Full Transcript

·YouTLDR

Variation Tutorial Paquita Pas de Troi Act1 | Ballet For All

24:351,317 summary words · ~7 min readEnglishTranscribed Jul 27, 2026
Open in Studio
Summary

Jelena teaches the Paquita Act 1 Pas de Trois variation in three phrases with detailed counts, arm coordination, weight-placement corrections, and an intermediate option featuring cabriole and attitude derrière.

Learning this variation correctly builds classical ballet vocabulary, musicality, and the weight-control habits that separate clean technique from sloppy execution — especially in contretemps and pirouette sequences.

Section summaries

0:00-1:32

Intro & full variation demonstration with music

watch

Jelena welcomes viewers, names the variation (Paquita Act 1 Pas de Trois), and performs the complete variation once with music and applause. No instruction occurs here; it serves as the visual target for the rest of the tutorial.

  • Full variation runs about 90 seconds of music.
  • Three clear phrase groupings are visible even at performance tempo.

Gives the musical and spatial overview you need before breaking it down.

1:32-5:02

Phrase 1 breakdown: legs only, counts 5-8 entrance through attitude

watch

Jelena teaches the opening entrance: walk to stage right, tendu back, hold fifth position while music starts on count 5, then chassé croisé, quick turn to effacé, chassé back, repeat with attitude derrière on the second pass, then walk forward into tendu. Every step is counted aloud (5-6-7-8, 1-2-3-4, etc.) with no arms yet.

  • Music begins only after you settle in fifth position back, not on the entrance walks.
  • Second pass replaces the second chassé back with attitude derrière and a small jump.
  • Final walk forward is three steps into tendu front on count 8.

Establishes the rhythmic skeleton of the first phrase; all later layers build on these counts.

5:02-7:31

Phrase 1: adding arm coordination

watch

Arms are layered onto the now-familiar leg pattern: entrance walks with arms in allonge, hold allonge during the musical wait (5-6-7-8), then bras bas for the chassé sequence, opening to first and allonge for the attitude jump, finishing with relevé in attitude and a port de bras through first to fifth. Jelena demonstrates twice, once marking, once full-out.

  • Arms stay in allonge during the 5-6-7-8 musical introduction — no marking time with the hands.
  • Attitude jump gets a coordinated open-to-first-then-allonge port de bras.
  • Final relevé attitude includes a deliberate close to fifth position.

Arm timing is where most students drift musically; this section locks it to the counts.

7:31-8:23

Phrase 1 full run-through: legs and arms together, no music

optional

Jelena runs the entire first phrase continuously with both legs and arms, counting aloud. She reminds viewers they can pause and review before moving on. The run-through ends in tendu front, ready for phrase 2.

  • Transition from phrase 1 to phrase 2 is a simple tendu front — no extra preparation.
  • Continuous counting reveals the phrase fits exactly into four 8-count blocks.

Useful as a checkpoint, but you can skip if you already assembled the phrase from the previous two sections.

8:23-11:30

Phrase 2 breakdown: contretemps-assemblé series and sissonne basque

watch

From tendu front, Jelena teaches: assemblé, then three contretemps-assemblé sequences traveling on the left diagonal (first two with tombés, third a direct piqué to fifth). She explains contretemps step-by-step for those unfamiliar. After the third contretemps, she introduces sissonne basque (simpler beginner version) repeated twice toward the left diagonal front, each finishing in a big attitude derrière and walk back.

  • Contretemps = step forward, open back leg to fourth, change weight, step, assemblé.
  • Third contretemps drops the tombé and piqués directly to fifth to accelerate.
  • Sissonne basque here is a step-forward, balancé-like action into attitude, not the classical sissonne basque jump.

The contretemps series is the technical core of the variation; the step-by-step explanation is the clearest part of the video.

11:30-15:03

Phrase 2: adding arms and refining sissonne basque

watch

Arms added: contretemps-assemblé with arms on hips (weight-forward correction emphasized), then contretemps with arms opening to second and closing to first for the pirouette. Third contretemps goes straight to fifth, arms stay in first. Run runs to the diagonal, then sissonne basque with same arm as working leg, balance in attitude, close, repeat. Jelena corrects weight placement in fourth position twice.

