“I don’t want people who want to dance; I want people who have to dance.”
-George Balanchine
-George Balanchine
Introduction
Your port de bras, or your arms and upper body movement, is what makes your dancing beautiful. Port de bras and épaulment show expression and passion, and many times it is used to portray a certain ballet style, technique, character, or time period. Good port de bras is what really puts the final polish on every dancer’s technique and performance.
Things to consider for your port de bras:
· Port de bras begins from the back, not the waist or the arms
· Keep the shoulder blades in, not pinched together
· Always keep arms in front of you, no matter what position they are in
· Elbows are always lifted
· Let your head follow your hands
By strengthening your arms and back, and remembering these tips, you are well on your way to beautiful port de bras!
Things to consider for your port de bras:
· Port de bras begins from the back, not the waist or the arms
· Keep the shoulder blades in, not pinched together
· Always keep arms in front of you, no matter what position they are in
· Elbows are always lifted
· Let your head follow your hands
By strengthening your arms and back, and remembering these tips, you are well on your way to beautiful port de bras!
Where It Starts
Many people make the mistake of believing that port de bras is all about the arms; the fact is that port de bras really starts from the center of the back, and the arms simply follow. Strengthening your upper back and shoulders will allow you to really initiate your arm movements from there without letting your arms tire. Some exercises you can do to help with this include the “swimming” exercise we have done in class, and other exercises outlined in the videos below. Be sure to check out page 3 for diagrams of arm positions! Proper Placement |
Proper placement of the arms is essential. For starters, always keep your arms in front of your body, just as your tendu à la seconde stays slightly in front of you. This allows your shoulder blades to stay “flat” against your back, instead of “pinching” together.
Remember the marble analogy: if you drop a marble at your shoulder, it should slide all the way down your arm, and off your fingertips (in second position). If your elbows break or fall, the marble will slide off too soon. So keep your elbows and upper arms lifted, and always aim to create a long, soft line with your arms.
Remember the marble analogy: if you drop a marble at your shoulder, it should slide all the way down your arm, and off your fingertips (in second position). If your elbows break or fall, the marble will slide off too soon. So keep your elbows and upper arms lifted, and always aim to create a long, soft line with your arms.
Showing Expression
Your port de bras is one of the easiest ways to show expression in your dancing. Focus on creating long lines to make your body look taller, and allow your head and chest to be a part of your port de bras (this is called épaulment). Let your head follow your hands, and use your chest to lead your movements. By changing small nuances in your port de bras, you can easily take on a character role, or define the era of your dancing.