Chaȋnés for Days
Hello, my pretties. How many of you love Chaȋnés? Not many of us do. Chaȋnés turns are one of the first turns you’ll learn when going across the floor and let me tell you, only a natural turner loves these. Chaȋnés are tough to master; I hate them with a burning passion. How can something so pretty be so hard to do? Well, have no fear; I’m gonna give you tried and true tips on how to master these turns. Soon, they’ll be your new best friend.
First of all, let’s get down to the basics; chaînés (short for “tours chaînés déboulés”) are quick traveling turns. Chaînés are mainly done with your feet in the first position, but some schools teach chaînés in fifth position, with the hips facing the direction you’re traveling and the front foot stepping out to effacé each time. I find that doing chaînés in fifth position is a bit easier than doing them in first. Hyperextended dancers who have trouble fully straightening their legs in fifth position might have an easier time with chaînés in first position.
Go back to basics.
Many dancers begin by doing chaînés with their hands on their hips or their fingertips on their shoulders. Going slow at the beginning gives you more control over your position. Removing your arms from the equation lets you focus on spotting, and having a solid spot will help you turn quickly.
What are your feet doing?
Some dancers let their feet separate too much as their chaînés progress and end up losing control. Focus on maintaining the tension between your inner thighs. The two legs should feel like they’re connected as much as possible. You also want tension in your torso, which will pull you up and keep you from traveling too far with each step. You should feel like the energy is coming from the top of your head. Imagine your body making a spiral shape, moving upward and outward.
Arm placement matters!
Arm placement can really affect the feel of your chaînés. To make your chaînés more dynamic, I suggest you pay close attention to how you hold your arms. When I’m doing chaînés, I close my arms slowly as I progress, similar to that of a figure skater. Closing my arms helps me gradually increase my speed.
Other things to mention...
There are a lot of common problems with chaînés. For example, if your chaînés are slow, you might not be bringing the second side of your back around fast enough. I suggest stepping with your second foot on the first count of the phrase. Pull around, so you’re already facing the back corner by that point. It gets the body spiraling quickly and makes the sequence feel like a series of turns rather than a series of steps.
If the choreography permits, you can choose between doing a tombé, chassé or piqué into a series of chaînés. A tombé or chassé will help you gain speed right away, while a piqué makes a cleaner start. But it’s the way you finish the turns that leaves the biggest impression on the audience. I suggest taking a deep plié after your final chaîné to help put on the brakes. It’s that contact with the floor that orients you again. Then you’re ready for whatever’s next, be it a pirouette or a balance in arabesque.
And that concludes this post. Make sure to like, comment and share it. Don’t forget to follow me on social media (linked blow). Sending you all the love and light in this world.
