Turnout is one of the cornerstone elements of classical ballet. Proper use of turn out protects your joints (especially the knees and ankles), allows for the correct muscle groups to develop, lengthens your “lines”, and provides stability in your dancing. Some of the most important things to consider when working on your turn out include:
· Turning out from the hips, not the knees or ankles
· Using your hamstrings and gluts to hold your turn out, instead of your quads
· Keeping your feet properly placed on the floor (i.e. avoiding rolling out/in)
Even though these movements might seem unnatural at first, with a little time and effort, they will soon become second nature.
· Turning out from the hips, not the knees or ankles
· Using your hamstrings and gluts to hold your turn out, instead of your quads
· Keeping your feet properly placed on the floor (i.e. avoiding rolling out/in)
Even though these movements might seem unnatural at first, with a little time and effort, they will soon become second nature.
Turnout from the Hips
Starting your turnout from the hips is essential! If you force it from the knees or ankles, it is only a matter of time before you become injured. To find your natural turnout (which you can then improve) without hurting yourself, 1) start with your feet in parallel, and your pelvis held as you would hold it during class, 2) lift one leg off the floor with a flexed foot, and feel the leg turn out in the hip socket, 3) place it on the floor into first position, and 4) repeat with the other leg. From here you can aim to improve your turn out through strengthening exercises in and outside of class. Focus your efforts on strengthening the hamstrings, inner thighs, and the gluts so that you can hold your turn out without relying on your quads.
Check out the links below for some video demonstrations of exercises that will help your turnout!
Check out the links below for some video demonstrations of exercises that will help your turnout!
Standing on Your Feet
Many people tend to force their turnout from the ankles, which often leads to “rolling in” or “rolling out.” Working with the feet placed improperly in this way results in weak ankles and feet, and puts excessive strain on the knees, and generally makes you unstable. To make sure that you are not falling into this habit, follow these rules: 1) check that all fives toes (on both feet) are fully placed on the ground, 2) be sure that the outside edge of the foot is on the ground and is not “peeling” up, 3) pull up the arch of your foot, so that the inside edge of your foot does not “droop” down towards the floor. If you are doing all of this, the entire foot and ankle should be engaged and working, but not straining. Your body weight should be evenly distributed across your foot, instead of having one side support most of the weight. When in doubt about your turnout, go through your mental checklist:
- Turn out starting from hips
- Knees pointing out in plié, supported by the hamstrings
- Knees in line over the toes
- Feet flat on the floor
- Toes directly under the knees
Important Links
Video Links
Turnout Exercises
Barre Class for Turnout
GREAT turnout/strengthening exercises
Article Links
"Ready for Pointe?/What Foot Type Are You?"-Atlanta Ballet
"Tune Up your Turnout: A Dancer's Guide"
"Defy your DNA"
Your Ticket to Turnout
Miscellaneous Links
American Ballet Theatre Ballet Dictionary
Tips for Adult Ballet from Kathryn Morgan (former NYCB soloist)
Turnout Exercises
Barre Class for Turnout
GREAT turnout/strengthening exercises
Article Links
"Ready for Pointe?/What Foot Type Are You?"-Atlanta Ballet
"Tune Up your Turnout: A Dancer's Guide"
"Defy your DNA"
Your Ticket to Turnout
Miscellaneous Links
American Ballet Theatre Ballet Dictionary
Tips for Adult Ballet from Kathryn Morgan (former NYCB soloist)