Refining Plié and Relevé

Join Andrea Zujko and Jennifer Milner for the third course in their Refining Series focused on the essential movements of Plié and Relevé. Comprising two of the fundamental building blocks in ballet, the ability to bend the knees and rise onto the balls of the feet are movements that both the novice and the professional utilize to build and maintain strength, flexibility, and balance.

Adequate use of plié aids a dancer’s ability to appear to float across the floor, allowing for more solid jumps and more secure landings with less risk of injury. Plié helps to center turns, improve carriage, and increases the capacity to breathe properly. A good plié also provides the control for more precise timing and more expressive musicality.

Optimal relevé alignment fosters a connection between the core and muscles of the entire lower extremity that manifests as a strong, stable ankle. The stronger the relevé, the smoother the turn and the more solid the balance. 

While basic, the movements of plié and relevé plie are far from trivial and are often plagued by compensations. These can be readily seen in various movement patterns that illustrate insufficient control of lumbopelvic alignment, hip external rotator and abductor recruitment and foot and ankle stability. 

Join them for a two-day virtual workshop focused on analyzing and optimizing the quality of execution and timing of these two foundational movements.