The art of pas de deux

The art of pas de deux

In the first part of our series on pas de deux, we discussed some basic preparations. In this issue Michelle Dursun gets down to the nittygritty.

Balances

One of the misconceptions about pas de deux is that it is all about lifting. Not so, says Angus Lugsdin, coordinator and senior dance instructor at Queensland Dance School of Excellence. “The most difficult skill to learn is for the boy to find his partner’s balance over her supporting leg and keep her there, and for the girl to establish correct ballet positions so that the boy can sense where her centre is.”

Lugsdin advises that for all balances, dancers need to ensure that they are properly aligned and be focused on a single point. Girls need to hold their position even if tempted to put a foot down because it is very difficult for the boy if she is moving around too much. Girls must also remember not to grip the boy’s hand, but to lightly rest her hand on his. “A boy should provide stable support,” Lugsdin says, “allowing the girl to let go of him when she has her balance”. 

A boy can feel whether his partner is on balance. “If there is weight on his hand then the girl is not on balance and the boy needs to help her get back on her leg,” says Tim Storey, head of Dance at the Victorian College of Arts Secondary School.

Storey suggests that partnering work is often harder for boys than girls as they have to unlearn some of their ballet technique. For maximum stability and balance, boys often need to establish a parallel or turned-in position, which goes against the usual expectation of turn-out.

This is an extract from an article in the current (Oct/Nov) issue of 'Dance Australia'. For advice on turns, catches and shoulder sits, BUY NOW!