Pointes and Perspective #36 Smoke And Mirrors

Smoke and Mirrors

I was teaching an adagio combination to my university students the other day. It was an advanced combination with plenty of ponchés, promenades, and grand rond de jambes scattered throughout it. After dictating the series of steps, we marked the piece with music, and I showed it as fully as I am able, which, at this point, knock on wood, I am still pretty capable! 

After the mark, I turned to the students to confirm they understood the combination. I then offered a technical reminder, that we are to lift only our supporting heel while executing the promenade, and never the toes, keeping our weight over the ball of the foot in a series of miniscule, smooth elevés. I continued with a question, “ Did anyone take note of my promenade in that mark?” 

Several students quickly threw compliments my way, pantomiming applause, and offering flattering and favorable remarks. I smiled politely in receipt, and then rephrased my question, “But did anyone notice my supporting foot in that mark?”

There was a quiet lack of response, until one student bravely raised her hand, wanting to hold back her answer. I smiled and answered for her, “My supporting foot was a wobbly, inconsistent mess!” The group politely muttered in protest, “No way! It was beautiful! I didn’t see that!”

EXACTLY! I explained that no exercise, performance, step, or combination will be perfect, but it is your job to make it seem that way. You are to give the allusion of lightness, floating, ease, and perfection! When in reality, there are sweat, tears, nerves, blunders and wobbles! 

The majority of your audience are not dancers. Your mother, father, grandmother, and civilian patrons of the ballet are not always watching your feet. They are watching the entire picture. They are becoming consumed by the story, and immersed in the production. They are most likely noticing first, your face and what surrounds it - port de bras!

In theatre, perception is reality. If your audience perceives a performance as beautiful, that is their reality. It’s all "smoke and mirrors", an expression alluding to the performances of magicians who used actual smoke and mirrors to deceive the audience, and later a figurative referring to the obscuring or embellishing of the truth in order to deceive the general public. Whether in politics or the theatre, the use of "smoke and mirrors" can be used to make people see what they wish to see.Your job is to draw attention away from the slips and slights, and they will see only the beautiful picture - the facade you have created. 

So don’t give up when you are feeling off balance, unstable, uncontrolled. Keep going in that promenade on that wobbly supporting foot, and make up for it in stunning lines in the working leg, and striking epaulment!

As my University students took their places for the adagio combination, I wrapped up the discussion, quoting The Wizard of Oz, “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!” The students looked at me inquisitively, as I carried on. “Don’t you remember when Toto pulled back the curtain, exposing that the great and powerful wizard was simply human?”

Create the facade of that great and powerful ballerina, working through your human obstacles, using a little…

Smoke and Mirrors!