No, I'm not talking about aviation (Yes, there's a first for everything!); I'm actually talking about ballet. Why do I mention it in a blog about flying? Well, for one: some of the vocabulary is the same. "Attitude" in aviation refers to the relation between the airplane's horizontal axis and the horizon. There is also an instrument called the "attitude indicator", which is also referred to as "the artificial horizon".
You'll see punny aviation t-shirts that say "Bad Attitude" with a picture of this gauge at an odd angle or even upside down. The title of this blog is also a play on words, as attitude in aviation is pretty important, and as is attitude when it comes to your overall state of mind. It's difficult, if not impossible, to accomplish anything- IF you don't have the right attitude. Plus, I've found having the right attitude makes up for talent (or lack thereof).
Now "attitude" in ballet refers to an arabesque-type position, except the one leg raised in the air is bent at the knee. Pirouette is also a term that is used in both ballet and aviation. A pirouette in ballet is when you pick up one foot, place it either under or behind knee and spin. (And starting a pirouette is called "taking off". Check that out.) A pirouette in aviation (the link is for an RC, but I've seen actual helicopters doing this) also refers to a spinning maneuver. I once saw a helicopter at PDK airport take off backwards, turn in circle three times and land. I think a pirouette in aviation can only be performed by a helicopter (no fixed wings), although I could be wrong. We kind of doing a little pirouette-type move on the ground while taxiing and trying to get into the parking space.
Now "attitude" in ballet refers to an arabesque-type position, except the one leg raised in the air is bent at the knee. Pirouette is also a term that is used in both ballet and aviation. A pirouette in ballet is when you pick up one foot, place it either under or behind knee and spin. (And starting a pirouette is called "taking off". Check that out.) A pirouette in aviation (the link is for an RC, but I've seen actual helicopters doing this) also refers to a spinning maneuver. I once saw a helicopter at PDK airport take off backwards, turn in circle three times and land. I think a pirouette in aviation can only be performed by a helicopter (no fixed wings), although I could be wrong. We kind of doing a little pirouette-type move on the ground while taxiing and trying to get into the parking space.
I've yet to mention it in this blog, although I've said it out loud many, many times: ballet actually helps me to fly. I never realized it until the ballet classes were on break for a few weeks and things weren't coming together in my flight lessons as they were before. It was that moment when I realized just how similar they both were to one another. Besides the identical terms, flying has always reminded me of a ballet in the air. Very graceful, very smooth. Plus, in aviation, you are trying to connect with the plane and make it an extension of yourself. The same goes for ballet, except its with your body, and that sounds weird because you think you should already be connected with your body. Ballet puts your in so many odd and unfamiliar positions that you connect with your body even more. It makes you even in more control than you already were. Also, in aviation, it pushes your coordination to the limits, as you need to be monitoring at least 3 gauges at one time (altimeter, heading and attitude) with your eyes out the window (at least in VFR) and performing the maneuvers cold. Sometimes with the tower talking to you, sometimes with your instructor talking to you AND looking out for other airplanes. Ballet is the same - you need to be monitoring certain things at all time (turnout, tummy & rear-end sucked in, toes pointed), which your arms are doing one thing, legs are doing another (feet might even be doing something else entirely) and looking in another direction....all while doing certain maneuvers and combinations.
I went out flying (in the back seat) this past weekend (my first time in a Cessna!). During turns, the other student would first raise the wing on the side he wished to turn, in order to look out for other traffic. The Cessna is a high-wing airplane, so there's a bit of a blind spot. We don't have to do this in the Diamond (low wing plane). However, it made me smile because it reminded me so much of ballet! We do an identical move (although we aren't looking out for traffic when we do so haha) and it's just as graceful as the airplane (or supposed to be...At least it is in my head).
Onwards to my point because I do need to get some studying in tonight and I don't need to be staying up until 12:30 again like last night. So I was saying how tonight I preformed my very first double pirouette. We had a sub tonight because our usual teacher is working with the little kids and their Spring Recital. I always like subs because it's good to get different perspectives and tricks. He had a very good one for pirouettes. As far as setup and technique went, we were all pretty much spot on, although we were still wobbly and sometimes didn't make it all the way around in a spin. He asked us to do two (more!) things while doing the pirouette: 1) breathe during setup as we plie before take-off and 2) stop the negative thoughts. He asked what we were thinking as we set up the pirouette and we giggled. I had never thought about it before... but yeah, the thoughts I have going into a pirouette are usually "ohcrapohcrapohcrap" and I hold my breath. Pirouettes are scary things!! Everything is so fast and you need to remember so much and I'm praying that I don't fall over. So with that, he told us to go across the floor and practice with those two things in mind, although warned us that we might go faster than normal, so not to freak out.
We had a few other moves beforehand, but then it was pada bu rae, 4th position, hands in position to pirouette, plie, breathe, clear mind... and BOOM! I spun around 1 and a half times. It REALLY worked! No wobblies, no drunken pirouettes. It really worked!!! I smiled and another girl congratulated me. I laughed, "It was an accident!"... but I guess it really wasn't - I had a good setup, good position. We did some more and that's when I landed my first double pirouette.
Although now that the bad thoughts were out of my head while pirouetting, it gave me time to think about other things. The ballet instructors always laugh at us for holding our breath all the time, but there's soooo much else to think of all at once that it's difficult to think about something as simple as breathing. It made me think of flying lessons. Now I've never had a CFI tell me not to hold my breath, like the ballet instructors, but I know I do it before certain maneuvers during the setup. I think next time I get into the air, I'm going to remind myself to breathe - it may just help like it did in ballet.
We had a few other moves beforehand, but then it was pada bu rae, 4th position, hands in position to pirouette, plie, breathe, clear mind... and BOOM! I spun around 1 and a half times. It REALLY worked! No wobblies, no drunken pirouettes. It really worked!!! I smiled and another girl congratulated me. I laughed, "It was an accident!"... but I guess it really wasn't - I had a good setup, good position. We did some more and that's when I landed my first double pirouette.
Although now that the bad thoughts were out of my head while pirouetting, it gave me time to think about other things. The ballet instructors always laugh at us for holding our breath all the time, but there's soooo much else to think of all at once that it's difficult to think about something as simple as breathing. It made me think of flying lessons. Now I've never had a CFI tell me not to hold my breath, like the ballet instructors, but I know I do it before certain maneuvers during the setup. I think next time I get into the air, I'm going to remind myself to breathe - it may just help like it did in ballet.
Speaking of getting into the air again soon, my instructor said we can't until I finish all this ground school work, so I'm off to study! Hopefully I'll be able to update soon about my return to the skies two weeks ago and the flight this past weekend.
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