Demi plié.

The Demi-plié is the most important movement in the dance repertoire, preceeding at least 50% of all movements. Also responsible for protecting the body and joints in both relevés and jumps. One of the most important things to remember is that it is a MOVEMENT, and not a position. Today I want to take that thought one step forward.

A common problem when jumping is what we call "bucking" were the body jerks forward as the dancer jumps upwards. This has commonly been blamed on weakness in the core muscles but is actually down to a lack of co-ordination and the intention of the movement.

When we learn the correct classical stance, we work out from what is called "tripod foot". Where the three

pink spots represent where we divide the weight placement of the body over the foot. We can adapt this idea further by making this into a dynamic picture rather than a static one. We send the force of the plié into the foot, but the point at the back, in the heel, instead of going downwards is sent down and back (at a 30 degree angle).

By doing so we engage long muscle chains (particulaly the hamstrings) and improve dynamic alignment throughout the movement. RESULT: smoother, better jump! The goal is to create the illusion of ballon, were the dancer appears to float in the air (what basketball players call hang time). We are improving the foots biomechanics and the body's muscular co-ordination; giving less wasted energy (bucking) and assisting in injury prevention/reduction. Win-Win :)

NOTE: This isn't an easy concept to embrace and you do need to start slowly, with a conscious change in how you perform this movement before a jump. Like any movement in dance it will take thousands of conscious repetitions before it becomes natural and automated. Always ask if you are unsure, there is no such thing as a stupid question.



Tips
Start by standing in parallel and use your finger tips to feel the top of the hamstrings engaging as you plié.
Think of practicing just 1/4 of a plié. It will feel less deep than usual, as respect for the plantar vault maintains more pull on the calf muscles.
Think of the heel bone acting like a ship leaving the port, slowly pulling back before starting the plié. This mental imagery can produce a slow, powerful, yet microscopic sensation of movement.


This article is written by Peter Lewton-Brain, published by IADMS.