Elisabeth Beyer Ballet Fouettés: I've Never Seen That Before!!!
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- Опубліковано 18 чер 2024
- It’s not often that I see a ballet step that I have not seen before, but that was the case when American Ballet Theatre’s Elisabeth Beyer posted an Instagram video from World Ballet Day in November 2023. In the brief clip, she showed off some remarkable fouettés with a variant I have never seen before. Stay tuned for this short video and I will provide details on what makes Elisabeth’s turns so remarkable.
I've watched Elisabeth since she was 14 years old as a student at Ellison Ballet performing in semi-annual showcases, and followed her career since she joined the American Ballet Theatre Studio Company in 2020 and ABT in 2023. I've always been impressed with her advanced technique at such a young age and look forward to more of her work.
Here is an inverview of Elisabeth on my balletfocus.com website after winning the prestigious Moscow International Ballet Competition in 2018 followed by a Gold Medal at the USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi: balletfocus.com/elisabeth-bey...
Thanks to Elisabeth for information on this turn series.As always, many thanks to Stephen Nelson for helpful comments.
Intro: 00:01
Fouetté Basics: 0.32
Elisabeth's Fouettés: 1:58
Cecchetti vs Russian Fouettés: 3:30
Final Thoughts: 5:01
Sources
Videos
Elisabeth Beyer Instagram: pCzJcvMcAd...
Marianela Nuñez, Swan Lake-Coda from the Black Swan pas de deux in Act III (The Royal Ballet), @RoyalOperaHouse
Christine Shevchenko fouettés, Extracts from the second act of the Swan Lake with Christine Shevchenko & Calvin Royal, @VicToria-hs4bx
Tamara Rojo fouettés, Tamara Rojo and Yoel Carreño-Don Quijote Pas de Deux, @jsl1952
Paloma Herrera fouettés, ABT Now DVD, Image Entertainment, 2002
Gillian Murphy fouettés, American Ballet Theatre Swan Lake DVD, Image Entertainment, 2005
Polina Semionova fouettés, Black Swan 2/2 Polina Semionova & Friedemann Vogel, @StupeurAlice
Maria Kochetkova fouettés, Don Quixote Grand Pas (Daniil Simkin/Maria Kochetkova), 28.09.2018, @Axis
Olesya Novikova: Mariinsky Ballet Don Quixote DVD, Decca, 2009
Svetlana Zakharova fouettés, Svetlana Zakharova Amazing Fouettes, @Balletomancom
Photo of Elisabeth: notmydayjobphotography.com - Фільми й анімація
thank you for your comments which help the non-initiated to better appreciate the amazing techniques these ballerinas use with so much grace.
As a former dancer 25 years, studied Checceti and Russian methods, seen many in theatre do 32 fouttes but never with arms overhead. Now we see many Russian figure skaters arms overhead during their turns. This dancer is amazing ! I studied with Leslie Brown (ABT) in Chicago (Stone Camryn School of Ballet) who was also phenomenal.
Thanks for your thoughts!
@LaurenThompsonPiano thanks for the skating perspective!
WOW!! I think doing these fouettés with arms in 5th position would DEFINITELY be a huge crowd pleaser!!! She is AMAZING!
3rd...
@@user-vb8lg3qy5g It's only called 3rd in the Vaganova method. To my knowledge, everyone else calls this 5th (or 5th en haut).
As a dancer, I can tell you it’s not just hard, it’s EXTREMELY hard. 😮😅
And then some guy named Tchaikovsky said, “Oh why not? Let’s have the lady do thirty-two in a row!”
As a non dancer, I can tell you the same because I just tried it 🤣
@@venezzrok-fz1du😂
I absolutely love the way she turns. Her shoulders are relaxed, she keeps her core tight and she is so well lifted. Seeing dancers with near perfect technique is so aesthetically pleasing. I'd love to see the fouettes with arms in fifth performed on stage. It's so refreshing to see new variations of different ballet steps.
Her turns are beautifully done. She looks like a ballerina from a jewelry box!
@IrishAnnie - Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking! Because her fouette's don't travel, she keeps that stationary, jewelry box position!
I had one of those when I was little, and a dancer! And you made me think the jewellery box dancer would be a lovely addition to a ballet…perhaps Nutcracker somehow?
I must say that was incredible! Have never seen a fouetté done with the arms in fifth position. I have Never see anyone do more than 5 fouettés and not travel even just a little. This woman is just brilliant! Just the thought of keeping my arms in fifth makes me feel unbalanced. Truly a virtuoso of ballet.❤❤❤
What a joy and surprise to see this video appear on my feed.
