I teach my kids opposition by doing an exercise called “Flying or Falling.” They pump the arms hard and fast and strong (I give them a break to cambre every few seconds, because your arms get really sore really fast. Try it!) Then I make them float in the air like a genie while I pull them up. They have to push down on me in order to get up off the ground. I’m not really lifting them so much as I’m letting them push on me.

Once they tap into the idea of opposition and of “pushing the arms,” we push the arms when we tendu, we push the arms when we releve, we push the arms when we curtsey. They don’t wobble or fall down. Have you ever seen a six-year-old releve in the middle of the floor, without a barre and not wobble? Mine don’t wobble.

This is all part of a special ballet curriculum I use that is based off of Eileen Juric’s Ballet Barre None, and Zena Rommett’s Floor Barre (Eileen’s curriculum is based off what she learned from working with Rommett, and what she learned dancing at Joffrey). It’s devolution of ballet, “breaking it down without having a break-down”, going back to the concept behind the movements. Ballet from the inside out. Specific intentional movement. Teach the concepts first, then applying those concepts to the dance step. Like teaching the number line before drilling addition. Concept then content, and the first concept is opposition.

I’m hoping to write more posts about this in the future, and show you some of the exercises I do with the kids to teach opposition of the hips and ankles. Meanwhile try your flying or falling (do it to Minute Waltz or Flight of the Bumblebee). See what happens to your Pectoralis and your Latimus muscles, and how it affects your balance, strength, and control!