Turning Tips

Good morning, lovelies! Today's post is all about turns turns turns! I have lots of tips to share with you that won't only help your pirouettes, but you chaînés, fouettes, piques, and more! 

Now, there are lots of things you need to focus on (supporting leg straight, ribcage closed, etc..) which I will get into later, but I am going to begin with one of the most important things; ankle strength. Especially with consecutive turns, it is NOT just enough to practice and be able to do a lot of one-footed releves. Being able to do 20 releves on one foot is great, but it really only uses the primary muscles in your foot/ankle. Which is why you may be able to balance forever, but once you start turning, you aren't able to stay up so well. There are a bunch of little stability muscles inside your foot that are responsible for the rest of the job while turning. If these aren't strong, you won't be able to turn like you wish. So the question is; how do you strengthen them? The solution is quite simple and really only involves 5-10 minutes of your day! The best way and the way in which you see fastest results (in my opinion), is using a good, old fashioned theraband. I have attached a short video of the exercises I do daily which I have seen tremendous results from. I only show one foot in the video, but make sure you do BOTH feet so you don't become lopsided! For additional help, here is a video that is very informative and may be of good use too☺️ 

Now that you have a great idea of how to truly strengthen your foot, let's look at the other important factors you need while turning.

1) Obviously, a STRONG core! When I turn, my abs tighten so much that nothing can break me. You want to think of squeezing each of your ab muscles for a very strong core

2) Speaking of tight, make sure your arms are held steady. Loose, wobbly arms will make or break a turn. Make sure to always initiate arm holding from your back... This gets your whole upper body engaged. 

(*NOTE* When you think 'tight', you DO NOT want to think 'tense'. Tension is a no-no for dancers. Instead of 'tense', think of 'resistance'. Your muscles are resisting each other in order to produce a strong foundation. It is the same concept as when you plié, you think 'up'.)

3) Do not lead with your arms/shoulders. In chaîné turns, it is very easy to let the shoulder that is coming around move and help you turn. This will prevent you from being able to do the fast as well as throw off your balance. Initiate from your back, keep your shoulders square, and hold them tight. Shoulder blades together! This is the same for when you prep in any turn. Keep them square!

4) Spotting is your friend. No matter what kind of turn you do, always know your front and be fixated on it. Spotting may mean the difference of a double, triple, quadruple, etc.. Whip that head!

5) If you experience a falling back sensation, you have most likely fallen into the trap of opening your ribcage. If your ribcage is open, this throws off the entire balance of you body; you spine becomes curved in an unnatural way, your hips tilt, and your shoulders go back. Remember that with that tightening of your core, you are keeping your ribcage locked. 

6) You always need a straight supporting leg. Unless, you are doing consecutive and have to plié for a second of course. You should have a nice resistance throughout your leg and really connect with the floor. For me, it helps to think of the ball of my foot as a screw being driven by my body, the screwdriver.

7) Focus and keep a positive mindset. Remember that dance is a huge percent mental. Stay positive and keep practicing. What seems impossible for you now will eventually be your warmup! Don't overthink things and don't be afraid of falling... After all, you are only a few feet from the floor. Mistakes are just proof that you are trying. So keep at it and FIGHT FOR IT!

Well, I hope these tips have helped you and feel free to email me at jaythedancer23@gmail.com for any more questions, comments, or concerns. Or just leave a comment below!

Until next time, darlings!

XOXO❤️