Series: Ballet Basics with Finis Jhung

None of the lesson in this series have been reviewed.

Below are the descriptions for each of the lessons included in the series:

• Ballet Basics Trailer with Finis Jhung

  For the first time, Finis Jhung offers video lessons which may be downloaded instantly to your computer or iPod. This first series is titled FINIS JHUNG BALLET BASICS: Pirouette en dehors. There are twelve lessons which break down the fundamental elements of the pirouette en dehors from fourth position. Instructions about correct muscle usage and the mechanics of movement have been minutely detailed in bite-sized, digestible 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 minute segments. Those of you who already have studied Pirouette Class 1, The Art of Teaching Turns, and The Level 4 Centerwork on Turns will find these downloads contain new strength-building exercises and explicit "how to" instructions. With your iPod or MP3 player you'll now be able to do your pirouette homework with Finis anytime, anywhere. First you need to get the correct thoughts and images in your mind, and then you will be able to apply them successfully. To turn is to dance!

• Ballet Basics: Lesson 1 with Finis Jhung

  PIROUETTE EN DEHORS
  Lesson 1: You're always Number 1

  Do you know how to stand like the Number 1—tall and erect on half-toe—without pulling up and holding your breath? Are you always ready to rise to the half-toe without having to shift your weight? These are basic requirements for the pirouette. In this lesson: learn what it feels like to have your head properly balanced on a long neck; the meaning of "ears back;" how to look out so you balance your head; how to use your core muscles; how to breathe correctly; and most importantly, which muscles to use so you always have a line of energy which connects you from your toes to your ears.

  Running time: 3:40

• Ballet Basics: Lesson 2 with Finis Jhung

  PIROUETTE EN DEHORS
  Lesson 2: At the barre, place your passé correctly

  How to know that you can place your passé without tilting your hips; how pulling your ribs up from your hips can adversely affect your balance; how to find and use the correct degree of turn-out of your standing leg so you relevé with a high arch and don't hurt your knee; how to position the free leg and foot; the nose-toe connection—what to look for when placing your body over your supporting foot so you hit your balance; what to do with your shoulders, upper back, and arms so that you can snap your head when you spot; how to make the final test for placing your passé correctly.

  Running time: 4:31

• Ballet Basics: Lesson 3 with Finis Jhung

  PIROUETTE EN DEHORS
  Lesson 3. Plié & relevé with your hands & arms

  When you're able to stand like Number 1 and balance in passé as you did in Lessons 1 and 2, but you just can't get on your leg when you turn, it's time to take a closer look at the way you plié-relevé. Like many students, you're probably relaxing into and sitting in your plié which forces you to pull yourself up and off your leg when you relevé. Learn to engage and properly work the muscles in your toes, foot, leg and hip when you plié-relevé so that you are really connected to the floor and have created a path of energy and muscular control which will get you on your leg. Working your fingers, hands and arms, learn how much concentration, effort and strength is required to plié-relevé correctly.

  Running time: 3:24

• Ballet Basics: Lesson 4 with Finis Jhung

  PIROUETTE EN DEHORS
  Lesson 4. Work the plié & relevé with a pull & a push

  When you go into the plié for your pirouette, remember you're making a preparation that results in a turn, not simply a static textbook fourth position. You must build into the plié a spring-like action that will automatically make you relevé. Your supporting foot must claw the floor, gripping and pulling your body to the supporting leg. In lesson 3 you learned how much concentration, effort and muscular involvement is required to move your body with pulling and pushing. As you plié, it is crucial that your supporting foot and leg control the movement and placement of your free leg and foot so that your body is placed completely on the turning leg. Equally important, you must always give your supporting knee a final push which makes you roll over to your toes and balance.
  
