“Plié is the first thing you learn and the last thing you master.” - Suzanne Farrell, noted American ballerina
It’s one of the most amazing things to me that in ballet, as with other highly-sophisticated techniques, you can continue to learn new things in practicing the technique and artistry your whole life long! The training never ends, no matter how “advanced” or masterful you become.
On the one hand, it’s just one of many steps a ballet dancer must learn, but it is also integral to modern dance and mastery of movement in general. All athletes could benefit from a little plié in their lives, as pliés are a powerhouse, like a coiled spring full of potential for changing level, direction, and path through rising, sinking, jumping, turning, and landing with integrity and quiet control.
Half- or Demi Plié begins with equal distribution of the weight through the soles of both feet, with approximately a third of the weight over the big and small toe joints and heel. Length is maintained through the spine, with the pelvis in neutral alignment, the core engaged to allow a flow of energy through the spine, similar to the Uddiyana Bandha in yoga. The knees slowly bend until reaching the limit keeping the heels on the floor, then knees slowly extend to return to the starting position.
As the knees bend, they track over the middle toe, so whether the dancer is in a parallel or turned-out position, the angle of rotation in the hip, knee, and foot matches. This means the dancer is not twisting in the knee or ankle joint, but stabilizing a rotation from the hip joint, the safest technique for producing turnout. Full- or Grand Plié bends the knees further bringing the pelvis lower, possibly between the knees with the thighs parallel to the floor at the lowest point, with spinal alignment and neutral pelvic alignment intact.
In yogic philosophy, the action of plié is centered around the 1st Chakra in the legs and pelvis. From a solid foundation and proper alignment, energy can flow throughout the Nadis, and engagement our deep core musculature is important to maintaining posture and balance.
How does this all relate to coaching and our larger experience of life? If we don’t continue to practice the basics, of whatever technique we specialize in, we won’t improve as artists and we must attend to our fundamental needs first before further learning and accomplishment can take place.
Here are some of my favorite sources for more:
Dictionary and Technical Manual of Classical Ballet by Gail Grant
Basic Principles of Classical Ballet: Russian Ballet Technique by Agrippina Vaganova
The Cecchetti Method of Classical Ballet Theory and Technique by Cyril W. Beaumont and Stanislas Idzikowski
Ballet Pedagogy: The Art of Teaching by Rory Foster
The Ballet Companion by Eliza Gaynor Minden
For more information about my classes and videos about ballet technique, dance, yoga, and coaching, please visit my website at ablythecoach.com
