Fixed Points in the Studio

This post concerns my Combination Class, Pre-ballet and Ballet I.

There are eight fixed points in a studio according to the Vaganova Method (of teaching classical ballet). They are used for direction and orientation in the dance space. The mirror/audience side is always numbered "1" and the remaining seven numbers follow consecutively traveling clockwise.

Related Activities:

Combination Class: At the conclusion of a free dance I will call out one of these numbers. The dancers will run and pose by that number. I then make them identify whether they are upstage, downstage or center.

Pre-ballet: In addition to the above activity, while practicing sautés,(small jumps in first position), I have the dancers jump turning clockwise to the SIDES ONLY. They shout the number of the side they are facing when they land. So 3,5,7,1 or 7,5,3,1.

Ballet I: Does the sauté combination above, without counting out loud.

Familiarity with this fixed point system allows them to take verbal direction such as "Run from corner 6 to corner 2" or Travel from upstage to downstage, or from side 5 to side 1. Useful indeed!