Turn out

norwegiandancer · Joined: 10 Oct 2009 Posts: 1 Location: Norway

Just thought I'd introduce myself first. I'm 17, from Norway and I've been dancing for about three years...mostly contemporary danc, jazzdance and hip hop. I started ballet a couple of months ago and I really, really love it :)

I'm just wondering if you have any tips for getting a better turn out? Exersices or movements that I can do at home. I'm really struggling with my turnout and it makes classes ten times harder...

I also have one other question about pointe shoes; do you have to have a special body type to be on pointe? Can you be too fat to be on pointe shoes?

Thanks so much :)

nimmysnv · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 61

Hi,

I will only suggest you to practice at home whatever you learn as, this will make you to learn all the turns that are required in the ballad so that you will not at all find difficulty and you will learn all the steps pretty fast.

Thanks!

NeilT · Joined: 11 Feb 2010 Posts: 9 Location: Manchester, UK

Plies!!! Everyday!!!

Start working in the open positions of the legs (1st and 2nd) until you start to get control of your stance.

For me there are 3 ways to do a plie:

The first is the 'activated plie'... the one we use when dancing, particularly in jumps, the knees are bent but you don't 'sit' in the base of the plie so you're ready for the next step (whether it's another jump, a turn etc.)

The second is the 'stretching plie'... this one is for training purposes only, you should relax into the plie going as low as you can whilst keeping the heels on the floor to stretch the soleus and calf muscles and to an extent the achilles tendon

The third is the one we use to increase turnout - 'the muscle plie':-

-Start with your feet in parallel
-Weight back onto the heels to release the front of the foot from the floor
-Using the turnout muscles (in it's crudest form the bum, the back of the legs and the inside thigh!) turn out the feet to arrive in 1st position
-Redistribute your weight across the feet correctly (2/3 in the front of the foot, 1/3 on the heel, instep or arch of the foot supported)

This is your 'true' 1st position... your turnout is held entirely by your turnout muscles and not forced in any way.

From here perform a simple plies combination (demi plies, full plies, rises, port de bras, mix it up however you feel). Concentrate on making sure the knees track over the foot on each plie (you'll need to really use your turnout muscles to make this happen). Remember the breath... breathe out as you go down, breathe in to recover.

As you go down imagine someone is holding your waist pulling you up, as you recover imagine someone is pushing down on the top of your head... Basically use your own muscles to resist against yourself.

Do this everyday (even if it's just 5 minutes) as well as plenty of general stretches around the hip area and you should start to find things a little easier.

Hope I helped,
Neil @ KNT Danceworks

nimmysnv · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 61

This is really very helpful and I must say that one can get through it, and if this can be done regularly than it will definitely worth as it will tone your muscles and make it more flexible.

Thanks

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shannon02013 · Joined: 31 Mar 2010 Posts: 3 Location: pittsburgh

lay on your back and lift your legs up so they're at a 90 degree angle. turn them out like you would in first. then lower them sideways to the ground like you're doing a middle split. bring them back up to the first position. do this over and over. you should feel it in your inner thighs.