I know and worked with Elisabeth for a number of years.
Her dedication and discipline are laudable.
During the time we worked together, her mother was a constant presence at her side.
That young woman has developed into a prima. I’m so thrilled for her.
I hope Elisabeth soon becomes a soloist and principal.
She was made for the ballet.
I love your videos. Thanks for this one, and please keep them coming!
Thanks for tuning in and thoughts on Elisabeth! I've seen her dance at Ellison Ballet performances since she was about 14 years old. Always impressed with her advanced technique.
Maria Bulanova from Mariinsky did one triple followed by 18 consecutive doubles as Medora . Available on UA-cam.
Thanks for the info on Bulanova! Will check it out.
@@KentGBecker Ana Sophia Scheller did the entire Le Corsaire coda with no singles, only doubles and triples.
ua-cam.com/video/EABceoTRJn4/v-deo.htmlfeature=shared
ua-cam.com/video/8dtAFegrtyU/v-deo.htmlsi=Muj5I4D11MObH5yI
She is amazing, at least with the fouettes. I would like to see a full performance of a Ballet with her.
Reminds me of the 'Tano lutz in figure skating. I'd also love to see this variation on stage. It's beautiful!
Your comments are spot on perfect. Elizabeth's coordination and arms placement is Taylor made for Don Q coda.
The Russian is the best choice, it avoids traveling and with a confident spot spells ovations. She's radiant and confident, qualities difficult to find in 32.F.!!!
There's a performance of Le Corsair on UA-cam starring Gillian MURPHY as Medora with José Manuel Carreño as Ali, and Marcelo Gómez Konrad, in which she raises the arm's to 5th as she fouettés with quick action brío in the coda. She's fantastic in it.😮
Love your channel!!!
The picture of ANGEL CORELLA that opens your posts was from his fantastic farewell performance as Siegfried with Paloma Herrera as Odette/Odile. Memorable.
Thanks! Will check out Gillian in Corsair. Never thought about the advantages of Russian fouettes on not traveling.
She is amazing!
Thank you for explaining it! You helped me appreciate how CRAZY talented she is!
Her center of balance is amazing
She’s absolutely gorgeous. My belief it is because they are simple. She doesn’t use a grand rond de jambe to get to the second position. Instead, she stays in the second position and focuses on the standing leg’s turnout and strength to stay in the position. This takes out the extra steps that she has to do to achieve a single or double rotation, therefore making it easier for her to do more rotations, and because her placement is very solid she can put her arms and whatever position she feels necessary to achieve these gorgeous fouetté turns.
Interesting observations. Thanks!
The doubles are much easier it even gives you a breather. I have always internally chuckled at people being very impressed by double fouettés, the friction is less when en pointe compared to demi-pointe so all you need to do is hold your balance for a split second longer, which isn’t hard if you’re good at pirouettes (I always was). So back in the 80s when everyone impressed by a triple or quadruple, and we all fell over when Baryshnikov did 11 in White Nights, my average was triples. These days they have worked it all out and I see the youngest of dancers performing triples and above. It’s wonderful.
But yes it’s mostly about the balance and not pulling yourself off balance or allowing it to change for one extra part of a second.
I loved pirouettes soooo much. I can still do doubles at 55yo, but finding a good surface is the hardest part of not being in class these days.
@@gangoolie68 thanks! at 62, I wish I could still turn. Ankle arthritis is the problem.
I appreciate your slowing down of the video and comparison of the technique 🎉
absolutely beautiful.
Always look forward to your videos, Kent! Please keep them coming!
Thanks!
I learned so much from your analysis. Thanks for sharing this!
Thanks for tuning in!
High difficulty and looks really good, I've never seen it like that.
As one who sang and danced professionally centuries ago, my hero has always been Joyce Cuoco, whom I was so blessed to do a show with. And watching her in dance class was otherworldly. But these dancers, age notwithstanding, are absolutely incredible. Arms over the head isn't something I, personally, like much, but it's just uncanny that she can turn so brilliantly with her arms in 5th. I've been watching someone who's just amazing named Melanie, but I thought this brilliant dancer was her. Not, so I'm going to have to tag this dancer and watch more. Nothing more beautiful than a great, graceful ballerina and their points are to die for, unless it's a singer named Whitney (or videos, thereof!) (That's the singing part of my soul!) Is she REALLY only 21???? Omg
Omg. I knew Joyce Cuoco as a young teen at Boston Ballet. We were all in awe of her talent. No one did multiple turns in those days. Big deal to do a double rn pointe. Joyce was extraordinary and nice to us mere mortals. Fond memories. Thx for sharing
I don’t understand how the current dancers can all do so many turns. What are they being taught? Turning boards ? Etc .
