University of Iowa Ballet Professor Eloy Barragán Shares a Partnered Phrase
At the University of Iowa, Eloy Barragán, associate professor of ballet technique, choreography, partnering, and pointe, and the university’s director of dance production, works with dancers at pivotal stages in their careers. As budding artists, it’s their time not just to learn and mimic steps, but to interpret and infuse them with emotion. “ It has to be this way. It’s more like collaboration, like conversations,” he says of working with university dancers. “How will you move in this phrase? How will you make it your own?”
On top of personal artistic development, Barragán says that today’s young dancers face a challenge he and many other teachers never had to contend with: smartphones’ nullifying effect on human connection. “They are with their friends or their roommates and they are not talking,” he says. “They are together, but they feel very isolated.”
This contemporary ballet sequence for intermediate/advanced dancers is the beginning of a new piece, inspired by the Shakespeare play As You Like It, that Barragán is creating for a university performance. Human connection—the relation between the two dancers—is as crucial to the phrasing as the counts and foot placements. “I am thinking about how phones have isolated the younger generation,” says student Victoria Adams. “You’ll see a lot of hand-shaking. That’s longing for genuine connection with people that is more meaningful than a text over the phone.”
Barragán suggests, “Try to go movement per movement and ask, ‘What do you feel in this? How you feel in that?’ ” In the instructions, a look downwards might not just be a head direction, but an emotion to show shyness. Lifting the chin and staring straight at the audience might be a confrontation. Barragán says that you can communicate with every step.
As a Mexican immigrant who has danced, taught, and choreographed in such diverse locales as Mexico City, Beijing, and Paris—and who has brought diverse voices to Iowa through the International ScreenDance Festival and the Iowa Dance Festival—Barragán’s experience proves that dance, as a form of communication, transcends cultures. “ Love, despair, and death—regardless of whether you are Mexican, Chinese, Russian, or Cuban—doesn’t matter. We are humans.”
Step by Step
Featuring students Victoria Adams (Dancer One, in brown) and Abbey Thornton (Dancer Two, in pink).
Note on partnering and consent:
When you are touching and weight sharing with another dancer, it’s important to establish respect and communication surrounding physical touch. Barragán notes that doing so is just as important as preparing dancers for the intellectual and emotional facets of partnering. For example, two female-identifying dancers in a pas de deux may evoke certain audience interpretations. “They might think that you have a more intimate relationship than you actually do. Are you okay with that or not?” asks Barragán. At the outset of the lesson, “Ask these questions about how comfortable they feel. That is the first thing.”
Dancer One
First Set of 8
With the head and gaze directed down, walk forward on counts 1, 2, 3, 4, look up on 5, and settle into place by 6, 7, 8 with arms relaxed by the sides and feet hip-distance apart.
Second Set of 8
On 1, initiating the movement with a lift in the shoulder, move the left hand up the body, with the palm flush against the thigh.
The hand travels, maintaining contact up the side of the torso and over to the stomach on 2, 3, 4, and across the chest and over to the left collar bone by 5.
By this time, Dancer Two has made contact on count 4 with a hand on Dancer One’s left shoulder. On count 6, simultaneously move the hand to where Dancer Two made contact on the shoulder and turn the head sharply over to the right to look at where Dancer Two was.
On count 7, dip the body laterally to the left, with the left arm extending towards the floor and the right hand coming to the side body. The movement is guided by Dancer Two’s hand making contact with Dancer One’s head, as if pushed.
On count 8, return swiftly in one count to a standing position.
Third Set of 8
On count 1, plié and bend the right arm, which Dancer Two will hook around to initiate an en dedans turn. To turn, push off the left leg with the right leg following around in the swivel. The left arm stays down by the side and the right arm unfurls up in the turn while Dancer Two’s arm moves with yours to grasp the left wrist.
By the half count after 1, the revolution of the turn is complete and you finish in a forward fold over the left leg while the right leg moves backwards in a lunge.
On count 2, swiftly bring the body up, slightly straightening the legs from the lunge and look over the right shoulder.
On the half count after 2, return to the forward-fold lunge position with the head down.
On count 3, keep the legs where they are, release Dancer Two’s hand, and arc the left arm overhead while looking again towards the right shoulder, exaggerating the movement from count 2.
On count 4, go back into the forward-fold lunge position while clasping Dancer Two’s right wrist or hand. The left hand is staying by the side, straight but somewhat relaxed.
