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Both Sides of the Mirror Also by Anna Paskezjska Ballet: From the First Plie to Mastery, An Eight-Year Course Both Sides of the Mirror The Science Anna Paslzevslza I t wuuld nor be so bad if one could rely upon the teachers, but both in this country [England] and in America, particularly in America, I have come across teachers who have no right to be permitted to teach. They not only fail to teach what is accurate, but in many cases they actually do their pupils grievous bodily harm by giving them exercises entirely unfitted for their age and physique. . . . We are not machines. Anna Pavlova H e taught in such a way that the dancer began to know himself more completely, and that, I believe, is the first key to serious work, to becoming an artist-to know oneself, one's gifts, one's limitations, as fully as possible. It is the only way . . . [Pushkin had the ability] to guide the dancer down the right path toward being realistic about his gifts, and then to inspire him to work, and work hard, at making the most artistically of those gifts. He also taught me that no one else can assume this responsibility-an invaluable lesson. He didn't force you, he gave his wisdom freely, and you did with it what you could and would. Mikhail Baryshnikov speaking of his teacher, Alexander Pushkin Contents List of Illustrations Foreword ix xi Acknowledgments xiz 1 Introduction: A Personal Statement I 2 Physical Requirements 9 3 Posture and Placement 23 4 Progression of Training 41 5 Sequence of a Ballet Class 47 vii Both Sides of the Mirror viii 6 53 Barre Work 7 73 Positions 8 Port de Bras and Arabesques 85 9 Weight Transference and Jumps 10 Principles of Turning 117 1I Pointe Work 131 12 Style 139 13 Classical and Modern Dance 14 Glossary 157 Selected Bibliography Index 191 187 149 103 Block Man, 10 Complete Skeleton (anatomical drawing), 15 Hip and Thigh: Posterior View (anatomical drawing), 16 Hip and Thigh: Anterior View (anatomical drawing), 17 Legs (anatomical drawing), 18 Section through the Hip Joint (anatomical drawing), 20 Arm and Shoulder (anatomical drawing), 2 1 Arches of the Foot (anatomical drawing), 22 Lines of Movement, 27 Skeletal Alignment, 3 1 Opposing Forces, 34 Floor Diagram, 74 Positions, 75 Croise'Devant, 77 Croise' Epaule' Devant, 77 Croise'Derrit?re, 79 Croise' Epaule' DerriBre, 79 Efface' Devant, 80 Effaci Derri&e, 80 Ecarte' Deuant, 80 Ecarte' Derriere, 80 Mandge, 83 Both Sides of the Mirror X Digagi to Pointe Tendue Devant Croise', 86 Landing After a Petit Jete', 86 Bras Bas, 88 First Position, 88 Second Position, 88 Third Position, 89 Fourth Position Epaule' en Haut, 90 Fourth Position Epaule' Devant, 90 Fourth Position Epaule' en Bas, 90 Fifth Position, 9 1 Position of OrigidArabesque Ouverte, 93 Position of OrigidArabesque Croise'e, 93 Position of OrigidArabesque Croise'e Epaule', 94 Arabesque with Head Angled, 96 Arabesque with High Arch, Head Straight, 96 First Arabesque Ouverte, 96 First Arabesque Croise'e, 96 Second Arabesque Croisie, 98 Third Arabesque Croisie, 98 Grand Port de Bras, 101 Center of Gravity, Line of Gravity, and Axis, 104 Glissade, 110 Grand Jetk, 110 Petit Jetk, 112 Trajectory, 113 Foreword I was first aware of Anna Paskevska as a very young and very dedicated member of our first English regional ballet company, Western Theatre Ballet, in 1957. She had studied with Olga Preobrajensk