Ballet Reflection #6

This week's ballet was the most exhausting ballet has been so far, but definitely the most rewarding. It was a lot of energy; we were running around the whole class and doing very aerobic moves. In did all of my barre stretches with my foot on the higher barre, parallel to about my shoulders, without much discomfort, something I certainly would not have been able to do when I first started. I also managed to improve my arabesques. Arabesque is hard, because your back has to be bent at a difficult angle - your leg is extended straight out behind you, but your chest has to be as if you are standing up straight, all while balancing on one leg. It is uncomfortable, but my posture has definitely improved in that. I also noticed that I am much, much better at balancing. I find it very easy to balance on my tiptoes in fifth position, with our without my arms out, whereas a month ago I was not able to balance on my toes at all. I noticed further my better balance when we did our turns, which I feel like I finally nailed this week. I was able to spin rapidly across the floor on my toes in a straight line, with good flow and form and without getting dizzy and falling down. I have been almost able to do this for several weeks, but I feel like I finally really got it this week. This has also improved my turns en passe, which are more difficult because you have to lift one leg off the ground and bring it so it is touching your knee (creating a "4" shape with your legs), all while balancing on tiptoe and spinning smoothly and repeatedly. Doing my turns to the left is still hard, but I feel like I have turns to the right almost perfect. This week I noticed a huge improvement in more than just ability to do the moves, but in the way that my body moves and works to make the moves easier.