  • Arms on hips during contretemps forces core engagement and reveals weight errors.
  • Pirouette after second contretemps uses a standard preparation: open to second, close to first.
  • Sissonne basque attitude balance must hold until the music says move.

Weight-forward correction (822) and arm coordination for the pirouette are high-value details.

15:03-16:26

Phrase 2 full run-through with arms, transition to phrase 3

optional

Continuous run of phrase 2 with arms, ending in the run to stage right or left (dancer's choice) for the pirouette finale. Jelena previews the intermediate option: contretemps-cabriole instead of contretemps-assemblé, and grand jeté en attitude derrière instead of sissonne basque.

  • Choice of running side depends entirely on your stronger turning side.
  • Intermediate version swaps two steps but keeps the same musical counts.

Good for seeing the full phrase flow; the intermediate preview is informational only.

16:26-18:10

Intermediate variation details: cabriole and grand jeté attitude

optional

Jelena breaks down the intermediate upgrades: contretemps-cabriole (with shoulder-hip opposition to keep square), then grand jeté en attitude derrière (right shoulder/hip back as leg opens). She admits space limits and safety concerns prevent full demonstration, but describes the mechanics and counts (1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8).

  • Cabriole requires right shoulder and hip to pull back as the back leg beats.
  • Grand jeté attitude uses the same opposition to prevent the torso from collapsing forward.
  • Counts remain identical to the beginner version.

Only relevant if you are preparing the intermediate version; otherwise skip.

18:10-20:45

Phrase 3: pirouette finale and ending pose

watch

From the run, Jelena teaches the pirouette sequence: double pirouette en dehors (right side shown), then double pirouette en dedans (left side shown), finishing in a posed arabesque with shoulder epaulement. Counts are 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 for the two doubles, then a final 8-count hold with shoulder lifts. She demonstrates both turning sides so the viewer can choose.

  • Two double pirouettes, opposite directions, back-to-back on the same musical phrase.
  • Final pose is arabesque with left shoulder forward, right arm lifting through first to fifth and down.
  • You pick the starting side based on your stronger en dehors turn.

The finale is the most exposed moment; the side-choice guidance and shoulder epaulement detail are practical.

20:45-22:35

Full variation run-through: legs and arms, no music

watch

Jelena performs the entire three-phrase variation continuously with counts, legs, and arms, no music. She narrates key transitions ("this one is different" at the assemblé relevé, "run run run" before sissonne basque). Serves as the final rehearsal before the music run.

  • Confirms the total variation fits in roughly sixteen 8-count blocks.
  • Verbal cues mark every phrase boundary for solo practice.

Best single reference for putting all three phrases together at your own pace.

Key points

  • Three-phrase structure with precise counts — The variation divides into three distinct phrases: entrance and chassé sequence (phrase 1), contretemps series with sissonne basque (phrase 2), and pirouette finale (phrase 3), each taught in 8-count blocks.
  • Weight forward over supporting toes in fourth position — Jelena repeatedly corrects the tendency to sit back in the fourth-position preparation for contretemps, insisting the weight stay over the toes of the supporting leg so the next contretemps can launch without adjustment.
  • Arm coordination layered after leg mastery — Arms are added only after each phrase is secure in the legs: first phrase uses allonge and bras bas, second phrase keeps arms on hips during contretemps then opens for sissonne basque, third phrase coordinates port de bras with each pirouette.
  • Intermediate upgrade: cabriole and attitude derrière — For stronger dancers, Jelena replaces the final contretemps-assemblé with contretemps-cabriole and adds a grand jeté en attitude derrière, noting the shoulder-hip opposition needed to keep the line square.
  • Pause-review-join practice method — Jelena explicitly tells viewers to pause, rewind, and rehearse each phrase alone before attempting the full run-through, modeling the self-directed rehearsal habit professionals use.
“remember to do be red towards the toes of the supporting leg so then you can just continue your country down without problems” — Jelena
“always remember you can pause the video go back review phrase one if you want to or review second phrase and then join me” — Jelena

AI-generated from the transcript. May contain errors.

