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Suggestions for enhancing lines
Hi, I am tall and lanky. Looking for suggestions on making my lines prettier with better flow. Dancing in clubs I never concentrated on pointy toes, strong lines, etc. I love Veena’s lesson on pointy toes, that has helped. Thanks!
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4 Replies
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Though I’m quite new to pole, here’s some of the stuff I picked up from other dance forms over the years:
– First, become familiar with the move and proficient at doing it. You have to be able to do it properly first, then pretty it up later. It’s hard to make something look pretty if you are struggling to hold it or execute it.
– Once proficiency is achieved, we need body/muscle awareness. Identify the muscles you are engaging when performing a move. I don’t think many people do this consciously, we kind of just tense up whatever our body instinctively thinks it needs to in order to hold a position. If we’re aware of all the diff muscles that are engaged, it lets us engage and correct each one if needed.
– Think of your body in four different parts: head, arms (including hands), torso, legs (including feet). When you move one part, be conscious of moving all components of that part, and moving it *deliberately*. What I mean by this is that most people hear “point your toes” and so they just think about their toes. What actually makes a great leg line is thinking about energy going from your hip joint, down your leg (squeeze quads and glutes), locking your knees, down your shin, pointing the foot, and ending at the tips of your toes. It is the whole system that works together, and when we talk about lines it really, literally, is like drawing a line from the center of your body out, and you want as few kinks as possible. So for example your head is an extension of your torso and can make the line of your body look great if tilted in the same direction, or just wrong if tilted the other way. As an exercise, work in front of a mirror and deliberately try to make bad lines as well as good lines by moving different components of each area of the body (tense/relax different muscle groups, straighten/bend different joints, etc). Don’t be afraid to look awkward, you are supposed to hit some awkward poses and then identify some good ones as well along the way!
– Some people say that if you imagine yourself moving through water (or in this case dancing in water) it helps with your lines. It slows down your movements. Flow, IMO, has a lot to do with not just going from one trick to the next, but savoring the transitions and giving it as much thought and effort.
– Commit to the movement with your whole body. Are you reaching up to the ceiling at a particularly dramatic part of the song? Then your torso must also be stretched, you’re looking up with longing, you’re on your tippy-toes to try to reach whatever imaginary thing you are reaching for…
– Breathe! Flow is more believable when it’s rhythmic like your breathing. Stretching/expansive movements are usually better when done on the inhale, contraction/bending/pulling in on the exhale.
– Posture – back elongated and core engaged is the default “good posture” position, but even curving your spine over in a slouched position can look good if it looks like you are doing it deliberately vs. “I was too busy thinking about my legs I forgot to think about my back!”
– Watch yourself or record yourself. Since we normally can’t see ourselves all the time while dancing you have to trust that what feels good in your body also looks good, and reviewing video helps with that! With practice, you will be able to identify that this particular feeling means a “fully stretched leg and pointed toes” and you’ll know that that’s what feeling you should be striving for each time you want to do the same thing.Hope these weren’t too abstract. 🙂
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Cleo The Huricayne’s Leg Extension and Turnout program is an AMAZING resource and will definitely help you achieve strong leg lines.
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A personal pet peeve of mine (coming from a ballet background) is when people sickle their feet when they try to point. It really breaks a nice leg line!
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In addition to toe pointing lesson, check out the lower body strength routine and sexy legs and abs routine💜
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