Big problem

[Guest JRSDANCER87]

Hi everyone. I have a problem, that I'm sure is fairly common, and may have been talked about already, but I did some research and couldn't find anything on this board about it, so I thought I'd post it again (feel free to remove it or refer me to another source if it has been talked about already). The problem is my turnout is very natural, and I can get my leg very turned out very easily. Problem be it, that I have never had to use my turnout mucsles to turn out, because my legs just "go that way". Now, I have over turned out to a point where I tore the labrum ligament on the inside of my left hip (requiring surgery, and recovery process, and a whole bunch of other issues). Furthermore, when I get the surgery done, recover, and return to ballet, I don't want to make the same mistakes again (If you ruin this surgery, it has to be done again, and they told me that with a hip tendon, the second surgery might not be able to make it right again, basically stating that it can only be done once correctly and if you ruin it again, it will never be right again)...so to do this I need to learn how to use my turnout mucsles (for most people, that is to turn out, but for me, it will to keep from over rotating). I can activate them easily, but they are weak, and I need excercises that might strengthen the mucsles. The reason I am posting this as a new post instead of under the recent one about helping turnout is because I am not looking to improve my turnout, I am looking to almost decrease it...well not really decrease it, just learn how to control it...and I thought that maybe there were different excercises or a different approach to trying to control it then to try to force it or make it better. Sorry if this sounds repetitive, I just thought it might be a different situation. Thankyou very much!

[Mel Johnson]

Jenna, when you come back from the surgery, the chances are very good that you won't be as loosey-goosey as before. Your problem is sort of related to the various threads on uncontrolled movement, like bouncing, or just tossing an extension wherever it will go. You have to feel a positive control over the placement of your legs in rotation, and feel it. This is part of a concept known as "propriocentricity" which describes the feeling of knowing where all parts of your body are without looking. Sometimes, students get a bit out of whack, and you'll see the "alabesque" on students who can't feel that their legs aren't right behind them! So while there's a bit of "let's cross that bridge when we come to it", at least this gives you the E-Z Pass to get onto the bridge!

[Guest JRSDANCER87]

Thanks Mr. Johnson. I've heard the hip will be a bit tighter after surgery because the part of the tendon that is stitched will not be elastic anymore and won't stretch...but will it be that different than before? Or that different than my right leg?

[Mel Johnson]

I think, mind you, I THINK that you will find that you will automatically trim your other leg to match the one that had been worked on. This balancing act usually happens without any thought, but you're a fairly experienced dancer now, and should be able to feel where all the parts are. The slight stiffness on the right side will cause the entire pelvic girdle to compensate, and then you can work from there.

[Guest JRSDANCER87]

It will not wreck my turnout though, will it? Can I loosen the stiffness up by stretching extra and things like that? It'll be the left side that is worked on, problem be it, that side is the stiffer side anyhow

[Mel Johnson]

Just normal stretching will bring it back to normal travel. It will take awhile, but hey, where are you going in the meantime, right? No hot date to perform at the Bolshoi, right? How long is awhile? We'll find out after the surgery.