This isn't a video on relevé, it's a whole PhD in relevé!!! Also I'm absolutely in love with your half bored and annoyed voice at everything that's wrong in the world when it comes to this haha!! While at same time it's meant in a loving way, much like parents role their eyes to their teenagers who they they figured it all out 🤣 I think it's the same, in that we're all human and we all want to get the faster, or cutting corners when we feel like we can, but the truth and the real world is that nothing of actual quality can be achieved this way, so I thank you so much for taking the time to educate us mortals!! Especially since in a ballet class none of this would be explained to the degree that it is necessary so I'm very grateful to be able to complete a course with these videos!! And my instructor has noticed!! Even though he's not aware of my finding your Videos! 😅😍🙏
I think it's a wonderful video for students! So many of my students want to wing their feet because it's "so beautiful", but they don't see how dangerous it can be! I always say it's a privilege to do pointe work, but it's also a big responsibility and you need to be mature and understand that you can really hurt yourself if you don't listen to your teacher. When they start, I ask that they leave their pointe shoes at the studio and I give them many exercises to do at home to strengthen their feet, ankles, calves, etc. It's ironic, but the fastest way to get really good on pointes is to take your time to do it right! The stronger you are before pointes, the faster you'll be able to properly be on the box and do centre work. I see so many people (on RU-vid) hanging so tight to the barre because they lack strength and shouldn't be in pointe shoes at all... Other people are bending their knees because they don't have the proper muscles to handle pointe shoes (like in the hip-hop/pointes pictures). That's not pretty at all! It felt good to let it all out, hahaha!!!
This is so helpful. I've been looking for more in-depth information for a proper releve rather than the lazy, "Go on the balls of your feet" explanation. Teaching is a beautiful skill that you have. Not many people have that ability to explain things in a way beginners can understand. Thank you so much for sharing this information!
I appreciate your explanation as well. I started back taking dance 10 years ago in my 40s but I have never danced en pointe. However, when viewing the hiplet videos, I knew something bothered me about it but I couldn't articulate why.
Man, I'm not in ballet, always had much respect for these dancers and would love to learn, i am a massage practitioner of many modalities as well as a trainer and nutritionist and man I'm impressed at your knowledge of kinesiology and anatomy. Your explanation of action is awesome, especially about being hyper-mobile. In my feilds its been a life long challenge to relearn proper techniques to take care of my knees and other joints. I'd love to learn from this lady.
I am loving your clips. I am starting ballet again after a 35 year break. It's hard but so enjoyable. I want to make sure I do every movement correctly. So these clips are perfect for me to correct myself when practicing at home. Thank you.
VERY GOOD INFORMATIVE VIDEO! I've been doing Ballet off and on now 'starting in my mid-forties' for about 6 years and it's actually taken me that long to figure out the extreme 'UTTER' importance of proper releve' and also, building foot strength and turnout. Inconsistent training due to life events has obviously, not helped. I've had to learn the hard way that you can't do anything in Ballet without a strong foundation in the aforementioned three areas. Consistent exercises to attack those three areas has dramatically improved everything and therefore, vastly increased my fun level with this Art Form.
Such a good video. I do think it is important to note that knuckling can be a result of an improper fitting shoe as well (too soft of a shank, too low of a vamp etc). Regardless you have a gift for explaining things thoroughly and it is nice to see someone who is vaganova trained sharing proper technique advice here on you tube.
This was very informative and well done. It gave me some things to think about. I love how in detail you went. It was not too long at all and I think the most informative video I've seen on this subject. Thank you so much.
Thanks for this video. There is a lack of information on this topic. I've spent hours looking at pictures and watching turns to see how top dancers are doing releve. One thing, especially for beginners or maybe males, is that they may lack the ankle mobility to get high enough for the straight line. I have this issue for my left ankle, and it ends up making it hard to get into the "sweet spot." Concentrating on the hip turnout and glutes helps achieve a better position/line all the way down to the toes.
Agree with another writer, your tone is appealing. I just don't want another "hi, guys!" video to get through. I'm editing my comment to tell you how very useful the section on pointe is for me, because I've been working basic pointe for strength. Your exercises with explanation where I can see your ankles working have given me the best visual and verbal cues, supporting the demand for constant relevè work with alignment. I very much enjoy your videos, this, the pas de bourrée, and the Coppelia repertoire. I just found your videos and fully intend to use them.
Excellent!!!!! This is useful for all levels of pointe work and thanks for being so meticulous, some of the things you mention are not always a given in class, you might think that something is taught but it's not always the case. Keep it up and Stay salty, we enjoy it ;)
Thank you so much for this video! Pictures on the internet always show feet with super high instep, but my feet look more like yours - decent arch but low instep. It’s super helpful to see what a good releve looks like without the super high insteps.
