Ballet is one of the most widely performed types of concert dance. Each year, thousands of people flood theaters to see ballerinas put on shows. Choreographers plan each movement and step the dancers make. Countless hours of preparation go into practicing routines before dance concerts.
Classical ballet is a very difficult dance style to master. It strictly follows traditional ballet technique. Dancers are expected to properly use their bodies to execute and artistically express routines. Good technique requires that dancers have proper alignment. Dancers’ heads, shoulders, and hips are supposed to line up perfectly. Ballet places a lot of emphasis on the lines of the body. “Good lines” are a combination of the body a dancer is born with and the development that comes from training.
The proper positioning of the feet is especially important to ballet dancing. Turnout is the basis for all ballet movements. In this position, the legs are rotated outward from the hips down, and the knee and foot are turned away from the center of the body. A perfect turnout is measured at a 180-degree line between the feet when the dancer is in first position with his or her heels touching. The knees are also supposed to touch, and correct posture includes straightened legs.
One of the most recognizable classical ballet techniques is en pointe dancing. This skill requires that dancers wear special shoes that allow them to dance on the tips of their toes for extended periods of time. It takes a lot of training and strength to dance en pointe. The entire body—including legs, back, ankles, and abdominal muscles—is used for this technique. Dancers can injure themselves or permanently damage their feet if they start pointe dancing too early.
11
En pointe is French for
A.
"on difficult ground."
B.
"perfect body form."
C.
"on the tips of the toes."
D.
"point your toes."