Shoulder Blade Placement | Pro Tip from Elizabeth Marlin

Our current School of Ballet 5:8 Featured Guest, Elizabeth Marlin, is a Company Artist with Ballet 5:8. We asked her to share some of her favorite pro tips with us over the coming weeks. Today's insight has to do with shoulder blades and port de bras.

Elizabeth says:

I had a hard time finding my port de bras from my back until I started thinking about it initiating from my shoulder blades.

By thinking of using the muscles on top of my shoulder blades to pull the bones down my back towards the bottom of my rib cage, I find myself able to engage more of my back muscles and feel my arms supported and lengthened from my back.

This is also very important with partnering, especially in lifts where you are being lifted from the armpits or arms. Pushing down from the shoulder blades and lats creates the necessary resistance for the lift to be successful.