Ballet's Fondue: Mastering The Art Of Graceful Bending

Fondue is a delicious meal, but it is also a ballet term. In ballet, a fondu describes a specific type of movement and has the same root as the French word for melted. Just like melting cheese, a fondu in ballet is a smooth, controlled, and fluid movement. It involves a dancer performing a plié on one leg while the other leg does something different, such as stretching out to a straight position. This step is important because it helps dancers gain strength and control, preparing them for other steps like pirouettes and jumps.

Start in first position, with heels together and toes pointed outward

To start a fondu in ballet, stand with your heels together and toes pointed outward in first position. From here, you will perform a plié on one leg, while the other leg simultaneously does a different movement. This could be picking up to coupé and then stretching out to a straight leg position.

The knee of the supporting leg should stay over the toes as you plié, and you should keep this awareness throughout the step. The fondu is a gradual movement, and no matter the speed, it should be controlled and fluid.

Remember, the name 'fondu' means 'melted' in French, so think of this move as melting or bending the supporting leg with coordination. The working leg can finish on the floor or in the air, and both legs must straighten smoothly and simultaneously.

Keep your hips square and your core strong throughout the movement. The hips should remain immovable, no matter which direction the legs go.

Slowly bring your leg into a coupé, with toes pointed and knees bent

Coupé, derived from the French word "couper", meaning "to cut", is a swift movement where one foot slices in front of or behind the other. The newly active foot is pointed by the ankle of the stationary leg.

To slowly bring your leg into a coupé, with toes pointed and knees bent, you can follow these steps:

Start by bending your supporting knee and lowering into a plié. Keep your weight distributed evenly over your supporting foot, ensuring your knee stays over your toes. This is your centre of stability and support. As you bend, simultaneously peel your working leg off the floor through the foot, bringing it to the "cou-de-pied" position ("neck of the foot"). This is done by raising the arched working foot to the ankle, with the toes pointed.

From this position, you can now slowly bring your working leg into a coupé by slicing it in front of or behind the stationary leg. Keep your toes pointed and your knees bent throughout this movement. The working thigh should remain below a 90-degree angle to achieve a good turnout.

Remember, the fondue movement should be smooth and controlled, just like melting cheese in a fondue. The focus is on proper turnout, so engage those deep lateral rotator muscles to achieve a full extension into the coupé.

Bend your supporting leg and open both legs to the front

To perform a fondue in ballet, you must start in the first position, with your heels together and toes pointed outward. The movement should be smooth and fluid, like melted cheese or chocolate fondue.

To bend your supporting leg and open both legs to the front, follow these steps:

• From the first position, slowly bring your leg into a coupé, with toes pointed and knees bent.
• Bend your supporting leg, keeping your knee over your second toe to maintain proper alignment and prevent rolling in.
• Simultaneously, open both legs to the front very slowly, as if moving through water or taffy.
• Stretch both legs and close them by bending both knees and lowering into a plié.
• Ensure your hips remain square and your core is engaged throughout the movement.
• Repeat this movement, focusing on the controlled and gradual quality of the fondu.

The fondu is a crucial step in ballet, helping dancers gain strength, control, and coordination. It is an excellent preparation for jumps and improves a dancer's ability to control their turnout in mid-air.

Keep your hips square and core strong

To hold your hips square and your core strong during a battement fondu, there are several exercises you can try.

Firstly, you can try a tabletop stretch. Begin on your hands and knees, bring your right knee forward and place it behind your right wrist, then place your right ankle in front of your left hip. Straighten your left leg behind you, keeping your toes pointed and your knee straight. Gently lower yourself to the ground, keeping your hips square, and hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds. If this feels comfortable, you can lean your upper body forward over your bent leg and hold for another 30 seconds.

Another stretch that can help is the static hip flexor stretch. Kneel on your right knee and place your left foot in front of you at a 90-degree angle. Lean forward and place your hands on either side of your left foot. Lift your back knee off the ground so you're in a lunge position, maintaining a 90-degree angle with your front leg. Hold this stretch for 15-30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.

You can also try a lunge exercise. Stand with your back to a wall, then step your right foot forward and place it flat on the ground about 2 to 3 feet away from the wall. Lift your left foot and place it against the wall, with your toes pointing upwards and your heel resting on the wall. Slowly lower your body towards the ground, bending your right knee and keeping your left foot in place. Lower until your right thigh is parallel to the ground and your knee is directly above your ankle. Hold this position for a few seconds, then push back up to the starting position. Repeat this exercise for the desired number of repetitions, then switch legs.

To strengthen your hip flexors, you can also incorporate exercises such as leg lifts, bicycle crunches, and pikes into your training routine. Additionally, core strength exercises such as planks, crunches, and Russian twists can help improve your stability and balance.

Finish with both legs straightening smoothly and simultaneously

To finish with both legs straightening smoothly and simultaneously, you must start from a fifth position. The leg that is in front will be taken to cou-de-pied while the supporting leg is bent into a demi-plié. Then, both legs will be straightened at the same time, and the pointed foot of the leg that was in front will be gently placed on the floor.

The working leg can finish on the floor (a terre) or in the air (en l'air) at either a 45-degree or 90-degree angle. No matter how high the working leg goes, both legs must straighten smoothly and at the same moment.

The fondu is a melting or sinking-down movement. This term describes the action of slowly bending the supporting leg into a demi-plié, while the working leg is in cou-de-pied or en l'air.

The fondu is a great preparation for jumps that land on one leg. You can practice the technique for a safer and more placed jump landing every time you do fondus at the barre, especially in combinations with multiple fondus.

A fondu can also be combined with rond de jambe en l'air. This is a circular movement done by the working leg while keeping the hips square and passing through first position. In a rond de jambe, both legs are completely straight, and the working foot is fully pointed.

Frequently asked questions