From the Dancer’s Perspective: Dog Slides

PTDT dancers do a lift that we call a Dog Slide – named because one dancer is in the Downward Dog yoga position allowing another dancer to slide down her back. It requires significant upper body strength for both dancers. The dancer who is the base (the dancer doing the lifting) has to support her […]

From the Dancer’s Perspective: Pirouette vs. Platter Turn

A while back in a contemporary technique class, a dancer asked how a person can spot in a platter turn. It’s crucial to spot in a pirouette or a compass turn, but a platter turn has the dancer’s body laid out in a lateral position rather than upright. So how DO you spot in a […]

Spotting: From the Dancers’ Perspective

Spotting. It’s that seemingly magical movement of the dancer’s head that is supposed to keep the dancer from getting dizzy and stabilize a turn. It also helps a dancer know how many revolutions they have finished. How does it work? The dancer focuses their eyes on one place in the room or theater, keeping their […]