Fantastic tutorial, all of your information is so relevant for me at this moment in time. I am an advanced adult ballet student with years of training behind me. I am just starting on pointe shoes with my teacher in private lessons. Currently, I am just learning how to work through my arch and strengthen my feet further, while working at the barre. After watching your tutorial, I have picked up even more extremely important "pointes" (sorry about the pun!). When I began my journey onto pointe, my teacher did tell me..."this is not going to happen overnight and you need to work on the basics of pointe every single day". Patience and persistence is key for me right now. Wondering if you could do a tutorial on basic pointe exercises at the barre to help strengthen and reinforce proper posture and alignment.
Im not a ballet dancer but lately ive been so interested in it...so im trying to atleast apply it whenever i dance a different genre...im currently practicing my releves
i only came to this video to see the movement cos it was mentioned in a fanfic that i’m reading and i ended up watching most of the video. this is so interesting!! u really go into depth on what not to do i like and agree with the other comments hahaha
You should buy this book called Perfect Pointe by Lisa Howell, there are so many exercises you can do to help yourself go on pointe shoes faster! It helped a lot of my students. Also, you should take 3 classes per week to develop the strength, stamina and flexibility you need to go en pointe. Here's the link : www.theperfectpointebook.com/buy-now/ Don't give up, you'll get there!
video was incredibly informative as far as relevés go, but w/regard to the ballerinas doing hip hop it's very interesting that you suggested the girls "find other shoes to do it in" rather than encouraging the idea of using correct form. There are plenty of ballerinas who do hip hop ballet in pointe shoes and have excellent form, wish you could have also shown that
Thank you so much! Your video was so informative :) which is definitely a good thing. I stopped my Pilates training for a month or so but I'm going to be practicing at home again and especially since summer is coming up! I thought I will do Pilates to warm up with a simple classical barre followed by an in depth stretch and maybe a bit of technique :) every few days but doing strengthening in my feet and feet flexibility on the days off to improve for pointe work!
I loved this video because you explain very well and detailed and found it very helpful because my feet is not flat but is so hard to point it perfectly and do releve because my arch is not flexible enough and I feel mad with myself when I struggle a lot doing releves =( now I’m going to pay more attention in every detail to not giving up =)
Hi Salty Sugar Plum! When you have time, can you do a tutorial for a very easy beginner routine at the barre? Most videos I've seen are just too complicated with extensions, frappes and God knows what else. Just looking for something that I can practice everyday at home that will put me on a good start to get better and conditioned. Thank you!
This is really excellent. Obviously a great teacher. My only quibble is it moves a bit too fast, I guess the editing has run the speech too close together. It's too much info to process so quickly. If you do other videos I suggest you slow it down a bit, or have some gaps of silence to process the information.
thank you for the feedback! this was one of my first "real" long youtube videos where I went in to huge detail, I was still an inexperienced editor. (I still am!) haha, I was also working under the assumption that views would pause, rewind or replay something if they needed more time to process 🙂
Hi. Im 44 and started dancing Tango 1.5 yrs ago. Teachers recommend doing ballerina excersises to strengthen my ankles. I've being stretching my ankles for more than 2 months now but i dont notice much difference in the arch (even when I boticed the difference in my dance, I don't wabble much anymore). How long it normally takes to see results? Also I'm flat feet but idk if that has something to do with it. How often should I stretch and what exercises you recommend to make my ankles/legs stronger?
releve’s are my weakness.. which is sad because it’s SO important. but they really hurt me because i’ve had really bad ingrown toenails for about 4 years now. they haven’t been infected but they get so so so sore and it hurts to put pressure on them. it’s both of my big toes, so when i do stuff i’m always on the outside of my foot, which is so bad!! it’s really annoying 😔
When I coached womens gymnastics, i used to get a ballet dancer in once a week to intruct my girls. Of course I never payed attention because I left it up to her. Now I realize the error in my ways. This was an ecellent video, very intructive and also terribly informative for injury purposes. I do have one question: If a ballerina has her second toe longer than her big toe, she must be in agony enpointe!How do they get around it? :-)
my second toe is longer than my big toe and I dont really experience pain. I think my second toe bends or curls a little bit (that may not be a good thing, but it's ever caused me pain though) you can also add a bit more padding under the big toe to give yourself more space. or some people tape the toes together.
Do you teach adults who have never done ballet? Where are you located? I ask because I've been interested in learning, and you seem to break things down really well and understandably. I've never danced and I'm not overly flexible. But I have always wanted to try and learn and develop better flexibility. I want to find a class that is designed for adults who have no idea what they are doing LOL! I'm afraid I'd make a fool of myself if I was in a class with those who are already further along.
i live in New York. I don't typically teach adults but most of the children i teach are beginners and have never danced before. adult beginner classes do exist, but they are a little harder to find! i've given private sessions to teens and adults
@@GambardellaGiana I dont go to Manhattan very frequently, but when I do I usually choose Broadway Dance Center or Ballet Arts. I hear good things about "Steps" too but I havent been there
Question! When you mean pulling up the knee-cap muscle - is that the same as engaging the quad muscle (and how that sort of pulls up the knee)? Thank you so much, this was really helpful!
the word relevé literally just translates to "raised." A raising of the body on point or demi-pointe, can be achieved with or without a plié, otherwise we're just getting into semantics.
