During one Saturday dance class, we all tried to slide into a right/left split while standing up en pointe. It was difficult because we were not doing it correctly and also that we were afraid of falling. The teacher (who is also a biochemist, i think) explained to us that we needed to put more weight on our back leg so that we would not be pushing into the ground. She also told us that we needed to slide on the side of the shoe rather than the top of the box (the part of the shoe that you balance on).
We were trying to stand on the pointe and slide at the same time, which is hard because then we were pushing our weight into the shoe in an effort to stay balanced. By putting more force down into the shoe, the floor is pushing back, keeping us from sliding. Also, there is more surface area at the point of the shoe as compared to the side of the box, making more friction between the shoe and the floor.
When we tried putting more of our weight on our back leg and sliding on the side of the shoe on the other leg, our back leg could support us while the front foot slid easily across the floor until we fell into a split.
That was rather confusing to explain in writing...It is much easier to show this sort of thing, so I'm sorry if it does not make sense!
1 comment:
i think i understand! and you exert a TORQUE to get spinning from this position, and to keep spinning.
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