Ballet Turns: How Dancers Keep Spinning
Video lesson + interactive tasks with instant checking.
Stage 1
GLOSSARY
Before watching, review the words that will help you understand the video.
- fouetté — a fast turning movement in ballet
- torque — a twisting force that makes something rotate
- friction — the force that slows motion when surfaces rub
- momentum — motion an object has because it is moving
- axis — an imaginary line an object rotates around
- balance — the ability to stay steady and not fall
- rotational inertia — resistance to turning; how hard it is to rotate
- angular velocity — how fast something spins
- conservation of angular momentum — the rule that spin stays constant unless a force (like friction) changes it
- pointe — dancing on the tips of the toes in pointe shoes
Stage 2
PREDICTION
Using the new words, choose the most likely topic of the video.
1) What will the video most likely explain?
Stage 3
FIRST WATCH — Listening for Gist
Watch the video once. Do not pause the video. Focus on the general idea.
1) Choose the best summary of the video.
Stage 4
SECOND WATCH — Listening for Details
Watch the video again. Focus on details. You may pause if necessary.
True / False
1) Friction between the shoe and the floor reduces the dancer’s momentum.
2) The dancer never pauses between turns in a fouetté.
3) The turns work best when the dancer’s turning axis stays vertical.
4) The elevated leg stops moving during each pause.
5) Pulling the arms closer to the body can make the dancer spin faster.
Multiple Choice
1) What starts the rotation at the beginning of the turn?
2) What reduces the dancer’s momentum while she spins?
3) Why does the dancer briefly flatten and twist the supporting foot?
4) What is the “real secret” that helps keep the turning going?
5) Why can pulling arms/leg closer to the body increase turning speed?
Stage 5
VOCABULARY PRACTICE
Task 1
Match the word and the picture
Tap a word, then tap an image. Listen and pronounce.
Task 2
Match the word and the definition
Tap a word, then tap the correct definition. Wrong answers won’t be placed.
Task 3
Fill in the gaps
Tap a word, then tap a gap. Wrong answers won’t be placed. Tap a filled gap to clear it.
Stage 6
FINAL VOCABULARY TEST (Score)
Complete the final test. Click Submit & Score.