On count 5, move the body upright and straighten the left leg to come out of the lunge. The right foot that is behind you developpés with the foot pointed in a low extension in front of the body. The right hand is still clasping Dancer Two’s wrist. From the extension, bend the right leg to hook the back of the knee around Dancer Two’s right leg.
By the half count after 5, straighten the right leg back into the extension, as if rebounding from the hook with Dancer Two’s leg and return to the forward-fold lunge position with right hand still clasped with Dancer Two’s.
On count 7, repeat the movement from count 3, keeping the legs where they are, releasing the wrist of Dancer Two, arcing the arm overhead and angling the body away from Dancer Two.
On count 8, return to the forward-fold lunge position with hands clasped.
Fourth Set of 8
On count 1, release Dancer Two, come out of the forward-lunge position, stepping forward with the right leg, the body’s momentum moving you to face en face. When you put weight on that foot, pivot the body to the left so that the right foot is propped behind you in a slight lunge again. Simultaneously, the arms cross in front of the body and then unfurl to an open position with the right hand arcing overhead and the left arm extended out—where the gaze is directed—parallel to the ground. The hands are flexed.
On count 2, retrace the pathway to face Dancer Two again by turning the body towards the right leg and enveloping the right foot to land behind the body again. This time, the left hand grasps Dancer Two’s left hand.
On count 3, lift Dancer Two’s right hand while bringing your body up to stand behind her and wrap the right hand around the back of her head. Supporting her head and weight, lower Dancer Two into a back bend by count 4. You are in a side lunge position, bending the left leg deeper to lower Dancer Two’s weight.
On count 5, lift her to a 3/4 spin to the right out of the backbend, sending your left hand behind you to bring both of your hands to rest on your left shoulder. Looking to the left and shifting your weight so that it’s mostly supported on a bent right leg, bring the right hand to meet your joined hands on your left shoulder by 6.
On count 7, release hands and shift your weight and body over to the left to lean away from Dancer Two, but the head trails the body, looking over towards your partner until the weight is fully shifted.
On count 8, the right arm swoops across the body down and as it circles around and up it brings the body and weight back over to the right leg.
Final Counts
On count 1, the right arm wraps around Dancer Two’s torso and pulls her into an en dedans turn.
Dancer Two finishes the turn and you come to stand behind her with your hands on her hips by count 2.
On counts 3 and 4 in the video, Eloy provides the hint of the next steps before the lesson completes. Both dancers start walking forward. The right foot steps on count 3, the left on 4, and the core breaks to bend with the first step, the shoulders and head following forward with the momentum of the bending core. You can improvise from there!
Dancer Two
First Set of 8
Offstage
Second Set of 8
Begin walking in on counts 1, 2, and 3, arriving at Dancer One and placing the left hand on her left shoulder by count 4.
On count 5, take another step to stand behind Dancer One, sliding the hand that is making contact across the partner’s back to the other shoulder, looking at her and pausing on count 6.
On count 7, move the hand to Dancer One’s head, initiating her into a bend with light pressure. She’ll stand back up by count 8.
Third Set of 8
On count 1, reach with the right hand to slide up Dancer One’s right arm, coming to grasp her hand/wrist.
By count 2, meet in the forward fold over a lunge.
For the remaining counts, follow Dancer One’s steps, facing into each other.
Fourth Set of 8
Count 1 is the same as Dancer One’s.
On count 2, extend your left hand to take Dancer One’s left hand. On three, she will lift your left hand, turning you 1/4 en dedans to have your feet parallel. Carry the momentum of the turn and let your weight shift into a gradual backbend as Dancer One supports your weight with a hand on the back of your neck. As you bend the knees, keep your back more parallel to the floor than arched. You’ll arrive in the full dip by count 4.
Dancer One will lift you out of the bend on 5, spinning you over the right shoulder in a 3/4 turn, keeping your left hands joined. Pause facing the downstage-left corner in a natural position. Stay motionless. Dancer One will hold onto your hand while moving on 6, 7, 8. Watch Dancer One’s movements.
Final Counts
On count 1, Dancer One will reach to your midline and initiate your turn to the left. Pivot 360 degrees back to face the downstage-left corner. Arrive to stillness again by count 2. Dancer One’s hands will land on your hips.
On counts 3 and 4 in the video, Eloy provides the hint of the next steps before the lesson completes. Both dancers start walking forward. The right foot steps on count 3, the left on 4, and the core breaks to bend with the first step, the shoulders and head following forward with the momentum of the bending core. You can improvise from there!
Editor’s note: The Shakespeare play in the video at timecode 0:25 is As You Like It, not As It Is.
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