written by balletboy  on 06.04. at 04:58:58

When partnering, you have to build a sense of where you are with respect to your partner.  You have to know when to pull your body back.

This really varies with the partner.  Some girls know where their partner is standing and how to avoid hitting them.  Some girls don't care.  In the latter case, you have to sense what the girl is up to.

That's not very comforting, but it's the truth.  It does take experience.  I take several classes a week, and I'm surprised that, during center, the other dancers don't understand the concept of "space."  That's why I'm always working to understand my space and compensate for those who don't understand their space.

This is something you have to learn...your space and how other dancers may infrindge on your space.  When doing grande battements at the barre, do you watch those on each side of you?  It's the same when partnering.

I hope this helps!

balletboy

>I have been doing pas de deux for about a year.  I'd never been whacked in the critical area until a month ago.  Two weeks ago it happened again (different ballerina)!  Both times were extremely painful and embarrassing to both myself and my partner as I rolled around the floor groaning with the whole class watching.  >Now I'm approaching finger spin fouettes timidly, paying way too much attention to the possibility of receiving another knee to the balls.  What can I do to keep this from happening again?