Ballet turns?

Question:i can't do simple pirouettes.. i can do one.. maybe two if i'm lucky.. i've been spotting.. wellll getting better but i am spotting on my single turns.. i just can't on my doubles or triples or quadruples etc... i think i might get nervous and intimadated by the other people in my class i'm not sure though.. any suggestions?? thank youu

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: i can't do simple pirouettes.. i can do one.. maybe two if i'm lucky.. i've been spotting.. wellll getting better but i am spotting on my single turns.. i just can't on my doubles or triples or quadruples etc... i think i might get nervous and intimadated by the other people in my class i'm not sure though.. any suggestions?? thank youu

it might be muscle memory. your muscles are used to coming down after just one turn and you have to concentrate harder for them not to. also stretch your neck and shoulders. it sounds really wierd but it lets your head move more freely, making it easier to spot. and make sure that you're keeping a good first position because it really helps more than you think it would (trust me, that was a huge problem for me). and umm doing releves without turning couldn't hurt... i obviously dont know exactly whats wrong but it couldnt hurt. cuz it could be that your not on a full releve... make sure your as high as you can be. and plie a little deeper right before you turn. and dont sit in your plie. and make sure your knee is straight and your passe is touching your knee. (you know, your toe is touching your leg... depends on where you were trained to have it for exactly where. i find it easier if its actually a little higher than my knee.)
oh and make sure your foot isnt sickled! just a general thing haha

What helped me a lot with my turns was sitting in one of those spinning chairs or stools and having someone spin me while I spotted something. This got me used to spotting multiple times and the sensation of turning. You also need to be less self-conscious! Half of what makes turns is believing you can do them.

i think that when you try to turn, you might be thinking too hard about it you know? I know sometimes i think so hard on the perfect placement, core muscles, pulling up and out and pushing down with your supporting leg... but my best turns happen when i just trust myself and KNOW that i am gonna do it and stick it. (don't get me wrong, you shouldn't just throw yourself in a haphazard circle ;]) but don't think about it AS much. Its a delicate state of mind =]

I think you should be less self conscious and just go for it. As a ballet dancer en pointe I think you just have to find your center of gravity and work on your spotting.

i'm just gonna add on to some of these suggestions.

try just prepping and then releve just bringing your foot up to passe (w/ no turn) just to see how long you can hold your releve. if you can hold it for awhile then you should be doing doubles, tripples, etc. (this will help you to get your centre also.) make sure you bring your arms straight to first. don't push your hip up too high when you passe (that was my problem for awhile). keep your chin up and your neck long. pick a spot on the wall and just keep your focus on that when you go up on releve. it will help you to focus on keeping your balance more. and remember to pull up from your centre. imagine that someone has their fingers just below your ribs and are pushing them up.

keep all these things in mind and you'll get your pirouettes. it's important to get them so you can move on to more advanced moves like fouette turns (my favorite (-: ). good luck with them!

oh, and i forgot to add that while it's definitely an issue of proper technique, it might just be all in your head too. just try to forget about what other people are doing and just focus on YOUR perfect pirouette!

Lily