@@annefitz7346 Awesome! Thanks for sharing!
I’m not from the ballet world, watching this makes me hold my breath 😲
What a great video! Elizabeth has such a strong core, yet the relaxed shoulders in fifth help her alignment. You can really see the beauty and the strength in her turns in slow-mo. I like her variations in arms. Very similar to figure skaters when they do double or triple jumps and arms go overhead. Completely different balance, much more difficult. I love it♥️👍😀
Dear Kent, as always amazing. Thank you for your consistent high quality contributions.
You can tell that she completely enjoys doing this maneuver. This is by far one of my favorite dance moves. ❤️❤️❤️
Wonderful the fouetté with the arms in 5.
As a former dancer, doing the fouettés with arms in high fifth would be much more challenging! As an audience member now, I’d be very impressed!! She’s a lovely dancer ❤
Brilliant. Very exciting.
Greeting from Ireland and thank you for the detailed breakdown of this amazing ballet technique!
Thanks for tuning in!
WOW 👏👏🙏👏👏
Elisabeth does one of the best Russian-style Fouettes that plie in seconde. Everyone else does the releve seconde. However, most dancers fail to get to an extended secondes in plie or releve. Evelina Godunova is Russian trained but very unusual in that she does releve seconde.
Ulyana Lopatkina also does fouettes with both arms up in practice.
Terrific, Bravo, Bravo.
The commentary lets me appreciate her work all the more. Beautiful dancing.
Former dancer of 20 years here. Trained in Russian method by Kathleen Gorham, who was trained by Borovansky. Also studied RAD.
I have seen, trained and performed fouettés with hands on hips. It changes your balance dramatically more than anything. I imagine hands in 5th would be a similar effect.
Most of your impetus comes from your legs anyway, for me, my arms help me balance rather than create the turn’s momentum, but they do help. I get a much faster turn, but when en pointe, you don’t need much as the surface area of your foot is decreased compared to Demi-pointe.
So arms in 5th might actually help you with concentrating your thinking on pulling up, but I’ve never liked any pirouettes with my arms in 5th, or 4th except if my leg is in an attitude position, again it’s about the balance.
Aesthetically I love her 5th, they are beautifully rounded arms and held like they are soft but are locked into a lovely position and she doesn’t break the line at the wrist as so many dancers do these days… but I don’t like the fouettés with arms in 5th, it’s aesthetically unpleasant.
Having said that technically, she’s beautiful to watch with her arms in 5th. At 55, it makes me want to jump and try it…. I no longer have access to any flooring that I’d feel would be a good surface and it would have to be demi-pointe as these old feet do not enjoy pointe work at all anymore, and I have grown chubby so pointe work balance is harder and the balance is not there. 😂😂
Thanks for your detailed info and perspective!
both methods do foutte from a la seconde or fourth front, from time-to-time. the true 'cecchetti variant' of the step actually involves rising onto demi/full pointe as an a la seconde turn before pulling into passe retire, unlike the russian (common) version where one comes to a la second in fondu and rises to demi/full pointe when bringing the leg in to passe retire.
Her body is so perfectly aligned and under her control that I suspect she can do fouette turns any damned way you want them.
Just what choreographers are looking for!
Very fluid
I would watch anything she does, what absolute control she demonstrates, I don't think I've seen anything like that ever! She's amazing 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩
Just beautiful.
She is fabulous and her legs are straight. I would like to see that move with her arms up in a ballet performance. Well done. I could watch her all day.
Beautiful 🎉
I really enjoyed this video! Thank your for your knowledge shared and for your editing
Really great ! Thank you ! 🙏🏽
she is amazing!
Thank you for your videos!
Thanks for tuning in!
Elizabeth is fierce. I hope she'll get solo opps soon. Btw, ulyana Lopatkina also practiced fouettes with arms in 5th. There was a video of hers from an old 2003 or 2005 documentary after she came back from her ankle injury and childbirth.
Agree, I hope Elizabeth has solo roles in the upcoming Met Season. Thanks for the info on Lopakina, will check it out.
She's RAD for sure. Brilliant babes, you are killing the game. From one Ballerina to another... You got me beat... So beat lol ❤
Im in awe
Amazing!
Magical!
Wow she's amazing just beautiful
Love it! I'm going to try it with arms in 5th. Looks great!
