Petit battement
Petit battement
Petit Battement, translating to “small beat” in French, is a step in which the working leg travels repeatedly between a sur le cou-de-pied and coupé back position, disconnecting slightly from the standing leg between the two positions. Petit battement is primarily done at the barre, often appearing in battement frappé combinations. See our previous post on battement frappé if you haven’t had a chance to read it yet, because many of the same technique tips can be applied to both steps! Petit Battement is incredibly useful for preparing for fast-paced movements in petit allegro, especially in petit allegro steps with added beats. Petit battement can be done with the standing foot on either flat or demi-pointe.
It’s very important to establish placement and correct technique in each element of petit battement because this step is very quick and precise. Petit Battement has the added difficulty of repeatedly switching between two different foot positions while the standing leg stays completely still and grounded, so it’s a good idea to work on the sur le cou-de-pied and coupé back positions first on their own without moving between them. In both positions, the standing leg should stay rotated from the top of the leg and the whole standing side should feel lifted. The supporting leg should act as an anchor to allow the movement of this step to occur. Because the working leg moves and rotates from a position off the floor through this step, it’s easy to allow the hips to rotate out of alignment or not stay level. Think of both sides rotating equally from the correct muscles, not just from the working side, and make sure to keep an awareness of your placement through the step.
In sur le cou-de-pied and coupé, the foot should switch between wrapping around your standing ankle (sur le cou-de-pied) or with the heel attached to the back of the standing leg (coupé back). Imagine the pinkie toe side leading to the back for the foot shape in both positions, but remember to simultaneously maintain a pointed feeling, as it’s easy to accidentally start flexing the foot by focusing too much on a winged shape. The foot should stay held in the same position as it switches between sur le cou-de-pied and coupé back, so it can help to think of the coupé position as a solid piece that keeps a consistent shape as the leg moves.
One of the most challenging elements of a petit battement is the movement between the two positions that make up this step. Possibly the easiest way to imagine the leg’s path between the two positions is to think of the working knee as a hinge for the lower leg to swing from. Think of the upper and lower leg as two separate pieces that do not change shape, so that the only thing that occurs to change between cou-de-pied and coupé is the lower leg swinging out and back in from the knee hinge point. The lower leg will swing out only as much as is necessary to switch between the wrapped and back positions while maintaining turnout. This should allow your petit battement to move more easily and quickly, because the lower leg can now move independently instead of the whole working leg trying to make the quick position switch happen. If the correct placement and technique are applied to petit battement, the step will be much more efficient and quick!
Have a wonderful Technique Thursday!