  Running time – 3:50

• Ballet Basics: Lesson 5 with Finis Jhung

  PIROUETTE EN DEHORS
  Lesson 5: Turn the plié and promenade

  This lesson is so important! When you pirouette from fourth position, how you choose to plié and relevé determines whether you balance or fall. If you adhere to the Cecchetti "mounting" exercise which does not turn and asks you to plié-relevé using momentum created by the closing of your supporting arm, you're asking for trouble. If you study slow motion footage of dancers who turn well, you will see that they begin turning while in plié—they don't go straight up to the relevé and then begin turning. In Lessons 3 and 4 you learned to concentrate on clawing the floor with your supporting toes so you pull your body into position for the balance on relevé. Now you will learn to correctly turn your plié towards the back foot and then push the floor with both feet, so you automatically balance on relevé. We'll show you how to check for correct placement moment-by-moment from your starting tendu, as you go down and work to "The End of the Plié," and when you come up on one leg and promenade in passé to the front. Learn the correct sequence of movement for your head, supporting shoulder and arms.

  Running time – 4:23

• Ballet Basics: Lesson 6 with Finis Jhung

  PIROUETTE EN DEHORS
  Lesson 6. Snap your head & spot!

  Being able to keep your balance on half-toe while quickly snapping your head as you spot a turn is no easy task. In a classical ballet pirouette, the head and neck are isolated from the shoulders—they are independent from the body—the head has its own timing and brings the body and arms to the front. This is especially difficult to do when you relevé by pulling yourself up from the floor and holding your breath—it stiffens your neck muscles and severely limits your head's freedom of movement. As we learned in Lessons 1 and 2, you're always Number 1, standing tall while driving your weight down to the floor. Our first exercise will show you what muscles to use and what to think so you can secure your relevé and turn your head quickly without making your feet wobble. In the second exercise you will practice keeping your balance as you turn around on two feet and spot quickly. We also give you essential tips on placing your head correctly, focusing your eyes, snapping your head, and most important, the right and wrong ways to work your arms and supporting shoulder so you don't lose your balance when you spot.

  Running time – 3:54

• Ballet Basics: Lesson 7 with Finis Jhung

  PIROUETTE EN DEHORS
  Lesson 7. At the barre, half-turn

  Now it's time to use everything you've learned in the previous lessons and practice turning your plié half-way around into a passé on relevé. You begin with a demi-plié, come up with a tendu to the side, round that leg to the back, grip and pull into a demi-plié fourth, balance in attitude to make sure you're on your leg, come up with a tendu back, grip and pull again into a plié fourth, pivot to "The End of the Plié", give the supporting knee a final push, relevé, spot and turn, finishing in plié fourth. As you slowly and methodically move through the exercise, Finis breaks it down step-by-step and shows you how to place your body parts and use your muscles and energy correctly. When you relevé, you are instructed to time your breathing so it helps you find your balance. You will also learn how to make sure you're ready to use your head and turn with a solid balance.

  Running time – 4:13

• Ballet Basics: Lesson 8 with Finis Jhung

  PIROUETTE EN DEHORS
  Lesson 8. At the barre, full turn to the mirror

  A spinning top says it all—balance on one foot, stretch up, twist, push down and turn. At the barre facing the mirror, you're going to apply everything you've been taught since Lesson 1. You're standing in Number 1. You're properly placed on your supporting foot, as you round your free leg to the back. You twist your spine which is reflected by the backward movement of your supporting shoulder and arm. As you grip and pull into the plié you bring your free hand towards your supporting toe. You slowly turn until you see "The End of the Plié." You push down and spot, and complete the turn to a plié in fourth. As you slowly repeat the exercise with the other leg, Finis talks you through it movement-by-movement: place your supporting shoulder, listen to your supporting toe, keep the supporting shoulder connected to your toe, spot your eyes in the mirror, exhale when you push, don't go faster than you can be aware of what you're doing, the last thing you see is your supporting knee moving over your toe, and, spot your eyes in the mirror.