❤
That was the first thing I noticed! Kicking out more to her left rather than to the right/front. Her leg almost looks hyperextended. I do like the arms above but also like to see them the original way1
Excellent turns and the turns with her arms above is much harder because your core and legs work must be awesome and it will be great to see on stage
Genius
God given talent….just beautiful
Somehow, I prefer fouettés in style of whipping leg once in each turn. It will require more energy of ballerina to finish 32 fouettés within 22 seconds of Black Swan pas de deux (in normal music speed). The great example is the performance from Nina Ananiashvili.
I agree. In the great variations, I can no longer count 32 fouettés. They are mixed up with a Pirouettes. Thank you for the comment.
Wow!!’
For me, the high arms make, that this step comes to its real sense, with lower arms, you allways see, that the dancer uses them for the turning, with high arms, it looks like “just turning”.
So much power in such a tiny body. Stunning....
Absolutely amazing!!
Her center of gravity is her superpower - so beautiful and seemingly effortless!
It would be great to see these on stage.
Stunning.....
The Bolshoi ballerina Ekaterina Maksimova did fouettes with her hands on her waist. It was somewhere in 1980-s. No arms support while turning.
This girl, Elisabeth Beyer, is also quite amazing! ❤
Thanks! I forgot about Ekaterina and should have mentioned it because of the similarities. Here is the video at 5:45.
@@KentGBecker Natalia Osipova's fouettes are also quite remarkable ua-cam.com/video/arVnNSCFAME/v-deo.html
Thank you, Mr. Becker for sharing these amazing fouettés! Yes, I would love to see them on stage! And I believe they are a very useful teaching tool.
A few years ago, I saw amazing Black Swan fouettés with the arms moving like swan arms up and down while turning. It was FANTASTIC! Unfortunately, I didn't note who the dancer was, trusting my memory. BIG mistake! I have asked many students (I teach ballet in the rec dept. at UC Santa Barbara and have students from around the world) if they've ever seen this as I desperately want to find the UA-cam clip. The dancer was STUNNING. Do you have any ideas?
Thank you for your beautiful and enlightening videos. Please keep them coming. ❤
Thanks and stay tuned in 2024! On the dancer that did turns with swan arms, I can think of Christine Shevchenko at ABT. She does some turns with arms overhead and brings them back down: ua-cam.com/video/L9iLsQm5FSA/v-deo.html
brilliant. brilliant. brillaint
I think arms overhead is very appealing
Nice job, Kent. #I❤🩰
Makes me think of the ballerinas in music boxes.
Beautiful Elegant Classy
That is extremely beautiful. I watch this amazingly. I can only think how I would have love to do this, alas, it'll be for another life ❤❤❤ and yes I do love it with arms above head. The immense beauty for me is in the legs. You have to be superb top to do this 🎉🎉🎉🎉 ❤❤❤
Well put!
muy lindos muy buen uso de los hombros en paralelo
Tamara Rojo's turns and fouettés in reverse remain the best balancing beautiful dancing turns for me. Even if Elisabeth's turns are remarkable.
She's always been a turner even as a young competitor.
Interesting insight. Seems to me that Cecchetti dancers are very, very well-centered.
She is heading straight to Prima Ballerina!
Her choices in technique also force nearly all of the momentum to come from her plie instead of just whipping the leg around.
Agree. Not sure how she does it without arms
May be You didn’t see Elizaveta Kokoreva - Italian Fouettes and Fouettes (Gamzatti, La Bayadere) ?
Seht schöne Technik. Mal was anderes und noch kraftvoller
I never have seen fouetté in a fifth position, it requires great strength.
Les patineurs ont les bras levés pour effectuer les tours. Cela les aide à aller plus vite… Sans perdre l’ axe vertical. J’ imagine qu’une fois campée sur son axe, Élisabeth est plus stabilisée pour enchaîner les tours. 😊
I think the turns are prettier with the arms to the side. The reason is with the arms out parallel to the lifted leg there's something to visually balance the leg. Without the arms, the rest of the body is pole-straight and the leg sort of flaps out there alone like a chicken wing. Gotta respect someone who can do this though!
These are lovely turns even if only done in practice. It’d be very cool to see them on stage. A question on a pirouette in general, the supporting leg should be turned out also and not in parallel right? I see some going gaga over the quantity on one channel’s shorts I watch of a particular person’s turns but they drive me crazy with that parallel supporting leg. anywhere in the video I stop it the supporting leg is parallel. Heel completely disappeared behind the front view of the foot. It’s so noticeable to me. Is this also an acceptable technique that I’m just not aware of?
