If you have some basic ballet, jazz, lyrical, etc., you probably want to learn to make fouettés. The fouetté is that kind of twist that dancers do over and over again. How do they do that? Basically without getting dizzy or falling over. It's actually about executing three basic movements repeatedly. That is all!
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Practice at the bar
Step 1. Begin by leaning on the bar in first position
If you don't have a bar handy, you can use the wall or even a railing. The important thing is that you have something you can return to after the turn to keep your balance.
Step 2. To prepare before practicing, do passé en relevé
Keep in mind that this involves bringing the left foot towards the right knee, with the latter pointing outwards (in this way, you would complete the passé part). The relevé is the lifting movement on the toes. We will work with the left leg as the active leg, obviously.
In this position, hold the bar with your left hand. Keep the center supported, without taking out the ribs and with the hips down. The left arm should be in first position
Step 3. Plie and develop your leg forward
The arms should remain in first position and the hips down. The plie involves bending your left leg slightly, making sure to keep your knees in the same direction as your toes. To develop your leg forward, point your left foot forward until you extend your leg at a 90-degree angle to your body.
Step 4. Open your leg to the side, or to the second
The arm will also open to the second position. You should stay in plie, with your knees pointing in the same direction as your toes. Make sure to keep your hips low and square.
Step 5. Do all the movements at the same time
The arm must return to the first position, the active leg will go to passé, and the base leg to relevé. Don't forget to keep your core tight and your hips down the entire time.
Step 6. Once you have completed these three moves at the same time, do a pirouette
Plie and unfold your leg forward, open it to the second leg, then do a pirouette back to the bar. This is the basic twist to making a fouetté, just with a little help. Once you feel comfortable on the bar, you can begin practicing without support.
Part 2 of 2: Perfecting the Twist
Step 1. Work your relays on one leg, making sure you are able to do thirty-two in a row comfortably
A fouetté is a relevé and a turn at the same time, so if you are not able to control the relevés yet, you should work on the strength and balance of the base leg. Keep in mind that you don't have to always do thirty-two fouettés in a row, but if you can reach the maximum, doing less will be a piece of cake. Having a firm, balanced and strong relay is essential. To do a relevé:
- Plant one foot on the floor and the other slightly behind the body.
- Push to transfer the weight directly to your toes, lifting yourself off your base foot.
- Move your hips only vertically, up and down, and keep your body straight.
- Practice moving your free leg forward and around your body (try doing a "ronde de jambe"), keeping your torso balanced and steady.
Step 2. Once planted on the relevé foot, practice throwing the active leg forward, out and in (retired)
This move is only part of the fouetté, but you will have to nail it if you want to achieve the full turn. Maintaining an even balance, not just on your toes, on your right foot (if you are a right-handed dancer), practice these three steps without leaning your torso or losing stability. The hips, especially, must remain immobile.
- Raise your left leg forward, keeping it straight.
- Draw an arc in the air to the left with your left leg, so that it is perpendicular to your body.
- Bend the left knee bringing the toes of the left foot towards the right leg, the central axis of the body.
The feet will be in fourth position
Step 3. Focus on the base leg to stay steady instead of thinking about the active leg
During practice, work on keeping your leg elevated in the background, directing your attention to your base leg. By concentrating on your base leg, you will avoid becoming unstable on stage and losing your balance when you tire, so you can keep turning.
Don't forget to keep your hips fixed in the same position during the twist. They should rotate as if they were fixed on the base leg
Step 4. Use your left leg throw to the side to gain momentum
Many inexperienced dancers throw their leg forward, bring it slightly to the side, and immediately scoop it up. However, this kick to the side generates most of the momentum to turn and should be a fundamental movement in the execution of the fouetté. Imagine that there is someone grabbing your foot and turning it to the left (if the raised leg is the left) to make you turn on the base foot.
Step 5. Coordinate the extension of the arms with the launch of the leg
When throwing the left leg to the left, the left arm should open at the same time. Imagine that the left hand and foot are linked by a rope. This will give you the momentum you need to turn your whole body and it will be much easier to keep your balance.
When your toes reach the end point of the turn, you should bring your hands back together. Then the active leg and arms will open again to initiate the next turn
Step 6. Keep your chest elevated and open for better turning
Use your hands to open your torso. The shoulders should be well aligned and down, and the chest elevated. When the hands come together again, do not allow the torso to shrink or the back to hunch. You must remain high, strong and balanced. The chest must be raised to achieve correct posture during the turn.
Advice
- Always keep the center subject and the buttocks gathered inwards.
- Always remember to look at a point. Fixing your gaze on one point can make a difference, as well as allowing you to turn without getting too dizzy.
- Remember to make a plie between fouetté and fouetté.
- To start practicing the fouettés, keep your belly supported, thus improving your balance.
- Make sure to work on leg flexibility often to improve rotation when performing fouettés.
- It is advisable to learn to turn in retiré and in coupe before attempting to make fouettés.