An axel jump is a basic jump that is good to teach at any level of dance. Dance expert, Brittney Schubert, will demonstrate how to execute an axel jump.
You take a chaine in plie to prepare for the axel jump. Your right leg fouettes around into a parallel passe. As your right leg is coming around, your left leg comes up to meet the other leg. For the arms, your right arm will follow your right leg around and remain up. Your left arm will pull in to the center of your body as your left leg tucks up.
You can do many across the floor combinations incorporating an axel jump. One that dance expert, Brittney Zevnik, demonstrates involves a pirouette. You begin with two chaines, one in releve and one in plie as you prepare to go into the axel. As you come out of the axel, you will quickly prepare for a pirouette.
The counts will be up chaine 1-2, down chaine 3-4, axel jump 5, prep &6 for your pirouette. You can do a single, double, triple or quadruple pirouette out of the jump. The amount of pirouettes you do out of the jump all depends on the level of technicality you’re at.
This combination helps with quick footwork. It helps to create a situation like choreographed dances where you wouldn’t just land out of the jump, you would continue on with choreography. It also helps with keeping the dancers on their center. With the across the floor combination, you are required to stay on top of your center in order to successfully complete your pirouette.
Body alignment is what will help you to stay on center. Your shoulders and hips should be aligned in this combination, especially for the pirouette. Your core should be engaged the entire time so you can easily stay on top of your center.