I truly believe that, in dance, we coin these phrases about technique and then we use them over and over again but we forget to actually EXPLAIN what the phrase means so it just becomes a "thing your dance teacher says"...
For Example- "Pull up your knees", "use your spot", "pointe your toes", and "keep your hips square"
As a teacher, we get used to repeating these corrections and forget that sometimes we might need to do a little further explaining if we expect further growth from our students.
The "keep your hips square" phrase is one that I feel has lost it's meaning. I've seen more dancers hit an arabesque that looks more like a parallel a la secondé (or second-esque, ara-seconde, or whatever nickname has been used to describe a poorly executed arabesque) because their hips completely open towards the working leg. Because their leg can get higher when they open their hips, they are sometimes praised for the flexibility rather than critiqued for not maintaining "square-ness" in their hips.
If you were to take a marker to your leotard and draw a line from your hip bone up to your shoulder bone, across to your other shoulder bone, down to your hip bone, and across to your other hip bone, you would make a square...well more like a rectangle but you get the idea. Your two shoulder bones and your two hips bones make a square on the front of your torso.
This is literally what it means to keep your hips square.
In order to be square you must keep both hip bones and shoulder bones facing the same direction to keep your "square" intact. (I don't recommend you use a marker to your leotard but you could use masking tape. It is a great way to take class and become more aware of your hips and their alignment and relationship to your shoulders.)
Another great way to work on your arabesque and keeping your hips and shoulders square is through a floor exercise. Lie on your stomach with your heels together and legs turned out and arms overhead in 5th position. Make sure you are turning out from the hips and legs are straight, feet pointed. Forehead on the floor in order to maintain a neutral spine. From here, here are the options- 1. keep upper body still lift one leg at a time pressing the other leg strongly down into the floor, 2. raise opposite arm and leg straight up keeping non-working arm and leg pressed into the floor, 3. raise both arms and ONE leg keeping non working leg pressed into the floor.
Video link is below. Hope this helps you to be more square :)...
Interested in working with me virtually or in person? Please email me for info lizborom@gmail.com or connect with me on instagram @lizbdance or Facebook-Liz Borom
Take Care of YOU, dancers!
Liz