Barre 8 - Adagio
Description of elements of a typical combination:
This combination can sometimes be called “développés”.
“The quality of these movements is sustained, controlled, deceivingly powerful, smooth, elongated, reaching, and extending beyond the body” (Cavalli 2001, p. 107).
Common steps used in this combination:
Développé
Grand rond de jambe en l’air
Attitude
Arabesque
Penché
Meter
triple (3/4 or 9/8)
or duple (4/4 or 12/8)
Tempo
moderately slow - 50 bpm
Accentuations
Lyrical and connected
Example of Teacher Demonstrating a Barre Adagio Combination:
Cues from teacher's demonstration:
In this barre adagio combination, because the teacher demonstrates a “balancé” this combination needs to be in triple meter (a waltz).
The music for the combination needs to be not too slow because there are sections where the dancer needs to hold their leg in second position for several counts.
Music Selected: Amy Beach, Barcarolle, Op. 28, No. 1
PDF of Original
PDF of Arranged Score
Changes made in arranged score:
To make this piece work in square phrasing, I only used mm. 1-18 and 92-107.
Videos of Dancers performing combination with selected music:
Reactions while playing the combination:
Despite the demonstration of going straight from one side to another, there was not only need for an eight count (teacher said four but meant eight) balance but then the combination was stopped between sides.