Don't turn with your butt!

How's that for a headline? Grabs your attention, eh?

Today's Pirouette Tip comes courtesy of a number of my students of all skill levels. I noticed a tendency among them to initiate their en dehors pirouettes with their derrieres which results in:

--a sinking in the center of the body like a fallen souffle
--drooped arms and a collapsing of the pirouette's integrity
--a lowered heel so the turn becomes more like a spin
--"kneeing" the turn so the knee is in front of the body during the rotation instead of turned out to the side

There are 2 main reasons for this occurrence:

1. Pirouette anxiety which prevents you from taking the "leap of faith" required to fully stack your head, shoulders, torso, hips, etc. all the way over your leg.
2. Lack of strength in your glutes and core to hold the external rotation and press the floor up and away from you rather than in a circular motion.

Are you doing this? How do you know if you are?

Q. Are you falling out of your turn?
Q. Are you unable to complete more than one turn?
Q. Does your support knee bend during the turn?
Q. Is your passe knee in front of you instead of the side?
Q. Do you sink instead of float?

Honestly, a well-aligned pirouette is the best feeling in the world! You float, you're lifted, you feel...well, you just feel right. That's not very technical but for anyone who has completed even a single pirouette correctly, you know you have done it right.

So how do we stop doing this? A few tips:

1. Strengthen your core and glutes so they will keep you lifted during the entire turn. Exercises are found all over the web but they can include planks, sit-ups and push-ups, squats, etc.
2. Push the floor away with your entire foot when you start the turn.
3. Use the external rotation at the tops of your thighs in your 4th position to work like a screw going straight up.
4. DO NOT initiate the turn with your butt.
5. Leave the passe knee behind as you turn; feel it rotate as you press it back in opposition to the opposing shoulder, e.g. right knee & left shoulder.
6. RELAX...don't hold your breath before you start the turn. Exhale instead. Create a rhythm in your pirouette from plie to releve to plie.

Vacation plans and Earthquake proofing!

First of all, if you are a student of mine who is not on my email list, you might not realize I'm on vacation from August 22-27. That means there are no classes during that week.

My first class back is at Inspire Dance Studio on Monday, August 29, 6:30PM Intermediate ballet.

Classes at Dance Arts Academy begin Tuesday, August 30, 6:30PM Advanced beginner ballet.

Now on to my technique advice: Earthquake proofing your body!

People who live Southern California are always aware there could be an earthquake at some point. If you own your own home, you might even do what is called "bolting" which means your house is literally bolted into its foundation so it can withstand the shakes of an earthquake.

Not like this!

San Francisco after Lomo Prieta quake (Wikipedia)

 I like to imagine I do the same thing with my hips. I think of the femur fitting into the acetabulum of the pelvis and "bolting" it in place. I can do this with the very small, deep external rotators under the meaty glutes.

These external rotators will stabilize my pelvis so my extensions are more solid, my retire is flatter, and I can balance longer.

Many dancers, when they feel the earthquake, try to stabilize themselves with their hip flexors or thighs and then they end up gripping and turning in. This is the exact opposite effect you want and works against your technique. It also contributes to lower back problems, weak battu in allegro work, and shaky promenades.

Here is an image from Wikipedia that shows the deep external (lateral) rotator muscles of the hip. If you can access these, strengthen them, and bolt yourself in place, you will find stability and confidence whenever you step away from the barre.

An exercise for working the turnout in releve

Recently a reader sent me an email with some questions about how to increase her turnout when she is en releve. This is especially important for pirouettes, because if you are turned in at the top of your thighs when you attempt to turn, your weight is thrown back into your hips and knees and you simply won't turn - or at least not properly.

So here is an exercise I use to help students with sautes. It works well for turnout too.

--Stand facing the barre (or a chair) in first position.
--Take your demi-plie, knees over the toes, then stretch back to standing position, thinking about the muscles in the back of the thighs helping you lift, and the muscles at the top of the inner thighs helping to close.
--Eleve (lift the heels to a rise), maintaining that exact position.
--Do this a few times and then practice going directly from demi-plie to the rise (releve).

The important thing to remember is to work your turnout from the top of the inner legs and imagine, if you can, that the smallest muscles under your derriere are the ones turning your legs out not your quads.

I'll be putting up some new videos soon - hopefully one before Thanksgiving, if I can get my editor in gear!

Happy dancing~

From the mailbag...

Two great questions from a subscriber to my videos on YouTube (the FitBallet Channel!):


1. Is turn out supposed to be 180*?

And my response to her was: No, it is not supposed to be 180 degrees. Any teacher who forces your legs into that position will ultimately hurt your knees because it torques the muscles and tendons behind the kneecaps.

The way to determine YOUR best turnout is to stand in first position and take a demi-plie. Your knees should go out directly over the arch of your foot and your toes and your heels should not lift off the floor. Now, watching yourself in a mirror in profile, gradually take your grand plie, letting the weight of the legs lift the heels off the floor. Your legs should be turning out at the top of the thighs in the hips, your derriere should neither be tucked nor lifted, and your lower back should be flat.

If you are forcing your turnout in your feet, then you will see that the knees in grand plie are in front of your toes rather than directly over them. Go back to 1st position and take a shallower turnout and try again.

And then a follow-up question.

2. What can I can do to become more flexible and open my turn out more?

And my response to her was: You can work on your splits to increase flexibility in your hips. Or you can let gravity help you! Lay flat on your back with your rear end against a wall and let your legs open into a wide V. Try to relax the muscles inside your thighs so they don't grip and allow the weight of your legs to help open your hips.

Another option: If you have a sturdy chair, place one leg on top of the chair back (or on the seat if it's too high for you) and slowly lean forward over your leg. Make sure your hips are settled evenly before you lean over. Then turn slightly to the side so the leg is in a la second position. Reach your opposing arm over your head and try to lean the side of your head against your knee.

Both of these stretches will increase your flexibility and ultimately loosen your hips so you can achieve a greater turnout.

Got burning ballet questions? Bring 'em on! I've got new videos coming and more ideas brewing. Let me know if there's anything you want to see.

Happy dancing!