Intermediate Level

Intermediate Level

Using the approach of the Beginner level – awareness of the spine, the generosity of the plie, the freedom and strength of the pelvis, the symmetry of hand and arms – the Intermediate level is the evolution of that fundamental process. The distinguishing factors between the two levels are the canon of the hands and arms, the spine’s different pathways, and the additional strength and awareness of a plie to support these new elements entering the body.

In this class, the hand and arm gestures determine the level to where the process will evolve. By applying the use of canon to the arms and hands – where each arm does the exact movement, one beat apart – the rest of the body will find itself having to make adjustments to accommodate the torque in the body and its effect on the pelvis, legs and feet.

This additional body activity will create the need for a more generous plie to support falls coming from these torsions of a body falling through space. By applying the use of canon to the arms and hands, the pelvis now has the additional task of being the support system for a body that will now be moving in space and falling from an off-center position.

These new elements will require a plie prepared to counter the weight falling from a body falling from unusual positions. The support from the pelvis will be crucial in allowing this to happen, as it will be the glue that can keep it all together. The effort of the core in relation to the plie is essential in creating an oppositional resistance to the weight falling onto the feet in the moment of plie.

Ultimately, the action of the arms in canon creates a domino effect down the spine, through the pelvis and legs, onward to the feet, and into the body’s connection to the floor, making it necessary for the plie to fulfill its responsibility of cushioning the falling body as it moves through different directions in space.