Top Down Turn-Out

  

Turn-out.  Every ballet dancer wants more when it comes to turn-out.  I tell my students not to focus solely (pun intended) on the feet, but to concentrate on the muscular sensations created by rotating the femur in the hip socket.  For turn-out to be an effective tool in their "technique toolbox", it must originate from the hip sockets, and the feet simply become a reflection of what is happening above.

If the feet are forced into a turned-out position artificially (beyond the dancer’s current physical capability), injuries and/or joint damage can result.  Turn-out is part of ballet technique because it allows for a greater range of motion and a greater degree of movement control.  It also allows for a beautiful aesthetic:  like a breathtaking arabesque.  Thus, the goal is much broader than just "turning the feet out".

  

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Secret #3a:  

“Effective turn-out is created from the top down, not the bottom up.”

                Link of the Day:

http://dianelee.ca/education/article-troublesome-turnout.php              

 

Quote of the Day:

“Never let your feet run faster than your shoes.”

-Scottish proverb

 

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