Agree, proper ballet technique calls for a turned out supporting leg with turned out working leg in retiré.
Yes, arms up would be great for a performance.
She is amazing but I believe the arms out to side is more appealing. Maybe I’m wrong. Not a dancer but do love the ballet.
Kent, I absolutely adore your videos. However, sometimes I question all the advanced technical demands on valet. We used to go from gorgeous 32 single fouettés, to fouettés interspersed with Pirouettes, and other turns, to having arms overhead. It all looks a little bit messy to me.
Thanks! Agree, single fouettés, when done well are gorgeous; I love the simplicity, allowing audience members to focus on the basic movement. I remember someone from ABT did them recently (I don't recall the ballet) without the added turns. It was noteworthy and very pleasing. Thanks for tuning in!
Love ballet though I ow
Sorry about the incomplete comment. Love ballet and posts such as this highlight complexities and intricacies of the beauty and technical skills involved
Very talented, there is some traveling. Completely understandable
Yes, of course, as a fan of ballet, I’ve seen fouttés done on stage.
I learned the name, because I went to see Nutcracker, and the end of Trépak featured a ballerina doing an endless series of fouttés and I went and looked up what it was called. I’m supremely impressed when I see anyone do a series of spins like this! The music of Trépak will always, as a result, suggest lots of turning/spinning of some sort, for me, and I’m disappointed if the choreographer hasn’t done that.
I’m not expert enough to know that there are 19 variations, or the difference between Cecchetti and Russian styles! This is new and interesting for me.
I’m just a fan who likes to learn…thank you for this!
Thanks and Happy New Year!
@@KentGBecker happy new year!
Fabulous - but the "aggressive" arm movement is dramatically more appropriate in the Black Swan's variation.
One thing I noticed, was her knee goes backwards when her leg is out stretched.
Eva Nys photography has a video/short of one of the Master Ballet Academy students (Melanie) doing like 20 or 22 pirouettes in a row… i know very little about the technicals of ballet but you might like to take a look and see if she does anything interesting to achieve that number of pirouettes?
There is no fouetté to her movement - her pirouettes are spot on / beautiful turns but it is more like a pirouette rather than a fouetté rond de jambe - the whipping movement usually comes from the 4th croisee as opposed to the 4th ouverts which is being used here
The fouetté movement comes from the 4th croisee and opens out to the 2nd position ( so most of the fouetté movement is partly a pirouette in 2nd followed by the spin in rond de jambe - instead this way the leg flicks out to 4th ouverts and immediately goes into a pirouette en dehors without the little corkscrew action of the rond de jambe ( making it an easier way to do the fouetté rond de jambe entournant but doesn’t show the 2 components of the step - the fouetté / the whip from 4th croisee to 2nd - and the rond de jambe/ the circular movement of the leg ) non of those actions are shown in this version of r.d.j entournant - so can’t really be called that
Her pirouettes are superb ❤️
Interesting analysis. Thanks!
arms over head look natural and seem to add to the sense of weightless-ness.
Nada mal pero ¿vieron los fouettes de Natalia Osipova ?
Yes, Osipova is also great at fouettés
No, I've never seen anyone do fouettés with the arms in fifth position. She is remarkable all the way around, making it look effortless. I know it's not! I think it would be a wonderful crowd pleaser. Even folks who were not aware of the difficulty would appreciate the beauty.
Well, first of all, I liked the Cecchetti method fouetté done by Marianella Nuñez better than ths Russian School method done by Svetlana Zaharova (sp?), because the straight leg held during the fondue (sp?) gives that movement more rigidity, and a kind of snap when moving from the fondue to the relevé.
I can see where the fouette done by Elisabeth Beyer would be much more challenging to execute than that using the arms as propulsion as well as stabilization, having all of the propulsion in the legs requiring, as you explain, requiring much greater precision in the core alignment and the motion of the leg. I have some training in modern dance, and when I was still dancing I used to use the arm motions of the fouetté alone to execute turns (not en pointe, of course). That said, I think her method has the appearance of great simplicity, and could be very appropriate in some settings. I think it could be worthwhile for other dancers to be trained in using this method (if nothing else because of its core strengthening properties), and I think it could be worthwhile to consider using it in some performances.
I also like the Cecchetti Method turns more. I find the Russian School fouettés abrupt. More dancers use the Cechetti style, probably because the foudu to the front and rond de jambe to the side delivers more momentum.