0:00

hey guys welcome to another valentine

0:01

tutorials i'm jelena and today in our

0:03

variation tutorial you are going to be

0:04

learning pakita from palette act 1.

0:07

first let's have a quick look to the

0:08

variation with music

0:12

[Music]

0:21

so

0:22

[Music]

0:25

[Applause]

0:26

[Music]

0:35

so

0:38

[Music]

0:39

[Applause]

0:46

so

0:53

[Applause]

0:58

[Music]

1:01

[Applause]

1:01

[Music]

1:03

[Applause]

1:04

[Music]

1:17

so

1:20

[Applause]

1:23

[Music]

1:26

[Applause]

1:26

[Music]

1:32

let's begin with our first phrase we are

1:34

going to begin to the right side of the

1:36

stage away from the stage we are outside

1:40

someone said our name and we're going to

1:42

dance and we just enter the station

1:45

really tall real a bit

1:47

let me play a cross a bad mountain dew

1:49

to the back left leg on the back and for

1:52

the moment hands on your hips no arms

1:55

coordination yet with the music the

1:57

music is going to begin once you are in

1:59

your bad mouth and into the back and

2:01

you're going to count five

2:03

six

2:04

seven and

2:06

eight

2:07

okay

2:08

one more time

2:09

five

2:11

six

2:11

seven and eight from from crossing we're

2:15

going to turn and fast and do

2:17

church one

2:18

right leg change to the back

2:20

but

2:34

six and seven and eight and i'm faster

2:38

ended

2:41

and stay

2:43

second time repeat exactly the same

2:45

i'm fast

2:46

open

2:47

grasse

2:49

and stay

2:50

now the second time change a little bit

2:52

from attitude with the tone backward

2:56

left leg on the back

2:58

turns and fast to

3:00

one

3:01

and that right leg close to the back

3:03

chasse to the back

3:06

left leg

3:10

walk walk

3:12

tandy repeat everything from the

3:14

beginning a second time

3:27

and forward walk walk walk

3:31

six

3:32

seven and eight

3:34

okay

3:35

let's do everything from the beginning

3:37

none stop you can pause here go back

3:41

review step by step and then you can

3:43

join me i'm gonna do everything from the

3:44

beginning okay so

3:47

enter

3:48

enter

3:49

chasse above the mountain view

3:52

and music begins five

3:54

six

3:56

seven and eight on fast

4:09

two and three

4:12

walk

4:13

walk and seven and eight repeat them one

4:18

two

4:19

three and four and on first

4:23

five six

4:25

seven

4:26

eight

4:27

the second time it changed just a little

4:30

bit from that to me we are going to do

4:33

better developing with a little bit of a

4:35

jump

4:37

step

4:38

one

4:39

we are going to do pleasant

4:51

right and left one more time

4:54

attitude

5:00

that's going to be our first phrase

5:02

let's add arms coordination we go

5:04

outside we're going to walk with arms on

5:07

allen j

5:09

do you stay on allen j five

5:13

six

5:14

seven and

5:16

eight

5:17

yep did you see that

5:19

five

5:20

six

5:22

seven and eight

5:25

so

5:26

seven

5:27

and brava

5:29

eight i'm gonna keep moving so

5:32

jump

5:34

open

5:36

grab a first fifth

5:38

first

5:40

open

5:42

plie

5:44

attitude

5:48

one more time

5:50

jump

5:50

and

5:51

open

5:53

attitude

5:55

and releve

5:57

yeah you get that let's do it with legs

6:01

badminton to the back

6:03

five

6:05

six

6:06

seven and eight and one

6:10

two and three

6:12

four second time five

6:15

six

6:16

seven and

6:18

eight

6:18

now

6:21

we have left leg on the back

6:23

one arm in front of you one by your side

6:27

close and

6:28

open together

6:32

and open

6:33

play

6:35

and walk walk walk so basically we do

6:39

open

6:40

and chester close

6:42

open and close

6:44

and open forward forward

6:46

seven and eight

6:48

so there is not a seven

6:51

eight

6:52

there is a six

6:53

seven and

6:55

eight

6:56

and a bit second time

6:58

da da da da

7:15

on your

7:16

waist

7:17

let me do that one more time so it looks

7:19

better so attitude

