Pas de Deux:
Pas de Deux Translated literally from the French, pas de deux means “step of two.”
In ballet this term refers to a dance of two persons, typically a man and a woman dancing as partners. Photo from Physics and the Art of Dance by K. Laws
Forces on the Ballerina:
Forces on the Ballerina Forces acting on the ballerina are:
Gravity
Support (floor)
Friction (floor)
Friction (hands) Support
(Floor) Friction Friction Gravity (CG) X Without her partner, the ballerina would fall forward.
Dancers as a Single Object:
Dancers as a Single Object Taken as a single object, the dancers’ center of gravity is located, roughly, as shown.
The upward vertical support force of the floor balances the gravity force (their total weight) Support
(Floor) X (CG) Support
(Floor) Support
(Floor) Gravity
Base of Support:
Base of Support The pose is stable as long as the center of gravity is located above the base of support, the area outlined below.
References:
References For more information on balance and the physics of the pas de deux:
Physics and the Art of Dance: Understanding Movement, Kenneth Laws, Oxford University Press (2002) Chapter 6, The Pas de Deux
Conceptual Physics , Paul G. Hewitt, Addison Wesley (2005) Chapter 10, Rotational Motion