“Dance possesses all the divine properties of intellect”, by Cem Catbas.

Sur le cou-de-pied (also en avant and en arrière)

Literally, it means “on the neck of the foot”.  The working foot is placed on the part of the leg between the base of the calf and the beginning of the ankle, with the heel of the working placed in front of the leg, while the toes point to the back.  The instep (le cou-de-pied in French) of the working foot “hugs” the lower leg and is stopped by both heels on both sides (up and down).  On the accent en avant (in front), the heel of the working leg is placed in front of the leg with the toes pointing to the back.  On the accent en arrière (back), the heel of the working leg is placed behind the leg with the toes pointing to the back.

Sus-sous

Literally it means “over-under” when a dancer rises up onto pointe or three-quarter pointe (relevé) with the toes touching the other foot’s toes and the heel touching the other heel, crossed in a particularly tight fifth position.  It is the foundation of every beat in the air.  Sus-sous is believed to be a term of the Cecchetti school.

Sabre-saut (Saber-jump)

A term of the Russian and French schools indicating sus-sous in the air like a shape of a slightly bent saber sword.  It is a sudden spring or jump from both feet (with the possibility of traveling) during which the legs are crossed in a particularly tight fifth position landing on both feet in the same position as they started.

Sissonne-simple (Simple-sissonne)

It is a jump done from two feet landing onto one foot in sur le cou-de-pied en avant or en arrière.

Changement (Entre-chat-deux in Cecchetti Style)

Literally it means “changing”, a jump in which the feet change positions in the air.  For instance, begin in fifth position with the right foot in front, plié (bend the knees) and jump, switch the right to the back, and land with the left foot in front onto fifth position.  The term petit-changement-de-pieds would mean smaller changement where the feet barely leave the floor.

Royale

In essence it is sabre-saut and  sissonne done together.  It is a royale jump if after beating with a sabre-saut in the air, the legs are opened before landing onto either two or one leg.

Entre-chat

A step of beating in which the dancer jumps into the air and rapidly crosses slightly bent legs before and behind making it a movement in between sabre-saut and saut-de-chat.  Although Cecchetti changement is still executed in this manner, for any other beat that still carries the entre-chat term such as entre-chat-quatre (the legs change direction twice), the legs are kept straight in the air.

Saut-de-chat

Literally, it means “the jump of the cat”.  The dancer while in mid-air, bends both legs up (two retirés) bringing the feet up as high as possible, with knees apart sideways forming a diamond shape.

Entre-chat-trois-royale

Entre-chat-quatre-royale

Entre-chat-cinque-royale

Entre-chat-six-royale

True love forgives, it lives by never to abandon

Neither breaks, nor would it anyway imprison
 

Comes an iridescent hollow globe into the open

Like soap-bubble bursts in a garden of pardon
 

Bubble Dance.

Fall in love with the bittersweet love

A passion that is the greatest overall
 

Erst a fountain of eternal life will flow

The joys of forever young shall follow
 

In The Gadda Da Vida.

The first mistake was falling in love with the forbidden

Not killing an enemy when a chance arose, the second
 

The third was following her to his underworld domain

The final error was defying fate absent a soul to blame
 

Ravel.

Once in the world fortune used to favor the bold

Then good virtue was no longer earned but sold
 

Say you stay indifferent towards any god of gold

Who grants numb wishes of both young and old
 

Money.

Time to make a new resolution of some sort

Stop trying so hard to fit in that profane plot

The others believe they are born to stand out
 

May love and bliss find the soul who quests

Within his essence the vast chasm which lies

Above all powers besides the hearty desires
 

Drifting Away.

“Today I saw the dragon-fly come from the wells where he did lie.  An inner impulse rent the veil of his old husk:  From head to tail came out clear plates of sapphire mail.  He dried his wings:  Like gauze they grew; thro’ crofts and pastures wet with dew a living flash of light he flew”,  Alfred Lord Tennyson.

The Dragon (simplified Chinese: 龙; traditional Chinese: 龍) is one of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar, and the only animal that is legendary.  The Year of the Dragon is associated with the earthly branch symbol 辰.

The Dragon is the major symbol of good fortune in Chinese Astrology; as the guardian of the Eastern Sky it brings in the Four Blessings of the East:  Wealth, virtue, harmony and longevity; mystical and grand things bigger than life.

Water Dragon made his last appearance in 1952.  In February Elizabeth II became the Queen of England, a reign that still endures.  Later the United States introduced two of the most destructive weapons in history, the Hydrogen Bomb and the B-52 Bomber and the first successful separation of Siamese twins at Mt Sinai hospital in Cleveland, Ohio happened.  Vladimir Putin and Lee Hsien Loong were born; Jimmy Connors dominated the world of tennis and became one of the greatest players ever, while football coach Bill Belichick won four Super Bowls.  Craig Newmark, founder of Craig’s List, has revolutionized the world of advertising.  CEOs born in 1952 have run Alberto-Culver, Clorox, Coca-Cola, Colgate-Palmolive, Exxon-Mobil, Hershey, ITT, Macy’s, Radio Shack, Tiffany&Company, Time Warner, UPS, Viacom, Walgreens, Xerox and many more.

The Dragon is correlated with spring, a season that brings to mind how everyone has dreams and now is the time to pursue them.  That makes 2012 also the perfect year for engagements, weddings, baptisms and parades although the happenings may be of an ephemeral nature.

2012 is also a Yang-Water year, a flowing river that nourishes the Dragon’s fixed element Wood has a calming effect on the Dragon’s fearless temperament; a big advantage and good luck for ending the destructive relationship cycle happening between the year element and the fixed element of the animal sign since 1996.  It is likely to be an exciting year if you are ready to dance with the Dragon.
 

Easy Like Sunday Morning.

Continuously dare yourself to meet life’s challenges

Where only thine love is priceless and not the others’
 

Want beauty as if everyone looked alike in your mind

Embody her dream come true become the rarest kind
 

Remember absent any explanation feel the unfamiliar

Happiness will belong to you fortunate talented lover
 

Don’t Worry Be Happy.

Love is the starlight in a dark field of oblivion

A flower of strength with passion to carry on
 

A shapeless word that still remains priceless

To be danced in endless heartbeats of bliss
 

Mourir D’Aimer.

May the bright stars give you the courage

To accept all the things you cannot change
 

Wisdom to alter things you can, worry less

Slow down to feel the wonder and say yes
 

Lastly the serenity to know the difference

No matter where, when or how joy comes
 

Just Remember I love You.

Pushed by the waves blossomed with love

What is there to mine in a miry Lotus-cove?
 

Once a soul’s light danced into the Aurora

Form you not a fruit of your mind’s desire?
 

Sympathy.

He was madly in love with both sun and the moon

Had endless nights and days on the edge of swoon
 

Wanting to celebrate equally their birth and noon

The answer came from stars and the celestial one
 

He was to build two monuments evenly awesome

At special locations caring about the date and time
 

Reminding people of a hair beating down the heel

Temples wherein appreciation meant only to kneel
 

He proved a slowest in making his promise and feel

To show most faithful in the performance of unreal
 

His artwork did not cheat but everyone’s heart steal

The red sun set hind first and moon rose by the final
 

Viva La Vida.

If the skies and clouds did not cry

Because bliss is spread absent glue
 

Would a green garden ever smile

Have all roses red and violets blue
 

There are truths come to their rue

Oneiric for every dream come true
 

Future belongs to the masters of hue

Whose dance presently imbrued its sprue
 

All In Love Is Fair.

A goal oriented soul driven with profound desire to be loved

Spent his life to find a way to turn the clock in time backward
 

Because he saw with blind eyes what people got in their heart

Educated his community, the essential was visible in his mind
 

His art never interested in the infidel with most gain absent pain

Learned humility that is beyond selflessness respectfully in sane
 

Alas when Earth’s heartache smarted out his purple affection

His passion longing for the loyal belonged to that kindly woman
 

Last thing he said before departing about the Medieval Times

For me the only music is making the stars dance on the dunes
 

Carmen.

If there shall be any truth to our sentience

It must end the shapeless and feeling-less
 

Set two souls on fire with every sweet kiss

Make seem what hearts desire shadow-less
 

One and only love spoken through both lips

A warm breeze with wings hugging arm-less
 

You Needed Me.