In his inspiring book, Launch Your Life, coach Morgan Rich states that secret #1 is that: “The journey to Meaning and Fulfillment isn’t one of great leaps and bounds. It’s one of small positive steps, each of which raises you closer to the life you want. With each step, you gain more momentum, more distinctions, and greater abilities. Believe in the Upward Spiral. Take a step forward today, another tomorrow, and then another. You may start slowly, but, no matter how small your steps, your commitment and perseverance in stepping forward will create results you want.”
Relever is the third in my 7-part podcast series on the basic movements of ballet, so if you missed them, you may also wish to go back and listen to Episodes 014 “Powerful Plies” & 016 “Tendus and What it Means to Stretch.”
In dance and yoga, we are concerned with changes of level, making smooth transitions, rising and sinking and ever-increasing awareness and control. With elevation, we think of physically and metaphorically rising toward the heavens, of enlightenment, flight, and winged creatures. Ballet in particular embodies floating and flying, soaring and fluttering, seeming to defy the laws of physics to portray supernatural beings. Of course, it is a long and gradual path to that sort of mastery.
In yogic philosophy, we have the idea of an upward flow of energy through energy centers (the chakras) and along pathways (the nadis). In Kundalini yoga, we speak of serpent energy spiralling up through the spine through breathing techniques (pranayama) and rhythmic movements. The movements and breath of yoga are designed to unblock stuck places to allow the free flow of energy through the body and the spine, opening up new possibilities for us. You can try the technique in my video, “Yogic Breathing Practice - Nadi Shodhana + Kundalini spinal rotation.”
In her book The Ballet Companion, Eliza Gaynor Minden explains that: “Relevé means ‘raised.’ You raise yourself onto demi-pointe, or full pointe...Relevés develop the leg muscles, especially the calves and inner thighs...Think of pressing down to rise up.”
You can see that there is a spiralling network of muscles and energetic impulses and awareness at work in dancing as well. Indeed, plier (to bend) and relever eventually also form the basis of our ability to jump and leap- truly flying through the air. If you’re interested in starting on the upward spiral of strength in physical rising, I recommend my “Plush Paralleleves” exercise on YouTube. To find that sense of stability from which to rise, you’re also invited to my FREE course on Teachable, “5 Ways to Build a Strong Foundation for dance and life.”
For more information about the work I do, visit ablythecoach.com