Alignment for turns and balance.
- Imagine a line running from your shoulder, through your hip and down through the supporting leg and foot.
- If any element of this is not in line the balance will tip.
- The line must be pulled tight and straight.
- If you are falling forward your seat is out and not in tight alignment with your hip and leg and you might be pushing forward from your preparation rather than up.
- If you are falling to the lifted leg side you are taking weight out into the pirouette position and you are not truly over the standing leg.
- If you are falling back your stomach is not tight, your shoulders are not over your hips and you are not getting over the standing leg.
- If you fall to your standing leg you are sitting in your hip.
Pirouette Focus
-
Develop the ability to find your balance on one leg from many positions.
-
Practice from 4th/5th devant lifting into balance, From 2nd, From 4th/5th derriere.
-
If you can find your balance and hold 3-4 counts your body will be able to quickly go to the correct place when pirouetting.
-
The placement of the balance will directly impact the quality and quantity of the turn.
-
THOUSANDS of repetitions will teach your body where this “home” position is and then you will be able to find it, recover it, and put it easily into choreography.
-
Tedious as it may seem – make a habit of this type of drill!
Spot! Spot! Spot!
-
All the balance in the world, the strongest position alignment, strong hip, ankle and turned out but if you don’t spot IT WILL NEVER be correct!
-
Practice spotting: look in the mirror, turn 1/4 to 1/2 and then snap the head quickly.
-
Be specific about what you spot while you are learning. Make your eyes focus on one thing.
-
Your head must be slightly faster than your body. Spot where you want to finish to avoid sloppy endings.
Your releve matters!
-
You must be lifted as high as your foot will allow and lock the position in your ankle.
-
If you let the foot position become loose or low your turn will be compromised.
-
Make sure you do not roll out onto the small toes- keep your weight over the ball of your foot
-
and the 2-3 bigger toes (depending on the structure of your foot).
-
Hopping in your pirouette? Good! You know how to take force into the turn.
- The hopping is because you are not controlling that force. The good news is it is easier to learn to control the force than to teach someone to give more.
-
You must only use the exact amount you need for that number of turn. You also must push DOWN through the leg like a drill. While the body is lifted the leg is pushing down as to not lose contact with the floor.
Upper body
-
Close the arms and have the foot in position by the first 1/4 of the turn. If you wait the line is messy and weak.
-
Close quickly and keep the position. Practice by doing 1/4 turns and drilling that quick to close position.
-
Notice the muscles that are active in your arms. If your muscles are not active they are not correct.