  Running time – 4:03

• Ballet Basics: Lesson 9 with Finis Jhung

  PIROUETTE EN DEHORS
  Lesson 9. Off the barre, spot the mirror

  Now you will do a full turn in center floor, checking yourself, movement-by-movement, in the mirror. Like most dancers, our demonstrator, Sachiko Kanai, has a strong relevé foot (the right) and a weak one (the left). To help her overcome the difficulty of turning on her left foot, Finis tells her to bring all her weight towards her left toe. It is especially important for her to see in the mirror that she twists to the left which brings her right hand towards her left shoulder; that she keeps her supporting shoulder over her supporting toe as she pliés; that she makes a final push with her left knee; that she pushes all her weight down to her toes; and that she spots her eyes. Sachiko repeats the exercise in both directions several times. Finis strongly emphasizes the importance of staying "tight" when you stand and plié by using your turn-out muscles with both hips pushed forward; to "listen" to your supporting toe as you plié; and to strongly drive your weight down to the floor so you finish each turn on half-toe before you pose in plié.

  Running time – 3:20

• Ballet Basics: Lesson 10 with Finis Jhung

  PIROUETTE EN DEHORS
  Lesson 10. Off the barre, spot the corner

  In addition to everything you've learned in the preceding lessons, Finis explains the importance of the "S" curve, which is the circling forward and around of your front arm as you begin to turn the plié. Making this arm movement as you begin to turn the plié will help keep your body over the supporting toe and ensure that you don't close your arms faster than you can reach "The End of the Plié." When you don't prepare with the "S" curve, you will tend to use your arms incorrectly and pull yourself up, around, and off your supporting toe. As you practice your pirouettes, remember to begin and finish with your toes. Focus your eyes before you turn and snap your head when you spot. Time your breathing in and out correctly so that it helps you to find your balance. Don't relax into your plié — stay "tight" with both hips pushed as far forward as possible. Listen to your supporting toe: grip and pull. Be sure to keep your supporting shoulder and knee lined up over your supporting toe. And, make sure that as you begin the plié to the left, you feel you are ready to turn to the right, and vice-versa.
  
  Running time – 3:58

• Ballet Basics: Lesson 11 with Finis Jhung

  PIROUETTE EN DEHORS
  Lesson 11. Slow tombé pas de bourrée, tendu, turn

  When you pirouette facing the corner, it's usually preceded with a tombé pas de bourrée en avant as demonstrated by Sachiko Kanai. In one of her turns to the right, Sachiko drops to her heel too soon. Finis tells her to give her supporting knee a final push. She corrects herself, and floats a turn-and-a-half "stuck" on half-toe. When she turns to the left, she improves when she "listens" to her right toe. When she repeats to the right, Finis reminds her to push down and that "everything" is in her supporting toe. When she repeats to the left, she tends to fall back. Finis tells her not to move her arms faster than she can work her feet and legs, because that makes her pull her shoulder and knee back towards her heel. Sachiko "sticks" the final turn. Finis reminds Sachiko "if you keep falling on your heel, you're doing it wrong. Fix it by trying something different!"

  Running time – 3:40

• Ballet Basics: Lesson 12 with Finis Jhung

  PIROUETTE EN DEHORS
  Lesson 12. Quick pas de bourrée, turn

  When you execute a pas de bourrée directly into a fourth position plié for a pirouette, make sure you connect your supporting toe and shoulder. This will help balance your turn. When Sachiko pirouettes left, she doesn't balance. She rushes and pulls her supporting shoulder away from the toe. Finis tells her to plié more slowly. She does, and finds her balance. Repeating to the right, Finis asks "where is your toe?" and this improves her turns. Repeating to the left, Sachiko again doesn't get over her toe. On the final try, Finis instructs her to keep her supporting shoulder where it is and to push down. She does, and "sticks" the turn. Trying for double pirouettes to the right, Sachiko improves the more she "listens" to her plié. Turning doubles to the left, Sachiko nails it when Finis coaches her to focus more strongly. Final encouragement: "If we can go to the moon and come back, you can do a double pirouette."

  Running time – 4:05

Supplementary Files:

• Once you purchase this series you will have access to these files: