frappé
frappé
Frappé, translating to “hit” or “strike” in French, is a step commonly done during barre. Named for the action of the working foot “striking” the floor quickly, you may have heard teachers say this step is a preparation for petit allegro jumps such as assemblé and jeté, since the action of the foot is applied to these jumps. In general, frappé is also very helpful for working on quick and sharp movements before center.
There are three main components of a frappé, the beginning “in” position (either in wrapped sur le cou-de-pied, coupé, or a flexed foot, depending on your training style), the “strike” and brush, and the held, “out” position. The emphasis for this step is most commonly on the “out” part of the step, where the working leg reaches the same position to any direction as a dégagé would. The foot will always return to this starting “in'' position before the next frappé, so work on establishing a rotated wrapped (or flex) position where your hips are squared off. Think of this as a home base that you return to before each frappé. Make sure the pinkie toe side of the working foot is always reaching back and shaping this position, especially to the back where sickling is very common! It’s important to have a solid foundation in this home base when you’re doing fast frappés, as this will help you stabilize and stay centered.
But where does the “strike” element of this step come in? Because this element is unique to frappés, it’s common to get stuck on this part of the step instead of placing the correct emphasis on the “out.” The ball of the foot will touch down onto the floor from either the wrap, coupé, or flex and will continue out immediately using the resistance from the connection with the floor to brush, with the foot pointing as soon as it leaves the floor. Think of the “strike” as similar to lighting a match, occurring quickly because the goal is to light the match using the fast movement. A match will not light if you just hold a match to the matchbook, just as a frappe won’t work if you stop the momentum right before the brush. The goal is to use the striking action to get to your most outstretched position as soon as possible.
Because frappé is one of the faster paced combinations at barre, it can be difficult to transition to the quick movement and show each position by holding each frappé that extra split second you may have heard teachers ask for. To really showcase each position of the step, it can be helpful to imagine your “out” position hitting a wall suddenly, making it stay there for one extra moment before returning. You can also try to imagine your position suddenly freezing in space, like you have become a statue or stopped time for a split second. This emphasis creates a lovely and crisp energy to frappés. Of course, it’s important for the step to still be lengthened and not tense or gripped, so make sure you reach a fully stretched position before you hold that extra moment.
During frappés, it’s extremely important to stabilize your hips, keeping them as level and square as possible through each direction of the step. To stabilize, make sure you’re not only thinking of the working leg, but also keeping the supporting leg rotated and held from the top of the leg. A strong, stable supporting leg will allow your working leg to move freely and quickly.
Frappé is a great opportunity to focus on faster paced work at the barre and to prepare for petit allegro and other quick movements. Like every combination at barre, applying clean and clear technique to this step will add value to your overall dancing, so it’s worth focusing on!
Have a wonderful Technique Thursday!
