Technical Tuesday Turnout Factors
According to the article: Turnout for Dancers: Hip Anatomy
and Factors Affecting Turnout: (https://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.iadms.org/resource/resmgr/imported/info/turnout_for_dancers_anatomy.pdf
): “…contributions of the hip, knee, tibia,
and foot create the dancer’s turnout. In most cases, dancers do not possess
perfect turnout …”
Also from the same source:
“The small bones in the foot allow a gliding
action to occur at the arch. It is not uncommon to see dancers force the lower
limbs beyond the normal limits of the hip’s range of motion, creating a
compensating action called pronation or “rolling in” of the feet to achieve the
perception of greater or perfect turnout. This is also referred to as “forcing
the feet”. Dancers are more prone to force the feet in 5th position than other
leg positions. Naturally, abnormal alignment ensues, causing medial stress
along the leg and knee, and is quite possibly linked to increased injury
potential.”
This article
goes into great detail about all the various anatomical factors that contribute to
successful turnout. The condensed version is that are five main things that influence turnout:
1.
The angle of the femur (thigh bone). An increase
in this angle (anteversion) causes one to turn in – commonly called pigeon-toed.
A decrease in this angle (retroversion) is what ballet dancers want to have
since it increases turnout potential. Neither of these two factors can be
changed by training.
2.
Orientation of the acetabulum (top of the femur).
If the socket faces more sideways than front, there is more turnout potential.
3.
Shape of the femoral neck. The longer and more
concave one has more turnout potential than a shorter and less concave one.
4.
Flexibility of the Y ligament.
5.
Flexibility of the muscle-tendon unit. Correctly
stretching these muscles will allow a
dancer to reach their maximum turnout potential.
The article also has several good pictures illustrating
these concepts. I recommend looking at them.
From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:
Ballet Secret #24m.:
“ Turnout involves many different factors, some controllable, some
not.”
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