendu exercise should any weight be allowed to shift onto the working , nor, on its reaching full extension, (...). The pressure downwards through the supporting of , and the lift through the at the beginning and end of the battement tendu, will maintain the placement. Impetus for the movement is provided by an equal thrust down both and through the . (...) To facilitate these extensions, the inclines away from the direction of the movement, with a feeling of length to the front, width to the side, and up and forward ("up and over") to the back. To the back, this will lend a slightly oblique line to the and . Note that the movement upwards takes place before the movement forwards. It is a general rule that any movement about or away from the centre will be preceded by a feeling of lifting; this helps to stabilize the centre. As the closes, the returns to the upright over its centre. (...) Only through this up and over movement can the and maintain a true connection with the centre. (...)." (Tully, 2011, pp. 43-47)

"It is essential to grasp that the impetus for battement tendu comes from the top of the leg, and connects with the heel. It is the heel that leads into each en croix direction; the leg then stretches out, with the heel maintaining contact with the floor for as long as feasible. The action continues until only the toes remain in contact with the floor. The leg is now at a maximum extension from the centre. (...) At no point during the battement tendu exercise should any weight be allowed to shift onto the working leg, nor, on its reaching full extension, (...). The pressure downwards through the supporting of leg, and the lift through the diaphragm at the beginning and end of the battement tendu, will maintain the placement. Impetus for the movement is provided by an equal thrust down both legs and through the feet. (...) To facilitate these extensions, the body inclines away from the direction of the movement, with a feeling of length to the front, width to the side, and up and forward ("up and over") to the back. To the back, this will lend a slightly oblique line to the body and leg. Note that the movement upwards takes place before the movement forwards. It is a general rule that any movement about or away from the centre will be preceded by a feeling of lifting; this helps to stabilize the centre. As the leg closes, the body returns to the upright over its centre. (...) Only through this up and over movement can the limbs and back maintain a true connection with the centre. (...)." (Tully, 2011, pp. 43-47)

Check your answer

Activity 8.4

In this activity you will watch a video on the training of the tendu in a class of professional dancers.

4

Focus

Watch the first 10 minutes this Royal Ballet daily class (opens in a new window) where they do a tendu exercise.

What do you notice about the different focus of the dancers in this class exercise and the performance of Theme and Variations?

The dancers in class are concentrating on the mechanics of the action. There is almost no 'play' with expression through the épaulement. They practise speed in the working leg by maintaining the supporting side strongly - this is reflected in the performance of Theme and Variations. The focus in class in a professional ballet company is on constructing and tuning the instrument, especially at the barre which builds strength to that enables the dancer to move confidently through space. Check your answer