I would like to improve my grande jetes en avant. I know that I have enough ballon, and I am able to sit in front splits, but when I do grande jetes, I can't seem to "throw" the legs into that 180-degree angle. <P>If you know of any specific exercises which could help, please reply! I would GREATLY appreciate any comments or suggestions-thanks.

If you can sit in a shoulder sit (lay on your back and roll up your spine till your resting on the shoulders and nape of the neck). Then battlement like you would in a grande jete that will show you what you look like in the air. Assuming you've achevied the flexibility (which if you can do a front split w/ out a problem then it sounds like you have) you just need the strength to throw and hold your legs out there. So at the barre really really work on the sharpness of things like quick tendus degage and especially grande battlement, afterall all a grande jete is just a battlement w/ a leap attached.<BR>Hope that helps<BR>~K~

Dancelite, if you can sit in a split then you are demonstrating that you have the stretch for a complete grand jeté. Please read the strength section of this thread:<P><A HREF=../../../ubb/Forum7/HTML/000291.html><B>STRETCH AND STRENGTH</B></A><P>The resulting jump is formed from the preparation. I know it is trite to say, but you have to really have a good plié first. And being trite doesn't make it less true. <P>When I am doing a grand jeté or any other large jump, I place my full attention on that crucial preparation. If I am doing pas de bourée, glissade and then the grand jeté, that pas de bourée, gets a good run, that glissade MOVES, and that final plié really DIGS down......... <P>There is also the second kick/breath/spread phenomenon. At the height of the jump inhale and lift the legs again. I read that Nijinsky said that he inhaled at the height of his jumps. And the "second kick/spread - another lift of the legs will help too.<P>It also helps not to throw the front leg too high. You can practice this jump in two parts - try to aim for a split - then do it and try to aim for height. Then when you feel both have improved - try to join those two qualities.<P>And - try to envision it. Visualization really does help.<P><BR><p>[This message has been edited by Basheva (edited June 02, 2001).]

I have the perfect split in the air so I thought that I would work for height. How?

Born2Dance - generally speaking women have more of a split in the jump - and men get more height. Height can depend on the construction of your body - legs, achilles tendon and knees. It can also depend on your strength and experience.<P>You can also give the illusion of height - and many dancers do this by trying to stay in the air during the jump. Nijinsky said his secret was to inhale at the height of his jump.<P>The preparation for the jump is probably the most important part of the jump - by the time you get into the air - it's too late. It's the preparation that makes the jump what it is. And that is the same as I stated in my post above - dig into the ground, get up to speed, a good plié, kick, push - and inhale. Keep your chest forward (not pushed out) but leading you. <P>It takes time - years even to perfect (it's never PERFECT, you know) all of the elements of a jump. And, you have to also realize that everyone has limitations. Some people have a wonderful natural jump - and others a bit less so.<P> Work for your best and then learn to make it beautiful with your arms, your head, your smile. Let people see the joy in your jump. If they see that joy, they won't care about the exact height. But a high jump without that joy, isn't worth the trouble. In my opinion.<p>[This message has been edited by Basheva (edited June 04, 2001).]

Also, check your focus and keep your chin up. Even smiling may help you gain height because the corners of your mouth curling upwards change your center of gravity (just joking, but smiling and enjoying yourself, as Basheva has said, are important, at any rate).

Speaking of splits- I can get my split on my right side just about perfectly. My left side, however, is a different story. I can get down after I am pretty warm, but my knee faces the outside, not down, and it is "this far" from actually being straight. I want to know what it is I have to stretch, it feels like that area of muscle or whatever under the left leg where the hip socket meets the leg. I think I've been stretching the left side differently, I can't even pull my leg up where my shoulder and head is when I'm standing, which I can easily do with my right leg when warm. HOw can I stretch it out???

Bebounce - remember - we are different from one side to the other. We chew on one side more that the other. We use one eye more that the other. There will always be one side that is easier, more comfortable and that just plain works better. <P>What you need to do is just work on it - but understand that one side will probably always be better. There might very well be a real difference between how the bones are shaped and fitted together in your hip socket. <P>Just don't push it - and be patient.