7:27

and that's it

7:29

let's go outside and let's do everything

7:31

from the beginning legs and arms

7:33

coordination no music yet here we go

7:36

walk walk walk

7:39

and the music begins once you do your

7:41

tandoo so take your time five

7:44

six

7:45

seven and eight and one

7:49

two and three and four and five

7:54

six

7:55

seven and eight

8:06

seven and eight and one

8:10

two

8:11

three

8:12

four and five

8:14

six

8:16

seven

8:17

eight and one

8:19

two

8:20

three

8:22

four

8:23

and we go to the second phrase so we

8:25

finish by doing

8:26

ton by good pie

8:28

and one assembly

8:31

right now we run towards or we walk

8:34

towards the left diagonal behind us by

8:37

doing petit devlope and walk walk walk

8:41

we end up facing the right diagonal in

8:43

front of us

8:45

left leg in front

8:47

but mentally forward cross it now we're

8:49

going to do

8:51

contour tan

8:53

assembly

8:56

what is called the lambda i'm going to

8:57

stop calling it that because it doesn't

8:59

make sense so it's your tongue

9:01

pick a pirouette yeah

9:03

if you don't know how to do countertown

9:05

you can go here and learn country time

9:06

but i'm gonna give you a quick tip on

9:08

how to do it okay left leg in front

9:10

you're going to step forward please your

9:13

right leg is going to open yet

9:15

change it

9:17

step and assembly and that's a country

9:20

down assembly but because it's quick and

9:22

it's with dynamic it's going to look

9:23

like this

9:26

yeah after you finish let's do it again

9:30

left leg in front seven please come to

9:33

that assembly right leg close in front

9:36

right leg going to open tombe

9:39

pick up your red fourth position we're

9:42

going to repeat this three times now the

9:44

third time we don't do the thumb by

9:46

pirate we just do a pick at the fifth

9:48

position this is how it's gonna look

9:50

like the last two i don't have the space

9:52

to show you the three of them but i do

9:54

have a space to show you the last two

9:56

yeah

9:57

so we did the first one we finished in

9:59

fourth position and again

10:01

contour done awesome play

10:09

left leg in front cross it

10:12

okay so this is the first part

10:15

of our second phrase okay we do it one

10:18

more time

10:20

and one assembly

10:23

stay and five

10:26

six

10:27

seven and let's do the three of them

10:30

sideways rather than diagonal seven

10:34

eight ton

10:35

assembly

10:38

fourth position left leg right leg

10:41

forward country down assembly

10:51

position and run towards the right

10:54

diagonal behind you

10:56

five

10:57

six

10:58

seven eight so chasse left leg on the

11:02

back

11:03

yeah

11:04

change change by tan lias okay

11:07

and one

11:08

two and three

11:10

four

11:11

from here we're going to do soda base

11:14

with that same leg so rather than

11:15

stepping and changing

11:17

from here we're going to do

11:19

sodium basque

11:21

left leg step forward ba lan say unto

11:24

none

11:25

big attitude

11:28

this is a simpler and beginner variation

11:30

compared to the video that i'm going to

11:32

leave for you so i'm going to give you

11:34

the basics and simplest version for you

11:37

to do however i'm also going to give you

11:39

the tips for a little bit closer to the

11:42

variation that i'm going to leave for

11:44

you to follow with the music okay so so

11:46

get a best

11:48

balance

11:51

and ah and repeat the same don't change

11:53

leg so diana

12:00

and we are going to do that towards the

12:02

left diagonal in front of us two times

12:05

yep

12:06

so let's take it from the pick and fifth

12:08

position and run run run chasse left leg

12:12

on the back play right leg in front

12:15

and so the arabesque

12:19

attitude

12:27

one pig attitude and walk from the back

12:31

one pig attitude

12:34

so then a mask and you're gonna run

12:36

either to the left side of the stage or

