A Chair, A Breeze and A Wobbly Jelly

An arabesque is a balanced pose on one leg with the other leg extended into the air at the back of the body. This week my grade 4 students have been working on their arabesques holding onto a chair at home. Although this is trickier for them than using a barre it is actually a really great way to help dancers to find their balance. The chair encourages dancers to activate their core muscles and find their centre of balance without relying too much on support.

Back in the studio when training arabesque, I would see students holding onto the barre like they were on a roller coaster, knuckles white, fists tight and breath held! It is so easy for everyone to naturally want to ‘pull’ off the barre due to fears over falling over. When holding onto a chair it is impossible to get away with this ….if you hold the chair too tightly before you know it you will be falling back onto the floor with the chair on top of you! A lighter touch on the chair makes the transition to performing arabesque in the centre easier. The student is already aware that to avoid being a wobbly jelly they must lift their torso and elongate their spine. In the centre, to perform a 1st arabesque the same arm as the supporting leg reaches forwards in line with the eyes whilst the other arm is placed slightly behind, below shoulder level. The dancer then stands as still as a statue hoping for not even the tiniest breeze to go by that could blow them over. I encourage my dancers to float, breathe and enjoy the moment; for at least a few attempts of arabesque in the centre they look at me like I am mad! But once the fear of being on one leg is overcome and strength physically and mentally is gathered it is true that an arabesque feels like floating in the air.