The Turn Out The "plié - tendu" The balance The flexibility The "cambré" Ballet Shoes The floor

Le plié - tendu

The bending-stretching, or obligatory alternation of the "plié - tendu", is performed using all the main articulations of the lower limb: hip, knee and the ankle which performs successively both plantar and dorsal hyper-flexion. The "plié - tendu" forms the basis of all jumps and "pointe" or "demi pointe" "relevés".


demi-plié

relevé sur demi pointes

The alternated bending - stretching or "plié - tendu" exercise is part of the barre limbering-up exercises.
The "demi - plié" can be performed in the 5 basic positions. It consists of a bending of the knees with the hips in external rotation and full dorsal extension of the ankles, the heels are flat on the floor. Body positioning here is essential; when the knees bend, the body must not sag: "the more you bend, the more you lift up your chest". The straightening and stretching strain is performed like a vertical thrust which could withstand a weight placed on the head. The chest is aligned above the pelvis, the turn out, which starts in the hip, is controlled in all lower limb articulations and in the positioning of the pelvis. The knees must be in the same frontal plane as the feet for a "plié" to be correct. A lack in the external rotation of the hip will cause the tibial axis to go into external rotation and tense the knee so that the dancer does not lose his footing in the turn out.
This exercise is part of jump preparation. The "demi plié" stretches the quadriceps femoris and the triceps surae and prepares them for their contraction in jumps and in "pointe" and "demi-pointe" "relevés", knee and ankle stretched. It is the beginning of any jump impetus, and any "pointe" and "demi-pointe" "relevé". It must also be used during jump receptions to absorb shock.

Jumps

Jumps are a large part of classical ballet. They are varied, with narrow or wide amplitude, usually lively and rapid, coupled with other movements. They are performed either by taking off from two feet with reception on one or both feet, or by taking off from one foot with reception on the same or the opposite foot or, on both feet. The femoro-patellar articulation suffers during successive bending – stretching that is badly performed. A attitude of dystonia is often apparent amongst young female dancers because they do not relax the quadriceps femoris between two contraction periods: resulting in femoro-patellar engagement pathologies. A specific re-educational exercise can be recommended for these dancers.
These jumps are also consistent with repeated pressurised weight-bearing movements that can take place too quickly and not trigger the muscle tensing and stretching reflex action that protects the articulations. Thus, trabecular micro- fractures can occur, causing, as a result of their multiplicity and repetition, an increase in hardness of the sub-chondral bone: a factor that promotes arthrosis.

Bibliography :

Peyre M, Cascua S, Prévention des syndrômes rotuliens Médecine et sciences de la danse IV° congrès international 18/6/94

Radin E.L., Paul I.L., Rose M, Le microtraumatisme, facteur mécanique dans la pathologénie de l'arthrose primitive. « La coxarthrose » formes étiologiques (rédacteur en chef. Ficat P). 11° cahiers d' enseignement de la S.O.F.C.O.T 140- 143 Expansion scientifique française

Sabourin F., Le genou du danseur, Pré-actes du 4° Congrès international sur la recherche en Danse, 25/29 09 1989

Thiescé A. - Hanche et Danse professionnelle. Thèse Med., Cochin, 1988.

Thiescé A. Le geste dansé et ses conséquences en rhumatologie ED Laboratoire Ciba-Geigy 1996