12:39

the right side of the stage depending

12:41

which is your best side for turning i'm

12:43

going to duplicate

12:45

that

12:46

okay

12:48

so if you like turning to the right

12:51

or if you like turning

12:53

to the other side yep but this is our

12:56

third phrase let's finish the second

12:57

phrase one more time from the beginning

13:00

with arms coordination this time okay

13:03

always remember you can pause the video

13:05

go back review phrase one if you want to

13:09

or review second phrase and then join me

13:11

with the arms coordination okay i'm

13:13

gonna move forward the arms coordination

13:20

five six seven eight arms on allen j

13:25

like that we're going to do

13:27

country

13:28

assembly

13:30

simple stay arms on

13:40

arms on your hips look at how my body

13:42

weight went all the way to the back

13:44

that's gonna help you in nothing keep

13:47

your body weight forward okay

13:49

although you finish in that fourth

13:50

position

13:51

remember to do

13:53

be red towards the toes of the

13:55

supporting leg so then you can just

13:58

continue your country down without

13:59

problems yeah so we finish be red forest

14:02

position and we are going to do contour

14:04

down again assembly

14:08

pirouette

14:09

country

14:10

arms

14:11

again

14:13

contour done

14:14

remember that this one doesn't do us

14:16

doesn't do assembly

14:18

fifth position

14:20

run run run and now

14:25

and

14:26

up

14:27

yeah so one and

14:29

up we are going to do

14:32

so there are basque

14:33

same leg same arm

14:35

balancing until none

14:38

close

14:39

bigger dude

14:41

and

14:42

up and again

14:45

this is the one and two three and four

14:48

our third arabesque

14:51

antenna

14:53

dude

15:03

towards the right side of the left side

15:06

let's do the arms coordination one more

15:08

time i'm not in a hurry

15:10

seven eight

15:13

country dan

15:14

ah

15:20

waist and one more time country dan

15:24

assembly

15:39

fifth position

15:40

and run run run

15:44

arabesque

15:45

and

15:46

put a little bit of a polymon okay

15:49

so bring your left shoulder forward

15:52

and arabesque

15:56

right hand is in front

15:57

right hand goes up

15:59

right hand goes up

16:02

and down right hand in front

16:05

right hand up

16:07

first position right hand

16:09

up and petty developer

16:12

pick arabesque walk from the back

16:14

we get a basket

16:18

and run to either side pirouettes

16:26

in this phrase too

16:27

i will have for an intermediate

16:29

variation a little bit more challenging

16:31

you can do

16:32

country tan

16:34

cabrio

16:38

yeah so that would be

16:39

the intermediate variation so

16:42

country thumb

16:44

cabrio your arms will change

16:47

so that could be your

16:49

variation and contretan cabrio

16:55

yeah you would do that if you are an

16:57

intermediate here the variation that i

16:59

would give to intermediate so it's very

17:01

similar to the variation that you're

17:03

going to see with music

17:05

i will tell you to do exactly the same

17:11

so the new and you're going to do manage

17:13

so your leg is going to open

17:16

back

17:17

attitude yeah

17:19

so basically

17:21

not it is sorry so just one

17:23

two

17:24

three

17:25

four and five

17:27

six

17:28

seven

17:29

eight and at a best

17:31

one

17:32

i don't have the space and i wouldn't

17:34

recommend you to jump at home like that

17:36

but if you want to do it

17:38

um

17:39

it's really pretty but basically what

17:41

you have to do is

17:43

once you're doing that because of the

17:45

you're going to bring your

17:47

right shoulder right hip back as your

17:49

leg open on

17:51

jette and that leg on the back goes

17:54

attitude or can just stay in arabesque

17:57

i'm so bad at doing this

18:00

yeah something like that

18:03

just look to go up and slightly forward

18:06

