Name: The physics of the "hardest move" in ballet
Uploaded: 2017-09-07T20:26:35Z
Duration: 4 min 2 s
Description: In the third act of "Swan Lake", the Black Swan pulls off a seemingly endless series of turns, bobbing up and down on one pointed foot and spinning around and around and around ... thirty-two times. How is this move — which is called a fouetté — even possible? Arleen Sugano unravels the physics of this famous ballet move.

Arleen Sugano: The physics of the "hardest move" in ballet

The physics of the "hardest move" in ballet

In the third act of "Swan Lake", the Black Swan pulls off a seemingly endless series of turns, bobbing up and down on one pointed foot and spinning around and around and around ... thirty-two times. How is this move — which is called a fouetté — even possible? Arleen Sugano unravels the physics of this famous ballet move.

The legendary fouetté from "Swan Lake"—32 rapid-fire spins on one foot—looks like sorcery but relies on precise physics. Each turn demands a careful balance of momentum, torque, and the strategic movement of arms and legs. The dancer’s elevated leg acts as a storehouse for momentum, transferring energy back and forth to keep her spinning. What appears effortless on stage is actually a masterclass in conserving angular momentum against the drag of friction.