Thank you so much for this video❤ i have semi flat arches and ive been in pointe for many many years but we're amateurs. My foot en pointe is being better now wigh practicing but during a dance it doesnt look as good as when im at the barre. Also in demi, i cant reach my best height with one foot releves without support. Can you show some exercises to build up strength and help foot flexibility?
Thanks for this I often have a bent knee when on releve arabesque trying to strengthen feet but any tips would be useful which muscle do I need to work on
imagine your actual femur bones and tibia bones rotating from under your muscles. imagine you are wearing tights with seams down the backs of your legs, but your want to twist your seams forward and show them to the front. also, imagine that you have strings pulling your heels forward, as if you want the sole of your foot facing forward.
hello! I started ballet two years ago (I was 22) and I have "natural" sickled feet, by that I mean that when I relax my legs my feet turn inside and I have to force them to put them straight. My relevé has gotten better but I'm not sure what exercises I can do daily to fix that sickle problem. When I point they still turn to the inside and it's very discouraging. Also my ankles are very unflexible, so that doesn't help the problem. Any tips? xx
Claudia Dean has made varilus ballet feet videos, and in one of them (sry can't remeber which) she showed an "anti-sickling during releve" - exercise with a theraband
Hi! I am an eleven year old dancer and I have very high arches, a very high instep, and very winged foot. I have tried to see if I am doing a correct relvè but I feel like I go to far how to I stop that? Thank you!
You need to work on your strength. The more naturally flexible you are, the less strength you have. See videos that will help you build that strength in your ankles you need to stay straight on pointes. Do a lot of relevés and focus on keeping your foot at the right place. You can do relevés in stairs too, it builds stamina. Another good exercise is to write the alphabet with your pointed feet in the air. An exercise I did to build my strength was doing calf raises (like relevés) with a tennis ball between my ankles (it can help if you sickle, but if your feet really are winged when you relevé, don't do this one!) There are Theraband exercises you can do. This book is amazing for young students like you who want to work on their strength before going on pointes (or while on pointes) (link: www.theperfectpointebook.com/buy-now/) Here are a few videos, you can surely find many others.... The first part on strengthening : ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Pe6YxF__UOY.html Another one : ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-upJjso3nQ1w.html Here are exercises to do en pointes : ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Tlstu5LjF0o.html There's also this girl named Lisa Maree who does videos, she has super flexible feet and has nice videos on strengthening. Good luck !
Thank you so much for your videos, they are so detailed and therefore VERY helpful. I'd in fact say you make the best ballet videos on youtube!! I'm wondering about relevé in third, fourth and fifth. Could you explain that in some of your future videos? like what's the technique. Our teacher tells us we need to keep our glutes lifted and trying to squeeze the inner thigh together, that would be ok, but how am i supposed to hold the rotation at the same time? also i'm nut 100% sure what the exact leg position is, are they supposed to cover each other (you showed it in 5th position, that they should look like 1 with 2 heels) but is it the same in 3rd and 4th? Thank you!!
it depends on where the pain is, and what type of pain. i'm not an orthopedist, but i would say that sharp, pinching pain is not normal, thats usually a sign of impingement / inflammation.
they're basically the same. calf raise is the term mostly used by non-dancers- for example in the gym or aerobics class. "calf rasies" imply that it is an exercise focused on strengthening. "releve" simply means 'to rise' in French... but when using it in dance, it's more than just strengthening, it is also aesthetic. a relevé is the highest possible calf raise, to make the foot and leg appear longer. (it also has the added benefit of strengthening if you repeat them) but relevé is meant to achieve other movements in ballet.
@@fingerstyleacoustic6214 it might, everyone is different, and it depends on what your goals are. i know dancers with os trigonum who go through most of their career without too much difficulty. alternatively, some dancers require surgery (removing the extra bone) because the bone 'gets in the way' and prevents them from performing en pointe proficiently. people with os trigonum are also prone to the FHL tendon getting caught in it's own sheath (this is something that happened to me, and required surgery) you may feel a pain and tightness behind your inside ankle bone, and feel like your big toe cannot flex all the way when you want to stand on the ball of your foot... in this case, you would have to practice a lower calf raise. if you are a professional dancer, and a "low" relevé is not an option, then you may require surgery.
@@SaltySugarPlum that's very nice advice 🙏. I feel pop near my archilles whenever i flex my big toe joint down and it causes pain in inner part of ankle if i force. I haven't had any symptoms till now but recently an ankle injury and now got this. In x ray it shows small bone like thing. I don't want surgury 😭.
