During the last 3 weeks of the Akhmedova Ballet Academy summer intensive, I have been practicing a new variation. This variation is from the ballet Paquita, but it is able to be used in other ballets like Don Quixote. Paquita which has two acts and was composed by Ludwig Minkus, and occurs in Spain. Paquita, who is a gypsy girl, doesn’t know that she was captured by a gypsy family as an infant, and is the daughter of a nobleman. Since she doesnt know her real family and where she actually stands, she is unable to keep the romance she has with Lucien. Later, after traveling the country, she is able to find her family and reunite with Lucien. It is so much fun to dance and rehearse, but it is also quite challenging with some of the parts in it. There are many diagonals, including ones with turns and others with jumps. As I was practicing my variation, I received many corrections that helped me as I was dancing. Also, parts of the variation were changed so that I could execute it better. For the very first part of the variation, some corrections that I got include holding my arms, using my head, getting on top of my leg in an arabesque, having a strong supporting leg and ankle. For the second part, which is a diagonal of attitude turns. Corrections that I got for this part of the variation are things like turn by using my supporting leg and also standing on the box of my pointe shoe so that I don't fall off of my leg. After this, the next part contains many grand jetés! When doing these jumps, instead of doing a développé, which is done in a grand pas de chat, a brush is needed and the leg is straight. It might feel like going over a chair, or mountain. I have gotten some corrections like bringing my back leg higher, pointing my feet in the air, and also making the “coming down part” shorter so that the actual jump is bigger. Finally, the last part is full of different kinds of turns, and is one of the harder parts. The corrections may include holding my stomach/ ribcage so it doesn't pop out, step in front and not to the side after a turn to keep the diagonal, and push by the knee to create more force when turning en dehors. There is still so much to improve, but these are the most common ones that I would get for this variation, and even just in general.


Publish Date: 08/16/2020