Carriage of the arms. The term port de bras has two
meanings: (1) A movement or series of movements made by passing the arm or arms
through various positions. The passage of the arms from one position to another
constitutes a port de bras. (2) A term for a group of exercises designed to make
the arms move gracefully and harmoniously. In the Cecchetti method there are
eight set exercises on port de bras. In the execution of port de bras the arms
should move from the shoulder and not from the elbow and the movement should be
smooth and flowing. The arms should be softly rounded so that the points of the
elbows are imperceptible and the hands must be simple, graceful and never
flowery. The body and head should come into play and a suggestion of épaulement
should be used. In raising the arms from one position to another the arms must
pass through a position known in dancing as the gateway. This position
corresponds to the fifth position en avant, Cecchetti method, or the first
position, French and Russian Schools. In passing from a high position to a low
one, the arms are generally lowered in a line with the sides. Exercises on port
de bras can be varied to infinity by combining their basic elements according to
the taste of the professor and the needs of the pupil.
["carriage of the arms"]. 1. How a dancer uses his arms. 2. Specific
movements of the arms, as first port de bras, second port de bras, etc. 3.
Sometimes used instead of cambré. A grand port de bras is a circular bend,
either toward the barre, then down, then up away from the barre, and then
backward and back toward the barre: or the same thing in the opposite direction.