not i mean like i just went everywhere

18:10

let's do everything phrase one phrase

18:12

two

18:13

legs and arms coordination ready

18:16

walk walk walk walk and tandy

18:23

five and six and seven and eight and one

18:29

two and three

18:31

four and five

18:33

six

18:34

seven

18:35

eight and one

18:37

chasse

18:39

two

18:40

four

18:41

and five

18:43

six

18:44

seven and eight and one

18:47

two

18:48

three

18:50

four and again

18:52

six

18:53

seven

18:54

eight this one is different one assembly

18:58

releve

18:59

walk

19:00

five

19:01

six

19:03

seven

19:05

eight country tan assembly

19:08

be

19:17

position run

19:20

run

19:21

five

19:22

six

19:23

seven and eight

19:25

one

19:27

two

19:28

three and four

19:30

five

19:31

six

19:33

seven and eight

19:35

be okay

19:43

our third phrase pirates now because

19:47

we're gonna turn we're actually gonna do

19:49

arms and legs coordination in ones so

19:53

you decide which side you're going to go

19:55

i'm going to show you both don't worry

19:56

so now we're going to turn towards the

19:58

right side right leg in front we are

20:00

going to do

20:01

bigger one

20:03

big two biggest of the new player

20:07

bigger one bigger two

20:10

biggest suddenly

20:12

one

20:15

both and that's it we finish our

20:17

variation let's go back and let's do it

20:19

one more time now

20:21

we have eight counts to finish so we go

20:24

one

20:25

two

20:26

three

20:28

four and a five

20:30

six

20:31

seven

20:34

eight you're gonna stay here or you just

20:36

can point your point shoes up and then

20:39

i'm on left shoulder up

20:41

sheep up

20:43

and really pretty

20:45

and that's it let's do the entire

20:48

variation phrase one two and three

20:51

without music but with legs and arms

20:52

coordination ready

20:55

walk walk walk walk and tandy

21:01

five and six and seven and eight and one

21:07

two and three

21:10

four and five

21:12

six

21:13

seven

21:14

eight and one just say

21:18

two

21:19

four

21:20

and five

21:22

six

21:23

seven and eight and one

21:26

two

21:27

three

21:28

four and again

21:30

six

21:32

seven

21:33

eight this one is different

21:34

one assembly

21:36

releve

21:38

walk

21:39

five

21:40

six

21:42

seven

21:57

run

21:58

run

22:00

five

22:01

six

22:02

seven and eight

22:04

one

22:05

two

22:06

three and four

22:09

five

22:10

six

22:12

seven and eight

22:14

p

22:15

k

22:16

walk

22:17

pk

22:18

walk

22:19

so dara mask

22:21

six

22:22

seven please

22:24

one

22:25

two

22:26

three

22:27

four

22:28

five

22:29

six

22:30

seven

22:34

eight

22:35

ready

22:36

walk walk walk walk and tandy

22:43

[Music]

22:56

[Applause]

22:57

[Music]

23:06

[Applause]

23:08

[Music]

23:09

[Applause]

23:16

[Music]

23:24

[Applause]

23:28

[Music]

23:31

[Applause]

23:35

[Music]

23:46

[Applause]

23:48

[Music]

23:51

[Applause]

23:53

[Music]

23:57

[Applause]

23:57

[Music]

24:04

thank you very much for joining me in

24:05

today's class i really love that all of

24:07

you take the time to learn these

24:08

variations i know that they are the most

24:10

famous videos on my youtube do you all

24:12

love doing variation that's why i'm

24:14

taking the time to record these

24:16

variations for you if you have any

24:17

questions leave them in the comment

24:18

below now remember that i'm offering

24:20

live lessons if you are interested in

24:21

having a variation tutorial class with

24:23

me you can do so i will leave in the

24:25

description down below the contact for

24:27

my email and where you can dm me thank

24:29

you very much for joining me and i'm

24:30

going to see you in my next class

More transcripts

Explore other videos transcribed with YouTLDR.

Get the TLDR of any YouTube video

Transcribe, summarize, and repurpose videos in 125+ languages — free, no signup required.

Try YouTLDR Free