If you see the term -allegro- used in a music book it means brisk tempo or merry, but in ballet allegro is -grand- when it includes big or high travelling jumps and -petit- when the jumps are smaller, faster and more precise.
Petit allegro is used in most of the famous ballets performed on stage. These small, quick, sharp jumps showing precise and fast footwork charm audiences worldwide. A good example of this is the four little swans that dance with their arms interlocked in the second act of swan lake. Petit allegro showcases both male and female virtuosity. Often it is used as a friendly competition between the sexes, as can be seen in the Bluebird Pas de Deux in The Sleeping Beauty.
Grand allegro is used for those thrilling and unexpected moments and often receives applause mid variation. Mostly the Men get to shine in this section, with their soaring leaps and many of them getting to heights that women only dream about. Women’s grand allegro though has also come a long way as more choreographers recognise how much strength and stamina today’s ballerina has.
There are many steps in ballet dancing that make up the vocabulary of petit and grand allegro. There are changements, soubresauts, assembles, jetes, pas de chat, entrechats, cabriole, brisse and many others.
Here are some ways in which you can improve your allegro in your ballet dancing:
When starting your jump make sure that you push off your whole foot, all the way through to your toes, and this will increase your elevation and ensures that your feet are well pointed in the air.
When landing, do so through your whole foot, starting with the tips of your toes and ending with the heel touching down. Pressing your heels to the floor will give you greater stability and a secure base for a powerful push off once more.
Use the music by letting the rhythm in the music cue your take off. If the music is really fast concentrate on the landing beat rather than the taking off beat to keep you on time.
Try to control your arms, relax your shoulders and free your neck of tension as you jump.
Make sure that your breathe, as this will add power to your movements and prevent you from becoming out of breath..
Hold your back, especially on your landings. Letting your spine collapse makes it harder to go into the next jump with control.
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