ABSTRACT
Balletic movement has a rhythm of tension and release, inflow and outflow. Sometimes the steady flow of energy is unhindered, or Free, and sometimes it is controlled, or Bound. A grand battement typically initiates with an unhindered (Free Flow) toss of the leg upward in space followed immediately by a controlled (Bound Flow) descent of the leg back to fifth position. A balance a la seconde is often performed with outpouring fluidity (Free) and a promenade in first arabesque with contained fluidity (Bound). For many dancers, learning how to move the upper body Freely in space will help them breathe more actively. It is not be surprising if dancers lose their core support as they perform the Unlock the upper! activities. Ballet dancers need opportunities to perform in-class sequences in an uninhibited manner. This chapter also discusses ballooning from the perspective of Flow Effort in the form of an activity.
