Swan Arms question

[Tugger31]

I only own the Full Body Toning dvd and have only done it once and almost sold it. Maybe I need to give these type of exercises another chance (which is my current game plan). I remember after doing it I didn't really feel anything and was mad that I wasted my money. But, I didn't care for Swan Arms the first time either. I can't say I enjoyed it the second time either, but it did fry my upper arms/shoulders!

[violingal3]

Originally Posted by DCW

Right now, I am doing Full Body Toning about four times a week. I put it down this past summer since our summer was so lovely and I walked a lot after work. It is one of my Essentrics favs. It does a body good.

Good for you, DCW! Keep it up!

[weighttrain]

I teach Pop Pilates, Cassey has 'swan arms' in our instructor teaching content.
Does anyone know who created this choreography and used the 'swan arms' terminology?

[toaster]

Tugger, I'm not a big fan of swan arms. It's not that I don't like that type of work--I just didn't really click with MHB (I know, others love her). Plus, the DVD is extremely repetitive.

If you want to do similar unweighted/low weight arms work, I highly recommend Tracy Campoli's free YouTube videos. I really like her Bat Wings series (I know, icky name!). Tracy is fun, goofy, and upbeat, and the videos are short, most around 8-14 minutes or so. I haven't used them much lately, but I definitely did in the summer when my arms were showing more!

[KarenJo]

Does anyone know who created this choreography and used the 'swan arms' terminology?

It comes from the ballet Swan Lake. The term is used in the ballet world for what the corps does for about an hour total out of the three-hour ballet. Plus there are a couple of places they hold their arms up in a swan arm position for an entire pas de deux done by the leads. I don't know whether the original production used swan arms but I'm pretty sure the revival by Petipa and Ivanov did and that's what most versions are based on today. It's likely that Petipa did not use much of the original choreography, especially since it wasn't a hit.

They're notoriously grueling and take some special training the first time a dancer does them. I know some of the women in these clips and they're very strong. But no linebacker shoulders and a couple could have them if they wanted.

Pacific Northwest Ballet clip

And another PNB clip