Every ballet teacher knows the challenge: how do you explain arm positions to young dancers without losing their attention? Demi-seconde is a fantastic teaching tool for developing proper arm placement, but technical explanations won't captivate your tiny dancers.
Why Demi-Seconde Matters: While all ballet arm positions share the same basic curved shape through the wrists and elbows, demi-seconde offers unique advantages for young dancers. It:
helps develop the essential elbow curve,
builds arm strength gradually,
and provides an accessible stepping stone to more difficult positions.
Instead of focusing on placement and strength, try these imagination-sparking cues that secretly build perfect technique:
The Magic Umbrella "Round your arms like an umbrella, letting raindrops drip from your fingertips."
The Floating Nightgown "Remember standing over the warm air vent in your nightgown? Let your arms whoosh out just like that!"
The Candy Shop "Shape your arms round like gumdrops!" (If studio policy allows, giving students a gumdrop at the end of class is a fun way to reinforce this idea.)
The Prima Ballerina "Rest your fingertips gently on your imaginary tutu."
The Pirate Adventure "Draw your two swords and stand ready to defend our pirate ship!"
Ready to bring more joy and creativity to your ballet teaching? The Geeky Ballerina curriculum includes dozens of age-appropriate imagery cues, progressive technical development strategies, and creative teaching tools for every ballet level. Discover how to make technique magical for your young dancers. Explore the full curriculum here.
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